Doug Martin No. 82
January 19th, 2018
Ugly analysis.
Apparently, some people need to be beaten over the head before they see the light, even if the light is blinding.
Yesterday, Joe noticed a comment from a reader attacking Joe for “bashing” Doug Martin. Seriously!
Maybe Joe has a far different definition of “bashing,” which is to target and rake over the coals someone unfairly. And in retrospect, Joe may have been unfair to Martin: Joe’s been soft on the stiff!
Martin has been the worst running back in the NFL for two years running while wearing the crown of the worst yards-per-carry. How and why Martin was brought back on his salary after his stunt (flunked a whiz quiz) in the heat of a playoff push is beyond a puzzle. That should have been more than enough to send him packing.
Instead, Martin got 11 starts after serving the three-game balance of his four-game suspension sentence. And still the Bucs acted as if the guy was Earl Campbell. He got so many starts and carries and still was futile game after futile game. Yet it didn’t impress upon the Bucs that maybe, just maybe, this guy not only wasn’t the answer, but he was shot?
If fans can sit on their beer-stained recliners at home and see this and the folks being paid seven-figures can’t, that’s a problem.
Respected film junkie Doug Farrar of Bleacher Report recently ranked the top 84 running backs in the NFL (mind you there are only 32 teams) and in Farrar’s judgment, Martin would have been lucky to make the roster of most NFL teams.
Doug Martin was once one of the most productive backs in the NFL, but those days appear to be in the past after back-to-back lackluster seasons. Martin averaged 2.9 yards per carry and lacked the burst and power he once displayed on a regular basis. He’s a likely cap casualty for Tampa Bay this offseason given his large contract that it can get out of relatively unscarred.
How bad was Martin per Farrar? Only two running backs were worse — two! And the worst was none other than the notorious Eddie Lazy of Seattle.
If the Bucs bring back Martin for 2018 — as illogical as it seems, don’t rule it out yet given recent history — Joe will have just about lost all faith in this franchise.
What’s the goal of every halfway decent defensive coordinator in America? Make your opponent one-dimensional. When Martin was given starts for the Bucs, the game was one-dimensional before kickoff.
Let’s see, a quarterback with a bum throwing shoulder and zero running attack. What possibly could have gone wrong?
January 19th, 2018 at 12:45 pm
Who continue to stick with Doug Martin?
1. The Head Coach
2. The GM
3. The RB Coach
All three of them are back with the Bucs in 2018
It’s obvious the owners are pleased with this pathetic staff and roster
January 19th, 2018 at 12:45 pm
Doug Martin 2016 avg 2.9 TD- 3
Doug Martin 2017 avg 2.9 TD- 3
At least he’s consistent
January 19th, 2018 at 12:50 pm
Tbbucs3:
🙂
January 19th, 2018 at 1:01 pm
I think they’ll bring him back…..they stuck with the same staff….no changes….I think they stick with the same players….GO BUCS!!!
January 19th, 2018 at 1:04 pm
It’s a dead horse blah blah blah
January 19th, 2018 at 1:15 pm
Not for 7 mil.
Impossible.
I will go picket in front of buc head quarters if that happens and give back my not so cheap season tickets.
January 19th, 2018 at 1:17 pm
He used to stick up for Martin.
Just can’t anymore.
Got paid. Gotsta party with his b!tch -Molly
January 19th, 2018 at 1:18 pm
I used ^^^^
January 19th, 2018 at 1:33 pm
@Joe
Here is what is hard for me to swallow. I just do not believe that Koetter is that bad of a coach. There’s more to the Doug Martin story than has been revealed!
Perhaps Martin caught Coach out with a mistress…ok that’s snark but really what did Martin have on this franchise? Yeah a big contract but it’s the NFL….everybody eats big contracts sooner or later and indeed the Bucs have already gulped some contract.
Seriously this just doesn’t add up. I sort of understood the gamble at the beginning of the year but once it was clear Doug was no longer the real deal why did they stick with him? I just find it hard to believe DK didn’t see it!
Then again when his job was clearly on the line he finally had to go with Barber.
January 19th, 2018 at 1:59 pm
St. Pete:
It seems if Koetter has a flaw, it is loyalty. That can be both a virtue and a curse.
January 19th, 2018 at 2:07 pm
Behind closed doors GM Jason Lichts Out is working on a lucrative extension for Martin. Why acquire another running back when you can get 2.9 yards per carry and a cloud of dudt? Licht’s Out plays chess while other GMs play checkers.
