Two-Headed Monster
December 8th, 2015
Bucs backfield duo is a two-headed beast.
Yes, everyone’s favorite Muscle Hamster, Bucs running back Doug Martin, deserves the pay raise he will get somewhere for the way he has turned around this career this season.
If not for Martin, the Bucs would not be pushing for a wild card berth.
The Bucs, specifically offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter, deserve loads of praise. They use Martin in a rotation that drives fans out of their minds on gamedays, but this rotation not only works on the field, but has helped keep Martin healthy.
The past two seasons, that has been Martin’s biggest problem: staying healthy. When he was not, he struggled terribly.
But it is not just Martin. When Martin gets a breather, Charles Sims has shown why he was a third-round pick last year. Sims has been solid under Koetter, especially in the passing game.
Sims and Martin have become the NFL’s premier two-headed monster. Through 12 games, Martin and Sims have racked up 2,065 total offensive yards from scrimmage, most by a duo of backs in the NFL.
December 8th, 2015 at 8:06 am
WOW!!! 2,000 yards? That blows my mind.
December 8th, 2015 at 8:11 am
Nice, the Bucs with a consistent offense, I know Dougie is a free agent, but they need to keep this core together, with young o-line additions. E nice to know what we got in Kenny Bell “Afro-Thunder”
December 8th, 2015 at 8:17 am
And to think I called Simms a bust in September….what production tho. Perfect change of pace back to Martins hard running.
December 8th, 2015 at 8:20 am
Martin is only 49 yards behind Peterson for the most rushing yards in the NFL. That’s with Sims busting out a ton of runs this year. They look like the best duo in the NFL by a mile.
December 8th, 2015 at 8:22 am
Don’t like the use of Sims at all….He dances at the handoff and has no great running ability…he’s a one trick pony!…Although the Bucs won Sunday, the benching of Martin for a spell was ludicrous…He’s the guy to go to in crunch time and there was the “dancing poodle”, Sims carrying the load. More Martin, less Sims!!!!
December 8th, 2015 at 8:26 am
I tried to warn everyone during training camp that the WR Duo numbers would be down and expect lots of running!!! But to be #1 duo is pretty impressive and they are #2 overall (#1 is Seahawks) for total team rushing!!!!
December 8th, 2015 at 8:27 am
Doug Martin never forgot how to run the ball…
December 8th, 2015 at 8:27 am
You’re wrong about Sims. He’s really come on this year. He’s got 4.7 yards per attempt (Peterson is 4.8, Martin is 5.0 for reference). He’s also added another 329 yards in the receiving game.
Rather than running Martin into the ground we have another back that’s doing better than a lot of starting backs. Sorry to break it to you, but Sims is looking like a good pick.
December 8th, 2015 at 8:34 am
Sims isn’t a “one trick pony”……he is a great reciever and very adequate runner….he simply has a different running style. Martin is averaging 5.0 per carry and Sims 4.7……that is looks good to me.
December 8th, 2015 at 8:38 am
I agree, Sims is really producing this season. The rotation is there also because Sims is that good. Is he a superstar? Hell no, but he can certainly do big things from time to time and we’ve seen it this year. It’s nice to have those two, together they form what is, in my opinion, one of the better RB tandem in the NFL.
December 8th, 2015 at 8:48 am
Pleased with Sims role. He’s not a starter, but, he’s a great relief pitcher.
December 8th, 2015 at 8:57 am
Since Martin is one of the foundations of my fantasy team, I pull my hair out every time they put Sims in.
I really enjoyed it last week when after Sims scored an obvious TD, they denied him the score and placed the ball at the 1. Martin comes in for the easy TD. Thank you very much Football Gods!
Martin killed me when he watched himself on the Jumbotron (delayed) and got caught from behind at the 6 and ambushed at the 1. Those and an inadvertent whistle calling back a 70 yard TD connection between two of my players cost me over $10k.
Talk about two headed monsters, incompetent refs and Jumbotrons!
December 8th, 2015 at 8:58 am
We’ve got, and will have, plenty of cap space. Pay the kid a respectable amount and let’s keep him in the building. He’s earned what a player of his caliber demands so let’s pay him and keep him. We’ve shown that we’re not good at nailing free agent acquisitions anyway, so let’s keep a proven contributor on the team and let Licht fill the holes in the draft. That’s the key element to making sure that we’re a destination club, instead of being the ATM machine that we’ve been. Winning, developing the talent we have and paying the players that perform for us will make people want to not only come to Tampa but continue contributing once they get here. No more Michael Johnsons and Anthony Collins. No more paying for what someone did on someone else’s team in the hopes that they do it here as well. Use free agency to get some role players, but if we’ve got a star on the team then that’s who should get the big pay days.
