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Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookies shone in a commanding 40-17 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers. Running back Bucky Irving overcame injuries to rush for 117 yards on just 15 carries, while wide receiver Jalen McMillan scored his third touchdown in two weeks, setting the tone for the team’s fourth consecutive win.
The contributions don’t stop there. Rookie center Graham Barton, the Bucs’ 26th overall draft pick, has become a key player on the offensive line, neutralizing top-tier defenders like Dexter Lawrence II and holding the Chargers’ vaunted pass rush to just two quarterback pressures last week. On defense, rookie nickelback Tykee Smith made his return after a knee injury and recorded an interception in Week 14 against the Las Vegas Raiders.
This surge in rookie production is coming at a critical time as Tampa Bay chases its fifth straight playoff appearance and fourth consecutive NFC South title.
Rising to the Challenge
Head coach Todd Bowles credited the rookies’ growth and resilience for their recent success.
“They’ve matured and grown up,” Bowles said. “Through injury or otherwise, those guys got to play a lot more and their confidence has grown and they’re really fitting in and finding their roles within the team right now and they’re settling in playing good football.”
McMillan’s Breakout in the Passing Game
McMillan, a third-round pick, has stepped up in Chris Godwin’s absence, giving the Bucs a much-needed boost in the passing game. His first-quarter touchdown against the Chargers paved the way for Mike Evans to deliver a season-high 159 yards and two touchdowns.
“Ever since that bye week, I’ve just been on a different level, different mindset, and just ready to help this team in any way I can,” McMillan said.
Offensive coordinator Liam Coen praised McMillan’s progress, saying, “That’s the guy we’ve wanted to be out there, and he’s starting to prove it. He’s starting to show it. Sometimes it takes a little bit longer or a different timeline, but I’ve been really happy with his energy, his level of focus, and concentration throughout practices and walkthroughs.”
Irving, meanwhile, has emerged as one of the most electrifying players on the team despite not being the primary running back for most of the season.
“Bucky is definitely taking advantage of his opportunities,” quarterback Baker Mayfield said. “He’s another guy that we try to get the ball in his hands as quickly as possible because he’s done a great job. Obviously, the guys up front, everybody involved in the blocking scheme, have opened holes up for him. But there’s a different level with some of these explosive plays that he’s created on his own. That’s a special player that we have.”
Irving leads all NFL rookies with 1,148 scrimmage yards, and his 36.8% missed tackle rate is the highest in the league. He’s also gained 498 yards after missed tackles, ranking third behind Derrick Henry and Saquon Barkley.
Early Impact
“Bowles noted that Barton, McMillan, and Smith became part of the game plan from Week 1, a necessity given the league’s increasing reliance on rookies.”
“The way the league is going right now, coming out of college you don’t get the luxury of sitting everybody for a year or two behind somebody else,” Bowles said. “You have to kind of draft guys where if you’re drafting seven guys, at least four of them better be significant players right now, and the other three better have a skill set for the near future or something down the line.
“We start training them from day one — how to be professional, for their moment not to be too big for them during the season, put them in different situations at practice all day long.”
The Bucs’ financial strategy has also played a role. With the team focused on retaining veterans like Evans, Mayfield, Tristan Wirfs, and Antoine Winfield Jr., they’ve relied on rookies to fill key roles.
Staying Focused
McMillan emphasized the importance of preparation and attention to detail.
“The way we practice so hard and so detailed and everybody’s on their stuff every week, so we just got to continue doing this intensity and harping on the details really,” McMillan said. “At the end of the day, we just want to continue winning and every game we want to continue winning. We don’t want to get comfortable.”
The Buccaneers (10-4) will face the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night in a primetime matchup. With their rookies stepping up and the team firing on all cylinders, Tampa Bay looks poised to extend its winning streak and secure its playoff spot.
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This report used information from ESPN.
