With his players gathered around in a victorious locker room at Bank of America Stadium following the Bucs’ 43-13 rout of Carolina, Todd Bowles had a message that extended beyond one satisfying Sunday afternoon.
The Bucs finally had played with the physicality, urgency and discipline that had been missing during their 1-5 start. Now, their head coach wanted to make sure it wasn’t a one-week performance.
“That’s what team football is all about right there,” Bowles told them. “Run the ball down their throats. Turnovers on defense. Do a hell of a job covering and on special teams. That’s what it’s supposed to look like. Now, come (Monday), you can’t lose this attitude.”
The clearest expression of that attitude has been the Bucs’ commitment to running the football. Sunday, Bucky Irving led the way with 106 of the their 258 rushing yards. Kenny Gainwell (88) and Sean Tucker (52) contributed big plays as well.
In fact, Tampa Bay’s 49 rushing attempts were the third most in a game in franchise history. The record is 62 carries in a 3-0 win over the Chiefs in a torrential downpour at Tampa Stadium in 1979.
As a result, quarterback Baker Mayfield attempted only 11 passes — completing seven for 64 yards, including a 14-yard strike on a scramble drill to Tez Johnson in the end zone — the third fewest in franchise history.
Irving was happy to share the football and the spotlight with his running mates.
“I was always used to that in college where guys were always happy for one another,” Irving said Monday. “Like I always say, that’s where you play your best football at — when you know when you’re going out of the game and you have somebody that’s coming in that’s going to give it their all and have your back and just being your brother’s keeper.
“I feel like when guys care for one another and really want to see guys succeed, we all can succeed in the room. We all are very good backs, so whenever you get your opportunity you’ve just got to take full advantage of your opportunity while you’re in the game.”
It’s hard to overstate the importance of Irving to the offense and his team. He ranks eighth in the NFL with 558 yards and is tied for 11th with four touchdowns. He’s on pace to finish with a career-high 1,355 yards and nearly 10 touchdowns.
It comes a year after Irving missed seven games with shoulder and foot injuries. How has he managed to have such a bounce-back year?
“I think it starts with his mental toughness,” Bowles said. “Bucky works about as hard as anybody, if not harder than anybody, when he comes in the building. He is determined to be successful, determined to win. He does all the little things. He’s very bright.
“He can make cuts at full speed. I think he has that knack that a lot of people don’t have. Other than the toughness, he can make cuts full speed and go one way and then change back to the other, so that kind of sets him apart a little bit.”
But for the first time this season, the Bucs were able to demonstrate an ability to get all three running backs heavily involved.
Tucker ripped off a 46-yard touchdown run. Gainwell, who averaged 6.3 yards on 14 attempts, had not carried the ball more than five times or rushed for more than 18 yards in any game prior to Sunday.
“We finally saw it,” Bowles said. “You could see it (Sunday). He went downhill, and he got downhill in a hurry. He makes great cuts. He’s very tough. He’s very good at protecting the football as well, and he played a heck of a ballgame yesterday. I thought all three of those running backs did a great job getting downhill and getting yardage.”
It’s the kind of attitude demonstrated by Irving that has been at the forefront of the Bucs’ resurgence, having won two of their past three games following an 0-4 start.
“I’m very hard on myself. I know where I come from,” said Irving, who attended Hillcrest High School on Chicago’s South Side. “It’s not easy growing up where I’m from, and just being able to give kids back at home hope that it’s possible if you just put your mind to it.
“... Sometimes I have self-doubt, and I tell myself I’m not supposed to be here. ... There is going to be somebody out there that’s always doubting you. So, just being able to know I’m not the biggest guy, people say I’m not the fastest guy, but just being able to know that I’ve got the heart and I truly love this game and I truly love what I do every day.
“So, just being able to have that attitude each and every day.”
Up next
vs. Falcons, 1 Sunday, Raymond James Stadium TV/radio: Fox; 97.9-FM
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