Just. Run. LeGarrette. Blount.
November 25th, 2011
Last week proved it, even in a loss.
The Bucs’ offense — to be kind — struggled without LeGarrette Blount, without handing him the rock. The fact that he had only 13 touches against Houston was simply unacceptable.
This puzzle even has eye-RAH! Kaufman of The Tampa Tribune perplexed. Using the TBO Bucs Twitter feed as a vehicle, Kaufman explained just how allergic the Bucs are to the run.
The Bucs proved again they have one of the NFL’s better run-blocking lines. So why are they tied with 0-10 Indy for fewest attempts?
This boils down to simply wasting talent. That’s the only logical explanation Joe can find. The Bucs’ best weapon is Blount, and this isn’t debatable. The Bucs passing game, for reasons unknown, is struggling this year. So why not rely on one of the league’s best backs?
And as last week showed, once Blount gets going, it opens up the passing offense.
This seems to be getting through to the Bucs braintrust as, per Scott Smith, the Bucs offensive coordinator is said to have promised to get the ball to Blount more often.
OC Greg Olson said today that the Bucs want to get the ball into LeGarrette Blount’s hands 25 times a game, if the circumstances permit it.
Let’s hope. The Titans are vulnerable to the run. Pound them with Blount.
November 25th, 2011 at 9:46 am
Um, just a thought here, but maybe he’s still recovering from the knee injury. Teams hide players from the injury reports all the time so the opposition has to game plan for a weapon that may or may not be healthy.
If, say, they were to know that Blount wasn’t 100% with the knee, they might not pull the safety into the box, sequestering the passing game.
Think about it. They did it with Frees thumb. D. Brooks played on bad hamstrings for a whole season.
Maybe Blount was only, say, 70% for Houston.
November 25th, 2011 at 10:08 am
Um, just a thought here, but maybe he’s still recovering from the knee injury. Teams hide players from the injury reports all the time so the opposition has to game plan for a weapon that may or may not be healthy.
If, say, they were to know that Blount wasn’t 100% with the knee, they might not pull the safety into the box, sequestering the passing game.
Think about it. They did it with Frees thumb. D. Brooks played on bad hamstrings for a whole season.
Maybe Blount was only, say, 70% for Houston.
November 25th, 2011 at 10:18 am
im worried about titants run defense….. JAJAJAJAJAJJAJA just kidding, time to run over barrett ruud!!!
November 25th, 2011 at 10:39 am
Unfortunately it does already sound like he’s making excuses before game when he doesn’t. After the game we’ll hear about how he was down by 10 points with over an entire half to go and about how ‘circumstances didn’t allow it’.
November 25th, 2011 at 10:47 am
Rejoice rejoice! Finally Olson got it through his thick skull that blunt getting the ball equals a better chance to win. Give blunt the rock 25 plus good things happen. How hard is that equation. C’mon man!
November 25th, 2011 at 11:40 am
I really want to see Blount steamroll Ruud.
November 25th, 2011 at 11:40 am
“Greg Olson said today that the Bucs want to get the ball into LeGarrette Blount’s hands 25 times a game, if the circumstances permit it.”
Too bad even a 3 point deficit doesn’t permit it for Olsen.
November 25th, 2011 at 11:53 am
The OC’s caveat of “if circumstances permit” is all you need to read – Blount gets <15 carries this week…
November 25th, 2011 at 1:38 pm
Olson is a Gruden clone. As much as they talk about running the ball that is not their fascination. I remember the home playoff game against the Giants several years back. On the opening drive Gruden ran the ball right down the throats of the Giants defense for an early first quarter touchdown (it might have been our last one.) It looked like we would run over them all day long but noooooooooooooooo Chucky decided it was better for Jeff Garcia and a one armed Joey Galloway play futile catch the rest of the day and the Bucs were history. It was the most inexpicable abadonment of the run game I have ever seen. And now we have Olson doing the same thing week in and week out. The grasshopper has learned from the Jedi master LOL.
