On Monday, Todd Bowles told the media that rookie running back Bucky Irving had earned more reps. Through three weeks of this very young season, it's hard to argue with that statement - or the results that Irving has had on the field. That's not to say Rachaad White isn't a good running back, but Irving is certainly playing better than White is right now and if this Bucs offense wants to get back on track they'll use him accordingly.
Irving is averaging nearly seven yards per carry this season. 25 rushes for 154 yards is some pretty solid production in his limited opportunity. Now, of course, 63 of those yards came on two carries so the numbers may appear better than what they actually are - but when you remove those two runs, Irving is still clipping off nearly four yards per carry compared to White's 2.1 ypc average.
White has eight more rushing attempts on the year than Irving but has been on the field nearly twice the snaps - 120 to 68 - but has nearly half the rushing production. The thing about White is that he's at his best when he's a big part of the passing game and that just hasn't been the case yet this season. He had just one reception against the Lions in week two then finished with five receptions for eighteen yards. In all, White had eleven touches in Sunday's loss and gained only 35 yards off of them. Irving had twelve touches for 84 yards.
Irving has found most of his success running to the right, either in-between Graham Barton and Cody Mauch where he's averaging 9.7 yards per carry or between Mauch and Luke Goedeke/Justin Skule where he's averaging 11.3 yards per carry. Irving is gaining aver six yards per touch this season which is really solid production from a rookie running back that isn't the lead back on a team. That's why Bowles said that Irving has earned more reps.
Now the Bucs are set to face an Eagles defense that is allowing the ninth most rush yards per game - 134.7 - and have shown early in the year that their tackling woes from last season are far from in the past. This is a motivated squad that wants to exact the kind of revenge on the Bucs for their playoff loss that the Bucs just handed to Detroit. The best way to beat them? Control the clock, control the tempo, control the game. If Tampa is going to do that it's going to take a significant jump in the efficiency of the running game and, right now, that means putting the ball in the hot hand of Bucky Irving.
There's no doubt in my mind that Rachaad is going to get things on track and be a key weapon on the Bucs' offense, but right now they're starting a gauntlet of difficult games and they can't wait around while the offense suffers. Bucky should get as many, if not more, snaps as White in this game. White is a better pass catcher and he's better at picking up the blitz - but that's not to say Irving can't do either of those things. At this moment, heading into week four of the NFL season, Irving gives the offense a more explosive and efficient weapon to use against Philadelphia and the game plan needs to reflect that.
Bucs vs. Eagles Game Information
When: Sunday, September 29
Where: Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, FL)
Kickoff: 1:00 p.m. ET
TV: FOX – Kevin Burkhardt (Play by Play), Tom Brady (Analyst), Erin Andrews and Tom Rinaldi (Reporter)
Bucs Radio: 98Rock – Gene Deckerhoff (Play by Play), Dave Moore (Color), T.J. Rives (Reporter)
Spanish Radio: 96.1 Caliente – Carlos Bohorquez (Play by Play), Martín Gramática (Analyst), Santiago Gramatica (Sideline Reporter)
On Monday, Todd Bowles told the media that rookie running back Bucky Irving had earned more reps. Through three weeks of this very young season, it's hard to argue with that statement - or the results that Irving has had on the field. That's not to say Rachaad White isn't a good running back, but Irving is certainly playing better than White is right now and if this Bucs offense wants to get back on track they'll use him accordingly.
Irving is averaging nearly seven yards per carry this season. 25 rushes for 154 yards is some pretty solid production in his limited opportunity. Now, of course, 63 of those yards came on two carries so the numbers may appear better than what they actually are - but when you remove those two runs, Irving is still clipping off nearly four yards per carry compared to White's 2.1 ypc average.
White has eight more rushing attempts on the year than Irving but has been on the field nearly twice the snaps - 120 to 68 - but has nearly half the rushing production. The thing about White is that he's at his best when he's a big part of the passing game and that just hasn't been the case yet this season. He had just one reception against the Lions in week two then finished with five receptions for eighteen yards. In all, White had eleven touches in Sunday's loss and gained only 35 yards off of them. Irving had twelve touches for 84 yards.
Irving has found most of his success running to the right, either in-between Graham Barton and Cody Mauch where he's averaging 9.7 yards per carry or between Mauch and Luke Goedeke/Justin Skule where he's averaging 11.3 yards per carry. Irving is gaining aver six yards per touch this season which is really solid production from a rookie running back that isn't the lead back on a team. That's why Bowles said that Irving has earned more reps.
Now the Bucs are set to face an Eagles defense that is allowing the ninth most rush yards per game - 134.7 - and have shown early in the year that their tackling woes from last season are far from in the past. This is a motivated squad that wants to exact the kind of revenge on the Bucs for their playoff loss that the Bucs just handed to Detroit. The best way to beat them? Control the clock, control the tempo, control the game. If Tampa is going to do that it's going to take a significant jump in the efficiency of the running game and, right now, that means putting the ball in the hot hand of Bucky Irving.
There's no doubt in my mind that Rachaad is going to get things on track and be a key weapon on the Bucs' offense, but right now they're starting a gauntlet of difficult games and they can't wait around while the offense suffers. Bucky should get as many, if not more, snaps as White in this game. White is a better pass catcher and he's better at picking up the blitz - but that's not to say Irving can't do either of those things. At this moment, heading into week four of the NFL season, Irving gives the offense a more explosive and efficient weapon to use against Philadelphia and the game plan needs to reflect that.
Bucs vs. Eagles Game Information
When: Sunday, September 29
Where: Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, FL)
Kickoff: 1:00 p.m. ET
TV: FOX – Kevin Burkhardt (Play by Play), Tom Brady (Analyst), Erin Andrews and Tom Rinaldi (Reporter)
Bucs Radio: 98Rock – Gene Deckerhoff (Play by Play), Dave Moore (Color), T.J. Rives (Reporter)
Spanish Radio: 96.1 Caliente – Carlos Bohorquez (Play by Play), Martín Gramática (Analyst), Santiago Gramatica (Sideline Reporter)