Heroic Rachaad White.
Guess who took the first Buccaneers handoff tonight in Houston?
It wasn’t Bucky Irving.
Joe wrote last week about how running back Rachaad White was criminally underused against the Falcons in Week 1.
White is a weapon. He proved his versatility last season with nine touchdowns. He was no longer the White of 2022 and 2023. That’s a guy you include in your gameplan no matter what.
Joe noted how White had only three touches in Atlanta, his lowest total since Week 3 of his rookie season. There was no logical reason for it, especially on a day when tight ends didn’t catch a pass and Bucky Irving was sputtering.
Tonight was a very different story and Joe gives massive credit to rookie playcaller Josh Grizzard.
White took the Bucs’ first handoff of the game on the team’s first drive. He had entered the game on the second snap from scrimmage and lined up in the backfield with Bucky Irving out wide.
White was in the plan, and Grizzard stuck with White’s hot hand running the ball.
Bucky Irving finished with 17 carries for 71 yards; White had 10 carries for 65 yards and the winning touchdown. The Bucs’ run game was impressive.
Good coordinators adjust.
Grizzard adjusted so much versus Week 1 that White was the go-to guy with the game on the line. On the Buccaneers Radio Network, Baker Mayfield said White’s two-year run up the guy for the winning score was a play installed last week.
Joe’s been hard on White in past years, but he produced last year and should be rewarded until that stops happening.
White also should be lauded for his critical fourth-quarter fumble recovery of a Baker Mayfield dropped ball at midfield (nobody touched him). Yeah, Riley Dixon’s punt was blocked on the next play, but that fumble could have turned into a scoop and score.
What a night for White.