There Is No “Battle”
August 11th, 2018
Not there yet.
Joe really, really, really wants Ronald Jones to blow up. However, evidence suggests the Bucs already have their No. 1 back.
Joe could go into a long-winded recital of what Bucs coach Dirk Koetter looks for in a running back, but let’s just say thus far, Ronald Jones is not displaying that.
As Joe has documented more than once in training camp, Jones isn’t catching the ball well and his blocking isn’t much to brag about. So on Twitter yesterday, when Joe got a tweet asking about Jones and the writer saying he expected big things from Jones, Joe cautioned the tweeter to ease up.
“Big things” — Joe guesses the tweeter meant for Jones to dominate and be a Pro Bowl running back, and that probably is not going to happen this season.
It seems Frank Schwab of Yahoo! Sports is expecting a “battle” between Peyton Barber and Jones to be the No. 1 back.
Bucs rookie running back Ronald Jones had an up-and-down night. The second-round pick, who played behind Peyton Barber, dropped a pass on his first play. His struggles in the passing game, particularly in protection, has been a story through Bucs camp.
But Jones showed off nice moves on a short touchdown, cutting upfield to get in the end zone. Barber had a 4-yard touchdown too and worked as the clear starter on Thursday night.
Jones has enticing talent. He had just 9 yards on eight carries, while Barber had 21 on four carries. It’s a battle to watch through the preseason.
Joe doesn’t think there is any battle at all unless Jones totally blows up in the next couple of preseason games. Thursday night, Jones showed for a televised audience pretty much what he has shown in training camp: an occasional sizzling burst, and that’s about it. He had eight carries for nine yards.
The way Barber ran the ball Thursday night, it’s hard to see him not getting the majority of carries in the Bucs backfield.
August 11th, 2018 at 8:05 am
Barber reminds me of another guy that played back several years back….then suddenly jumped out. His name was Priest Holmes and Barber runs a lot like him. Fundamentally sound, power runner with a little wiggle, always falls forward. I think Barber will surprise some folks this year, hopefully the coaches just feed the hot hand and dont get enamored with trying to get Jones to pop a big one like they were last year with trying to bomb it to Jackson.
August 11th, 2018 at 8:06 am
He has a lot to digest. It’s so much more than just running the ball. He will be a factor but Barber is going to be a stud workhorse. Barber reminds me of Frank Gore. Strong as an ox, quiet and deadly. Love the kid. Can’t wait to snag him in my fantasy league for cheaper than any other starter
August 11th, 2018 at 8:08 am
I agree at this point but it is still very early…..There is still something very predictable about our playcalling……especially running up the gut on 1st down….it seems the other team has hands on our RB as soon as he touches the ball.
August 11th, 2018 at 8:16 am
The difference in Barber from last year to this year shows a huge jump and step up in play!!!!!! And this is the situation that you want for your players!!!!!! No one wants to see the Bucs just hand the ball and crown to rookies!!!!!! Look at Godwin last year!!!! he was behind and had to work extremely hard to catch up to DJ11!!!!!! Is Chris Godwin the same player if he was just handed the #2 wr job last year!!!!!! Or is he the player he is now because he had to work so hard to try and take away snaps from DJ11!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And good on this coaching staff for developing Pheyton Barber!!!!!!! Just Another feather in the cap for the coaching staff of developing players!!!!!!!!!
Keep fixing the “real” problem!!!! the roster!!!!!!!! Keep developing the players are roster with these coaches!!!!!!!!!!
GO Bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
August 11th, 2018 at 8:16 am
I think DO will bump Simms
August 11th, 2018 at 8:26 am
As soon as ROJO breaks a big run for a TD in a game he will start to see his snap count rise.
It will take time for his blocking skills to develop and for his hands to “soften” into a legit pass catcher at this level – but he has world class speed, cuts and moves as a runner available NOW – THIS YEAR!
Just needs the opportunity to showcase that live and didn’t really get much opportunity in the 1st preseason game.
Stay tuned. Rojo is going to bust off a really nice run sooner than later – at which point coaches and fans alike will be nodding and smiling and saying – “Oh – OK there it is. We need more of that…”
August 11th, 2018 at 8:29 am
Rhealist Says:
“Pheyton Barber”
Is he related to Rhonde Barber??
