By james art The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are the walking wounded right now, as injuries to star wide receiver duo Mike Evans and Chris Godwin have thrown this team completely off balance. To make matters worse, outstanding running back Bucky Irving also appeared on the injury report.
Irving’s availability for Tampa’s home game against the rival Atlanta Falcons was in doubt due to a nagging toe injury Irving was dealing with during practice. The last thing Baker Mayfield needs is another skill position player going down before a divisional game.
Fortunately for the Bucs fanbase, which has been hit over the head with injury news lately, all signs point to Irving being good to go in this one, despite scaring his fans.
The latest buzz around the league suggests that, barring a major setback, Irving will play against Atlanta. This further backs up what head coach Todd Bowles has been hinting at before this game, as he was optimistic about Irving playing in this game.
#Bux RB Bucky Irving, part of their three-headed monster, is expected to play despite a toe injury that puts him in question, a source said. Todd Bowles was upbeat this week.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 27, 2024
While Sean Tucker has had some moments and Rachad White is the most experienced member of the backcourt, Irving has the most potential of anyone in this backcourt. Irving has already rushed for 351 yards and three touchdowns while racking up a very efficient 5.2 yards per carry in relief of White.
While Atlanta has some stars in the secondary, their defensive line may be one of their most exploitable weaknesses on the roster. Tampa Bay was able to get some big wins against them on the field when the two old rivals clashed in a thrilling epic on Thursday night.
Irving has recorded at least 50 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown in three of his last four games, increasing that minimum to 77 yards with a touchdown in each of his last two. Unless his finger starts acting up, Irving will be there for Tampa Bay and take over as one of the primary offensive creators.
With both Evans and Godwin hit, albeit to varying degrees of severity, the Bucs may need to take the field more than they have in recent weeks. Just a few weeks after debuting as a fourth-round draft pick, it’s less than 100% Irving will step into the role of primary offensive creator.