Badly In Need Of Good Running
July 14th, 2018
Can a running game be found?
Joe has been screaming for the Bucs to draft a stud running back for some time.
Yes, the Bucs drafted Ronald Jones in the second round. Only time will tell how he does on the NFL level. Fingers crossed.
But just how badly have the Bucs either ignored the running game or been victimized by pathetic evaluation? Really bad. Jenna Laine of ESPN dug up an ugly statistic.
The Bucs were the only team in the NFL last year that did not produce an explosive rushing touchdown, with “explosive” defined as a rushing play of 12 yards or more. In fact, with Doug Martin, Jacquizz Rodgers, Peyton Barber and Charles Sims, the Bucs had one explosive rushing touchdown in the past two years, the fewest of any team in the league.
This is just inexcusable. And given the fact Bucs coach Dirk Koetter is an offensive guy, it is beyond a head-scratcher.
Now, yeah, a large reason for this ugly statistic was that Koetter either failed to recognize or refused to admit that Muscle Hamster, Doug Martin, was done. But as Koetter famously said last year about Peyton Barber, he’s not exactly Gayle Sayers.
The Bucs really, really need a decent running game to help open up the offense. Given the fact Ryan Fitzpatrick will start the first three games, the Bucs’ urgency to develop a running game is heightened even more.
July 14th, 2018 at 8:15 am
I am sure the Bucs were not much better in “explosive passing touchdown either!!!!!!
Must be a reason the Bucs went out and got the highest paid center in the league!!!!!!!!
July 14th, 2018 at 8:34 am
Personally think that RoJo will do just fine as an ‘explosive back’ but he’s not the workhorse RB that the Bucs desperately need. I like Barber, but not sure he’s the answer to our goal-line rushing issues or 4th qtr ‘pound it down their throats’ issues. Was REALLY hoping that Licht would draft Bo Scarborough (6’2″ 235 lbs) in the later rounds, but Dallas snarfed him up with the 236th pick in the draft (Bucs took LB Jack Cichy with our last pick prior to Scarborough). If Barber gets injured, Bucs are back to where they were last year … zero running game (unless folks think that RoJo, Sims & Rodgers are the answer).
July 14th, 2018 at 8:36 am
Well we have a nice 3rd down back now that can’t really catch. Also a marginal offensive line and a qb who when not suspended who has consistency issues.
Then we have head coach who is kinda soft
July 14th, 2018 at 8:38 am
Licht passed on guice and that will haunt bucs for years, licht actually passed on 5 nfl RBs last year and tried his kooky moves, he should have fixed right side of OL first
July 14th, 2018 at 8:54 am
I predict that we will break an explosive run in September…..
I also agree that our 3rd & 4th RB positions, Rodgers & Sims are somewhat similar and it would be better for us to have a larger short yardage back or FB instead with one of those positions.
July 14th, 2018 at 9:01 am
Again you look at players like Barry Sanders or Alvin Kamara with body types similar to ROJO.
If ROJO is the real deal his ability to navigate in tight spaces and use his amazing quickness and cutting ability…he has a lot more than simple straight line speed…will serve him well helping him avoid that many big shots.
I remember Warrick Dunn and thought he’d have trouble holding up at 5-9 187.
Yeah we had the A Train for the heavy lifting but Warrick never had a problem running anywhere on the field and he had a knack for protecting his body.
As for explosive running…bwaaahaaahaaaa. In his greatest years Doug Martin…the Muscle Turtle…ran hard but slow. I lost count of how many times I found myself cursing the TV screen watching Doug Martin with nobody between him and the end zone only to see him drug down from BEHIND!
It was..he could…go….all…the…nah he’s a Buc running back no chance for him.
ROJO could be the answer to my prayers…at least we’re making a stab at getting an explosive runner.
July 14th, 2018 at 9:07 am
I think Jensen is going to be great marpet and Smith I remember reading somewhere that you only need 3/5 to be great to make the line work
July 14th, 2018 at 9:10 am
Martin was constantly getting caught from behind even with nothing but daylight in front of him.
ROJO will NOT have that problem!
