Bucky Irving Is A Go
November 29th, 2025
Green light for Sunday
On Wednesday, Bucs offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard cautioned that if running back Bucky Irving plays Sunday against the Cardinals, it is unreasonable to expect him to play 60 snaps.
Grizzard has said this before about players returning to the field after missing a few games due to injury.
OK, Bucky won’t get 60 snaps. So how many touches will he get? Bucs coach Todd Bowles said Bucky will tell the Bucs how many carries he gets.
“We’ll put him in,” Bowles said. “Once he gets in, we’ll see how he is rolling, and then between him, Rachaad [White] and Sean [Tucker], we’ll kind of go with the hot hand.”
Joe suspects with Baker Mayfield likely not 100 percent, the Bucs are going to go ground and pound. The only time since beating San Francisco the Bucs looked halfway decent on offense was when they went run-heavy.
Arizona’s defense is middle of the pack against the run and against the pass.
November 29th, 2025 at 1:05 am
I’d sure hope to God by now!
November 29th, 2025 at 1:14 am
The way bowles insinuates that White is still RB2 is so frustrating.
November 29th, 2025 at 2:55 am
Can we finally take Jason Licht off this “Messiah” pedestal, at least when we’re talking about defensive picks? Yeah, he can draft offense. Cool. But on defense? It’s been rough. Outside of Vea, Winfield, and maybe Parish this year, every REAL defensive difference-maker from the Super Bowl run came from free agency, not his draft board.
And the part that drives me crazy? He refuses to use draft picks like actual assets. This year was the perfect time to package some picks and bring in a proven pass rusher, but he sat on his hands again. Meanwhile, Dallas ships a pass rusher to Green Bay and the dude goes off like a human blowtorch on national TV. That’s what happens when a GM actually pulls the trigger.
You can’t win THIS year’s Super Bowl with NEXT year’s draft picks. At some point the media needs to stop treating Licht like he’s untouchable and start calling out the defensive misses, the stubbornness, and the complete refusal to be aggressive when it actually matters- IRA I’m talking to you.
November 29th, 2025 at 3:56 am
Todd Bowles … ‘“We’ll put him (Bucky) in. Once he gets in, we’ll see how he is rolling, and then between him, Rachaad [White] and Sean [Tucker], we’ll kind of go with the hot hand.”
Something about that statement gave me the feeling that neither Todd nor Grizz has a really good feel for the Bucs’ Run Game. Looked back to the first 4 games that Bucky, Rachaad & Sean played in and I think I know why. Look at how many offensive snaps each of our RBs got in those 4 games:
o Bucky: 198 total (44-57-53-44) – 71 runs – 3.3 YPC
o White: 89 total (14-25-20-30) – 23 runs – 4.7 YPC
o Tucker: 3 total (2-1-0-0) – 1 run – 2.0 YPC
Bucs got over 100 yds rushing in each 1 of those 4 games, but it wasn’t rushing that won those first 3 games; it was Baker’s PASSING in the last drives that won each of them.
For his part, Bucky got the lion’s share of carries AND snaps, but his 3.3 YPC average is anything but impressive. Hardly what I would call ‘having the hot hand’.
It doesn’t appear like Grizz has nearly the ‘feel’ for the Run Game that Coen had. The fact that our combined YPC average this season is down to 4.2 YPC (from last year’s 5.3 YPC) kinda verifies that. We’ve got 3 very good RBs, each with kind of a different skillset. With our Passing Game sputtering, Grizz needs to find ways to better optimize use of all 3 of those RBs.
November 29th, 2025 at 4:48 am
I like what Bowles and Grizz are thinking. Maybe just sprinkle Bucky in, if needed. White and Tucker are doing well. I still believe Coen over-used Bucky last year. Can’t afford Bucky to get re-injured again. Like the trifecta factor.
