The Tampa Bay Buccaneers finally got their first win of the season Thursday night against the Dallas Cowboys, and while Bucky Irving dominated the headlines, the contributions from Emeka Egbuka and Ted Hurst shouldn't be overlooked. Both receivers played important roles in the offense. For Egbuka, the biggest takeaway was finally seeing the targets that a player of his caliber deserves. The second-year receiver was targeted nine times, hauling in six receptions for 38 yards while adding a 14-yard rushing touchdown. Getting him involved consistently is something Tampa Bay needs to prioritize moving forward.
Egbuka saw just four targets against the Green Bay Packers the previous week, which simply isn't enough for someone expected to develop into
a legitimate top receiving option. Against Dallas, Zac Robinson made a much better effort to get the ball into his hands, even if most of those opportunities came near the line of scrimmage. His 21-yard reception on third and 21 was arguably one of the biggest offensive plays of the night, extending a drive that eventually resulted in points. Those are the situations where Egbuka needs to be trusted more often. If Tampa Bay wants him to take that next step, nine targets should become the expectation rather than the exception.
Hurst finished Thursday night without a single target despite playing 33 offensive snaps. However, his contributions were far from nonexistent. The rookie's willingness to block on the perimeter was instrumental in helping Tampa Bay establish its rushing attack. With Irving rushing for 165 yards and the Buccaneers finishing with 241 yards on the ground, the offense's success wasn't solely due to the offensive line. Hurst did his part creating space on the outside, allowing Tampa Bay's running backs to turn opportunities into positive gains. While Hurst deserves more opportunities as a receiver, his willingness to contribute without the football speaks to the type of player Tampa Bay has in its young wideout. The Buccaneers have two promising young receivers who can impact the offense in different ways. Egbuka needs consistent opportunities to become the player Tampa Bay expects him to be, while Hurst is already showing he can contribute even when his number isn't called.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Egbuka, Hurst have huge impact in Bucs upset win in Dallas
