Yesterday, Joe called for Bucs coach Todd Bowles to “free Bucky Irving.” The rookie running back makes things happen.
Meanwhile, Rachaad White runs for two yards — if he’s lucky.
It seems Bowles may have channeled Joe a little from the bowels of The Licht House. Peppered with questions about Irving and White, Bowles didn’t seem to disagree with the notion that Bucky needs the ball in his hands more.
“The opportunities he gets, he makes the best of,” Bowles said of Irving. “He’s a heck of a football player.
“We just have to get him more opportunities.”
Prior to Sunday, while acknowledging White isn’t having the best of seasons, Bowles suggested he couldn’t take White off the field much because he is such a weapon in the passing game.
At worst, defenses have to account for him in the pass game.
But White’s woeful running is dragging the offense down. The Bucs like to brag they want a running team but if your No. 1 running back isn’t productive, what’s the point?
We shall see if Irving begins to take snaps from White. If Bowles does anything about the running backs, Joe hopes for the love that is all holy, he walks over to Liam Coen’s office and tells the Bucs’ offensive coordinator he never wants to see White carry the ball up the middle again.
