Running Into A Crowd
August 12th, 2020
Bucs OC Byron Leftwich
It seems like last year, for some reason, the Bucs had something of an affinity for running into eight-men boxes.
The results were predictable.
Per Warren Sharp’s 2020 Football Preview, the Bucs ran into a an eight-man box 32 percent of the time in the first three quarters of the games on first and second downs. On those runs, the Bucs averaged a paltry 3.0 yards a carry.
It got a little better when the Bucs ran against a seven-man box — 40 percent of early-down runs in the first three quarters and four yards per carry.
The only time it seemed the Bucs had decent success running the ball is when they blocked one-on-one or had an advantage with more blockers than defenders upfront in a box.
In early downs in the first three quarters against six-man boxes, which came on 28 percent of their runs, the Bucs rushed for 5.4 yards a carry.
Simply put, the Bucs didn’t have any running back who could make his own space or exploit holes to get to the second level. At least not consistently.
Recently, former Jets director player personnel and former Bucs scout Pat Kirwan said the Bucs will have a better run game, not so much because of better running backs, not so much because of better blockers but because park-violating, home-invading, NFLPA-ignoring Bucs quarterback Tom Brady will check the Bucs into better run-fits.
Maybe Sharp’s information above is what Kirwan is getting at?
August 12th, 2020 at 6:28 am
Most teams are going to respect Brady. Last year, teams were looking for a pick 6 from Jameis and were willing to gamble more.
August 12th, 2020 at 6:52 am
The Bucs ran it up the middle on first down more than any other team. They never ran sweeps, and took them half the season the remember that screen playes were legal to run in the nfl. They also gave the majority of the field snaps to the 3rd best rb on the roster. Just like Mike Smith and Lovie Smith held DOWN the defenses of years past, Leftwich hurt the offense and caused Jameis int numbers to go through the roof with predictable playcalling, constant runs up the middle queing when passing plays will occur and always forcing the ball 20 yards down field rather than taking the checkdowns. The running backs on this roster will have fantastic seasons with the new offensive coordinator/qb
August 12th, 2020 at 7:13 am
Brady’s presence will change everything…..they won’t force him to pass…..
The problem with our offense last year is that defenses stacked the box forcing us to pass….and we didn’t pass…
August 12th, 2020 at 7:24 am
“Simply put, the Bucs didn’t have any running back who could make his own space or exploit holes to get to the second level.”…OR shake two D-linemen immediately upon receiving the hand-off.
No one “telegraphs” runs quite the way ours Buccos do. Brady will have the acumen to check out of a play that #3 didn’t.
August 12th, 2020 at 7:39 am
Paging .. NDog
Paging.. Ndog
August 12th, 2020 at 7:58 am
Seems like the perfect time to audible to a pass play if you have a run called and they’re giving you 8 in the box. Unless audibling wasn’t an option.
August 12th, 2020 at 8:00 am
Not rocket science……the entire league was working off the same memo. Force Winston to drop back 30+ times and he’ll gift you at least 2 turnovers. Teams made us one dimensional. My theory on the play calling is Leftwich was playing a game of chess when it comes to clock management. It really didn’t matter what the OC attempted, teams had Winston figured out and we had no ability to offset his knack for turnovers.
August 12th, 2020 at 8:31 am
Hey Joe – wasn’t it BL that bristled when you asked if the play calling was to predictable?
August 12th, 2020 at 8:48 am
NDOG / Clean House in 3……2……1…..
August 12th, 2020 at 8:49 am
Run game struggled due to poor game scripting with predictable playcalling, not because of the RB. Even the elite RBs in this league have posted poor YPC when faced with these same issues. Brady is the cure! TOMPA BAY
August 12th, 2020 at 9:56 am
If only the Bucs had a QB last season who could have made teams pay for stacking the box.
But, alas…
D Game plan for the last five seasons: stack the box, confuse the QB, get gifted int’s and fumbles…
It’s a New Day in Tampa Bay
August 12th, 2020 at 10:05 am
BobbyM and Cobraboy:
Exackalackally correct!
If the Bucs play this year, watch the slants and checkdowns stop the 8 man fronts, and see how many 2nd and 4’s/3rd and 1’s the offense gets.
tickrdr
August 12th, 2020 at 10:15 am
I think what Kirwan is getting at without directly saying it is that Brady will be leaps and bounds a better QB than Winston and will call audibles that will exploit the opposing defense for better run plays.
August 12th, 2020 at 10:48 am
why audible out of a run into a pass play? if there wasnt that option due to coaching, then shame on them. if the qb didnt do it, then shame on him.
of course the defenses stacked the box. then they would either stop the run or the lbrs would drop back into coverage and we all knows how that goes. see the colts game…
August 12th, 2020 at 11:22 am
Yes!
