Fournette = Bulldozer
September 22nd, 2020
Bucs RB Leonard Fournette.
Though Joe wouldn’t go down this path, Joe must admit that Bucs coach Bucco Bruce Arians may be onto something.
Arians told Dan Lucas of WFLA-TV Channel 8 it’s great to have a runner like Leonard Fournette playing pinball with defenders in the second half. The insinuation here is Arians wants to use him as a relief pitcher or closer to polish off tired defenses by running them over.
Sunday was a good example of this.
Arians may have a point. Not that Joe thinks this is smart, but the PFF tribe came out with a stat that shows Fournette is a load to stop.
Leonard Fournette averaged 5.67 yards after contact per attempt in week 2 – currently the 4th highest among RBs#GoBucs pic.twitter.com/ax72EWAkPh
— PFF TB Buccaneers (@PFF_Buccaneers) September 22, 2020
With the rest of the running backs, running for three yards is par for the course. Anything more is an accident.
With Fournette, he gets more yards than that each carry, after a defender hits him!
The question Joe has is, why would you want to wait to use a guy with that talent?
September 22nd, 2020 at 5:14 am
However Fournette is used, he looks to be a hell of a weapon in the gun cabinet
September 22nd, 2020 at 5:46 am
Agree with you 100% Joe, why wait to use a guy with talent like that. With Fournette on the field, opposing defenses have no choice but to respect the run because he’s such a threat to break one & he’s too much of a load for just one defender to bring down.
A potent running game opens up the passing game tremendously. Why wait until the 4th qtr to fire up the big guns? Bucs offense needs to play smashmouth football right from the git-go.
September 22nd, 2020 at 5:56 am
He’s been here less than two weeks! As I’m sure he’d admit, he’s still learning the playbook.
Don’t give me that nonsense that RB is plug-and-play. That’s NOT how it works.
Go Bucs!!
September 22nd, 2020 at 6:01 am
If this dude isn’t the starter on Sunday, Arians will need to have his head examined.
September 22nd, 2020 at 6:13 am
leonard “the dozer” fournette
September 22nd, 2020 at 6:22 am
The question Joe has is, why would you want to wait to use a guy with that talent?
As Arians has mentioned in a previous JBF post, a fresh Fournette in the 2nd half and Fournette needing time to learn the entire playbook.
ROJO will be a nice compliment to Fournette, and in a roundabout way, will help keep Fournette healthy from overuse.
Fournette has more talent, but that doesn’t mean ROJO is bad – it’s a team game.
As Brady has said, it’s where the team is in December that’s important.
September 22nd, 2020 at 6:30 am
Maybe wait until the defense is more tired, and winded, he will be fresher, and they will be reluctant to tackle him.
September 22nd, 2020 at 6:36 am
I agree with waiting till second half.
No sense working a willing horse to death.
September 22nd, 2020 at 6:37 am
I’m not sure if we don’t have a chicken or egg situation here.
I hear all the guys saying start pounding Fournette from the get go. I hear BA saying save him and keep him fresh to pound a tired defense.
But doesn’t that work the other way as well. Run Fournette early and pound the defense into fatigue and then spot ROJO and his speed against the tired D.
September 22nd, 2020 at 6:52 am
St Pete-
But doesn’t that work the other way as well. Run Fournette early and pound the defense into fatigue and then spot ROJO and his speed against the tired D.
That’s a good point, however Fournette has more talent so from a team perspective, you want the best players in the game in the 2nd half.
September 22nd, 2020 at 6:54 am
Fournette is what you get when you combine Alstott and Dunn.
Ronald Jones, nice guy, but he is a Peyton Barber clone, in terms pf productivity.
September 22nd, 2020 at 7:12 am
i’d prefer we keep Rojo in early…..fresh defense or worn down, Rojo wont do much. He’s basically Peyton Barber with a little more burst. Fournette makes plays, he’s more likely to take advantage of a tired defense then Rojo.
