With a 6-2 record, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have had a tremendous season thus far. However, they've done it with a subpar rushing attack that has averaged just 98.1 rush yards per game, good for 24th in the league through eight games.
Last season, they were fifth with 146.5 rush yards per game. The difference?
Former Oregon Ducks running back Bucky Irving , who's missed the Buccaneers' last four games with foot and shoulder injuries. Quarterback Baker Mayfield has played MVP-caliber football with Irving on the sideline, leading Tampa Bay to a 3-1 record in his absence.
The wins have come against a solid group of teams: the Seattle Seahawks , San Francisco 49ers and New Orleans Saints . But moving forward, the schedule gets even tougher for the Bucs.
This coming Sunday, they'll take on the New England Patriots , who sport a 7-2 record and have won six games in a row. From there, they'll head on the road to face the Buffalo Bills and the Los Angeles Rams in consecutive weeks, both holding 6-2 records. In all, the Buccaneers' next three opponents have an overall record of 19-6. A three-game stretch in the NFL doesn't get much tougher than that.
To make matters worse, it appears that Irving's status for their matchup with the Patriots is in doubt. Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, the former Duck was not spotted at practice on Wednesday.
In his absence, Tampa Bay has turned to Rachaad White as the starting running back with reserve Sean Tucker also seeing increased snaps.
As it stands, Irving, who played in just three full games before being injured against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 4, is still second on the team in rushing yards with 237. White has 287 rush yards on just 3.7 yards per carry.
Irving is also a prominent factor in the Buccaneers' pass game, as he caught 19 passes for 193 yards and a pair of touchdowns early in the season. He's still fifth on the team in receiving yards, falling just behind fellow former Duck, wide receiver Tez Johnson . Meanwhile, White has 21 catches but for just 117 yards — clearly lacking the explosiveness that Irving brings to the table.
Though the former Oregon standout may not be available this week, it's imperative for Tampa Bay that they get Irving back soon — or else their 6-2 record and spot atop the NFC South could falter as they take on other strong teams.
Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinion s.
This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Tampa Bay Buccaneers will need former Ducks RB Bucky Irving back soon
