Ground Garbage
November 26th, 2016
No excuses for Gerald McCoy and friends on Sunday
You know how the Bucs have struggled mightily to run the ball this year averaging just 3.7 yards per carry?
Well, the Seahawks are worse.
In fact, they average just 3.5 yards per carry. Seattle is off a full yard from its average last season and nearly two yards from 2014. They were at 4.3 yards per carry during their Super Bowl title season of 2013.
First, Seattle’s offensive line isn’t what it used to be. (Ironically, they sure seem to miss J.R. Sweezy) Also, running back Thomas Rawls is developing Doug Martin Syndrome, aka a bad/injury year after a great one.
Last season, Rawls jumped into the NFL scene with 830 yards on just 147 carries in seven starts. This year, he’s been banged up and rather impotent.
He also has been physically “thrashed,” per Pete Carroll. Consider this key to tomorrow’s Bucs-Seahawks game per the Seattle Times.
RB Thomas Rawls: The dangerous thing about Sunday is a Tampa Bay offense averaging more than 28 points the last five games, scoring 34 or more twice. The best way to quiet an opposing offense, especially on the road, is with some long time-churning drives. And the biggest key to doing that for the Seahawks would be a complete return to 2015 form of Rawls, who appears set to get just his second start this season. Rawls showed promising signs last week with 57 yards on 14 carries in his first game since Sept. 18. But maybe somewhat ominously, coach Pete Carroll talked after the game of the punishment Rawls had taken, saying at one point Monday that Rawls had been “thrashed.’’ With injuries to other tailbacks and the ranks thinned by the release of Christine Michael, the Seahawks are going to need to be able to count on Rawls for significant work week-in and week-out, beginning Sunday. That may require Rawls to somewhat temper his instincts to seek out contact at every turn.
The Bucs have the benefit of a healthy defensive line, and one that should be strong against the run. In addition to Gerald McCoy up the gut, Will Gholston may be the best run-stuffing defensive end in the NFL.
The Bucs are 21st-ranked in the NFL against the run, allowing 4.3 yards per carry. They must do better Sunday.
The Seahawks are a one-dimensional offense in many ways, with Russell Wilson being the playmaking X-factor. The Bucs have to at least keep it that way by stuffing the run. If not, they’ll have little shot of winning.
November 26th, 2016 at 2:59 pm
Felt it the last 2 weeks. Including KC.
Sorry guys I’m not feeling it yet….
Maybe tomorrow?
November 26th, 2016 at 3:01 pm
Games like this are where great players step up. Will shall see if McCoy is anything more than an average DT tomorrow.
November 26th, 2016 at 3:03 pm
Ndog…don’t you already know the answer?
November 26th, 2016 at 3:04 pm
25 hours! Can’t wait
November 26th, 2016 at 3:14 pm
Good possibility that starting center justin britt will not play
Its time for ginger to make a difference
Time to eat fatboy
November 26th, 2016 at 3:15 pm
Unfortunately we are usually the remedy to good players who have been struggling, but let’s hope that’s not the case.
November 26th, 2016 at 3:16 pm
I just hope coach Smith has been preaching rush lane integrity.. No one sac’s that guy I just want him in the pocket. 87 Roberto is winning this game for us. He’ll be busy tommorow.
November 26th, 2016 at 3:30 pm
87 I keep waiting and hoping.
November 26th, 2016 at 3:40 pm
The biggest concern I have is whether Brent Grimes will be back, and will he be up to speed. As for stuffing the run, if indeed SEA starting Center is out, that will certainly create a vulnerable spot for GMac and Clint, and maybe there will be a fumbled snap or two. Russell Wilson is back to form, but hey, he’s due for an off game. Big crowd tomorrow; I don’t believe there will be a lot of SEA fans in the mix. This will be tough game, but it is a winnable game for the Bucs.
November 26th, 2016 at 3:54 pm
Another great test to see how well we are playing this scheme and playing together. With all the injuries on Seattle’s team. I believe we definitely have shot. We will see in less than 24 hrs. Go BUC’S
November 26th, 2016 at 4:38 pm
Teams do not want to run the football these days. They only rush the ball to try Andy open up the passing game. The Seahawks do not want to run Rawls 25 times. They would much rather have Russell Wilson slinging the ball around.