August 11th, 2018 at 8:30 am
Guice at 2
And Bo Scarborough at 7
We would have had a violent gritty running game that nobody wanted to deal with
Even with the 22nd ranked qb, we would have been dangerous
O well havin a great team is overrated
August 11th, 2018 at 8:32 am
I got to believe, going into the draft, the Bucs knew what they had in PB25, that he would be the starter, they know his work effort (DK knew it last year but he was Olay all to a fault with DM). Just like they are trying to duplicate the defensive line rotation from the eaglets, they see the combo in the Saints backfield, Ingram and Kamara, they (we) can hope to get some of that. Coach K will have to scheme to use them both and get Rojo some catches in the open field, because one thing we know, Chuck Sims can be our third down back, but then you know it has to be a pass.
August 11th, 2018 at 8:32 am
Guice is injured and out for the year already Destinjohnny.
Way to keep up with current events….
SMH
August 11th, 2018 at 8:36 am
@destinjohnny
Guice already out for the year, obviously no way to predict a torn ACL in his first preaseason game
August 11th, 2018 at 8:39 am
You would take Ronald jones Over Guice ?
The guys as good as Barkley
Injuries happen
With an average qb you have to give them an explosive running game
News flash we don’t have one
August 11th, 2018 at 8:40 am
Peyton barber is going to be our 2007 Ernest graham just watch!
August 11th, 2018 at 8:42 am
@webster
There is your answer you have been looking for.
August 11th, 2018 at 8:46 am
Wether, we wanted Guice or not, we don’t have him, so we gotta ride with Rojo and expect to see that explosiveness we saw at USC
August 11th, 2018 at 8:46 am
^**
Funny.
Yah injuries are unpredictable. Unless you have bad knees. Especially bad knees with a running back with terrible character issues
Who cares about guice. We got ROJO. He will struggle early. His hand remind me of someone with no hands. Give him time Barber looks and acts like he wants to upgrade his moms house.
If you want to be a savage , then blast em all
August 11th, 2018 at 8:47 am
“We are in good hands with Barber. He has all the skills to succeed against the modern defense. No nonsense quickness and vision to hit the hole. Ability to fight and break the initial first contact. Always leaning and moving the 225lb to grind 1st downs….
This is the first time we have seen a fultime Barber..He is still developing and getting better…
Kobe sees ala Ernest Graham/ lagarette Blount
“Hey Pick! Throw our 199lber a Sandwich!”
Kobe Faker
August 11th, 2018 at 8:50 am
If U guys are cool with having one of the worst stable of backs in the league, fair enough
August 11th, 2018 at 9:00 am
Destiny Johnny
Change your name to body bag Johnny and everything is good
August 11th, 2018 at 9:22 am
I dunno mate, I just wanna have a great team.
When I see us draft the wrong guys I get bummed
We have a great tight end/reviving core; a solid d line and an okay backer group.
We have some promising prospects in the secondary
But we did rate out as the 31st secondary.
We have issues on the offensive line and I’d rank us at 25th there
Our running back stable id rank the worst in our division and mid 20’s overall.
D line I’d ranks us 12th
Wideout -tight ends top 5
Backers 15th
August 11th, 2018 at 9:28 am
Jameis is prob the 20th best qb when not suspended
August 11th, 2018 at 9:34 am
Guice had an injury to the same knee in college, the one he just blew out. Maybe Licht had intel that we didn’t?
August 11th, 2018 at 9:47 am
Destinjohnny, Guice is done for the season and when he returns next year will he be what he was? Now you’re actually asking if anyone would take Jones over him and comparing taking Jones over him to not wanting to win? Troll nation is strong and stupid in here! Yes Destinjohnny, do a re-draft today and EVERY single team would take Jones over Guice! Jones is available to play, Guice isn’t! Duh! As once said before by a great NFL coach and not a troll. The best ability is availability!
It’s getting harder and harder to read comments in here without losing a few brain cells of my own.
August 11th, 2018 at 10:01 am
Chris fair enough not everyone has vision.
