“The game plan centers around Bucky Irving” – JoeBucsFan.com

Interesting words from a league insider who was on the field at The Licht House this morning.

ESPN NFL Insider Jeff Darlington is covering the game, and the Pinellas County pride said with authority that the Bucs’ “game plan centers around Bucky Irving” today, and the team doesn’t care who knows it.

Irving is the guy to take advantage of the Panthers’ league-worst run defense, according to Darlington, and Carolina will see Bucky, Bucky and more Bucky. In the team’s Dec. 1 game, Irving had 25 carries for 152 yards and a touchdown, the rookie’s breakout game.

So why would the Bucs tell a popular guy on the ESPN pregame what they plan to do? Bucs fans can chew on that 80 minutes before kickoff.

Host Rex Ryan, the former Jets defensive guru and Bills head coach, was all-in on tactics, saying Todd Bowles would be crazy not to hammer Irving and prevent Baker Mayfield from making a significant mistake.