The Tampa Bay Buccaneers don’t have much going for them after two weeks, but they do have one clear bright spot: the run game.
At 0-2, Tampa Bay is already staring at a rough opening stretch after dropping its home opener to a Cleveland Browns team it was expected to handle. The offense has been messy in more than one area, and the results have been ugly. Still, when the Bucs have handed the ball off, they’ve found something that actually works.
Through two games, Tampa Bay’s rushing numbers stack up well. The Bucs are fifth in the NFL in yards per carry at 5.0, and their rushing EPA/play of 0.028, per SumerSports, ranks ninth leaguewide. They’ve also been efficient on a down-to-down basis, posting a 48.89% success rate on the ground, which is seventh in the NFL.
Bucky Irving has been a big part of that early production. The Buccaneers running back is seventh among NFL backs in EPA/Play at 0.106 and sits eighth in the league with a 48.0% success rate.
The catch is that Tampa Bay hasn’t leaned on the ground game nearly enough.
The Buccaneers ran the ball on just 38.5% of their snaps against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1 and 40.3% against the Browns in Week 2. Overall, they’re running it 39.47% of the time, which ranks 25th in the NFL.
Week 1 at least came with some explanation. The Bucs fell behind 21-3 quickly after three offensive turnovers, so the game script forced them away from the run. Week 2 was harder to justify, since Tampa Bay kept leaning on an ineffective passing attack even though the rushing game was holding up better.
That kind of imbalance has made it difficult to build any rhythm. It’s even tougher when the defense is struggling to get stops; Tampa Bay is 31st in the NFL in passing completion percentage allowed at 75.38%, which means the offense can be left chasing points while drives keep stretching out on the other side.
For now, the run game is one of the few pieces working. If the Buccaneers want to turn anything around, that’s the area they may need to feature more often.
Tampa Bay will try to avoid an 0-3 start when it faces the Minnesota Vikings in Week 3 at Raymond James Stadium on Sept. 27 at 1 p.m.
In Other News...
Bucs Usage After That Loss Raises One Big Offensive Concern
The snap counts from Tampa Bays loss to Cleveland offered a revealing look at how the Buccaneers tried to piece together their offense, and it started with the passing game. Jalen McMillan saw a limited workload, while Ted Hurst III was asked to carry more of the load and ended up with a costly drop that stood out in a game where the Bucs never quite found the right rhythm.
Bucky Irving again looked like the most important piece of the offense, out-snapping Kenny Gainwell and handling the bulk of the backfield work. On the other side of the ball, David Walker made the most of limited opportunities with his first career sack, but the bigger takeaway for Tampa Bay was how uneven the offensive usage looked in a loss that raised questions about where the production is supposed to come from next. [Read more 🡒]
Buccaneers Fans Already Feel The Void Lavonte David Left
Through two games, Alex Anzalone has held the Buccaneers starting linebacker role and worn the helmet that comes with calling the defense, but the early returns have been rough. His work in coverage and as a tackler has left Tampa Bay without much stability in the middle, and the roster doesnt offer an obvious immediate upgrade as the team tries to settle that spot.
The bigger issue is the shadow left by Lavonte David, whose retirement this offseason ended a 14-year run in Tampa Bay and removed a player who had long been both a leader and a tone-setter. Rookie Josiah Trotter has already made more tackles than Anzalone, which only sharpens the contrast as the Buccaneers look for someone to replace not just the production, but the presence David brought to the defense. [Read more 🡒]
Buccaneers Draw A Much Tougher Vikings QB Test Than Expected
A week after the matchup started looking like it might come with a different quarterback story, the Buccaneers now have a clearer picture of what awaits in Week 3. Vikings head coach Kevin OConnell confirmed that Kyler Murray has cleared concussion protocol and will start against Tampa Bay, with Carson Wentz staying in the backup role. It gives the Bucs a far different challenge than they were preparing for, especially with Minnesota still carrying the edge in the betting line.
For Tampa Bay, the bigger wrinkle is not just the name under center, but the uncertainty hanging over what comes next. Murrays return gives Minnesota a more dynamic look right away, while the possibility that his status beyond this week is still unsettled only adds another layer to the matchup. However the Vikings handle their quarterback situation after Sunday, the Buccaneers are getting a sturdier test than they may have expected when the week began. [Read more 🡒]