Momentum can shift quickly in the NFL, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers enter Week 13 needing exactly that as they fight through injuries and an uneven offensive rhythm.
With quarterback Baker Mayfield managing a sprained left shoulder, a ground-heavy approach looks to be in the cards this week -- and the timing couldn’t be better with Bucky Irving expected to return after battling foot and shoulder issues since Week 4.
Getting Irving back means the return of an explosive element to Tampa Bay's offense. Rachaad White and Sean Tucker have filled in admirably, with the latter potentially playing his way into a future RB2, but Bucky is irreplacable as a weapon.
He also gets to return against a defense that is ripe to allow a big game at exactly the right time for the Bucs.
Bucky Irving could be in for a massive game against Cardinals' defense in Week 13
Turning on the tape, it's impossible to ignore Arizona’s recent defensive trend. Over the past three weeks, the Cardinals have allowed heavy production to every lead back they’ve faced. Seattle’s Zach Charbonnet powered his way to 86 yards and a touchdown. San Francisco rode Christian McCaffrey to 81 yards and two scores. Jacksonville’s Travis Etienne added another 86 yards last Sunday, repeatedly slicing through the Cardinals’ overmatched front seven.
The common thread: Arizona has struggled to defeat blocks, fill interior gaps, and finish plays when runners get to the second level.
For Irving, he brings precisely the type of style that can punish that brand of defense. His acceleration through creases forces linebackers to commit sooner than they’d like, and his balance through contact makes him difficult to corral once he gets downhill. Pair that with the wiggle to create yards on his own, and Irving’s return couldn’t be more critical for a Buccaneers offense that needs clean early-down gains to protect the integrity of an offense that is likely to be limited through the air.
Mayfield’s shoulder situation elevates the importance of efficiency on the ground. Tampa Bay doesn’t want him taking unnecessary hits or being forced into long passing downs, if he suits up, and they want a manageable script where play-action, movement, and quick-game can protect his mechanics while limiting strain on that left shoulder. Irving’s presence allows that structure to take shape, and even a 12-to-15 touch workload can tilt drives in the right direction and force Arizona to adjust its fronts.
There’s also a bigger-picture impact.
A productive rushing attack helps Tampa Bay control tempo, keep Arizona off the field, and grind away at a Cardinals defense that has worn down late in games. It also sets up offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard to mix personnel groupings, disguise run-pass tendencies, and open lanes for Mike Evans and Chris Godwin without asking Mayfield to do too much. Again, if he plays. And that's a big if.
Irving may not be fully back to his pre-injury workload right away, but the matchup and circumstances all point toward a meaningful role. If Tampa Bay commits to the run early and often, Week 13 could be the moment their electric ball-carrier reasserts himself, and the moment their offense regains balance when they need it most with the playoffs on the horizon.