Todd Monken Talks Charles Sims’ Important Role
May 19th, 2018
There are so many ways to evaluate running back Charles Sims.
An optimist quickly would note the Bucs’ offense had the fourth-best percentage in the NFL at converting third downs last year.
And considering Sims was their third-down back for every game in 2017, then it’s easy to conclude Sims did a pretty damn good job.
In 2016, the Bucs were sixth-best at converting third downs, when Sims played half a season because of injuries.
A free agent in March, Sims sat on the street until he and the Bucs agreed on a new deal just before the NFL Draft. On Thursday, offensive coordinator Todd Monken sure made it sound like Sims would get a load of snaps again this season. Sims led Bucs running backs with 380 snaps last season.
“We’re happy to have Chuck Sims back in the role we like him as, which is a third-down back, his ability to catch the ball and protect. That’s an undervalued thing in this league, protect on third downs, which he does a great job of,” Monken said.
Simply stated, count on seeing plenty of Sims. Pass protection is supremely critical in the world of Dirk Koetter, and it will take an awful lot for rookie running back Ronald Jones to see the field on the money down in 2017.
Hopefully, Jones will cut the number of third downs by getting the job done on first- and second-down touches. It sure will be interesting to see how the Bucs handle short-yardage situations this season.
May 19th, 2018 at 4:22 pm
I would of never thought Sims led RB’s with the most snaps. And now I think of it I don’t remember to many spectacular plays. Mr Invisible
May 19th, 2018 at 4:28 pm
If Charles Simms is in the game, you know that they’re passing or getting creamed at the line of scrimmage!
May 19th, 2018 at 4:29 pm
Sims leads in snaps this year it’ll be a high draft pick next year and a new coaching staff #JIMSCHWARTZ2019
May 19th, 2018 at 4:33 pm
Simm’s will have a great year…if Jameis gets his timing chain tuned up
May 19th, 2018 at 4:38 pm
Steve brings up a good point. The problem when Sims is in the game is that it practically telegraph’s that it’s going to be a passing play. He only rarely runs the ball and usually poorly at that. Now if they can be creative with him in the backfield that’s one thing but I haven’t seen enough of that, frankly since Koetter has been here.
May 19th, 2018 at 4:39 pm
As long as they don’t hand him the ball up the middle on 3rd and short, I don’t care how they use Sims. That being said, if Sims can break his horrible habit of stutter stepping and dancing on nearly every run, and return to being a more decisive runner, as he was in 2015 when he got 1k yards from scrimmage and averaged 5 yards a carry, then he could once again be a very solid contributor in this offense.
May 19th, 2018 at 4:53 pm
Lots of successful teams (like the Pats) have 3rd down backs who only come in the game on pass plays, telegraphing that it’s a pass. I don’t know why everyone is so concerned about “telegraphing”.
May 19th, 2018 at 4:57 pm
I don’t think we’re concerned with the telegraphing per se, just the obvious lack of production from it. Primarily in the red zone. It’s there that Koetter seems to go brain dead.
May 19th, 2018 at 4:59 pm
We didn’t take bo Scarborough because of him
History will not be kind to that move
May 19th, 2018 at 5:05 pm
Sims is a valuable RB if used properly. Koetter was the problem last year. Get back to 2015 game plan he will excel again.
May 19th, 2018 at 5:33 pm
Why did we draft Rojo again?
May 19th, 2018 at 5:44 pm
Important part of the offense? Not really.
2017 played all 16 games
0 rushing touchdowns
1 Receiving touchdown
21 rushes, 35 receptions
YPC rushing- 4.5 YPC receiving- 7.1
Hardly newsworthy after a very good 2015 season his past 2 seasons have been pretty up explosive for a 3rd down back.
May 19th, 2018 at 6:05 pm
Thanks for stats Ed.
With all of the weapons on this team, why does that guy get so many reps?
Because he’s safe!
If you look at the top offense’s in the league, safe isn’t a word that you’d use to describe them.