The bucs are the same way in philosophy. Koetter loves to drive the ball down field. But the only way to do that is to get the safeties playing closer to the line of scrimmage, and you do that by running the ball.
Do not get sucked into the run game on defense. It isn’t just a ploy to open up the pass. It is why our bucs defenses have been terrible against the pass under schiano and lovie. They focus on stopping the run, which is easy to do, but you open yourself up to get burned by the pass.
I’m not scared of what Rawls can do on the ground. Worry about what Russell Wilson and jimmy graham and Doug Baldwin are doing in the secondary. That is where we will win or lose. Not Thomas Rawls.
November 26th, 2016 at 4:40 pm
Time for McCoy to earn that big $$$
November 26th, 2016 at 4:42 pm
Can’t believe some of you fans. Take GMC out of the middle for this game and watch what Vegas does to your odds of winning … zip, zero, zilch. McCoy’s not the problem. Vulnerability against the run rests primarily with our MLB, not GMC & not McDonald. I like Kwon & I’m confident he’d be an excellent on the outside (his position at LSU?), but sorry, he’s out of position way too often in the middle and his pass coverage skills over the middle are questionable far as I’m concerned. Key on him during the game Sunday (but hopefully he stands tall and bottles up the middle against Seattle). My guess is that Licht will draft a true MLB next year.
November 26th, 2016 at 5:30 pm
wait.. are you saying that mccoy is one of the better run stuffers in the NFL. I cant remember the last time he actually tackled the RB. every week the opposing RBs just have huge runs up the middle… thats right infront of mccoy and he cant stop them.
November 26th, 2016 at 5:34 pm
Congrats USF on a 10 win season. #Props!
November 26th, 2016 at 5:36 pm
@Defense Rules- The criticism is warranted McCoy is one of the highest paid players and sometimes disappears for long stretches. But I do agree with your point of how Kwon is consistently out of position. McCoy as a leader(ha ha) and defensive captain is not earning his $$$
November 26th, 2016 at 5:52 pm
USF has to beat UCF to win 10 games, is that game over? Did anyone watch that Pitt vs Syracuse score fest? 76-61 final. What? The Pitt QB Nathan Peterman looks good in the games he has played. A backup for Winston?
November 26th, 2016 at 6:08 pm
Def ru speaking the truth
Matador kwon undesiciplined playing is creating big problems for the middle of the def and back
Conte playing linebacker on run plays to help out and cover kwons constant mistakes. I have no doubt ots hurting LVD playing because he is so out of place and position…lol, some of his tackling technique is completely pitiful
He would never be able to step on the field with the pats, sea,…better defenses and coaches because they must play as a unit and depending on each player to succeed
Im your freelance dancer
Dancing for money
Ill do whatever i do
Im your freelance dancer
Dancing for money
Ill do whatever i do
November 26th, 2016 at 7:05 pm
AV21’s father passed. Good reporting Joe’s… no problem posting news form 4 days ago. But… SMH.
November 26th, 2016 at 7:23 pm
I hope McCoy and Ayers completely beasts-out. I hope decoy stuffs every run to the point that Carroll abandons the run. Then I hope he has Wilson running scared all game. But considering he has 7 tackles in the last 5 games it might be a bit naive. But we can always hope right?
The reason gholston is so good is bc he never gives up on the play. I think last week he ran 10y downfield to tackle a receiver. If the entire def played with the same energy and want to we could be good, really really good. As of this moment though, right now, I say McDonald is the best interior lineman on the squad.
November 26th, 2016 at 7:26 pm
I kinda congratulated USF cause they already had beaten UCF.
November 26th, 2016 at 8:12 pm
My poor Knights…
November 26th, 2016 at 8:50 pm
I agree Kwons play if affecting LVD. Maybe licht drafts Ruben Foster, slides Kwon to the outside
November 26th, 2016 at 8:51 pm
Yo I don’t care about wr or defense this draft, do what u gotta do to get Dalton cook. He is better than Zeke and Gurely
November 26th, 2016 at 8:54 pm
Dalvin Cook
November 26th, 2016 at 9:18 pm
Mike
I already talked to licht and that’s a go! D. Cook, Aguayo and the messiah.
