Inside Caesars Superdome, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers run game exploded. The Bucs recorded the third-most rushing yards (277) in a game in team history. With the victory, Tampa Bay became just the fifth team in NFL records to total 300-plus passing yards, and 275-plus rushing yards in a game, joining Miami in Week Three (2023), San Francisco in Week Five (2012), Dallas in Week One (1978) and Green Bay in Week Nine (1962).
Starter Rachaad White was out with a hamstring injury, but Sean Tucker accumulated 136 yards on 14 carries, the final being a five-yard touchdown run, and rookie Bucky Irving added 81 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries. The Buccaneers averaged 7.9 yards per carry, the fourth-highest single-game mark in team history. The two young players stepped up and ignited the Bucs' ground attack in New Orleans.
Tucker took a short pass 36 yards to the house in the second quarter for his first career touchdown as a Buccaneer. Tucker looked at the protection, and once the line had everyone accounted for, Tucker went in the flat and caught the ball. The Saints had a blown coverage and did not employ a peel player to guard the back, and Tucker exploited, giving the Bucs' a four-point lead. Irving had a sensational 31-yard zig-zag run in the fourth quarter that helped set up Cade Otton's touchdown on a seven-stop route. Off a counter play, both tight end Otton and guard Cody Mauch pulled. Irving was patient, letting Otton set up the backside block and Chris Godwin got in on the action, sealing the edge for Irving to bounce outside. Irving took the course then maneuvered around traffic, cutting inside, and crossed the field to pick up additional yardage.
"I have always felt that you can never have too many running backs," noted Running Backs Coach Skip Peete. "The thing that I think puts a little bit more pressure on a defense is when you have backs that have contrasting styles. What I mean by that is that if you have a guy that is real fast and he may be a little bit more straight-lined, then they have to honor his speed. Then, there are guys that may be a pounder that the physicality of his runs and his play, they have to have the courage to come up there and make the tackle. Then you have guys that are kind of like our guys that are somewhat elusive, so you have to basically stay in your spot, and you have to funnel those guys to your help to make sure that you get them down because a lot of times, the first guy is not going to get them.
"Depending on who is in the game, they have to adjust to that. Sean in my opinion is more of a slasher-type, where he is more of an angle runner. He can put his foot in the ground and then he is going to make a decision, and then try to utilize his speed. Rachaad is somewhat like that in the way that he is going to set his angle on the course, then put his foot in the ground and get north-south. There is not a whole lot of jumping or darting and trying to make people miss. Then Bucky has the ability to do that and what he does do, he still runs physical inside even for a guy that is not really large."
Against the Saints, both Tucker and Irving were disciplined in their footwork and accelerated through the holes. Each provided a unique style that forced the defense to adjust. Tucker runs with outstanding contact balance and deceptive speed. He is able to quickly get downhill and possesses an innate feel for how to separate from tacklers. Irving, despite his small frame, has a powerful base to run inside and an effective lateral jump cut to create. With an effective stiff-arm and a lethal spin move, Irving solidifies the running back room. On Sunday in Week Six, both backs were on the same page as the offensive line, which created a formidable force on the gridiron.
"It is always fun to get together as a group and talk through things," said Peete. "Sometimes you get a different perspective on what the line is anticipating the back to do and then you have the perspective of what the back sees and anticipates the line to do. Once everyone can speak the same language and understand exactly how it should look and how it is supposed to be, then that is why you have games like we had this past weekend."
