Can Bucky Irving absorb the punishment?
If Sunday wasn’t a fluke, that means Bucs running back Bucky Irving is likely going get a Pro Bowl honor the way he ran against the Stinking Panthers.
Bucky almost always has success against the Stinking Panthers. And he had success against Dallas. Now let’s see what he does from here on out.
Bucky is clearly the straw that stirs the drink on this Bucs offense. But can he handle the workload?
It is an issue that Joe brought up before the season. Let’s be real, Bucky isn’t exactly Derrick Henry, though if his [current pace continues](https://www.joebucsfan.com/2026/10/bucky-irving-on-pace-for-291-carries-and-1355-yards-rushing/#more-409840), he will get a Henry-like workload this season.
Yesterday, KitKat-eating Bucs coach Todd Bowles spoke about Bucky’s load management.
> “I think it starts with his mental toughness,” Bowles said. “Bucky works about as hard as anybody, if not harder than anybody, when he comes in the building.
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> “He is determined to be successful, determined to win. He does all the little things. He’s very bright. He can make cuts at full speed. I think he has that knack that a lot of people don’t have.”
Well, there aren’t a lot of smaller guys like Bucky who can take the punishment in the NFL on a week-in, week-out basis, even if they are tough as nails. Joe thinks that caught up to Bucky last year who was hampered by injuries.
The Bucs have their backs against the wall. They need to start stacking wins. So, sadly, Joe doesn’t think Bowles has the luxury of ordering offensive coordinator Zac Robinson to regulate Bucky’s snaps. They need him on the field.
Because if the two wins by the Bucs this year suggest anything, is that the offense runs through Bucky.