Bucs Lean on RB Irving in Crucial 43-13 Victory

While it was the news of starting quarterback Baker Mayfield returning from injury that made headlines heading into the game, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers dominated on the ground in their 43-13 victory.

Lead running back Bucky Irving had a big day, rushing for 106 yards and two scores, while helping Tampa dominate the time of possession battle.

As a team, the Bucs ran the ball 49 times, limiting Mayfield to just 11 passing attempts and 64 yards. 

It was a great performance up front from Tampa's offensive line unit, which dictated the line of scrimmage from the opening kickoff.

This rushing attack marked just the fourth time this season that a team has ran the ball 40 or more times, with all four instances resulting in victories.

Following the win, Irving praised his offensive line.

"Every time I trust my track and trust what those guys are doing in front of me, good things always happen," Irving said.

Making Irving the centerpiece of the offense continues to result in victories for the Bucs, with his top-two performances coming in the team's lone wins.

Against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 5, Irving had his most-dynamic game since his rookie season, running for 165 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries.

He also added two catches for ten yards and an additional score in the receiving game.

With his big day today, Irving remains firmly within the top-10 in rushing yards league-wide, and continues to anchor an improving rushing attack.

Tampa's victory means that the NFC South race is still wide open, as none of the four divisional representatives are above .500.

As Mayfield returns to full strength, expect offensive coordinator Zac Robinson to continue to limit his throws and lean on Irving behind the offensive line.

Next weekend, the Bucs return home to Raymond James Stadium, a place where they are yet to win a game this season.

The opponent will be the Atlanta Falcons, another NFC South foe who is coming off a big upset win over the San Francisco 49ers.

Through the opening weeks of the season, the Falcons are giving up just 83.2 rushing yards per game to their opponents, trailing only the Jacksonville Jaguars, Bucs, and Houston Texans for the NFL's top rushing attacks.

Irving had just one catch against the Panthers on Sunday afternoon, but with the stiff run defense from the Falcons, I expect Robinson to utilize his star back in the receiving game.

With a victory next Sunday and a Panthers loss to the Green Bay Packers, the Bucs could find themselves at the top of the NFC South despite a rocky start.