“Tough” Weekend For Bucky Irving
October 8th, 2024
There are lots of reasons the Bucs lost to the Falcons on Thursday. A cynical fan might say there were well over 500.
But Joe thinks it’s safe to say rookie running back Bucky Irving thinks he lost the game for the Bucs.
Irving fumbled late in the fourth quarter in Falcons territory. The Bucs had the ball and a chance to extend their lead and eat a “W.” Instead, Falcons safety Jessie Bates did his best Antoine Winfield Jr. impression and punched the ball out of Irving’s hands at the end of a seven-yard run.
Todd Bowles noted on his Buccaneers Radio Network show that Irving struggled with his gaffe.
“I think it was tough on him over the weekend,” Bowles said of Irving.
“But we talked, and he talked to [offensive coordinator] Liam [Coen] and he talked to [running backs] Coach Peete and, you know, he’s a young guy. We rely on Bucky to do a lot. He’s going to learn from it. He’s going to become a better player.”
Joe feels badly for Irving. Sports Illustrated reported early this year that Irving only fumbled once in three college seasons. Man, Irving must have had a couple of long nights last week. But rookies have to learn to get over fumbles quickly, even the brutal ones.
Hopefully, Irving didn’t watch any film of the Bucs defense in Atlanta. That combination might get him running to the team psychologist.
Joe liked how the Bucs went right back to Irving on the following drive. He didn’t fumble, but his next carry was the play in which another rookie, center Graham Barton, was flagged for a holding penalty that sucked the soul out of Bucs fans.
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October 8th, 2024 at 10:43 pm
The holding penalty was very questionable but the face mask wasn’t! How can the officials miss something so obvious? This was one of the hardest losses I’ve seen and I’ve been watching since 1978!
October 8th, 2024 at 11:09 pm
if he hadnt have fumbled the bucs would have won. just saying.
October 8th, 2024 at 11:22 pm
Rookies doing rookie things. That ship has sailed. On to nawlins.
October 8th, 2024 at 11:46 pm
He should feel that way, maybe the fumble ingrained in his mind will be the reason we beat the chiefs in two weeks
October 8th, 2024 at 11:47 pm
I meant 3 weeks
October 9th, 2024 at 1:03 am
Not his fault. One of many reasons. I would say the defense and once again not sacking the quarterback was first. Second was the offenses inability to continue first have success into the second half. That’s happened the last 2 weeks.
October 9th, 2024 at 1:50 am
All good Bucky, stuff happens…just keep doing your thing and learn from this. Its your hc and his cranial rectosis and of course the refs missing your facemask… next up, we move on.
October 9th, 2024 at 2:20 am
“tom d Says:
October 8th, 2024 at 11:09 pm
if he hadnt have fumbled the bucs would have won. just saying.”
If Bowles had a set and not turtled, Irving wouldn’t have been in that position.
October 9th, 2024 at 4:28 am
Not Bucky’s fault. I remember reading here that White talked to him afterwards too. Bucky is a rookie and of course it would really bother him. Now finding out that he only fumbled once in three college seasons is stunning and definitely would upset him even more. Go Bucky!
October 9th, 2024 at 5:21 am
It was a great defensive play. They get paid too. The real shame is our defense couldn’t do the same.
October 9th, 2024 at 7:31 am
Tom, you’re absolutely right. Had Irving not fumbled, we would have won that game. But, there were a lot of other ifs that cost us the game. If Barton hadn’t been penalized, we could have kicked a field goal instead of punting. On the last Atlanta drive if Dean had not gotten up so quickly after making the tackle the clock would have expired before Atlanta was able to set up for the game-tying field goal. As Joe point out in an earlier post, we had the opportunities to put the game away and we choked.
October 9th, 2024 at 8:21 am
David, it’s actually been a problem for the past four games. I think I posted this in another thread, but here’s the 2nd half scores for the season:
– WAS – 21 points (37 total)
– DET – 7 points (20)
– DEN – 0 points (7)
– PHI – 9 points (33)
– ATL – 6 points (36).
For the Philly game, you could argue that the game was secure so we didn’t need to keep scoring points, but if you look at the whole picture (90 1st-half points to 43 2nd-half points for te season), it’s troubling. I think it’s because other coaches are making adjustments that we don’t respond to.
October 9th, 2024 at 10:11 am
Hey the fumble didn’t lose the game . The defense did 500 plus yards they gave up .no team can win when you give up that many yards point blank. Buckey will be fine moving forward.
October 9th, 2024 at 11:34 am
What in the he!! happened to carrying the ball “high & tight”? Bucky has the ball away from his body, often. Players at this level should have this ingrained by now.