Ruud References His Perfect Grade
December 26th, 2010
Barrett Ruud is durable. He’s a tackle machine. And some games he’s damn near perfect, so he claims.
Ruud chatted with St. Pete Times Bucs beat writer, frequent radio analyst and sometimes Twitterer Rick Stroud about all the negativity surrouding about his play. Stroud notes Ruud is familiar with the beating he takes on sports radio and online.
At the close of the feature, Stroud quotes Ruud illustrating why he finds the criticism way off base.
“I just read in one of the newspapers … that I was listed as one of the disappointments on defense. I just got out of my meeting and had 11 tackles, including two for a loss, and graded out perfect.
“I guess I’ll just have to do better.”
Whatever Ruud’s grades, Joe knows the Bucs can do better and certainly should try.
Ruud is not the player he was two years ago. And he’s in the middle of a run defense that only has shown flickers of life over the past 34 games. Enough already.
Joe wonders where Mark Dominik planned to play Jonathan Vilma when the Bucs pursued him in free agency prior to the 2009 season.
December 26th, 2010 at 12:02 pm
Ruud was playing at a pro-bowl level when Brooks was the focus of the defense, not him. I think an upgrade of the OLBs (or both) would help Ruud get back to the level of play he had before the purge. Back then he had Hovan and Haye in front of him which isnt an all-pro set of DTs either, so im sure that a healthy McCoy and Price would elevate his play too.
December 26th, 2010 at 12:07 pm
I guess that perfect grade didn’t include the Lions first touchdown. Run up the middle through his gap where the blocker barely had to touch him while moving him left where the runner scored untouched. Must have given himself an A for effort when his arm tackle in the fourth quarter led to a huge gain and a first down to continue the Lions drive to tie the score. You just have to ask yourself if this is the person you want to lead the defense going into the future. He’s very proud of himself, but he’s about the only one feeling that way. This is the one reason he gets treated like he does. He thinks he is a superstar, but the rest of the league knows he’s just another average player.
December 26th, 2010 at 12:08 pm
Barrett is mostly right. If he makes a tackle 7 yards downfield because someone else lost their gap integrity and Barrett pursued to the play and made a tackle – you idiots on the chat always blam Ruud, call him soft etc.
In a 1 gap defense, the Mike LB has one gap usually an A Gap (either side of center), but that can change dramatically when they blitz. For example, if you send a safety in a run-blitz it cause can the backers to adjust their gaps, or if you tango the tackles etc. Just because there is a run up the middle for a big game doesnt mean it was the MLB.
The flaw in the run D is: First, we have horribly green and weak d tackles in the run stopping game. I know SGW is grading MIller better, but I still think that he is below avaerage. McCoy was very bad in my view against the run. I like Bennett but apparently Rah doesnt. If a tackle loses his gap a gaping hole can be the product. Rah tries so mnay run blitzes to overcompensate that when the run-blitz misses the fit, adios the RB is off to the races.
I believe that you need to be sound in your base defense before you try to play run-fit games, Rah doesnt and you see the result.
The secondary gives up less yards passing but that is mostly because they are so bad against the run – which eats clock and causes teams not to throw too often. Barrett is great in the passing game.
December 26th, 2010 at 12:39 pm
2.1 I’d respect your opinion more often if you #1 wouldn’t call people idiot’s (especially at Christmas) and #2 if you backed up your opinion with a few facts. Here’s a couple of facts that are surprising even to me.
Fact #1 is Roy Miller has more tackles than Osi Umenyiora or Sedrick Ellis. Fact #2 is Styles G White has more tackles than John Abraham, Shaun Ellis or Will Smith.
Fact #3 is Gerold McCoy AND Tim Crowder both have more tackles than Pat Williams of the Vikings.
Now although the team has struggled to get sacks; it has had some nice pressure throughout most of the year. The D lineman are inexperienced, but play their hearts out and do create some problems for the QB. The lanes that open up for these RB’s are also a direct result of inexperience and not lack of effort or talent. In Ruud’s case it is always someone else’s fault and he is perfect in what he does. Which is what he stated in the paper this mourning. The team leader I want takes responsibility and makes no excuses. If I were the team captain of a defense that is last against the run I’d be telling everyone that I’m the one who needs to step up and make plays. The last thing I want is someone who acts like that crappy employee who always says that’s not my job.
December 26th, 2010 at 12:59 pm
Bucnjim: osi and sed are predominantly outside pass rushing specialists, i know that they both move around and sed may play a lot inside. Different players, plus roy gets a lot more opportunities bc teams are so run heavy against the bucs.
It is real easy to grade a 1 gap 4-3, if you fill your gap, you grade perfect, if you make a tackle downfield from someone elses gap, you grade perfect but the player who lost gap doesnt. You have no idea who lost gap unless you hear the play call. What ruud is saying is none of the big runs were his gap and he graded percectly in pass.
If you think that roy miller is the player that osi or sed is right now, well i appreciate your level of football acumen.
