Bucs linebacker Barrett Ruud chases down (another) running back who is running wild.

The Bucs dismal defense is so unnerving, it’s difficult to choose where to begin.

A number of people, including Joe’s good friend Justin Pawlowski of WDAE-AM 620, are quick to point out that middle linebacker Barrett Ruud is a main culprit.

Ruud has done nothing to stop or blow up plays inside. He has yet to record a tackle for a loss. Joe takes no pride in pointing this out because Ruud is such a standup guy.

It seems this season, Ruud’s greatest attribute has been to chase down running backs who have broken into the open field.

Apparently, this is sufficient for the Bucs management, so reports eye-RAH! Kaufman of the Tampa Tribune.

Q:Again, the middle of the Bucs defense is wide open and it is so because of the middle linebacker. Barrett Ruud is consistently out of position because he either over runs the plays or has no clue where the play is going. Week after week, there’s a big running play that can be pointed to as a key play of the game and it is always Ruud putting himself in position to be blocked out of the way. He plays as if he will be fined if he makes a tackle in the middle or blows up a play in the backfield or gets a sack. Why aren’t you guys all over him?
— Edward Racker

A:It’s a little simplistic to blame all of Tampa Bay’s defensive woes on Barrett Ruud, one of their better players. It’s true Ruud isn’t making any tackles in the backfield, but it’s also true the D-line is consistently pushed off the ball. Ruud can play better — and he needs to if he is going to demand a big contract. But at this point, the Bucs don’t believe middle linebacker is high on their priority list for 2010 because Ruud has already proved he can play at a high level.
— Ira Kaufman

Joe wonders if the Bucs scrapping this two-gap defensive front nonsense will have any positive change in Ruud’s play. As Pawlowski has said time and again of Ruud, “Shed a block once in a while.”