November 29th, 2025 at 4:59 am
the real issue here is that the team has seemingly collapsed midway thru the season for a 3rd year in a row, if i’m correct…
coach needs to look in the mirror on this one – and question why he can’t get the boys to power up and power thru adversity…
this woman once told me “the only way out is through”
(and no that doesn’t necessarily mean to run bucky in between the tackles and bash up his shoulder)
November 29th, 2025 at 5:05 am
also thru the first quarter of the season i was under the impression the cards were a decent team…i thought maybe they could win 7-9 games in a tough division…
yeah they’ve collapsed as well, but they are fully capable of playing a good football game…
i had this game as a trap when the schedule, but now i wouldn’t call it a trap…it’s more like an all men on deck, win or go home for the season type game……..wild…….who’da thunk that before the season started
November 29th, 2025 at 5:06 am
when the schedule came out*
November 29th, 2025 at 5:10 am
also our line is as fully intact as it’s gonna be all year…time to protect baker like there’s no tomorrow – and open gaping holes like in a porno movie 🙂
November 29th, 2025 at 6:53 am
We suffer from a dearth of passing targets, yet one of the best receiving backs in the league (White), never seems to have any designed plays go his way
November 29th, 2025 at 7:23 am
With Bucky back in the lineup oddsmakers shifted the Bucs -3.5 favorites from -2.5 last 24 hours. Rushing +/- 38.5 yards. Receiving +/-14.5 yards. Combined +/- 56.5 yards. He is currently listed the favorite to score a TD anytime during the game. Hope he gives the spark Bucs need to get a much needed victory. Something caught my attention was Cade Otton +/-39.5 receiving yards. With Bucs leaning on the run game with Mayfield’s shoulder injury, Otton may block more than catch.
November 29th, 2025 at 8:24 am
Typical Bowles
over a month to evaluate and get in the head of your lead RB, and still clueless to how to proceed. Idk, let’s ask the kids what’s for supper. Who’s running this team? No wonder it’s a faceless mash of bodies on defense bouncing off each other without pride, agency, or vision. This blind dog couldn’t find his own @$$ to lick
November 29th, 2025 at 8:27 am
Tucker should start. He’s the best pure runner on the field at the moment. Rotate bucky every 3rd series and Rachaad on 3rd down
November 29th, 2025 at 8:43 am
so, bucky. The injury has been healed. What happened, was, he got his Bell rung(hard hit). I can only imagine how that feels at the nfl level. He felt timid, scared, hesitant, that he could handle another. This was why the wait. Expect, timid, until he is hit again, in game. a little “trial by fire”, a little coaches support. HS, got my bell rung, fell off(CB), coach to me to the side, said, your my best player, wtf. was scared to hit. just that comment put me back on track
November 29th, 2025 at 9:07 am
lol. that was without watching the bucky interview. 1 play. bucky of old
November 29th, 2025 at 9:32 am
If ur savvy and try to outsmart ur opponent…a huge percentage of the time, at least early u trot out Bucky…and wait for it…pass the damn ball!! And maybe godforbid, deep!! Got to catch a team flat footed in this league…instead of forecasting our RB is back..here’s a run up the gut for 1yd
November 29th, 2025 at 10:20 am
Coen and Grizz – apple and oranges. Coen had a solid o-line – Grizz a mix and match MASH unit. Not a surprise the YPC has gone down. White is a threat as receiver and YAC, but seems often overlooked by Baker. Again MASH online or a common lacking in Baker to see open receivers.
The o-line injuries and Baker’s injuries have stalled the offense – not a lack of talent. Grizz being a rookie has not helped. Toss the ball to Culp, Durham, Ryan or someone else this year.
November 29th, 2025 at 10:24 am
Bucky at 3.3 was against 2 really good defenses Atlanta n Houston,Jets were mid,the most important part of that stretch is no Wirfs Goedeke n Mauch plus Barton n Bredeson were last minute changes
November 29th, 2025 at 11:51 am
People are giving Bowles a lot of heat and rightfully so but offense isn’t Bowles. That’s all the rook grizz but let’s be honestly it all starts up front with the big uglies. If we want to win any games not just against AZ those big guys better tighten up. They have played terrible especially wirfs our future hall of famer. He’s looking not even pro bowl worthy. These guys get their groove back open up some running lanes and give baker some time to throw we can do damage. The real ones know that it all starts in the trenches and ours have had a bad smell
November 29th, 2025 at 4:23 pm
When will ownership come to there senses and realize that Bowles is not a HC.
Even his defense makes backup QBs look like Superbowl contenders. If they choose to keep him he should be forced to hire a good defensive coordinator. He has proven he cannot handle both responsibilities every season.
November 29th, 2025 at 8:38 pm
With a healthier O-line, the playbook should be more open to Grizzard, let’s see if he knows how to use it. He has a few games against lesser opponents, so he has a runway to improve before the real stuff starts.