It’s Not The Offensive Line
October 26th, 2010
Like many of Joe’s readers, Joe’s good friend Justin Pawlowski of WDAE-AM 620, also known as “The Commissioner” who hosts the wildly popular “Blitz” on Saturday afternoons, was upset with the Bucs offensive line for anemic play.
But Justin has seen the light. After watching what LeGarrette Blount did Sunday against the Rams, Justin is now convinced the Bucs’ rushing problem was Cadillac Williams, so he writes in his weekly “What I Learned” segment on his blog located on his station’s website.
3. I learned (or at least had confirmed) that the Bucs lack of a running game was due to Cadillac Williams and not the offensive line.
Legarrette Blount finally got to prove what I have been saying about him since the draft. All he’s needed was a chance. Why in the hell did it take so long for the head coach to realize this? I don’t know. Hell, the head coach wouldn’t even commit to Blount for next week. Blount proved that a good back can run with efficiency in this offense. Cadillac should be reduced to passing downs only, and Legarrette Blount should become the Bucs new identity on offense. Blount is the lone reason the Bucs even had a chance to win that game on Sunday. Here’s hoping the coaching staff realizes what they have and USE HIM.
Joe understands that Raheem Morris is concerned about blitzes and that, in the long run, the Bucs’ biggest goal this season is to keep Josh Freeman vertical.
With the Bucs in a playoff push — strange, but true — it’s time to see if Freeman doesn’t need training wheels any longer. Time to help him by having a more balanced offense.
In other words, rush Blount.
October 26th, 2010 at 8:36 am
I like what he brings as a runner. All elbows and knees and angry. signs of a solid runner if he can keep his emotions in check. if he can he will beat defenses down and cause them to quit in the forth quarter. That is winning football.
October 26th, 2010 at 8:49 am
Maybe its both. Blount can break 3 to 4 tackles, and Caddie can only break 1-2 tackles. The reason I think its also the line is whenever their is a holding call. Caddie ran for his longest runs, ” called back of course”. Now, if the lineman had simply blown up the defense, we would have the same result.
Also, now that Stevens is gone and Purvis is in. We will start to run the ball more efficently. The whole offense has to put hats on players. Except for Winslow, he just runs his pass pattern and hopefully the defender follows.
October 26th, 2010 at 8:50 am
agree what about more no huddle it seems like that is where Freeman thrives
October 26th, 2010 at 9:03 am
Buc Realist-I agree that Winslow’s blocking skills could be better,but he more than compensates with clutch game changing 3rd down converstions.
October 26th, 2010 at 9:04 am
I agree Blount should be in there except on obvious passing downs.
That said, the shot that knocked Romo out of the game and killed the Cowboys season last night happened because a young RB missed his blitz pickup.
October 26th, 2010 at 9:11 am
I don’t care if Winslow can block or not we have other guys who can block also I believe Winslow is getting knocked around a lot he hit the ground hard a lot in that game. We need to take some pressure off him. I don’t think we will ever have a decent rushing attack as long as olson is running the offense.
October 26th, 2010 at 10:14 am
“With the Bucs in a playoff push — strange, but true — it’s time to see if Freeman doesn’t need training wheels any longer. ”
Joe I don’t think making the playoffs this year is the #1 focus for this team. I think getting everyone experience and keeping healthy is the main concern. Making the playoffs will be a nice bonus but I don’t think they will go all in to make it happen. I think they will continue to bring Blount along slowly until they are 100 percent certain that he can do everything that is required of that position.
No one expected them to be contending for a playoff spot so i think that they will continue to protect #5 at all costs.
I can’t remember if it was Joel or Bryan Glazer that said he told Rah and Dom.
“if you start thinking short term and we will start thinking short term.”
If they put in Blount and he misses a block and gets Freeman Romo’ed then things will not be pretty around 1 Buc Palace.
The long term goals of the team are more important to them than making the playoffs this season. Unfortunately.
October 26th, 2010 at 10:22 am
Everyone is now like TOLD you so with Blount .. I think everyone already knew what we had in Blount … The problem is in the Bucs losses there wouldnt have been much opportunity to use him as we were down by a lot quick .. Now is the Perfect time to start bringing him out .. We are 4-2 and have a FULL “College season” ahead still so fresh legs in week 8 is not a bad thing.
And please stop screaming for Blount to be the Starter .. He got 3 times the amount of Runs as Caddy last week .. Who really cares who gets the opening snap.
October 26th, 2010 at 12:04 pm
LOL, the way to protect Freeman is to have defenses worried about the run. They were not respecting our running game, and teeing off on Freeman. Now that Tampa has Blount back there, they have to be concerned a big power back will be unleashed on their secondary if they all out blitz. Gruden’s and Olsen’s offense is dependent on a strong running game. If we can run, it is hard to stop. If we can’t run the ball, it is easy to stop.
IMHO, Blount is what Tampa Fans have waited for since Mike Alstott retired.
October 26th, 2010 at 12:20 pm
Bucs talking playoffs! I love it!
October 26th, 2010 at 2:06 pm
How is Justin wrong Pete. Same o-line for Legarrette and Caddy. World of difference in the results. The Bucs were 5th in the league in rushing to start 2008 before the FB Askew got hurt and E.G was moved to fullback and then subsequently injured for the rest of the season. Same O-line back then as now with the exception of Keydrick. A soon to be retired Warrick Dunn and then Caddy have been the feature backs since then and the run game has looked awful. Magically as soon as Blount gets the ball we have a back averaging 4.9 yards a carry.