Blocking for Bucky.
The Sage of Tampa Bay sports, Ira Kaufman, always likes to say the Bucs offense is driven by Bucky Irving.
When Bucky is on his game, the offense hums. Well, as Bucky always likes to point out, he cannot do much if he doesn’t get blocking.
Like that 72-yard run that Bucky had after he zigged and zagged behind the line of scrimmage before he noticed a crease created by Ben Bredeson, who stayed with his block of Quinnen Williams long enough for Bucky to use Bredeson as a shield, twice on the play.
Joe spoke with Bredeson about how staying with your blocks buys time for Bucky to dodge would-be tacklers before finding daylight.
“Especially with a guy that’s dynamic as Bucky, you never know when [he will break one],” Bredeson said. “You never know when. Obviously, that play is set up for us to run the ball over to the left side there.
“But with Bucky, he has such a great instinct and great eye for hitting a hole any which way. It’s really trained all of us to stick on our guys as long as possible.
“Bucky can make some magic happen. And I mean, you saw how he cuts it back, cuts it way back outside. Then he cuts it back up. He makes three different cuts before the line of scrimmage, and then ran it for I don’t know, like 72 yards.
“So you know, he’s just such a dynamic guy back there. He can help make you look good.”
Bucs left tackle Tristan Wirfs used to joke that blocking for Tom Brady he didn’t need eyes in the back of his head. He always knew where Brady would be. But with Baker Mayfield, that sixth sense went out the window.
Wirfs was asked about blocking for Bucky and how he knows when he will break one. Wirfs chuckled and said that question has been asked ever since football was invented. And no one has an exact answer yet.
Joe asked Bredeson if Wirfs’ experience with Brady and Mayfield also applied to Bucky. Bredeson said yes. And the way Bucky runs (and Mayfield too), Bredeson said it forces linemen to be disciplined and not bail on a play too early.
“It’s our job to stay on our guys,” Bredeson said. “You know Bucky has an innate ability to make make some crazy cuts, so he’ll make you look good.”
Bucs offensive coordinator Zac Robinson said last week he thought the offensive line was beginning to turn the corner. He added how well the Bucs ran the ball in Dallas was an example of that.
Now the question is, was the run game a byproduct of playing against a trash defense or is that a sign of things to come? Today against the mighty Steelers will be a good test.