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While journeyman quarterback Baker Mayfield has certainly found himself a home amidst a season in which he should be getting some fringe MVP buzz, quietly the Tampa Bay Buccaneers boast one of the league's best ground attacks. Heading into Week 15, the Bucs are 7th in the NFL in rushing yards, spearheaded by incumbent starter Rachaad White and 4th round rookie Bucky Irving, who leads both the Buccaneers and all first-year players in rushing this season.
White and Irving have combined for over 1,800 yards of total offense and 14 touchdowns, but as the Buccaneers enter the most crucial stretch of their season, Irving's health status is somewhat troubling. The 22-year-old Oregon product had been dealing with lingering hip and back issues heading into Tampa's Week 14 matchup with the Raiders, and he was only able to play 10 snaps in the 28-13 win over Las Vegas.
Irving carries a questionable tag into the weekend as the Buccaneers prepare to face one of the league's best defenses in the Los Angeles Chargers, but according to NFL insider Jeremy Fowler, it seems as if Irving could be ready for action on Sunday afternoon.
“Bucky Irving has had a bit of a hip pointer issue that he re-aggravated last week, but I'm told he's hopeful that he can play,” Fowler said during a SportsCenter appearance on Saturday morning. “They'll see how he feels, but as a rookie, he's learning how to recover his body late in the week and relying on the veterans to try to get ready each week. Last week he was able to do that. He's hopeful to do the same this week, but his status is still up in the air.”
If Bucky Irving can't go, the burden will once again fall on the shoulders of Rachaad White, who logged a season-high 17 carries for 90 yards against the Raiders. White found the end zone twice, once on a five-yard touchdown pass from Mayfield, and then again on a three-yard touchdown run in the 4th quarter to give Tampa Bay an 11-point lead. Second year back Sean Tucker, who had a 100 yard game against the Saints earlier this season, figures to see an uptick in touches as well if Irving is sidelined.
The Buccaneers need to finish a game ahead of the Atlanta Falcons in the standings in order to win the NFC South division for the fourth consecutive season. They have road matchups with the Chargers and Cowboys over the next two weeks before closing out the season with back-to-back home games against the Panthers and Saints.
Meanwhile, the struggling Falcons are on the road for a Monday Night Football clash with the Raiders this week before closing things out versus the Giants, at the Commanders, and then home for the Panthers in their Week 18 finale.
