Cardinals' Pass-Catching Weapon
Tight end Trey McBride, the catalyst of Arizona's offense, ranks second in the NFL in catches with 80 and ranks fourth in the league with seven receiving touchdowns. The mismatch threat is adept at generating yards after the catch, hurdling over defenders to move the chains. McBride's hand strength allows him to thrive in traffic and he knows how to settle into soft spots against zone. He can extend to make catches away from his body and utilizes his body control to gain leverage. The Bucs' defense has struggled to contain tight ends and McBride will be a top priority for the unit on Sunday at Raymond James Stadium.
"Right now, he looks like one of the best one or two tight ends in the league," said Head Coach Todd Bowles. "He can play receiver, he can play tight end, he beats corners, safeties, and [linebackers] alike. He's got a lot of production right now and he's really playing well."
Addition of Bucky Irving
Bucky Irving will return to action against the Cardinals, after missing seven games due to foot and shoulder injuries. Last season, Irving spearheaded the Bucs' ground attack, leading all NFL rookies with 1,122 rushing yards, 1,514 yards from scrimmage and eight rushing touchdowns. In addition, Irving led the NFL in forcing a missed tackle on 38.5% of his carries with his panoramic vision and elite lateral jump-cuts. He excelled off counter gap runs and concluded the 2024 season as the highest-graded rookie according to Pro Football Focus, becoming the only running back with a 90-plus grade in both rushing and receiving. Irving has the short-area quickness to pass penetrating defensive tackles and a rare ability to traverse the field. He will be on a pitch count against the Cardinals but having No. 7 back on the field will be a welcomed site for the Buccaneers.
"It was good to be able to go run for over 100 [yards] on those guys, and then to take it on the road in Buffalo," noted Offensive Coordinator Josh Grizzard. "I think the question was asked in here in terms of what Luke [Goedeke] brings to the table and getting him back out there – I think we see some of that production, as well. And then being able to do that again last week, even into the second half where we were down a bunch of points but guys were still grinding it out, straining – which we talk about all the time. And then, to your point about Buck, anytime you can get a starter back, especially a player of Bucky's caliber and the way he prepares and the way he loves the game and how he is around his teammates – that should always elevate you, a lot like when Luke got back. So, I know Buck is in a good spot, and we definitely plan for the run-game production to continue as we move forward."
Arizona's Defensive Playmakers
The Cardinals may have a 3-8 record and fall last in the NFC West standings, but the club has several heralded names on defense, including safety Budda Baker and edge Josh Sweat. Baker leads the Cardinals with 78 tackles and is touted as one of the best box players in the league. He is a tackling machine who forces offensive coordinators to account for his whereabouts, drawing up plays to the opposite side of the field. Baker is explosive and flies off the edge as a blitzer. He can mirror change of direction in space and Sweat sets the tone up front. He is tied for seventh in the NFL with 9.0 sacks and has an arsenal of effective moves at his disposal. Sweat has outstanding reactive athleticism and utilizes his long arms to wrap up quarterbacks. He closes with impressive burst and can reduce inside as a rusher, along with the lateral quickness to elevate the twist/stunt game.
"Yeah, I would say this – their record is not indicative of the kind of performance they show on tape," said Grizzard. "They have a handful that they can use versus multiple personnel groupings on our end, and they have guys that are playing in different spots based on how they deploy that unit. So, you see a little bit of positionless players, but when it comes to the player side of it – the fact that Calais Campbell is still playing at the level that he's playing at is hats off to him. Sweat does a really good job coming off the edge – I think he has nine sacks, 10 sacks, something along those lines. Then, you see these rookies that are playing on the perimeter – these guys [have] got some ball production, these guys turn the ball over really well. Then, I don't [mean to] mention him last, but the one that makes it go is Budda – and he is flying around. He's still playing at a very high level – whether he's playing [linebacker], safety…He runs to the ball. These guys play hard."
