Bucky Irving’s rise in Tampa Bay is moving fast enough to make the Buccaneers’ record books blink.
After he steamrolled Atlanta for 170 yards and a touchdown on 27 carries in a 16-0 win, Irving has pushed himself into the franchise’s top 10 in total offense. For a player in only his third season - and one who missed nearly half of his second year because of injury - that’s a striking place to be this early.
The Falcons had no answer for him. Irving and Kenny Gainwell, who piled up 140 yards on 25 carries, powered the Bucs to a shutout even though Baker Mayfield didn’t complete a pass.
Irving’s recent stretch has been just as loud as that performance. Over the last month, he’s put together games of 165, 106 and 170 yards. That kind of production is hard for any back to sustain, even the league’s elite, but Irving is making a strong case that he belongs in that conversation.
Through eight games, he’s fourth in the NFL in rushing with 728 yards and ninth in yards per carry at five. Even with Gainwell getting more involved, Irving remains one of the league’s busiest runners with 147 carries.
It’s a sharp turnaround from last season, when he appeared in only 10 games and wasn’t very effective while dealing with an injured ankle and a shoulder that needed offseason surgery. This year, he’s already surpassed last season’s rushing total by 140 yards. He also has five touchdowns, five times what he had a year ago, and is averaging 1.6 yards per carry.
The Buccaneers’ all-time rushing list still starts with James Wilder, followed by Mike Alstott, Warrick Dunn, Doug Martin and Cadillac Wiliams. But Irving is already forcing his way into that conversation, and the way he’s running, he doesn’t look like he’s slowing down anytime soon.
In Other News...
Calijah Kancey Just Reminded Bucs Fans What This Defense Needs
Calijah Kancey gave the Buccaneers another reminder of why his presence matters in the middle of the defense, even when the box score does not tell the whole story. Against Atlanta, he was part of a front that helped Tampa Bay stay organized at the point of attack, with Kancey chipping in three solo tackles and one assist while doing the dirty work that often gets overlooked on a stat sheet.
What stood out was the way he helped the Bucs hold their shape against the run, taking on blockers and helping close off lanes before they could develop. Tampa Bay has plenty of reasons to value disruptive plays from its front, but Kanceys value goes beyond splash moments, and games like this are a good example of why the defense looks different when he is involved. [Read more 🡒]
Bucs Rookie Ted Hurst Is Running Out Of Time To Earn Trust
Ted Hurst arrived in Tampa Bay with the kind of rookie buzz that usually comes from a strong college rsum and a promising camp, but the regular season has been a tougher proving ground. Through eight games, the Buccaneers wide receiver has flashed just enough to keep the conversation going, yet his production has been modest as he tries to carve out a bigger role in an offense that has leaned heavily on the run and sputtered at times through the air.
For a player whose calling card was supposed to be reliability on the boundary and the ability to finish contested throws, the margin for error is getting thinner. The Bucs still need answers in the passing game, and Hurst still has time to make himself part of them, but he is also running out of opportunities to show that his college promise can translate when the games count the most. [Read more 🡒]
Buccaneers Face A Vita Vea Decision That Could Shift Fast
The Buccaneers are in a familiar spot for this time of year, still hanging around the playoff race and not acting like a team ready to strip things down at the trade deadline. Even so, defensive tackle Vita Vea has emerged as a name worth watching, with ESPNs Jeremy Fowler reporting that New York is keeping tabs on him while Tampa Bay weighs its own path forward.
Veas recent extension makes any move feel unlikely, and the Buccaneers are not planning to deal him right now. But his recent dip in performance has added a layer of intrigue to a decision that could move quickly if the next stretch of games changes the teams outlook, leaving Tampa Bay to balance present contention against the kind of long-term roster call that can reshape a defense. [Read more 🡒]