Pay Attention!
September 8th, 2018
No state secret.
You know, if national guys would just do a tad bit more research or at least e-mail someone who covers the Bucs, they wouldn’t look like such horsesarses when they do try to write about the Bucs.
Take this Brent Sobleski of Bleacher Report. He typed a column on the one “unsung” player for each NFL team. And apparently to do some drive-by research on the Bucs, was shaken to his core to learn that rookie Ronald Jones was not the No. 1 back for the Bucs tomorrow to open the season against the Saints.
Peyton Barber is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ starting running back. This is a somewhat startling statement, considering the organization’s investment Ronald Jones. Yet, this year’s second-round pick has struggled against NFL defenses.
Well, first, Barber basically became the No. 1 back late last season when Bucs coach Dirk Koetter had an epiphany (way too late, unfortunately) that Doug Martin was cashed. If there was one head-scratcher from last year that is still unanswered was why on Earth was Koetter the last guy to see that Martin was done?
Then on top of this, the Bucs weren’t even working Jones as the No. 1 back through the entire training camp. And when Jones did get the rock in preseason, he was dreadful (with the exception of one pass play).
Honestly, why pretend to write with knowledge of the Bucs when one all but confesses they aren’t paying any attention?
September 8th, 2018 at 12:06 am
It is somewhat startling, although we’ve all known about it
September 8th, 2018 at 12:09 am
The Buccaneers have been an afterthought for all the major sports outlets…
September 8th, 2018 at 12:11 am
Over on the 650-700 yards.
sleeper in all leagues balling.
R OJO showed nothing at all. You think he will get more than 100 touches this year. That should be the best ?
September 8th, 2018 at 12:16 am
The only way to silence the crickets is to win. Win, and they all pay attention.
September 8th, 2018 at 1:07 am
Like Trench said, nobody is going to pay any attention to this team until they start winning. The Bucs were a sexy sleeper pick for the playoffs for a few years by the “Football Experts”. Nobody is falling for it again unless they start doing something on the field. I’ll reserve calling ROJO a bust until I see him in regular season action running behind….wait for it…. the starting O Line.
September 8th, 2018 at 1:37 am
Thus why all these national picks are trash.
September 8th, 2018 at 1:55 am
This is also why John Lynch and Ronde Barber aren’t already in the Hall of Fame. These jack wagons all have an opinion but the truth is they don’t watch the Bucs.
September 8th, 2018 at 6:09 am
Pretty clear to me all the guy is saying is that in choosing an RB in the second round you’d expect to see him starting, but so far he has sucked. What’s so controversial?
September 8th, 2018 at 6:46 am
Well Joe, you don’t spend a 2ND round pick on a RB to have him third on the depth chart. But then you NEVER spend a 2nd round pick on a damn kicker either….but we sure as heck did. We even spent the first overall pick a few years ago on a crab stealing, womanizing, eye squinting, campus police loving QB that is now suspended for another womanizing action and then trying to cover it up with lies.
September 8th, 2018 at 7:54 am
Football definitely is in the air and the inner anticipation buildup that comes with it. USF at noon trying to stop Ga. Tech from running them into the ground, a Bulls tv game rare in the home area. Tonight Pitt and Penn St. battle it out on tv. The cherry on top our Bucs at the Saints tomorrow. Go Bulls, Go Panthers and Go Bucs!!
September 8th, 2018 at 7:59 am
@Godeep66
You must live a pathetic life.
September 8th, 2018 at 8:27 am
Yeah, you kinda wish some of these national pundits would just be honest. I haven’t watched any film or haven’t interviewed or investigated any one connected with Bucs, so “I have nothing to say” instead of half of the mistakes they make.
September 8th, 2018 at 8:56 am
@Trench War
I didn’t know it was silence the crickets?
Pretty sure it’s silence the CRITICS. Even my auto correct knew that phrase.
September 8th, 2018 at 9:00 am
Ronald Jones….”Thank God for Aguayo”
September 8th, 2018 at 9:33 am
There are some folks on this board with the memory of a gerbil.
What is happening with our running game is not bad at all and it shouldn’t be unexpected. We did not draft Saquon Barkley or Derrius Guice(thank heavens).
IE we didn’t draft a “generational” RB and haven’t for a long long time…since our glory days. Two good seasons and running down field with an anchor tied to his butt doesn’t make Doug Martin a “generational” back. “Generational” players are hard to draft because the other 31 want them too. So we hope our QB will become the “generational” player people have promised…perhaps ME13 or Godwin or OJ…outside chance for Ali…there are some candidates…but just as with most teams only a handful.
So we built the running game the old fashioned way.
We get Barber who showed plenty of promise at Auburn as a UDFA. His first year people got a hint of his running ability but he couldn’t block and couldn’t catch. He’s just such a hard worker you gotta love him. In that first off season he worked hard on his weaknesses and should have started last year.
He looks great now. He should be a very good RB if not generational…again people like to mention Earnest Graham…”Mr August” who blew up a few years when he finally got the chance.
So stay with me…Barber as a rookie looked like…a freaking rookie with some definite holes in his game. He improved in the off season and probably should have started last year…that’s ok..no crying over spilt milk and he’s so motivated I think the slight last year inspired him to improve even more this year and he’s a low mileage guy with fresh legs.
So enter ROJO. Because of his draft # people thought he might be borderline generational. Expectations were through the roof. Since he wasn’t the next Barry Sanders some here wish to give up on him. He’s a freaking rookie…and just like Barber before him…he can’t block..and he doesn’t catch consistently…YET. That is the real question. Is ROJO as tough and motivated as Barber? If so he might contribute at the end of this season or perhaps next.
