Painful Fumble For Bucky Irving
October 4th, 2024
Lots of fingers of blame to point for the Bucs’ loss tonight, but one has to go toward electric rookie running back Bucky Irving.
The Bucs were driving to close out the game when Irving had the rock punched from his arms at the Falcons’ 25 yard line with 2:50 remaining and the Bucs leading 30-27. The fumble came at the end of a 7-yard run on first down.
The Falcons were 4-and-out on their next drive, but the Tampa Bay offense never recovered. Or someone decided to pull the plug?
Regardless, Irving’s fumble was a crushing blow in the Bucs’ overtime loss. If he doesn’t fumble, the Bucs are in prime position to pick up a first-down, force the Falcons into using time outs, and pick up at least a field goal or perhaps put the game away.
It was Irving’s first fumble of the season, and Joe believes Irving was fumble-free in the preseason, too.
Irving finished the night with 9 rushes for 44 yards and 2 catches for 12 yards. He’s got 44 carries for 247 yards this season, an average of 5.6 yards per carry.
Joe hopes Irving’s confidence isn’t affected. He’s got 10 long days before he’s back on the field against the hard-hitting Saints defense.
October 4th, 2024 at 1:02 am
Tell us again that turnovers are no big deal- that they’re similar to a punt
October 4th, 2024 at 1:02 am
White looked great again this week, had 72 yards on just 10 carries.
As for the Bucky fumble, it actually worked out well for the Bucs since the defense made the Falcons go 4-and-out and run the clock, and the Bucs got the ball back with even less time to go in better field position.
Then the refs saw the venmo from Arthur Blank.
October 4th, 2024 at 1:03 am
It was a crucial fumble at a crucial point of the game.
But the fans wanted him in, and Rachaad out
They got what they wished for
Baker only had 53 yards passing in the second half
This team is too inconsistent
October 4th, 2024 at 1:05 am
Not just his fumble hurt. The fact our defense didn’t lay on the wide receiver on the the play before the spike hurt as well. Had the laid on them a little longer the spike would have been obsolete. It’s the mental that hurts the most.
October 4th, 2024 at 1:10 am
This was a game the Bucs refuse to win. The Falcons gave them opportunity after opportunity to close them out. Instead of closing the Falcons out, the Bucs kept them around.
October 4th, 2024 at 1:18 am
that was a bad looking fumble. white should have been in to close the game out . wont be surprised if it happens to sucky again
October 4th, 2024 at 1:27 am
Situational football should have been coached into him. Two hands! A well coached team would have taught him that in advance.
October 4th, 2024 at 1:31 am
Since you brought up pointing fingers, how about we address the situation with our punters too. Sure would have been nice to have had a punter who could have pinned the falcons at the 2 yard line late in the game instead of the touchback we got instead. Trenton Gill is not the answer.
October 4th, 2024 at 2:01 am
Even if he fumbled this one theres no doubt in my mind hes our future rb1.
October 4th, 2024 at 2:21 am
Just don’t know how the refs totally missed the face mask penalty that should’ve been called on Atlanta at the end of the game for almost ripping Buckys head off. Even Al Michaels & Kirk Herbstreit thought it was a face mask penalty. That was ridiculous & that decided the game also.
October 4th, 2024 at 6:18 am
Have Bucky in fantasy, eh? Rachaad Whiye outplayed him in every aspect last night. Except he should have gotten behind his blocker for a TD on his monster run.
October 4th, 2024 at 7:37 am
It’s football and crap happens. Some times the ball bouncers your way like when Evans covered Godwin’s mistake and a DB dropped an easy Interception. Ball bounced Bucs way a couple times in an important game against the Rams before the Rams took bounce out of the equation and just threw it over everyone’s head and won at the last second.
Winfield punched out quite a few balls against the Falcons last season and Bates got one back. It’s comes around.
Bucs will get another shot at them pretty quick and will benefit from an upcoming game against Lamar Jackson and how to deal with a mobile QB like Kirk Cousins.
October 4th, 2024 at 7:56 am
Game changing, score and momentum.
October 4th, 2024 at 8:02 am
Bucky is trying to do to much. He’s looking for the home run all the time when all he needed to do there was hit a single. He’ll learn. I can’t get over the 509 yards of passing, and the 4 TDs. Look at the teams ahead. We can’t stop anybody. That’s where the real problem lies. In a passing league we have a bad pass defense. Bowles mantra is stop the run. Go figure.
October 4th, 2024 at 8:22 am
I wouldn’t classify that turnover as a “fumble” … but an outstanding defensive play. Earlier Godwin suffered an equally “perfect punch” (thank God for the Evans recovery).
Bucky, if you read this, draw upon your best goldfish memories. Forget about it. Chalk it up to “spit happens” and that was one helluva defensive play. 90% of other ball carriers would have been victims of it too.
You rock.
October 4th, 2024 at 8:39 am
Minus the one carry for 56 yards that any running back on the roster could make, White had 9 carries for 16 yards.
Bucky and Tucker should be getting all the early work. The sample size is large enough now to see that White is nothing more than a Charles Sims clone, which is fine, so long as the coaching staff understands the limitations of a player like that.
A great player made a great play to force that fumble. This game is not on Bucky.
October 4th, 2024 at 9:06 am
@Fan of the South
Thanks for some reason!!! It was ONE game. It was ONE fumble his first.
CG 14 fumbled. Fumbles happen.
ONE play might turn a game but it shouldn’t turn a career since EVERYBODY makes mistakes. Remember two years ago the “Boys” visit RayJay and Brady quickly starts moving the ball down the field against the mediocre “Boys” and then throws a freaking INT in the end zone that totally changed the momentum in what turned out to be a first round elimination at home.
Is ANYBODY here really ready to judge Brady’s career or even his time in Tampa because of that horrid play? Of course not he’s the freaking GOAT and brought the Bucs a SB. EVERY player makes mistakes.
October 4th, 2024 at 9:15 am
I know that fumble hurt but they had him in a spot and he couldn’t fend off everything, then the punch came. This is for Bucky, we’re all a little upset but you’re our guy and that was a set up, the dirty birds style. Next week your gonna get more of that from the Saints D. It’s all good little bro keep your head up. It was a great game but the last one with the ball got it twice. Learning lessons 101.. OH YEAH, The Saints hate us even worse. Good game though lots of fight. Let’s Go Bucs!!!!
October 4th, 2024 at 9:31 am
Bring out the silver platter! We love to give games away!
October 4th, 2024 at 9:49 am
I love White but he was awful outside 1 run with a huge hole.
Bucky cuts fast and is decisive. Makes guys miss.
White is a glider and looking more and more like Charles Sims.
Give him space he does well but between tackles he misses the hole or is slow to get to it.
October 4th, 2024 at 10:51 am
That peanut punch is very hard to defend. Fumbles happen, it’s football. Hopefully Bucky doesn’t let this affect his confidence and gets extra reps with the punch-out drill. He’ll be fine.
October 4th, 2024 at 2:48 pm
White did not outplay Bucky. Maybe when you factor the fumble in but otherwise no. It was a 2 back set on Whites long run. If they switched spots, Bucky is doing the same thing as Whie possibly housing it.
White was going nowhere. And the yards don’t matter is White kept the ball secure but guaranteed he was going for 3 yards there instead of Irving going for 7-8.
Coen needed more deception on those last couple drives. It was too straight forward. Even the screens were telegraphed.
October 4th, 2024 at 2:59 pm
white had the 50 yard run because of the ball fake to bucky. the defense collapsed his running lane, white had nothing but daylight. dont get it twisted