“Buck’s A Ballplayer”
September 8th, 2024
No frowns from Todd Bowles regarding Bucky Irving.
Joe hadn’t heard this in a long time.
Often, the reaction at The Licht House for Bucs players making good plays is loud applause. Rarely do you hear chanting, not even of a player’s name.
That changed on Sunday.
When rookie running back Bucky Irving started rolling in the second half, he ended the game averaging 6.9 yards a carry, Bucs fans erupted with the chant “Buh-kee, Buh-kee, Buh-kee, Buh-kee!”
The fans wanted more Bucky carrying the rock. The key here is, does Todd Bowles want more Irving? After the game, Bowles was stoked for how Irving performed in his first at-bat in the NFL.
“Buck’s a ball player, you know,” Bowles said with one of the highest compliments a coach can give a player. “His height and his size does not magnify how good he is as a running back.
“He can run middle. He can catch the ball. He’s tough. He finishes runs. He’s very good making the first guy miss in the hole and he had a heck of a ball game.”
Irving finished with 62 yards, his longest run was 31.
Could more carries be on the horizon? Despite all the talk about how a rebuilt offensive line with a new determined offensive line coach would transform the run game, it wasn’t there — except when Irving got the ball. When Rachaad White got the ball, it was the same ol’ same ol.’ Yeah, it was only the first game of the season, Joe gets it.
But dang, this has been two years running that White has been just blah. Or worse. On Sunday, White averaged 2.1 yards a carry. That is unacceptable.
For two years, people hollered that the entire NFL-worst run game was the fault of center Robert Hainsey. Well, now the starting center is Graham Barton. Will people start fingering Barton for White’s ills now? Is White’s new scapegoat Barton?
Or are people finally going to starting holding White accountable.
After one game, it seems Bowles wants to use Irving as the closer. Let White run in the first half and then let Irving put the game away in the second half.
So no, Joe doesn’t believe White will be benched next week. It sure would be nice if he could back up all his talk like he does in the passing game, where he is on a far higher level.
September 9th, 2024 at 12:53 am
Another one of my picks….Luving it….Where you at Luv
September 9th, 2024 at 12:54 am
I see a lot of (prime) Doug Martin in Bucky….undersized but shifty and can cut on a dime.
Doesnt have the homerun speed but knows how to navigate through holes and get yards. Glad Licht and the Bucs didnt listen to the combine stats cause we got a football player.
September 9th, 2024 at 12:56 am
Rachaad certainly ran into everything that moved.
September 9th, 2024 at 1:01 am
White to me just seems like a vertical runner, doesnt have the cutting ability of Bucky or some of the other top backs.
But for now he’s the more reliable option especially in the pass game and since weve only seen Bucky in one game.
Regardless of whos labeled RB1 or RB2, the Bucs have 2 capable running backs. Coen just has to figure out the best way to use them going forward.
I still think you stick with White as RB1 but get Bucky a lot more involved.
September 9th, 2024 at 1:20 am
When Bucky got the ball and got the same blocking that White got, he also would lose like 3 yards on the play.
Sorry, but White isn’t going anywhere. The few times he got blocking, he got yards, but most of the time he was getting hit as he was handed the ball. That’s not on White.
Speaking of which, said this during the game, but man, Cody was getting pushed around again today. I’m not bailing on him yet, it’s week 1, and they have a couple of very good DTs – but it’s concerning. If Cody can’t figure it out here soon, you really need to put Hainsey in there, he’s not going to get Baker killed, and he’s better in the run game. Still plenty of time for Cody, but we need to start seeing him improve.
September 9th, 2024 at 1:37 am
Agreed Rod, thats why Hainsey is still around
September 9th, 2024 at 2:42 am
Agree with Rodney here. There seemed to be some tells apparent to the skins defense on several of White’s runs.
September 9th, 2024 at 2:46 am
Joe, I think you’re being way too harsh on White! White was very good, but there were some negative runs for White due to the offensive line! Even Bucky was the victim of a few mistakes by the offensive line. There were a couple of runs where White could’ve broke for big plays! White’s issue is that he relaxes to much when he’s out in the open, while, Bucky is hitting it hard even when he bursts through the line. White will have to finish plays but it’s still early. But Joe, you’re wayyy too harsh on White! Thank you…
September 9th, 2024 at 3:16 am
How many negative runs?
Our O-line still sucks.
We let people through on half of our snaps.
Baker is Houdini. If Baker wasn’t athletic, he would have been sacked 5 times.
September 9th, 2024 at 3:55 am
Obviously Bucky is the better back. Can he hold up?
September 9th, 2024 at 4:15 am
There were a couple of runs by White that had me thinking, Bucky would’ve done better there. He just seems to get 5 yards before anybody even touches him. I don’t think defenders see him behind our big O line. He cuts off their blocks so much better then White who seems to run into his blockers. White is in a contract year, it would be cheaper rolling with Bucky.
September 9th, 2024 at 5:53 am
The blocking on the right side of the line was much better than the left. They opened up a big lane for Bucky ,on his long run. Bucky also had a big run up
the middle, which he got to the really quickly. White still makes bi plays in the passing game. I was impressed by two blocks he made to give Baker more time.
The first was when an unblocked defender was making a beeline for Baker, White met him and did a good job of staying with him and keeping him off Baker. The other was his blocking for Baker to connect for Mike’s second touchdown. The two Commander DT’s were disruptive and showed O line still is a work in progress. Baker was doing one hell of a job of escaping when blocking
collapsed.
September 9th, 2024 at 6:23 am
Looks like that was Detroit’s gameplan with Montgomery last night. Using him as the closer.
September 9th, 2024 at 6:51 am
correction: left side of line’s blocking much better than right. Also both backs were TFL’d before they could even get to the blocking on the right side. Not sure where the breakdown came from but it needs to be addressed.
September 9th, 2024 at 9:00 am
Did you see how Detroit finished the game in OT?
Run, Run, Run, Run, Run, Run, TD = Game Over.
The running game is worth the investment. Let’s keep grinding. Joe might have been on to something with White being the weak link. Bucky looks like a baller but his size prevents him from being a true #1. We need a 1-2 punch. I’d like to see what Tucker can do.
September 9th, 2024 at 10:59 am
By mid season we will know the strengths and weaknesses in our running backs. Hope we have that three headed monster emerge. Otherwise I still think White will be the number one and Irving will be number two with Tucker getting a few touches here and there.
September 9th, 2024 at 11:44 am
I love how Joe just ignores the RBs getting blown up in the backfield when discussing production. It happened to White 3x yesterday, and 2x to Bucky. And whaddayaknow, they had 15 and 9 Carie’s respectively, basically a 3:2 ratio.
September 9th, 2024 at 12:24 pm
White is a dangerous threat catching the ball. Coen is seeing it now in actual game action. Put him together with Evans, Ungodly, McMillan, Otton (he’ll get hot), etc. and once the OLine jells, you’ll have a deadly Offense. I don’t even name Feisty BM cos he speaks for himself. I also love the team camaraderie. Bucs have had it for years.
September 9th, 2024 at 2:04 pm
I saw several plays where white got creamed in the backfield. 2 huge losses. Now I get white doesn’t hit the hole like buckee but the oline deff didn’t do white any favors on a few played where he was met as soon as he took the hand off and several times baker was running for his life. I’m a huge wirfs fan but dude got beat several times during the game. With his skills and new contract that shouldn’t happen