November 25th, 2011 at 1:44 pm
One more thing, we keep blaming Greg Olson and he should get alot of the blame but what about Raheem? If I am him I am telling him “look Greg love all of your motion plays, bubble screen and two yard slants but I want Blount getting the rock 25 times a game unless we are down by two touchdowns or more!!! It can save my job.” Raheem is an ineffective leader and cannot put the hammer down on ANYONE!!
November 25th, 2011 at 1:55 pm
So what Olsen said is this… ‘the other team will dictate to us how much we run’ – WTF?
Circumstances? In Olsen Land defensive coordinators must be focused on stopping the Packers run game which has in turn created these magical circumstances that allow the Packers to throw the ball so well…
Winning coaches and teams dictate. Winners have a FU attitude, which is why they win. Olsen has a losers attitude.
Unless of course he was pointing a finger at the Defence and Defensive Coordinator not doing their job, which is forcing him to be a bad play caller…
November 25th, 2011 at 2:32 pm
“Olson is a Gruden clone.”
Nah dude. Gruden actually made good use of Cadillac and Earnest Graham back when he was here. He would not have wasted Blount.
November 25th, 2011 at 3:26 pm
Patrick he pretty much wasted Alstot in the final years of his career but don’t get me wrong I would take Gruden back in a heartbeat over what we have now. I actually liked Gruden.
November 25th, 2011 at 3:46 pm
I want to see Ruud hug Blount while he’s being dragged down the field for 8-10 yards.
November 25th, 2011 at 4:21 pm
I’ll bet some of guys that have played with Ruud are telling Blount “just run right at Ruud (#55 now) you’ll never go down and get at least 10 yards!”
November 25th, 2011 at 5:23 pm
He’s going to give 25 carries to Blount? I’ll believe that when I see it.
November 25th, 2011 at 5:51 pm
Hawaiian- I bet you one malasada that Blount doesn’t reach 25 carries this Sunday.
November 25th, 2011 at 6:59 pm
@2goodbucs,
I’m not taking that bet, but you did get me hungry for malasadas, lol.
November 25th, 2011 at 8:07 pm
HAHAHAHA! Gotta be Leonards or else no bet braddah! LOLZ!
November 25th, 2011 at 8:12 pm
Newsflash Joe: Blount is not one of the leagues’ best backs .
I can easily name 15 backs better than him. He’s slow , can’t pass block , and can’t contribute as a reciever. Not to mention he has a terrible habit of studder-stepping in the backfield and therefore getting tons of 2 yard losses , which set us up with 2nd and 12’s , which ALSO contributes to his lack of carries.
As a change of pace back Blount would be awesome . As the center-piece of an entire offense?? No way. He’s a one trick pony.
November 25th, 2011 at 8:28 pm
So 5 yards a carry for 2 straight seasons, and there are 15 backs better than him? Okay buddy, whatever you say!
November 25th, 2011 at 8:53 pm
I want to see Tampa pound Blount until Ruud don’t want to tackle him anymore.
Tennessee can be had, we are at home, and we must win.
November 25th, 2011 at 8:56 pm
@Apple Roof,
Ruud’s not playing and we are playing at Tennessee.
November 25th, 2011 at 9:13 pm
Blount is a very good back but he has to learn to run hit the line hard every time. He is not Forte where he has the moves to patiently wait for the blocks to develop and then use his speed and finesse. He needs to make a hole if there isn’t a hole and break tackles. Too many times I see him run up to the line and stop or take it to the outside just as the hole opens up where he was supposed to go. I don’t blame Olson for not using him when we fall behind. Even at Green Bay he averaged a little over 2 yds a carry for the first 12 carries and then he broke a big one. After that he seemed to run harder. He just needs to hit the line hard every carry and he’ll be fine. He’s big enough to pick up positive yards even when there isn’t a hole if he just has momentum.
November 26th, 2011 at 12:16 am
Blubber:
Newsflash:
Yards per carry:
Ben Tate 5.6
Darren McFadden 5.3
Matt Forte 5.0
Adrian Peterson 4.7
LeGarrette Blount 4.6
Frank Gore 4.5
Arian Foster 4.3
Next…
November 26th, 2011 at 12:20 am
Man, the hate for Ruud. smdh Joe doesn’t get it. 🙁
At least the dude had tackles. What’s Quincy Black’s excuse?