September 22nd, 2020 at 7:16 am
I said it Sunday and I’ll say it again……sign Fournette to an extension NOW! RoJo is NOT the answer….he never was….he is a rotational change of pace back at best. Fournette is a “bell cow”, 20-25 touch per game feature-back who is capable of making defenders miss, as well as running them right the hell over!
The ROJo experiment has failed….the Fournette experience is the way forward. Ow we have a real running game that will suck extra defenders up into the box, so Brady can pick them apart!
September 22nd, 2020 at 7:17 am
Im pretty sure the threat of Brady beating you in the air sofens up the D as well.
He easily should have had 4oo yards and 3 TDs passing.
Perhaps that had something to do with the late game surge for the run game.
Run RoJo out there whenever but make sure LF gets his touches too. Win win situation as long as we win win and keep on winning
September 22nd, 2020 at 7:20 am
I think BA will change on this within the next couple of games…..If Fournette is better, and I believe he is, he’ll get the rock early & often in both halfs.
September 22nd, 2020 at 7:38 am
Does Fournette want to be the bell cow back? I seem to recall him saying something about being able to share the load for the first time in his football career.
September 22nd, 2020 at 7:50 am
I think we should use him like Gruden did with Cadillac, oh wait….
September 22nd, 2020 at 8:07 am
Like I said yesterday if Fournette continues to perform the Bucs need to lock him up for a three or four year contract and a five or six year contract for Godwin. That will use up their there available cap space I guess the Bucs will have to trade or release some dead weight. Example Brate 6.5 mil and if Smith don’t start showing up 14.25 mil.
September 22nd, 2020 at 8:11 am
What happens if Rojo breaks out against the Broncos, what will we say then, a decimated Broncos defense, I just want to see the offensive line change the line of scrimmage like they did in the fourth quarter, it was noticeable that when you are not running into the back of your tackle who was pushed a yard back at the point of attack. Also, the only time they ran Rojo to the edge was on the touchdown run, Fournette is the man going forward, but look at the early runs for Fournette, they were not right up the middle
September 22nd, 2020 at 8:20 am
The strategy to hold him in reserve until late in the game when the defense is worn down only makes sense if Fournette’s strength diminishes as his carries increase. Some backs say they get better the more carries they have. If that applies to him, I’d start him and play him the whole game. Let McCoy and Rojo provide relief. You don’t see Elliott, McCaffrey or Barkley warming the bench until the second half.
September 22nd, 2020 at 8:55 am
That’s kinda how we used 40!
September 22nd, 2020 at 8:55 am
Defense Rules Says:
September 22nd, 2020 at 5:46 am
Agree with you 100% Joe, why wait to use a guy with talent like that.
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do you think its harder for defenses to tackle a fresh fournette in the second half or a fresh rojo/shady in the second half?
easy answer….
no defender wants to see a fresh fournette in the 4th quarter….
do you think fournette knows the play book well enough to play the entire game?….obviously the staff doesnt think he knows enough just yet….
as long as our RBs are effective and the run game is efficient, the defense will have to respect the run no matter whos in the back field…..
BL isnt “waiting”….lol…BL is executing the game plan…..keep the defense on its heels, run effectively & efficiently thru 3quarters and close the door in the 4th quarter with the run game(fournette)….
we want BUCCANEER FOOTBALL….BL just provided that sunday and he’ll do it again vs DEN….
GO BUCS!!!!!!
September 22nd, 2020 at 9:16 am
Fournette’s only issue is he always seeks contact, if the hole is open he drifts towards someone to run over. Watch the tape, other than that he is pretty damn good.
September 22nd, 2020 at 10:01 am
Easy answer Joe… rotate backs to keep him fresh, and allow him time to learn the system. Then hammer them in the forth quarter. And most importantly, keep him fresh for the hopeful payoff run or the end of season where there is no room for any error. L even said it was going to be nice to not take a pounding as he had at Jacksonville. BTW..if he goes down, heaven forbid, we surely better have these other guys maxed out regarding their play, having played in a good number of games.