Joe prefaced the question with stats from the NFL documenting how often Peyton Barber ran up the middle.
Let’s just say Joe got a very pointed answer and a nasty glare. LOL
If recall correctly, Joe cited all the runs up the middle Barber had and then asked Lefty if one reason for his lack of production was that when he was on the field it was “tipping pitches” to the defense what was coming?
August 12th, 2020 at 1:57 pm
Waterboy
“Unless audibling wasn’t an option.”
That is my question as well. Do we have any guys here who know the answer?
How about you Joe…was JW permitted to audible whenever…sometimes..never?
August 12th, 2020 at 2:32 pm
Play Action Pass…
Learn what it is and use it.
Dirk was the biggest idiot in the world, he’d run up the middle on every single first down in the 1st three quarters if the QB was lined up under center. One time he didn’t do that was the 1st play of the game against the Eagles were we got a touchdown. Did Dirk learn from that, to mix it up, to attack the defenses from under center on first down? Nope, it was just basically a one off.
August 12th, 2020 at 4:19 pm
I can acknowledge Brady’s superiority on reading the defense and making audibles. That’s what happens after 20 years with pretty consistent coaching.
Jameis was thrown an awful lot in terms of new offensive schemes/systems/terminology every few years and a lack of quality personnel.
He still managed to lead the NFL in total offense despite injury and injury to those around him.
Do you think football geniuses Leftwhich and BS knew or suggested how to make an audible based on how many were in the box? Highly doubtful they were that advanced. I think their offense is just keep throwing deep.
They should rename the offense No Risk it no Brains.
Perhaps blame the inconsistency of the OLine and RBs a bit
In the run game. JW seemed to do fine with Logan Mankind mauling people
Check yo sheets!
August 12th, 2020 at 4:51 pm
clean house
you say “Jameis was thrown an awful lot in terms of new offensive schemes/systems/terminology every few years and a lack of quality personnel.”
correct me if i am wrong but didnt he come into the league in 15 and dirk was is oc. then dirk took over as hc.
so hes actually had to learn a new system last yr.
again, correct me if i am wrong and go ahead and correct yourself if you are wrong.
August 12th, 2020 at 6:00 pm
Well then there is simply no excuses in 2020.
If this team doesn’t make the NFC Championship game the season will be a disappointment. Do a Bengals and a 2019 Patriots 1 playoff game and done will be a disappointment. Simple as that.
August 12th, 2020 at 6:08 pm
I second tickrdr! It was soooo clear opponents were making the Bucs one dimensional.
Yet so many fans, including Joe, don’t seem to take a stacked box into consideration when evaluating RB’s.
Would love to see the defensive calls with ROJO his first year. It’s essentially a fools errand due to the small sample size, but it sure seemed like they keyed in on him.
JW Troll Pack – I really like how JW gets credit for leading the league in yds with you gifts. But everyone sucks… the coaches are idiots, the oline is terrible, play calling was awful, the GM can’t field a team.
Just another example of your blind devotion = IgnoreAnce
In BA I Trust!
August 12th, 2020 at 7:28 pm
Even with a stacked box a team has to occasionally eun the ball. While no one is overwhelmed with production, outside a few encourage efforts by Jones, a D still has to stop the run so play-action should still work.
But balance? Nah. Balance was not the Bucs O last season. I hope with better line play and new backs “balance” comes into play.
Fact is the league now knows that even if they can make the Bucs O one dimensional, Brady won’t be gifting 2 balls a game, and won’t be holding the ball so long* he gets sacked.
*I can’t count how many times last season I’d yell “Throw it! Throw it! Throw it!” from the executive entertainment throne ( 😉 ) only to end in a bad sack…
August 12th, 2020 at 9:51 pm
Waterboy Says:
“Seems like the perfect time to audible to a pass play if you have a run called and they’re giving you 8 in the box. Unless audibling wasn’t an option.”
.
.
Is it really possible that Leftwich didn’t allow Winston to audible? That seems crazy for a veteran quarterback.
Hey, Joe! Has anyone asked Arians or Leftwich (or Winston, for that matter) about audibles last year, and why it wasn’t happening?
August 12th, 2020 at 10:08 pm
Not sure that audibles were not used. And no, not to Joe’s knowledge have they been asked and that’s kind of water under the bridge.
Arians bristles when asked about former players — and that’s if he is in a good mood. Leftwich would just say, “Jameis isn’t here” — and take someone else’s question. And of course, Jameis has limited media availability in New Orleans as a backup. With locker rooms closed this year, he may not face another question until April 2021.
August 12th, 2020 at 10:28 pm
Cool. Thanks!