Power runner, too.
Look, Joe absolutely loved how electric Bucky Irving was last year and how Bucky kick-started a moribund run game to a level Bucs fans haven’t seen in a long, long time.
Yeah, those long runs were fun to watch, seeing Bucky juke dudes out of their cleats. Talk about making guys miss.
But the sign of a good running game is to be able to get yards when you must get yards and the defense knows you are getting ready to try to slam the ball down their throats.
The ultimate sign of a good run game is the ability to power run, get those tough yards between the tackles. Few teams were better than the Bucs last season.
Per the research of noted handicapper turned stathead Warren Sharp, the Bucs were one of the best teams at running on short-yardage (two yards or less for a first down). The Bucs were stuffed on short-yardage only 20 percent of the time. The Bucs were tied with Detroit and Dallas.
Only four teams, Tennessee, Chicago, Green Bay and Baltimore had runs stuffed for a lower percentage of short-yardage plays.
So yeah, when the Bucs need a yard or two, they can play smashmouth football on offense. Very effectively, in fact.
> rate of RBs being stuffed for no gain in short yardage:
>
> 44% – MIA, NE43%42%41%40%39%38%37%36% – LV35%34% – NO33% – MIN32% – SEA, LAC, DEN31% – CIN, JAX, CLE30%29% – IND28% – NYJ27%26% – KC, WAS, HOU25%24% – LAR, NYG23% – BUF, PHI, SF22% – CAR, ARI, ATL
>
> 21%…
>
> — Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) [June 25, 2025](https://twitter.com/SharpFootball/status/1937877276919554426?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)