Rachaad White's redemption arc begins with game-winning touchdown vs. Texans

Baker Mayfield mostly dinked and dunked his way to overcome a ferocious Houston Texans pass rush in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' thrilling Week 2 win. However, the gritty star quarterback didn't do it alone; he got a tremendous boost from a potent ground game, particularly veteran running back Rachaad White.

It appeared that White got shaken up midway through the fourth quarter upon recovering a Mayfield fumble. Nevertheless, it wasn't enough to stop him from scoring the game-winning touchdown in the closing stages of Tampa Bay's dramatic 20-19 defeat of the Texans.

Facing a five-point deficit with nine seconds remaining, the Buccaneers surprisingly turned to White, and he rewarded them in a massive way. The 2022 third-round pick punctuated a strong outing in remarkable fashion, scampering into the end zone to help his team improve to 2-0. It was the type of performance that reminds Tampa Bay fans of what they had in him before electrifying second-year tailback Bucky Irving.

Rachaad White returns to relevance with game-winning TD in Buccaneers' win vs. Texans

Tampa Bay needed every shred of grass that White fought for. He displayed remarkable physicality and unrelenting determination, setting the tone on an evening when Mayfield was constantly under duress. The former refused to go down on first contact, including a great second effort on his victory-clinching score, proving to be a difference-maker against Houston.

51 of White's 65 rushing yards impressively came after contact; he had to fend for himself behind Tampa Bay's depleted offensive line, forcing five missed tackles. They were operating without All-Pro blindside protector Tristan Wirfs, and recently paid right tackle Luke Goedeke left the contest in Houston in the first quarter. Nonetheless, the Bucs playmaker seemingly saw the unfavorable circumstances as a challenge to up the intensity.

It was clear that White was eager to maximize his opportunities versus the Texans. He logged just 14 snaps when Tampa Bay beat the Atlanta Falcons to kick off their 2025 campaign. An increased workload coincided with improved production and splendid efficiency.

White has become somewhat of an afterthought following the emergence of Irving. The former is in the fourth and final season of his rookie contract and has no assurances he'll be back with the Bucs. However, that's ostensibly serving as a double-edged sword, motivatating the pending free agent to secure a second deal, whether it be in Tampa or not.

Stacking together solid showings should aid White's audition for his next opportunity. The 26-year-old faced a stout Texans front seven and was effective. Let's see if he can parlay the heroics into a Week 3 clash with the New York Jets.

Note: Metrics courtesy of Pro Football Focus' premium stats ($).