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Bucky Irving Continues to Top Rookie Charts

Data Crunch: RB Bucky Irving, who scored his seventh touchdown in Sunday's narrow loss in Dallas, leads all NFL rookies in yards from scrimmage, rushing yards and rushing touchdowns

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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost to the Dallas Cowboys, 26-24, on Sunday night when a chance at a late game-winning drive ended in a turnover. The defeat snapped a four-game winning streak and dropped the Buccaneers to 8-7 and into a tie for first place in the NFC South with Atlanta. The Falcons hold the division tiebreaker due to a head-to-head sweep, so the Bucs need to win one more game than Atlanta over the final two weekends to take home a fourth straight division crown.

The Buccaneers out-gained the Cowboys in net yards, 410-317, and had 25 first downs to the home team's 15. It marked the ninth time in 15 games this season that Tampa Bay has topped 400 yards, which is the most in the NFL.

Most Games with 400-Plus Yards, NFL, 2024

1. Tampa Bay: 9

2. Baltimore: 8

3t. San Francisco: 7

3t. Washington: 7

The ninth 400-yard performance also increased the Buccaneers' overall yards-per-game average to 389.8, which continues to rank third in the NFL.

Most Net Yards Per Game, NFL, 2024

  1. Baltimore: 423.7
  2. Detroit: 408.6
  3. Tampa Bay: 389.8
  4. Green Bay: 375.8*
  5. Washington: 373.5

(* Green Bay plays on Monday night.)

Rookie running back Bucky Irving was one of the main catalysts in the Buccaneers' offense on Sunday night, rushing 16 times for 68 yards and a touchdown and adding three catches for 24 yards. Washington quarterback Jayden Daniels threw five touchdown passes in a comeback win over the Philadelphia Eagles earlier on Sunday, likely solidifying his hold on the NFL's Offensive Rookie of the Year award, but Irving is a strong candidate for that honor as well. Irving currently leads all rookies in yards from scrimmage, rushing yards and rushing touchdowns

Most Yards from Scrimmage, NFL Rookies, 2024

  1. Bucky Irving, Buccaneers: 1,240
  2. Brian Thomas, Jaguars: 1,118
  3. Brock Bowers*, Raiders: 1,081
  4. Tyrone Tracy, Giants: 984
  5. Malik Nabers, Giants: 971

Most Rushing Yards, NFL Rookies, 2024

  1. Bucky Irving, Buccaneers: 920
  2. Jayden Daniels, Commanders: 737
  3. Tyrone Tracy, Giants: 695
  4. Caleb Williams, Bears: 442
  5. Isaac Guerendo, 49ers: 381

Most Rushing Touchdowns, NFL Rookies, 2024

1. Bucky Irving, Buccaneers: 7

2. Jayden Daniels, Commanders: 6

3. Tyrone Tracy, Giants: 5

4t. Isaac Guerendo, 49ers: 4

4t. Bo Nix, Broncos: 4

View the best photos of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' regular season Week 16 game vs. the Dallas Cowboys

Irving's fellow 2024 draftee, wide receiver Jalen McMillan, also found the end zone on an 11-yard reception in the second quarter. It was McMillan's fourth score in the last three games and his fifth of the season. Only Jacksonville's Brian Thomas (nine) and Arizona's Marvin Harrison Jr. (seven), a pair of first-round picks, have more touchdown catches among rookies this season. Between them, the Bucs' third and fourth-round selections, McMillan and Irving, have produced 12 touchdowns this season, the most from any rookie class so far this season.

Most Touchdowns Scored, Team Rookies, 2024

  1. Buccaneers: 12
  2. Giants: 11
  3. Broncos: 10

McMillan caught five passes for 57 yards and scored for the third game in a row. He joins Mike Evans (2014) and Mike Williams (2010) as the only rookie receivers to score in three straight games in franchise history.

McMillan's touchdown was one of two scoring passes tossed by quarterback Baker Mayfield, who finished the game with 303 yards and an interception on 31-of-43 passing. It was Mayfield's fifth 300-yard game of the season, his ninth in two seasons with the Buccaneers and the 18th in his career. Only Cincinnati's Joe Burrow has more 300-yard passing games this season, with six. Mayfield's two touchdown passes extended his new career high to 34 and gave him the third most prolific season in that category in Buccaneers history.

Most Touchdown Passes, Single Season, Buccaneers History

1. Tom Brady (2021): 43

2. Tom Brady (2020): 40

3. Baker Mayfield (2024): 34

4. Jameis Winston (2019): 33

5t. Baker Mayfield (2023): 28

5t. Jameis Winston (2016): 28

Mayfield also continues to rank third in the NFL in touchdown passes this season.

Most Passing Touchdowns, NFL, 2024

  1. Joe Burrow, Bengals: 39
  2. Lamar Jackson, Ravens: 37
  3. Baker Mayfield, Buccaneers: 34
  4. Jared Goff, Lions: 33
  5. Sam Darnold, Vikings: 32

Mayfield completed 72.1% of his passes against the Cowboys, marking the eighth time this season he has topped a 70% completion rate in a game. He ranks third in the NFL in that category among qualifying passers.

Highest Completion Percentage, NFL, 2024

  1. Tua Tagovailoa, Dolphins: 72.9%
  2. Jared Goff, Lions: 71.4%
  3. Baker Mayfield, Buccaneers: 70.9%
  4. Geno Smith, Seahawks: 70.1%
  5. Jayden Daniels, Commanders: 69.7%

Safety Christian Izien led the Bucs' defense on Sunday night with a career-high 13 tackles, recording his third career game with double-digit stops. Linebacker Lavonte David was next with eight stops, two of which were for losses. David now has 169 career tackles for loss, the third most by any player since he entered the NFL in 2012.

Most Tackles for Loss, NFL, 2012-24

  1. T.J. Watt, Steelers: 182
  2. Aaron Donald, Rams: 176
  3. Lavonte David, Buccaneers: 169
  4. Cameron Jordan, Saints: 153
  5. Von Miller, Broncos/Rams, Bills: 150

Kicker Chase McLaughlin scored six points in the loss to Dallas, making three extra points and his only field goal attempt from 45 yards out. Since joining the Buccaneers last season, McLaughlin has the third-best field goal percentage in the NFL, making 55 of his 59 attempts.

Highest Field Goal Percentage, NFL, 2023-24

Player Team Made Att. Pct.
Nick Folk Titans 50 52 96.2%
Cameron Dicker Chargers 62 66 93.9%
Chase McLaughlin Buccaneers 55 59 93.2%
Chris Boswell Steelers 68 73 93.2%
Cam Little Jaguars 22 24 91.7%

Defensive lineman Will Gholston played in the 184th game of his career, all with the Buccaneers. In the process, he moved past tackle Paul Gruber into fifth place on the franchise's all-time games played list.

Most Games Played, Buccaneers History

  1. CB Ronde Barber: 241
  2. LB Derrick Brooks: 224
  3. LB Lavonte David: 196
  4. TE Dave Moore: 190
  5. DL Will Gholston: 184

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