There's only one word that describes Bucky Irving at this point in the Bucs' 2024 season
Of all the successes the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have experienced in 2024, it's certainly logical to argue rookie running back Bucky Irving is the biggest of them all.The kid has made a huge difference since the start of the season, where he racked up 76 total yards on 11 combined touches. Things have taken off […]
Of all the successes the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have experienced in 2024, it's certainly logical to argue rookie running back Bucky Irving is the biggest of them all.
The kid has made a huge difference since the start of the season, where he racked up 76 total yards on 11 combined touches. Things have taken off from there and he now leads the Bucs in rushing yards (852), rushing touchdowns (6), and success rate (53.9%). He's also logged 38 receptions for 296-yards. Those numbers bring his totals to 1,148 yards from scrimmage on 190 total touches and his 6.0 yards per touch is third behind only Saquon Barkley and Jahmyr Gibbs (among 32 RBs with at least 146 total touches on the year).
The impressive stats don't stop there, either, and this next round proves there's only one word to describe Irving in 2024: closer.
Irving has helped the Bucs close out plenty of games in the final 15 minutes and the numbers back it up. Per Sports Info Solutions, Irving's 306 rushing yards in the fourth quarter are third among all running backs and his four fourth quarter rushing touchdowns are second-most.
It keeps going, too. Irving's 0.25 EPA/att and 57.5% positive play rate in Q4 both lead the NFL among RBs with at least 32 Q4 carries. His 4.9 yards after contact per attempt and his first down carry rate of 35% are both second-best among the aforementioned qualifying RBs.
"Bucky is definitely taking advantage of his opportunities," Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield told reporters on Wednesday. "He’s another guy that we try to get the ball in his hands as quickly as possible because he’s done a great job. Obviously, the guys up front, everybody involved in the blocking scheme, have opened holes up for him. But there’s a different level with some of these explosive plays that he’s created on his own. That’s a special player that we have."
As the days get colder and the playoffs draw near, the Bucs are going to need Irving's talents more, especially at the end of the game. If he can keep this up over the final three games and into the postseason, then it's easy to see why Tampa Bay will be one of the more dangerous playoff teams.