Frankly, I don’t see why you guys don’t get the plan. The beginning of this season is rocky, due to lack of practice and cohesion. And the point is to grow into a SB contending team, keeping key guys fresh. Sure…it is a fine line. Lose a couple too many games, and we don’t get there. But no risk it, no biscuit.
September 22nd, 2020 at 10:07 am
rrsrq…No doubt. Don’t think for a second RoJo can get to the edge against a decent defense. In my opinion, this is all smoke or it’ll be named official if he gets 100+ yards or 2+ TDs next week. We’re deep at RB. Let RoJo and Ke’Shawn Vaughn be the fresh legs in the second half.
September 22nd, 2020 at 10:57 am
I’m good with RoJO or Fournette out there. They both can pound it and both can explode for a huge gain.
The deciding factor is when the o-line actually opens a hole for either of them.
It’s not about either of them, it’s about the o-line doing it’s job.
September 22nd, 2020 at 11:04 am
Better than rojo by far
September 22nd, 2020 at 11:17 am
Leonard Fournette = Sledge hammer, 3rd and short, and inside the 5 is alot easier now. GO BUCS!!!
September 22nd, 2020 at 11:59 am
One good game, one good run and Joe is ready to run Rojo out of town!! How many runs did Rojo have that were HUGE runs get called back?? 4? 5? He had a what 56 yard TD called back last year that he broke 4 tackles to get!! … Fornette has one good game and now it’s “oh yeah he’s way better than Rojo” …. You people are stupid!! Yes Fornette is a good running back but Rojo is too!! Using them equally is a good idea!! The last game Rojo had more yards per carry and looked like the much better back!!! …. It’s one game, one run!!! Before that they looked about equal!!…. If it was up to Joe we’d have every arrogant team distracting idiot in the league on this team and he’d be force feeding Fornette on every other play while Winston bombs to the endzone every other play!!! …. You are a grass is greener on the other side person which means you’re not very knowledgeable and go by feelings!!! You have to be a liberal!! Lol
September 22nd, 2020 at 12:02 pm
THANK YOU UNBELIEVABLE!!!!! Try getting that across to Joe!! He never wants to admit he’s wrong and him yelling for Rojo job his rookie year was proven wrong last year and he doesn’t want to admit he was wrong!!…. I’m just surprised Fornette run wasn’t called back for holding like ALL OF Rojo big plays have been!! Over and over he’d hit a big play and it’d be called back!!! Bad luck and bad o-line play is was has crippled Rojo
September 22nd, 2020 at 12:07 pm
Feed the hot hand. It’s not complicated. Both backs will see plenty of playing time. There aren’t too many “bellcow RBs” anymore. And, there’s no need to beat up one over the other….unless, hot hand.
September 22nd, 2020 at 1:03 pm
Week 3, bucs should be starting 4net and feed him regularly. Force them to bring in that extra person into the box and let things open up for Evans/Godwin. Maybe toss in a play action pass every once in a while, BL!!!
But I know my man BL will send the rbs up the middle on first down 😒
September 22nd, 2020 at 2:41 pm
Eyeball test says it all. This dude is a thoroughbred and runs bigger than his size. His low center of gravity gives him a power edge over other backs his size. He’s a difference maker. He just might end up being our 2020 MVP. Fournette most definitely runs WITH the Squatch.
September 22nd, 2020 at 5:31 pm
If Fournette has a huge hole open up in front of him he can run until he gets caught. Horrible vision, indecisive running if aforementioned huge hole isn’t directly in front of him. Will get stopped on many, many 3rd/4th and shorts and goal line attempts. Good luck placing trust in him.
September 22nd, 2020 at 5:49 pm
That was my hope when he was was signed. A fresh Fournette hammering a worn down defense in the 2nd half to ice the game.
September 22nd, 2020 at 8:07 pm
Chucky and the Saints RAN all over the Saints Monday.
Guess what ?
A great running game still wins football games!
September 22nd, 2020 at 9:48 pm
A super Bowl winning formula. Good defense and a running game. I would like to both of them on the field at the same time.