January 19th, 2018 at 2:24 pm
@StPete: I wondered the same. The only justification I could think of was that perhaps Koetter lobbied hard for the Bucs to keep DM after his 2015 season, and was trying to justify his own actions. IIRC, after his big year in 2015, Martin’s return was far from a given and the Bucs allowed him to test the waters. There were quite a few folks at that time that pointed to DM’s injury history and inconsistent production and maintained that he was not worth the big money needed to keep him. For all we know, Licht may have been in that camp, and Koetter persuaded him that Martin was a key cog in the offense. If so, perhaps Koetter was giving Martin every opportunity to prove his value.
I have no ill will towards DM, but I don’t want to see him on the field for the Bucs anymore. The team needs a running threat if this offense is going to do anything (and if JW is going to take the next step). DM clearly is not “that guy” anymore.
January 19th, 2018 at 2:32 pm
If Doug Martin or Baker is brought back for the 2018 season, then I might start a campaign for Bucs fans of all types to boycott in front on Ray Jay to no longer support this team and not to attend games, especially the stick carriers. Its already a travesty that they evaluated the coaching staff and said you know what….. were good. Every one gets extensions and while your at it, free booze and strippers also. Unbelievable just unbelievable. #Sick
January 19th, 2018 at 2:33 pm
Ok- off topic, but strikes me that this could solve our issues, including RB quagmire. Bring in Patricia. Seriously. Can you picture a team with Patricia going less than .500? Off the field issues? Loafs? Nope, nope, and nope. Martin is talented. All these guys are. they were all-state, all-conference, championship winners. the best of the best. in a system where they have crumbled. Give Martin to the Pats – he’ll find the end zone like Blount did. The difference in talent across the league isn’t that big – it’s about the system.
January 19th, 2018 at 3:03 pm
My sad A.s Bucs. Every year there is a sacrificial Lamb..An excuses or excuses as to why we fail. Doug martin be the latest. Martin does not play Defense. Nor does he black. Nor..is he the sorry A.. coach!! martin will be Ok. He will move on and a team with know how will utilize him and win with him. Buc fans should be blaming The Glazers, Koetter, <ike Smith and Licht for the teams sorry performance. But as usual we find one or 2 players to use as the..WHIPPING POST!! Heyyy,,it BUCLIFE..THE..BUCWAY!! GO JAGWARS!!
January 19th, 2018 at 3:15 pm
Mike
Just curious. What are you seeing in Doug that virtually none of the rest of us see?
Nobody can disagree that Doug was not the sole cause for the team’s disastrous season. Nobody disagrees that our running game was only second to our pass rush as being disastrous and a HUGE reason we played poorly.
I agree with you that there is plenty of blame to go around but Doug EARNED his share of scorn with his performance the past two seasons. He was a MISTAKE.
He’s also a great guy and I get his personal appeal but his play and stats simply do not lie. Barber was clearly a better back last year. Jaquizz and Sims were not any worse Doug either.
January 19th, 2018 at 3:44 pm
Sony Michelle in the 2nd and we are good to go
January 19th, 2018 at 4:04 pm
Sims sucks too but Martin is worse most of the time. Barber is the only RB worth keeping. The Bucs are full of players that absolutely suck. Conte tops that list. Maybe Bobo cannplay CB.
January 19th, 2018 at 4:17 pm
They should have tried to trade him last year, before he proved how bad he was. A bad year could be explained away by the drugs. Maybe someone would have offered a 5th rounder since his contract was no longer guaranteed.
Ah well. Hindsight.
January 19th, 2018 at 4:18 pm
StPeteBucsFan Says
“Nobody can disagree that Doug was not the sole cause for the team’s disastrous season.”
The sole cause? On that I would have to disagree. There were plenty of reasons, and he was only one.
January 19th, 2018 at 4:22 pm
All this talk about RBs is crazy. Martin stinks. Time to move on.
Finding a better replacement will be ridiculously simple. There are 50 RBs out there that would improve the Bucs. This offseason, the Bucs do not need to go out and grab an elite 1st round RB. The team isn’t built properly yet and we’d probably se results similar to Joe Mixon this season in Cincy. the line is not good enough for it to matter yet.
The Bucs can find plenty of free agent and mid round gems to shore up the position. what the Bucs MUST do is fortify the lines on both sides. They need to bring in at least 8 new faces, some with premium draft picks and free gent dollars, and have them battle the incumbent starters ton see real improvement. They need to stop the insanity of trying to plug and play a one player fix into problem areas. They need to go all in to absolutely give themselves the chance to be dominant at the offensive and defensive lines. That will trickle into all other areas.