Other than depth until ROJO discovers how to play in the NFL…I am not worried about our running game. It won’t be determined by Barber who is clearly ready to roll. Our running game is going to go as far as our untested OL take it.
If our OL jells and is pretty good if not great…our running game will be fine.
With our passing targets and JW it will be hard to focus on stopping our run..we’ll get opportunities.
September 8th, 2018 at 9:41 am
Trench War….you just have to accept Godeep66 for who he is….
See the guy holding the flag…..
https://cdn.cltampa.com/files/base/scomm/cltampa/image/2016/03/640w/10519_vw1a0023.jpg
September 8th, 2018 at 10:23 am
Agree with fairminded…
All the guy is saying is that it’s “startling” to see a guy the Bucs invested such huge draft capital on not starting. It wasn’t a surprise reveal to him as much as him commenting on how “startling” this development would have seemed moments after the draft.
September 8th, 2018 at 10:30 am
One of the issues with Koetter’s playbook is a lack of screen game, he really should watch how the Rams, Packers and Saints run screen passes and get those speed backs the ball with somewhere to go. Right now that is the kind of back Jones is, he doesn’t look at all comfortable following blocking and finding the creases. Hopefully the guy isn’t another Charles Sims.
For now with this Buc offense that is dangerous downfield, a ample amount of screens should go to Jones until he gets a feel for the physical side of NFL defenses.
September 8th, 2018 at 11:00 am
I am more interested in giving SHaun Wilson more touches until ROJO earns them.
September 8th, 2018 at 11:01 am
Why I don’t care what these d#uchbag national guys type and love you the most Joe. XOXO.
September 8th, 2018 at 11:05 am
@Bob in Valrico
“I am more interested in giving SHaun Wilson more touches until ROJO earns them.”
Dilly, Dilly!
…by the way, I hate that dumb ass phrase and want to punch ppl in the face that still use it.
Dilly, Dilly!
September 8th, 2018 at 11:10 am
Cold 1987…..cold Bro. : )
September 8th, 2018 at 11:22 am
Ed
An ample amount of screens to RoJo?? Guy has shown he has NO hands what so ever except for that one deep ball. Ain’t trying to lose 2nd down and 10 or possibly a fumble on his drops. He’ll have to earn those plays (showing up in practice) just like he’ll have to earn runs in the game.
September 8th, 2018 at 11:34 am
Still have confidence in RoJo down the road. You go out and get a dominate vet OG and a nice looking rookie OT in the first three rounds (D-1 Jason) for the right side in 2019 and this offense could be perfection. No Benenoch and Cappa and Evans type starters. Even though I still believe Cappa can continue to grow with NFL experience.
September 8th, 2018 at 11:36 am
^^Doug Martin looking good in Vegas and not running into brick walls every play.
“This is the best o-line I’ve ever played with.”
September 8th, 2018 at 12:01 pm
Joe–I’m not trying to blow smoke up your pants but I honestly believe that it is thanks to your website I am a dedicated Bucs fan. Throughout the BS of the last few year I have made modest attempts to “hook” into other teams without success. I cannot get to know the other teams or their players or dynamics like I do the Bucs. Your website is informative in all ways and it allows us to feel like we are part of the Bucs team/ownership. Just hope we have a great year! Go Bucs!
September 8th, 2018 at 1:28 pm
As long as we have Barber as our lead running back I don’t see why it’s a big deal to try to develope RoJo. It’s painfully obvious he has a lot of work to do adjusting to the pro game. Hopefully with a year of NFL experience under his belt he will be able to develope into at least a serviceable running back. All we can do is hope It’s not a waste on another 2rd pick, If he can match the hunger and enthusiasim for the game Barber does it shouldn’t be a problem.
September 8th, 2018 at 1:50 pm
Ok so when did Doug Martin play in Vegas?
September 8th, 2018 at 3:25 pm
Rojo will be fine he just needs to adjust to the speed of the nfl an learn he can’t get to the edge on every play an if he’s supposed to run behind the LG to run behind the LG an take what is there not to try an bounce it better to get some then none or lose
September 8th, 2018 at 4:10 pm
How is Charles Sims working out for other teams already when the Bucs said he’d be injured for the regular season and that’s why they didn’t want him? Sims is really good and better than Rodgers, makes no sense why they just dumped him and claimed it was because of injury when it clearly wasn’t if he’s working out already. Anywho I hope they bring him back, he’s a fantastic 3rd down back in that he can catch the ball extremely well and he’s a really good blocker. BTW not knocking Rodgers, I think he’s good too, he’s just not quite as good as Sims at that 3rd down role.
September 8th, 2018 at 4:20 pm
The Rojo bashing is ridiculous, go watch those preseason games and show me where Rojo wasn’t doing his job or wasn’t getting it done. I believe there was like one play where he tried to bounce it outside where he could have gotten probably and extra 2 yards by not doing that, but I don’t recall another single play where I saw him run and thought he missed his hole or was doing something he shouldn’t. He got the Doug Martin treatment from the offensive line, which in Doug’s case meant he was breaking 3 tackles just to get back to the LOS. So no, I didn’t see Rojo making 3 guys miss to pick up 0 yards, but then again Doug Martin has a 1st team All-Pro checkmark on his resume.
To be clear I wasn’t for taking a RB in the 2nd round, I thought it was dumb since I think Barber is good enough to get it done and sure, getting two corners was great, but how much better would the team be if they had gotten two corners AND a safety, or perhaps a guard or tackle of the future? Also if you were going to take a RB, Rojo did not seem like a good fit and it seemed like the Bucs took him much higher than others had him ranked, plus his run style doesn’t seem like a good fit for Dirk’s offense. Anyways with all that said Rojo will probably be just fine.