Through the first eight weeks of the season, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers boast the No. 1 rushing offense in the NFL, averaging 168 yards per game.
That success comes courtesy of Bucky Irving and Kenny Gainwell, who have formed a dynamic duo out of the backfield.
While Irving is the starter and gets the bulk of the fanfare, Gainwell is quietly playing every bit as well. It’s looking less like a one-two punch and more like a 1A-1B punch, and that’s the best-case scenario for the Buccaneers and their dominant rushing attack.
Buccaneers have found the perfect balance between Bucky Irving and Kenny Gainwell
Todd Bowles spoke to reporters after practice on Wednesday and discussed Gainwell’s increased workload in recent weeks. After not receiving more than five carries in a game through the first five weeks, Gainwell received 14 carries in Week 7 and 25 carries in Week 8.
“I think we finally got to where, you know, we're utilizing Kenny more and more and that's kind of the 1A-1B we were talking about when we first signed him… we know he's a great running back and he can do a lot of things for us and he put it on display Sunday," said Bowles.
Gainwell has made the most of his increased opportunities, producing at virtually the same rate as Irving.
Both Irving and Gainwell rank among the top 10 running backs in yards per carry, averaging an identical 5.0 yards per attempt, tied for the sixth-highest mark in the NFL.
They’re producing explosive runs at a similar rate as well. Irving has five rushes of 20-plus yards on the season compared to Gainwell’s three, but Gainwell has done so on 89 less carries.
The interchangeable efficiency is ideal for the Buccaneers. It means they don’t have to worry about a drop-off when Irving comes off the field. The running game will remain just as functional regardless of who is in the backfield, and splitting the workload will help to keep both backs fresh and healthy down the stretch.
Tampa Bay has fully embraced a smash-mouth, run-heavy offensive identity, and to execute that game plan consistently requires multiple capable options out of the backfield.
Gainwell was underutilized early, but now that offensive coordinator Zac Robinson has fully unlocked him, it’s brought a new dimension to the offense, and Gainwell is looking like a home-run offseason addition for the Buccaneers.
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