Fix the trenches, fix the Bucs!
January 19th, 2018 at 4:34 pm
There was absolutely NO reason not to keep him around this year. Especially when the drafted rookie RB was a bust.
In the preseason in the beginning of the season he looked ready to go, in great shape, and dedicated.
It did not work, now they get rid of him.
No point in screaming and whining about the GM and coach. It was a no-brainer to keep him this year. Scream and whine if they keep them next year.
Personally I want them to draft Sony Michel in rd 2 and keep Barber as the number 2.
January 19th, 2018 at 4:52 pm
STPeteBuc…Martin is not the cause of us losing. Mot even close.I don’t know which Buc games you watched this past season. But there were a definite 5 games we lost because we..could not stop anybody. Or maybe you were busy ..marveling over the offense and our so called..great QB? Our problem is not offense. Our problem is DEFENSE. Stevie Wonder can see that and he’s blinder than 50 bats!!
January 19th, 2018 at 4:52 pm
Dave
There is 7.5 million reasons
January 19th, 2018 at 5:19 pm
Joe, he will no longer be a Buc. Are you really worried that he might come back. That isn’t going to happen and if McPlaybook had been a wasted pick he most likely would have been cut last year. I have to say that when I see guys like Kamara and the KC running back I am envious. I hope that can hit on a third or fourth round stud like that in the draft this year. I think the trenches cannot be ignored with our first couple of picks, but after that a good complement to Barber would be great.
January 19th, 2018 at 5:26 pm
And even when they went to Barber …we lost, nothing changed, sure he made a few good runs in (what ya’ll call garbage time)! If Barber was the worst RB the past two years, then what does that say about your O-Line! TAKE A KNEE…KEEP AMERICA FREE…BURN MAR-A-LARGO BURN!!
January 19th, 2018 at 5:52 pm
I have 3 RBs on my value list
Nick Chubb
Ryan Freeman
LJ Scott
January 19th, 2018 at 6:17 pm
Top 84? I’d rank Martin at 150. He had so much potential but threw it away and propelled himself to become the worst RB in the NFL.
January 19th, 2018 at 6:30 pm
LJ Scott is returning for his senior year, that knock him off my list.
January 19th, 2018 at 6:32 pm
The owners AND the staff are pathetic
January 19th, 2018 at 7:02 pm
Joe.
I have not responded to any of your posts but I couldn’t help saying you are so right on this Martin deal and have been all along,anyone that even wants Martin is crazy.
January 19th, 2018 at 8:40 pm
@mike Johnson – yes there are other issues but this article is about how bad DM is. He is one of the worst RBs in the NFL for two years now and outside of two good years he was only average in every other year.
I think most would have zero complaints if he was an average RB every year because you don’t need All Pros at every position. The real problem for DM is that he was out performed by another RB behind the same O line in the past two years. That’s tells the reasonable person that DMs performance is not solely on the O line. If every single RB on the roster was down there at his same level of production then sure it’s the O line or play calling.
With DM carrying the ball we are 32nd in yards per carry with PB we are 22nd based on their average yards per carry. Still not great but at least we are close to the average now and who knows if Barber has gotten the ball early he might have performed better.
January 19th, 2018 at 10:54 pm
Here is the most disappointing garbage player on the Bucs and probably history of the Bucs. There is no way in hell a guy like Martin gets paid 3 games shy of 14 million dollars gets away with no repercussions. No accountability???
January 20th, 2018 at 1:53 am
This team has a problem !! Lamarcus…the most didsapointing garbage player on the Bucs and probably history of the Bucs! No my man not even close, I’m sure there is one but Martin ain’t it…we gave SWEEZY big mony to set out a year then gave him extra the next year and he didn’t get the job done and he’ll be back next year….no team in the history of the league would do that ….but the BUCS!! TAKE A KNEE…KEEP AMERICA FREE…BURN MAR-A-LARGO BURN…CONTINUE TO BUILD A WALL …BUILD A WALL!!
January 20th, 2018 at 3:17 am
Donald 2016-2024 … Ivanka 2024-2032
January 20th, 2018 at 3:30 am
If you disagree with Ivanka in 2024 you’re automatically a sexist, misogynist … and if you’re not white like Ivanka, you’re automatically a racist too …
January 20th, 2018 at 3:30 am
HAHAHAHAHA … I’m just messing with BigHog …. ya’ll know I don’t vote.
January 20th, 2018 at 3:31 am
I do LOVE Ivanka though … stunning, just stunning! She makes Jackie O look like a drab old maid!