For all the Ruud hate, people should be handcuffing themselves to the gates of One Buc Palace to demand Black’s head on a platter.
November 26th, 2011 at 12:36 am
Joe,
I’d rather hear him name 15 backs that he thinks are better. My favorite one is that he is slow??? I guess in that case Emmitt Smith was a horrible running back.
November 26th, 2011 at 6:00 pm
If Joe values YPC as the only true measure of a back , he better be thanking Olsen that Blount doesn’t get many carries , and was injured for 4 games. What a moronic argument , as usual.
15 obviously better backs:
Arian Foster
Ben tate
Matt Forte
Darren McFadden
Frank Gore
Adrian Peterson
Ray Rice
Lesean McCoy
Fred Jackson
Maurice Jones-drew
Micheal Turner
Chris Johnson
Rashard Mendenhall
Steven Jackson
Ryan Matthews
Wow , that was easy…and those are just the no-brainers . I could probably go at least 5 deeper on guys like Ahmad Bradshaw, Demarco Murry, and Willis Mcgahee that you could easily make arguments for being better all around backs…
Bobby , you were spot on . The guy needs to learn to hit the hole with authority on a more regular basis if he ever TRULY wants to be a feature back.
November 26th, 2011 at 6:57 pm
Blubber,
You are a true fool! I can’t believe you can make that list without putting a “just kidding” at the end. I see you put some guys in there off of past feats (Chris Johnson, Rashard Mendenhall) and others off of a half of a good season (Ben Tate, Fred Jackson). Then you just added some guys possibly based off of how they run for you in Madden (Ryan Matthews, Ray Rice). You really just completely embarrassed yourself. I can never take anything you say seriously.
November 26th, 2011 at 6:58 pm
Not better than Ryan Mathews. Blount is on the top 15 of backs in this league. Cmon Man!
November 26th, 2011 at 8:22 pm
I can’t believe that someone who suggests Blount is better than Ray Rice and Chris Johnson is calling ME a fool. Bwahahahahaha. What a homer . It’s no wonder you like Joe’s stupid commentary.
Keep thinking a one dimensional guy who can’t play on 3rd downs is one of the best backs in the league , and something you can base an offense around…
November 26th, 2011 at 8:31 pm
..and since you are slow, and seem confused about he criteria for the list, why don’t you start with the fact that everyone of these guys can actually play on 3rd down .
November 27th, 2011 at 3:51 am
Just because he doesn’t playboy third down doesn’t mean he can’t buddy. So Arian Foster and Ben Tate both play on third down? Do they run a two tailback set on third downs? Does it hurt to be that stupid?
November 27th, 2011 at 3:53 am
Play on, not playboy. Stupid iPhone spell check.
November 27th, 2011 at 4:07 am
Your criteria for what makes a better running back is laughable. You pick Fred Jackson, who had one half of a good season, yet he’s better because he can play on third down? Ben Tate, same thing. Even Derrick Ward runs well behind that line. Is he better than Blount too? He can play on third down. Then you pick Ryan Matthews, which I cannot figure out for the life of me why you could think he is better. Chris Johnson has been a better back, but he’s having one of the worst seasons of ANY running back (I hope that continues tomorrow)
November 27th, 2011 at 9:50 am
Fred Jackson is a better all around player than Blount at this point in thier careers. Period. Only an idiot homer could deny that , which is what you are.
November 27th, 2011 at 10:33 am
..and Ryan Matthews has a 1,000 yards of total yards so far to his credit, despite also battling injury issues. Blount has 600. You do the Math , moron.
…and Chris Johnson , a recent 2,000 yard rusher ?? DO I even have to make that argument?? LOL.
Are you simply stupid, or just blinded by all the ads on Joe’s site ?? He is not one of the league’s best backs. The league’s best backs don’t make thier teams’ predictable because they can contribute in all phases of the game , and hurt you in multiple ways.