One of the NFL’s biggest surprises this season has been Bucky Irving.
Following the Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back’s announcement on Wednesday that he was the NFC Offensive Player of the Week for Week 13, the NFL has recognized his influence.
After rushing for a career-high 152 yards and a score and receiving three passes for 33 yards during Sunday’s 26-23 overtime victory over the Carolina Panthers, Irving was chosen to receive the honor. Irving recorded the most rushing and scrimmage yards of any NFC player in Week 13 with 185 yards from scrimmage throughout the game.
Irving is more concerned with assisting the club in its quest for a postseason berth than he is with statistics. Atlanta and the Buccaneers (6-6) are tied for the top spot in the NFC South.
Irving told reporters, “I just want to go in when my numbers are called and help the team win in any way.”
The former Oregon Ducks player joined LeGarrette Blount (1,007 rushing yards with the Buccaneers in 2010) as the only rookies from Oregon with at least 1,000 scrimmage yards in 2024 with 1,017 scrimmage yards. In the game against the Panthers, Irving also recorded a career-high 25 carries.
Bowles, the coach of Tampa Bay, told reporters Monday that he is becoming more at ease with the scheme. The more at ease he becomes, the more you can offer him and the more he can do.
Bowles stated that he is not shocked by Irving’s outstanding season. He saw the same Irving on the field in the NFL that he did on tape prior to the selection. One of the NFL’s most dynamic and electrifying athletes is now visible to his teammates.
How fast and how many times can we get the ball into his hands? Baker Mayfield, the quarterback for the Tampa Bay Bays, told reporters on Wednesday that he is a playmaker, which is essentially what I have learnt. We can use him as a receiver, but he can also cut and make guys miss in the hole as a running back. He can do it all: break tackles, catch the ball naturally, screen, and do a lot of other things. For us, he is an excellent player.
Irving leads all rookies with 732 running yards and six touchdowns. Among eligible running backs, he ranks fourth with 5.5 yards per carry, behind Derrick Henry of the Baltimore Ravens, Saquon Barkley of the Philadelphia Eagles, and Jahmyr Gibbs of the Detroit Lions.
On Wednesday, Irving told reporters, “I don’t really like taking all the credit.” Those are the guys in front. Considering how well those guys are doing their jobs, I believe I need to do them a pretty great Christmas present. I don’t want to claim all the credit, honestly. As I mentioned earlier, we need to bring in more of those folks and give them credit for doing the task first.
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