Cubicles work for some people
August 11th, 2018 at 10:02 am
This is basically what can happen when you force rookies to be the guy. Let him get minimum reps while he develops into a bigger role. Nothing wrong with that at all
August 11th, 2018 at 10:05 am
barber is damn good and can get the job done consistently idk why fans assume that if jones doesn’t start that the bucs are screwed at rb. if given proper opportunities last yr barber is probably a 900-1000 yd rusher .
August 11th, 2018 at 10:06 am
Destin Johnny right on w guice & scarborough, the titans got that 1-2 punch, guice is 20x better than jones
August 11th, 2018 at 10:27 am
How is Guice 20x better than Jones if Guice has a torn ACL and his 2nd knee injury in three years? I just lost another brain cell after that comment. I give up. I’ll root for the guys who actually wear the Bucs uniform and you donkeys can keep rooting for guys who don’t. Way to be real fans.
August 11th, 2018 at 10:45 am
chris im guessing u have powerball winner tonite as well, Guice in college at LSU was much better than rojo but 5-11 teams tend to pick players who make you 5-11
August 11th, 2018 at 10:48 am
Destinjohnny Says:
August 11th, 2018 at 8:30 am
Guice at 2
And Bo Scarborough at 7
We would have had a violent gritty running game that nobody wanted to deal with
Even with the 22nd ranked qb, we would have been dangerous
O well havin a great team is overrated
______________________
Guice won’t even see the field for a year
Tore his ACL the other day
August 11th, 2018 at 11:12 am
SB…none of that matters to them…..look up.
August 11th, 2018 at 11:45 am
Koetter said Jones did really well in pass protection and seemed upbeat about his future. I was encouraged by the push the OL was getting and think both he and Barber will be fine.
August 11th, 2018 at 12:26 pm
Jones will come on 2nd 1/2 of season – probably give Bucs 700-800 yds, if Barber can match that and the other backs give us 300 yds- that’s a big improvement
August 11th, 2018 at 12:34 pm
Does anyone think we have a top 25 run game ?
August 11th, 2018 at 12:39 pm
Yes better than Washington. Now will you shut your trap.
As soon as I heard about Guice’s injury I thought at least this will put an end to Denstinjohny but boy was I wrong.
August 11th, 2018 at 12:53 pm
Does anyone think we have a top 25 run game?
August 11th, 2018 at 12:55 pm
http://www.espn.com/nfl/statistics/team/_/stat/rushing/league/nfc
August 11th, 2018 at 2:19 pm
Agree firmly that the jury is still out on Jones pro RB potential, unsure hands don’t help and a light build for that position doesn’t either. I wait to be convinced otherwise. USC is a good college pedigree so improvement could surprise and delight Buc fans.
August 11th, 2018 at 9:29 pm
‘Jones has enticing talent. He had just 9 yards on eight carries, while Barber had 21 on four carries.’
____________________________________________________________
Wow! I didn’t realize it was that close. Derp!
August 11th, 2018 at 11:24 pm
Pick, Lol.
Rhealist is kind of a rhetard when it comes to names
August 12th, 2018 at 3:35 am
Guice will not do anything in the NFL, after 2 ACL injury’s a running back is never the same.
August 12th, 2018 at 8:58 am
Lol all these dummy’s that still think guice is better? If you still think that your just one of those people who absolutely cannot admit when their wrong
August 12th, 2018 at 10:46 am
I have watched all of Rojo’s plays from the Miami game numerous times. He was a little tentative, as he didn’t want to fumble, and looked like he lined up too deep a couple times. The O-line blocking was poor at best. There was 2 or 3 plays where if the O-line had just stayed with their blocks for a fraction of a second longer, Rojo would have busted off a couple long runs. Be patient everyone!
His pass catching will have to be coached and rep’ed over and over again. He is not a natural pass catcher.
August 12th, 2018 at 2:55 pm
Barber did great at the end of the year last year. Not sure why people thought he was going to all the sudden lose the starter position. Jones has a way to go. Unfortunately, what I’ve seen out of Jones is just a little bit better Sims. That isn’t good at all. I think Barber is the starter for this year and hopefully next.