Smoother Sailing For RoJo
October 13th, 2020
Fun fact, which running back most often ran against 8-or-more defenders in the box last season, Peyton Barber or Leonard Fournette?
The correct answer is Barber.
That’s right. Despite the Bucs’ having the No. 3 passing attack in the NFL and coming of a season in which Ryan Fitzpatrick and Jameis Winston combined to throw for 5,358 yards, defenses didn’t show the passing attack much respect last season. Or, the Bucs’ playcalling was far too predictable.
This year, Fournette celebrated at the thought of playing with Tom Brady, as Fournette believed his hearty diet of 8-man boxes in Jacksonville would be curtailed.
Barber saw 8-man (or more) boxes on 33.1 percent of his Bucs carries last season, per NFL official stats, and Ronald Jones is only seeing that on 23 percent of his rushes this year. That’s a significant difference.
It could be a reason RoJo is running with more confidence and production. And it could also mean Tom Brady is getting more respect than the previous Bucs quarterbacks.
October 13th, 2020 at 12:34 pm
defenses arent daring brady to throw like they did the previous qb…..
teams last year WANTED the previous QB to throw…lol…the previous qb threw to defenses 30 times last year….as a DC, who wouldnt want that QB throwing….lol…
GO BUCS!!!!!
October 13th, 2020 at 12:38 pm
Why give up rushing yards when you have a QB that is known to turn the ball over. Barber all day long. Even Fournette with Gardner freakin’ Minshew saw less 8-man boxes.
Even if Minshew had a beard, he’d be less “Santa Claus” than our previous QB!
Teams forced us to be “predictable” and we predictably turned the ball over.
October 13th, 2020 at 12:55 pm
Check the Sheet!!!!!!!!!
October 13th, 2020 at 1:05 pm
+1 to the above comments, plus of course the play calling was predictable with Barber in the game! No sane football fan (let alone NFL DC) believed Peyton Barber to be a passing threat, or be allowed to even sniff 3rd down action longer than 3rd and 2. The latter is likely the ultimate reason for the skew in %.
I don’t see how comparing personnel against a 2-down, 1-dimensional running back last year with Fornette or Rojo this year proves anything about confidence, respect or production.
RoJo has seen more diversity of down and distance and is a “threat” in the passing game (assuming he can actually squeeze the ball). This is like comparing apples to donuts.
October 13th, 2020 at 1:10 pm
Ndog is not going to like you anymore 813
October 13th, 2020 at 1:36 pm
Rojo has been running better for two games…..let’s hope he keeps it up. I think the offensive unit is still tinkering with what it likes and doesn’t like. Mostly between the OC and the QB.
October 13th, 2020 at 2:13 pm
It could also be possible that the number of carries Rojo is getting is proving to be more positive….
October 13th, 2020 at 2:43 pm
Rojo never got enough carries in a game to show he was the guy. Now he’s getting 20 plus touches. He knows he’s the guy rather than hoping he’s the guy. They are feeding him and he is growing. He also came into camp bulked up ready to pound the rock.
October 13th, 2020 at 2:50 pm
The reason why they faced 8 man boxes last year was because teams dared us to throw the ball. Winning the turnover differential is much more important than winning the yardage battle. Force a turnover prone qb into throwing 40+ times is a recipe for success. Even if you give up 350 yards through the air, getting 2 turnovers is huge.
October 13th, 2020 at 3:59 pm
Leftwich tipped his plays all of last season repeatedly running Barber on 1st down (with little success).
October 13th, 2020 at 5:03 pm
Too many good and accurate posts, and agree with all who said that opposing DC’s simply wanted the Bucs to throw waiting for the inevitable interception.
JW3 rarely disappointed them.
tickrdr
October 13th, 2020 at 5:12 pm
Leighroy- Good points! Rojo is a better back than Barber and maybe, just maybe, Tampabaybucsfan is right too along with others who suggested he just needed more touches.
He looks worlds better than previous years running.
I still think Fournette is the better back but, as the saying goes, “The best ability is availability.”
Top of the hat to Rojo! Now, feed him the ball more dang it!
October 13th, 2020 at 7:25 pm
813… first comment on this post is right on!!
October 13th, 2020 at 9:39 pm
Amazing what a super predictable run it up gut on every 1st down player caller can do to the running game.
October 13th, 2020 at 9:41 pm
Godlovesbucs – You literally couldn’t be more wrong. Teams stacked the box because Leftwich is an ultra predictable and conservative playcaller. The reason that Winston had to throw deep so often was because 1) a terrible defense for 10 games and 2) because he was always in 2nd and long and often 3rd and long because Leftwich pretty much always puts the team in that position with his awful 1st down playcalling.
This year they’re using the playaction a smidge more than in the past, but literally all Leftwich needs to do is mix it up more and teams won’t stack the box on 1st down.
October 14th, 2020 at 3:23 am
barber isn’t exactly lighting it up in washington either…
let’s hope rojo has a better day than arron jones on sunday-funday
October 14th, 2020 at 10:32 am
Did Fitzpatrick Play for the Tampa Florida team, or the Miami Flordia team? Did he get paid playing for both teams too? Talk about FitzMagic!!! Maybe someone should have you know “Check Yo Sheet!” ?
Fitzpatrick, needs to get his Agent on the phone ASAP! What NO JACKONVILLE LOVE???
Run where they aint ROJO, and Vaughn. If they are there RUN THEM OVER!
GO BUCS!