December 8th, 2015 at 9:19 am
Of course you called him a bust… Any 22 yr old kid who blows out his ankle has surgery and struggled his first year in the NFL after 8 weeks on IR must be a bust. So far he has shown to be a good #2 back. Still dances to much and trips over hi own feet like Michael Pittman used to do. We are in trouble if DM gets hurt.
December 8th, 2015 at 9:21 am
He’s been a great change of pace running back. I hope that continues for years to come.
December 8th, 2015 at 9:56 am
The Bucs running back tandem has also contributed mightily to the development of #3, so I think it’s time to give them some credit. Winston’s development really started when they trimmed the playbook down and started relying on the running game. The threat of the run opened things up for Winston and he truly blossomed as a QB. Keep in mind that the Bucs lost at Indy when they abandoned the run in the second half. As good as Winston is, the Bucs can’t win with the passing game alone.
December 8th, 2015 at 9:56 am
Charles sims has grew up this year and showed he can be a part if this team. I guess people don’t remember his first real game in Washington last year when he was force fed the ball and thrown in the line up on a lost season. He was looking like the “bum” of the century which now when I looked back at it he was moving alot slower and dancing more last year. But this year we’re seeing the hands that got him drafted and a quick burst when he gashes the defense after Martin jukes and pounds them.
December 8th, 2015 at 9:59 am
I always felt they was using sims to worry and push Doug and possibly replace him but I love the way doug responded this year and they played good as a one two punch so now it looks like pure genius this year kudos to the coaching and scouting teams. A dynasty is slowly being wakened in today nfl..go bucs!!!! We got this!!!
December 8th, 2015 at 9:59 am
sims is looking like another great pick by lovie and licht….I love the way the use him…still not a between the tackles type of runner but he is good at what he does…GO BUCS!!!
December 8th, 2015 at 10:19 am
Johnny “America’s Commenter” Dejay Says:
“Winston’s development really started when they trimmed the playbook down and started relying on the running game. The threat of the run opened things up for Winston and he truly blossomed as a QB.”
That is the definition of “Lovie Ball”…..
December 8th, 2015 at 11:18 am
Sims and Martin get the job done. Never any doubt in my mind. What a great running back tandem. Go Bucs!
December 8th, 2015 at 12:23 pm
Hey joe, do you call Doug the muscle Hampster when you interview him? I’m guessing not because you don’t want to offend him. But you’ll disrespect him on your site though.
December 8th, 2015 at 1:51 pm
Sims is much better as the rotational, change of pace back. You see when he gets put in as the primary back, he’s not nearly as effective.
But as a change of pace guy, on draws, screens and lining up as WR he looks great. He’s got some truly amazing burst, just isn’t a power back from behind the line.
December 8th, 2015 at 1:52 pm
Doug Martin has been called “Muscle Hamster” from the time he was drafted and came here. I never got the impression that it was an insult. He’s smallish when compared to guys like Famous J, ASJ, and the linemen. He’s powerfully compact and devious when he gets past the dline. He’s also quick and can catch the ball out of the backfield. Sims can catch the ball, too. They’re one heckuva complement. Just one more developing weapon for Famous J and the Mighty Bucs.
December 8th, 2015 at 3:12 pm
Martin is one of this years local heros and should be treated with respect and his wishes honored. It is low class loser behavior not to respect that.
December 8th, 2015 at 4:16 pm
I have said this for most of the year now. We need to handle our business and sign Martin for 3-4 more years. We also have Mike James who I would love see get moved back up & given some work.
December 8th, 2015 at 5:01 pm
@ orlBucfan- Martin has been on record he doesn’t like the nickname. I wish he did, but he doesn’t. He’s been awesome this year and I know JoeBucsFan loves what this guy is doing. But I doubt Joe would call Doug that to his face because Joe knows Doug doesn’t want to be called that and Joe respects and loves what Doug is doing. So if Joe won’t say it to his face out of respect, then show him the same love on the web.
December 8th, 2015 at 5:27 pm
The running back with the most yards after contact is Doug Martin, with 336. That is 83 yards more than any other back. I would like to see more yards after contact with Charles Sims. Last year everyone thought he was a bust. This year he is a completely different RB. Most of us would like to see Martin the entire game so why not use Sims more as a wideout? He has speed to burn.
December 8th, 2015 at 7:08 pm
People tend to forget Sims was hampered by a bad wheel last year. RB’s with his skill set need both legs and ankles to be effective…their game’s based on speed and quickness.
December 9th, 2015 at 5:21 am
PAY THE MAN!!!!!!!!!