Big play coming?
Watching Ted Hurst make catch after catch, day after day at Bucs training camp, Joe started getting Emeka Egbuka vibes.
Egbuka had a monster camp as a rookie in 2025. So much so that Joe held back typing too much about Egbuka because Joe didn’t want to come across as overhyping him or gaslighting Bucs fans.
And Egbuka delivered until he blew out a hamstring. He hasn’t been the same receiver since. He’s been fully invisible in the Bucs’ _mierda de pollo_ passing attack.
Unlike Egbuka, Hurst has not exploded onto the scene. Right now Hurst is best known for dropping two touchdown passes, one of which would have won the game against Cleveland in Week 2.
That doesn’t mean Hurst all of a sudden has lost his skills. With that in mind, Seth Walder of BSPN, a man who never met a number he didn’t like, thinks [Hurst is due](https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/50381724/week-9-picks-predictions-schedule-fantasy-odds-2026) for a breakout tomorrow night.
> Bucs WR Ted Hurst III will record a 40-plus-yard reception. Hurst runs go routes or deep fades 20 percent of the time — 11th most among players with at least 100 routes this season — and I think the chance to hit on one of those deep routes is higher this week given the Bears’ weakness at CB.
Well, if Hurst hits on a 40-yard catch, the Bucs are in a dogfight with the Bears. If that 40-yard catch is for a touchdown, the Bucs may very well pull off a major upset.
The lack of a vertical-downfield passing attack is why Joe is not confident the Bucs can pull off an upset.
If the Bucs can unleash a vertical attack, Joe’s view of this game would change a great deal.