Barrett is solid. The entire d line, yes evdn the annointed one gmc was bad. He had 2 decent games and everyone fawned over him like he was warren sapp, just bc u want someone to ve good doesnt make it so.
The run d is awful, as is the d coordinating of lack thereof. Bucs beat hawks today but only due to free and the o.
December 26th, 2010 at 1:17 pm
Well somebody stinks on the defense.
Up to the DC to fix it for next year as this years performance against the run will not produce a “lasting contender”.
December 26th, 2010 at 1:20 pm
First of all I understand gap integrity. Second of all these were examples of why you don’t always put tackles as your primary stat when judging players. Would never say any of these guys compare to the one’s listed, but if you went by tackles as people do with Ruud then this is what you get. In your last sentence you say the run d is awful! Guess what? Ruud is not only part of this run d; he’s the Captain of this D! Finally I’m going to go back to the play I watched several times last week. In the Lion’s first score it was Ruud’s gap responsibility which he got blocked completely out of the play.
December 26th, 2010 at 1:23 pm
I am all about replacing the worst players on our D first.
By my count, that means we should replace our LDE, RDE, SS, and SLB first. and that’s just on defense.
And don’t forget, the MLB is the “QB if the defense”. Don’t underestimate the learning curve a new MLB may have. PLUS, the MLB in our system doesn’t need to be a superstar. Stop expecting more of him just because of his draft status.
In other words, he’s the least of our worries.
December 26th, 2010 at 1:57 pm
Matt that is a spot on point about replacing the worst first.
You gotta start with the OLBs. Draft two studs, OLB and MLB or 2 OLBs with the first and second round picks, like they did this year with the DTs. Try to resign Ruud, Black and Hayes. The two new LBs compete for starting spots, for real, not the Shabby style competition. Who ever is best, start them. The backups will be solid.
Why do this? Because the rookies need time to come into their own. The group of backers we have now are all young. When the rookies step up, Hayes and Black can settle into backup roles as this is their NFL destiny anyway… could do the same with Ruud too if the new competition is better. Now, I also am not against getting a veteran MLB to apply more competition for Ruud. But that could just turn out like the Trotter scenario years ago. Ruud is a fine MLB, not an Urlacher, but good for an NFL MLB. We have many other pressing needs on defense and perhaps coaching if guys can’t stay in their gaps, or the coach calls stupid plays where 1 guy can’t be in 3 places at once.
With the other high draft picks get offensive linemen and a CB.
We have got to be able to find a DE in free agency this year. Coach up what we got. Go get the best D Line coach in the NFL. Go get the best LB coach in the NFL… go get Singletary as the Defensive Coordinator.
Those moves would make me happy.
December 26th, 2010 at 2:37 pm
IF we were able to find a stud DE in FA…maybe.
But I’d still rather draft OL on this first.
This offense has a chance to be special next year if we can just block worth a damn.
December 26th, 2010 at 2:42 pm
This team needs a first round linebacker more than anything else… I say get two in the first and second to be on the safe side. We have zero playmakers at LB.
December 26th, 2010 at 3:01 pm
Is that Buc you making a valid arguement? It really is a Christmas Miracle! What is the one thing that the offense has now that it really has NEVER had in the past? Toughness!! Freeman, Winslow, Benn, Williams, Blound and even Gillmore are some very tough physical players. Throw in Penn, Larson, and Lee and now you have a unit that is scrappy and has an attitude. This my friends is what is missing from our Defense and we need to get it back fast. Right now the only scrappy player on our Defense is a 36 year old DB call Ronde Barber. You can’t teach physical aggressive play and this has always been my problem with Ruud. As Buc You puts it he is a fine MLB which is a decent description, but he is also the Defensive team Captain which is not fine. People make all kinds of excuses from scheme to capibility as to why Ruud gets man handled. All I know is when I see LB’s from other teams in the NFC; they are shedding blocks and making game changing plays. Hell all you have to do is turn on the Jets/Bears game on right now if you’d like to see some real LB play.
December 26th, 2010 at 4:32 pm
“Whatever Ruud’s grades, Joe knows the Bucs can do better and certainly should try. ”
That’s right Joe. You are so much better at breaking down game film to grade out players than Raheem Morris. Forget Steve White. The Bucs need to hire you to be defensive coordinator.
December 26th, 2010 at 4:34 pm
Can’t believe I am finding myself in full agreement with Thomas and Buc You. I am hallucinating. Did someone spike my koolaid with LSD?
December 26th, 2010 at 4:42 pm
I still think we would get more bang for our Buc getting a mauler LG or RT in the first.
Ruud might be a “B-” LB, but we currently have “D” players on our O-line.
December 26th, 2010 at 4:43 pm
BTW, I’m not saying we should overpay for him if he wants a 50M contract.
December 26th, 2010 at 4:57 pm
Resign Ruud, draft a MLB… By the time the guy is ready Ruud will be football old anyway.