November 26th, 2016 at 9:18 pm
Joe
FYI – new address and new IP address. Ty Sir
November 26th, 2016 at 9:26 pm
Tampa Tony & DB55 … 7 tackles (actually 8 plus 2 assists) in the last 5 games only tells part of the story. Add in 2.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles and 2 fumble recoveries. Then consider that GMC played 289 snaps out of 346 the Bucs had on defense in those 5 games (84%) which is incredible for a DLineman. I’d bet that there isn’t another DT in the NFL who even comes close to that percentage of the time on the field in the trenches. Personally I could care less how much any player makes (between the player and management far as I’m concerned) but I’d say that GMC is more than earning his keep.
November 26th, 2016 at 9:26 pm
Agree If Dalvin cook is there when we pick, it’ll be hard to pass him up. Martin Cook and Sims 3 headed monster.
November 26th, 2016 at 10:15 pm
Def rules
What do McDonald’s (his back-up) stats look like for the same stretch? And McDonald has been hurt and I bet they’re comparable.
November 26th, 2016 at 10:38 pm
Biggest game in 10 years we win and we arrived lose and it’s the same old bucs
November 26th, 2016 at 10:42 pm
we are talking about moving Kwon to LVDs spot then just trade LVD and pick up Zach Cunningham from Vanderbilt. Look at this guy he is the next Luke Keuchely
November 26th, 2016 at 10:43 pm
Dalvin Cook. #fsu
November 26th, 2016 at 10:44 pm
Gators #57 showing us how the interior is defensed. Been seeing him all night.
November 26th, 2016 at 10:45 pm
Would be very belicheat esk to trade LVD while he is worth alot. Not saying that I want him gone, but it would be Belicheat esk
November 26th, 2016 at 10:48 pm
McCoy’s job is to rush and disrupt the passer,Macdonald is the designated run stuffer,capable of having a monster game occasionally at the three technique.
But his injuries have slowed him down the last two years at times.
agree with defense on Kwan he has to fill the gap or blow the play up.I think back to when Shelton Quarles played for us at MLB. He wasn’t a big LB but he would try to blow up the play with his body if he couldn’t make the tackle by himself.His coverage skills were very good..Sometimes MLB’s can either stop the run or the pass.You need one that can do both.
November 26th, 2016 at 10:56 pm
what is up with the bucs having first and second year Mlb’s calling the defensive signals. They tried it with Mason Foster and now Kwan.I know it slowed LVD down bigtime last year trying to get Kwan in position.
November 26th, 2016 at 11:30 pm
Guys I don’t follow much college football but this walker looks like a beast. Has he played like this all year?
November 26th, 2016 at 11:30 pm
Sorry SB w Jameis. The Gators would have a chance but they don’t have a QB and their O Line was incredibly humiliated.
November 26th, 2016 at 11:31 pm
@Pit. Yes. He’s got 13 sacks man. Dude would be a lovely addition on the outside for us.
November 26th, 2016 at 11:36 pm
So Walker and Dalvin Cook would be amazing.
November 26th, 2016 at 11:58 pm
CONGRATS Seminoles. I am shopping for NosBos’s Jersey right now. I thought McElwain was hired to give us some OFFENSE!
What to the evs. Congrats Seminole fans. See ya next yr
November 27th, 2016 at 12:00 am
Thanks cmurda. I am willing to pay my penance.
November 27th, 2016 at 12:01 am
Good night fellas. I have been watching and drinking too much CFB. Peace out
November 27th, 2016 at 10:05 am
What’s with all this trading-LVD noize? Ain’t happenin’! Still not totally sold on Smithy. LVD hopefully will be the spy on Wilson. GMC will have another big game. Mebbe TO #3 will be the charm for Conte picking one off Wilson???? 🙂 One can dream. May the best team win…..hopefully, that will be Tampa Bay!!
November 27th, 2016 at 11:54 am
I’m not sold on Walker. Seems a bit slow for an outside rusher. Just from this game, though.