July 14th, 2018 at 9:10 am
I remember #WEAPONS4WINSTON, but don’t recall #BUCSRB…
July 14th, 2018 at 9:24 am
You can’t run the ball when you are trailing in the game, on average, by 10 Plus points in the second half. All due to poor QB play in the first half.
July 14th, 2018 at 10:28 am
“Klueless had Drugie run the ball nonstop when everyone knew he wasnt any good. Klueless moved our best lineman marpet into a new position while trying to fit the dismal must theif sweeney. JW3 was taking grounders from marpet for the first 6 games…..
and now Klueless knows what needs to be done”
Kobe Faker
July 14th, 2018 at 11:26 am
The biggest drawback of Koetter is he has no clue about Offensive Linemen and has to rely on equally clueless Brown’s Reject OL Coach, WarFLOP, who thinks LT Smith is the third best LT in the NFL and has been training Alex Cappa as a Center when he already has a veteran backup Center and Koetter said he wanted Cappa to train to be a RT. There is the main problem with our running game.
July 14th, 2018 at 12:14 pm
Oh the drama
“The Bucs were the only team in the NFL last year that did not produce an explosive rushing touchdown”
Key word in that sentence is last year when Doug Martin took the bulk of the carries. The run game was actually better while he was suspended too.
Considering that the entire depth chart is completely different I’d say I can’t wait for training camp, the media is absolutely unbearable and it gets worse every year. Lol ummm so I’ll let people pretend like this is the first time this stat has been mentioned this off-season
July 14th, 2018 at 1:19 pm
I’m from the “great blocking creates a great running game” crowd. I understand that a great runner can make a safety miss and take it to the house, but the greatest running game ever was the 71-73 Dolphin team with Larry Csonka running for 1000 yards a season, averaging over 5 yards a carry.
Take this comparison:
a guy runs for 40 yards and then has 10 more carries for 4 yards total. Then he runs for 40 more yards and then has 10 more carries for 4 yards total and the same again one more time. Average at the end of the game: 4 yards a carry. Score at the end of the game: 28-9 his team loses.
another guys runs for 4 yards, then 4 more yards, then 4 more yards, then 4 more yards, and on and on. Average at the end of the game: 4 yards a carry. Score at the end of the game: 56-whatever his team wins.
July 14th, 2018 at 1:28 pm
Joe, that is, we HOPE Fitz will start the first few games. I know you’ve commented on that issue plus Griffin here and there. If Fitz goes down in pre-season this is a big time emergency IF we are to have a chance to save the season at all. Definitely think the Bucs need a game-experienced signal caller in here to at least compete with Griffin for back-up if not Fitz himself.
And of course, people need to remember we are in the position because of Jameis Winston, the guy drafted to lead this team year after year. This problem is all on him. The entire pre-season shuffle plan with QBs is because of him.
But if the Bucs don’t bring someone else in and Fitz gets hurt–it’s on them AND on Winston. A whole big Bucs bad of bad judgement from drafting Winston, to keeping Winston, to refusing to cut their losses by having him out.
July 14th, 2018 at 3:01 pm
Bucs had one explosive rushing touchdown in the past two years, the fewest of any team in the league.
—————
All the more reason to draft M.J. Stewart over Derrius Guice
RoJo and Guice would have been a great combo but wtfdik
July 14th, 2018 at 3:43 pm
Koetter is too loyal and not objective enough.
Re-signing Doug Martin was a mistake, and not cutting him after the suspension was also a mistake. And continuing to start him over Barber was another mistake! 3 mistakes!
Jason Licht and Koetter both f***ed up with Drug Martin.
Also, sticking with Jacquizz Rodgers is another “loyalty” mistake. I told, “he is too thick and no longer quick.”
Guice, CB, and OG were the ideal picks.
I am really interested to see how Isaiah Oliver plays for the Falcons and Jackson plays for the Panthers.
Two CBs we could have had.
@joe- write on it.
From,
Another Joe
July 14th, 2018 at 4:18 pm
“Mark it down. Giraffe Glennon will be a Buc after the 3rd week of preseson”
“Americas Poster” Kobe Faker