Fans Are Calling For Graham
October 13th, 2010
Raheem Morris took on the Where’s-Earnest-Graham question from multiple callers to his radio show on WDAE-AM 620 on Monday.
First, Raheem explained that he’s waiting for a lead to get Graham and LeGarrette Blount more carries. Later, when hit with the query about playing No. 34, he used an NBA analogy to explain, in part, Graham’s role.
“For us, he’s Robert Horry. He’s going to be there when game is on the line and making the big shot,” Morris said. “You know, he’s all those little guys that Michael Jordan kicked out [to] over the years, Steve Kerr and John Paxson. He’s making big-time clutch plays that are absolutely winning football games for us.”
Joe (this particular NBA-fan Joe) gets that Raheem is picking his spots for Graham. But even clutch player extraordinaire Robert Horry averaged over eight shots a game in his career.
How bout getting Graham involved at least a few more times on Sunday, coach. You know, so he can be more like Horry.
Including rushes and receptions, Graham is averaging just six touches a game, up from two per game last year.
Graham has been consistently successful. Cadillac Williams has not. Michael Jordan always fed the hot hand. Why won’t Raheem and Greg Olson?
October 13th, 2010 at 7:09 am
Sorry but I don’t buy that crap. Caddy is not the Michael Jordan of the Bucs. It was that crappy logic that kept Ward around for too long and that same logic that helped the Bucs go 3-13 last year.
Don’t be a Marvin Lewis type of coach…
COME ON MAN!
October 13th, 2010 at 8:24 am
Fans are so funny. In week one Graham fumbled at the goaline and everyone said he was done and it was time to move on. Three games later he has one giant run thru a hole the size of Texas and a one yard TD….and everyone loves him again and wants to see more.
I’ve been a huge Graham fan for years and wish he’d been our starting HB for the past three years. Bringing in Ward when we had Graham was the definition of stupid for me. But Graham is 31 now. He is not the future. If it’s between Graham and Caddie, I’ll take Graham every time, but I’d still rather see Blount and Huggins. We can’t go into next years draft not knowing what we have in Blount and Huggins. It’s thier time now.
It’s not like our YPC average could get worse or Freeman’s protection could get worse. We are such a young team….with 30 year old RBs. Make no sense. Put in the young guns already.
October 13th, 2010 at 9:51 am
I think it’s gonna take a combination of all our backs to have success this year. It’s gonna be the “hot hand” that gets it done. Whether that’s Graham, or Caddy, or Blount, or Huggins. Some games may just be a rotation of those guys to get it done. None may have a 100 yard game, but if you can get 40-50 from each, you end up with 160 to 200 on the ground. In the run game this year, it’s gonna be “whatever is working”.
October 13th, 2010 at 10:18 am
I personally do not think Graham is anywhere near the answer to our running game…but this does illustrate the problem. There is a strong reason why the Bucshave not had a good running game in over a decade…or longer…it’s because the coaches do not feel it is important enough.
Waiting for a lead????
Come on now…we have seen this since after the WD-40 days…the coaches do not place importance on the running game. If they did, they would pound Blount up the middle 15-20 times in the first quarter, hitting as hard as possible to wear down the defensive line, then they would turn caddy, huggey and company loose during the rest of the game.
It would actually be the smart way to do it. Don’t worry about scoring in the first couple possessions unless the running game get’s you close enough…focus on damage. On exhausting the defense. Do this, and they will be worn down by the end of the second quarter or at the start of the third quarter.
And with a young QB, it is the smart way to play. It will force the other team to contend with the run, to expect it…and it’s during those times that Freeman can cut loose…then when they start respecting hte pass, go back to the run.
Manipulate the opposing defense.
October 13th, 2010 at 11:57 am
That only works if you convert 1st downs. If you go 3 and out too often, you aren’t wearing anyone down except your own defense by giving the ball back to their offense. Until we can get a push off the line and not have our backs hit in our own backfield, that strategy doesn’t work so well.
I think they’ve done well not going away from the run completely during their games so far. Josh Freeman seems to do extremely well off the play action. When defenses back up to stop Freeman, then start pounding the ball with whomever is running well. When the D starts creeping back up, burn the deep on play action.
October 13th, 2010 at 7:47 pm
It’s such a shame. We could’ve left Graham at running back last year up until now instead of wasting all that time and money on Ward. Why the hell can’t they just move him back to halfback?!?! He’s without question our best runner and he’s proven that he could get the job done. That long run he busted off on Sunday…..he did that all the time back in 07 and 08 and he’s still showing that ability today. He used to actually bring excitement to our backfield when he was the guy! Let him get us yards and touchdowns. Seriously, Graham is not a “legitimate fullback”. Get a real one.