A synonym for safe in football is scared!
May 19th, 2018 at 6:36 pm
That # of snaps figure includes special teams. Subtract those and he’s third.
May 19th, 2018 at 7:11 pm
Sims saw the field on 380 offensive snaps, but only had 21 rushes & was targeted on 47 passes. That means he was the focus of the play only 18% of the time that he was on the field. Since the vast majority of the remaining 312 snaps that he was on the field for were undoubtedly 3rd down situations … and most likely obvious passing situations … I can only conclude that he must be VERY GOOD at pass protection. And yet, looking at his performance in 2015 (over 1,000 combined yards), maybe there’s more to the story.
As an aside (and knowing they’d never do this), wonder what a 3rd-down lineup of OJ & Cam at TE, plus Rojo (RB1), Sims (RB2) & Vea (FB) in the backfield could do. Just thinking out of the box (OK, WAY out of the box).
May 19th, 2018 at 7:20 pm
According to Pro Football Reference offensive snaps for running backs include:
Charles Sims- 380 34.89%
Doug Martin- 287 26.35%
Payton Barber- 254 23.32%
Jacquizz Rodgers-168 15.43%
Shouldn’t the most productive back have seen the field for more than 23.32% of offensive plays? Or am I missing something?
Coaching scared!
For those scoring at home, Payton Barber actually played more special teams than Sims! 45% vs 8%
May 19th, 2018 at 7:31 pm
If Sims stay’s healthy, I think he’ll do a fine job. We got a line now.
May 19th, 2018 at 7:34 pm
Forget Jim Schwartz, would rather go for John DeFilippo, or Dave toub
May 19th, 2018 at 11:52 pm
Okay. I’m definitely in the wrong on the inclusion of special teams.
May 20th, 2018 at 2:33 am
If sims plays over Rodgers then the whole system should be demolished
May 20th, 2018 at 6:25 am
“Third down back” is rubbish. Why cant you throw to the back on first or
Second down? You essentially tell the defense with Sims incthat they likely won’t be running the ball.
May 20th, 2018 at 8:30 am
if its third and a ton, I think the defense might be leaning on oa pass dont you think? so really doesnt matter unless its short yardage
May 20th, 2018 at 9:29 am
Capt Kidd,
Patriots were a bad example of what you were trying to say, burkhead, white and lewis, the supposed 3rd down backs all ran it equally as well on 1st or 2nd. No third down back in the bunch they were all used interchangeably.
May 20th, 2018 at 10:51 am
I like Sims and hope that he succeeds and helps the Bucs win. It’s put up or shut up time for the Bucs coaching staff this year. So, why would they want to rely on a RB on a one-year contract who couldn’t get a job anywhere else in the NFL for such an important down? Are they hoping that the contract is incentive for him to produce?
May 20th, 2018 at 11:44 am
I hope Sims gets beaten out, the kid from Duke looks more athletic and I hope Rodgers gets beaten out by the kid from NIU. They are mirror images. If we are going with the youth movement- then do it. That is of course if they perform in the preaseason and camp. If not at least use Sims and Rodgers at what they are good at, catching the ball and shiftiness in the open field.
May 20th, 2018 at 6:28 pm
If Sims is out there for the majority of third downs , they are back to square one . Barber and Jones must be developed and must play on third downs or Koetter will handcuff himself and his own playbook just like he did last year.
I view the Charles Sims signing as bad for the Bucs as it is a comfort for Koetter that must be solved else where and certainly by someone that can run for a tough yard or two.
Talk about showing your hand on third down with Sims in the game !! Oh boy he may run a wheel route .
May 20th, 2018 at 6:56 pm
Happy to have Sims back with the Bucs.
May 20th, 2018 at 8:08 pm
On third downs on short yardage put in Barber with Vea as the full back. I am OK with Sims for blocking otherwise on third down. However he should also play special Teams, and be trained as a backup to Hump should Hump get hurt. He has very good hands and is faster than Hump and can be slippery in the open field for YAC.