Old school fundamentals work.
All you guys who played youth football or high school football, if your coach(es) were worth a grain of salt, what did they tell you?
“Play to the whistle.” Right?
(Joe’s grade school coach occasionally wouldn’t use his whistle to blow a play dead. On purpose. If players stopped, thinking the play was over, he’d holler, “I didn’t hear a whistle!” and everyone had to blast someone on the other side of the ball and keep blasting till he blew that whistle.)
Joe was reminded of that experience watching the video of Bucky Irving’s 72-yard run.
Watch Bucs left guard Ben Bredeson. At the snap, Bredeson’s man was Dallas defensive tackle Quinnen Williams. Bredeson gave Bucky a crease to run through. Play over, right? Bredeson did his job, right?
No.
Bredeson, as if Joe’s grade school coach hollered, “I didn’t hear a whistle!” stayed with Williams and kept pushing and kept pushing and all of a sudden, Bucky cuts inside and there is Bredeson still blocking Williams.
Bucky cuts back past Bredeson (and Williams) and then the field opened for Bucky and he was on his way.
Just good, old school physical fundamentals there by Bredeson. Joe could argue that solid block and hustle and determination to stay with Williams may have won the game for the Bucs as Bucky’s run led to a touchdown.
The Bucs won a one-score game.
Little things always add up to big things.
> BUCKY IRVING ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! 🤯
>
> 📺: #TBvsDAL on Prime Video https://t.co/UXHsDjVmD7
>
> — Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) [October 9, 2026](https://x.com/Buccaneers/status/2108376131108041026?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)