Martin: Running Game Killed Offense
December 21st, 2014
Doug Martin and the Bucs rushing attack was invisible today.
It has been over two years since the Bucs had consecutive 150-yard games from their running attacks. The drought continues.
A week after the Bucs ran for over 150 yards, the Bucs not only went into reverse today, they fell off a cliff.
The Bucs had two more yards (16) than they had rushes (14). That is deplorable. Mediocre Charles Sims had -0.3 yards per carry. Negative yards!
Of course, it didn’t help that the Bucs offensive line was getting blown off the ball play after play. Once, in a play Joe has never seen before, guard Josh Allen got lit up so bad, he was falling backwards swinging his arms in the air just like someone does when they are falling backwards in a chair.
After the game, Bucs running back Doug Martin thought the Bucs would dominate in the run game today.
“If we are not able to run the ball, it is going to affect the entire offense,” Martin said. “Something we came into the game with [was] to get five yards per carry, and we were unable to do that consistently today. In the future, we want to do that.”
In fact, the Bucs were never able to run the ball for five yards today. The longest run from scrimmage came from Martin himself — four measly yards.
As the old football saying goes, when you have one dimension (pass only) you have no dimension.
Especially when Josh McCown is your quarterback.
December 21st, 2014 at 7:14 pm
No block
No run
December 21st, 2014 at 7:17 pm
The Offense line doesn’t block, The running backs don’t run, Josh McCown implodes,and Repeat!
December 21st, 2014 at 7:26 pm
McClown gets this week’s just STFU Award. Anyone hear his presser today?
December 21st, 2014 at 7:28 pm
It certainly doesn’t help that our inept Offensive Coordinator, who I find very offensive, can’t decide on a direction to go, even halfway into the 2nd Quarter! If my 76 year old father can tell me what plays the Bucs are doing, it goes without saying that the Packers, and every other Bucs opponent, also know ahead of time what the Bucs are doing. In the 70’s we had a T-shirt that said “Student Body Left, Student Body Right, Student Body Up the middle…Punt!” Those four lines pretty much summed up the Bucs offense then, and it could almost fit today.
Having an inept OC is worse than having a talentless team. You can have a strong body, but if you’re brain-dead, then what’s the point? You can’t just will your team to do something, if you yourself are unfamiliar with what you want them to do. Hey, here’s an idea…if you know their pass rush is coming fast, how about doing that screen pass on first or second down, instead of on 3rd and forever? Is a quick slant even in your playbook? How about a trap play pulling the guard around the backside? Oh wait, we have no guards…tell me, would getting Incognito really have made us a worse team?
One more miserable game left till the off season, then I can get frustrated with the Rays all Spring and Summer. Oh what it is to be a Bucs fan and wish for the glory days of 1979…
December 21st, 2014 at 7:32 pm
Joe, Lyft has hijacked your site. I can’t read for more than 30 seconds on my phone. Stop letting them advertise with you and doing this to your readers. Ridiculous.
December 21st, 2014 at 7:37 pm
We had big running backs and they were let go along with the lineman that were blocking for them. This town and media want choir boys on this team. This team is full of good old boys,remember they always finish last. Draft some mean football player’s ,remember always draft what the fan do not like and you will be okay.
December 21st, 2014 at 7:40 pm
Istillbleedorange: good post. Ah the glory year of 1979, what a time to be a Buc fan,still remember getting soaked in the Sombrero’s south endzone in that 3-0 win over KC to clinch the division title. We can only hope that this Lovie flame job is like that of McKay’s ’76 Bucs as the offense’s are about equal in quality if you take V-Jack and Mike Evans off of the roster in that things can only get better from rock bottom. Maybe in a couple of seasons the Bucs can be competitve again but only if the Glazers are willing to force some changes with Lovie: make him hire a strong OC perhaps even jettison Licht and bring in a real GM to mekae personnel decisions as L&L proved that they are not up for the task. Yep, today’s game reminded me of the early orange Bucs of ’76 and ’77 with a decent defense but absolutely no offense (thanks again Tedford)…… And yeah, Incognito would have helped, but I thought the trade for Mankins would also but it did not. Glazers should veto any trade with the Pats as they simply fleece the Yuks every time….
December 21st, 2014 at 7:44 pm
I was at that 3-0 Kansas City game…water was cascading down the steps…looked like rapids
December 21st, 2014 at 7:57 pm
@ FortMeyersDave
Yep….remember that year well……got soaked at the Sombrero at the NFC Championship……Lost to the LA Rams….9-0…..
That year was proof positive that you can turn a team around with great defense…..went from 0-26 to hosting the NFC Championship……from 1976-77….
December 21st, 2014 at 9:26 pm
The only thing that would make me happy would be if all games were filled only to 30% capacity and the Glazers bought out the rest of the tickets for a sell out.
I want them to feel the same pain we feel. And the only plain those people feel is in the pocket book.
December 21st, 2014 at 10:20 pm
I was also at the Bucs-KC home win, wearing a couple of plastic trash bags.
December 21st, 2014 at 10:52 pm
No one can run if no one is blocking. We had no blocking all day. Of course running every time up the middle doesn’t work either with no blocking.
December 21st, 2014 at 11:25 pm
Yeah OB, it doesn’t help when the offense is so predictable that the Pack defense did not really have to make any adjustments whatsoever….
Yes the 1979 season was special, one to be remembered. I remember Mussberger saying on CBS that the Bucs had no chance against the Eagles in that first playoff game and that they had a nice run to get to 10-6. I really hope Brent lost a ton of coin betting on the Eagles. Do you guys remember the ticket prices back then; I remember my Dad and me getting seats in the South End Zone for $8 or so in the late ’70s. You used to be able to buy tickets at the Maas Brothers customer service desk back in those days as well as several outlets all the way from Gainesville down to Fort Myers back then, I still have a couple of those old programs that list the outlets; Now we pay $60-70+ to get semi-decent seats at RJS, pay $20 to park and $8 for a warm beer and get to watch this garbage L&L presented, yuk! I miss those pre-Ticketmaster days: like when you were able to get concert tickets for someone like 38 Special or Styx at the Bayfront or Lakeland Civic Center by visiting the local record store… Technology is great but some things just can not replace growing up on the SunCoast/Temple Terrace back in the ’70s and early ’80s….
December 22nd, 2014 at 3:37 pm
Spec’s Music!