Bruce Arians Details Run Game Struggles
November 27th, 2020
Joe’s got film, as well as Xs and Os comments from the head coach of our beloved Buccaneers.
Ira Kaufman’s column today tackles the Bucs’ run game commitment, and Joe is diving in deeper here.
So why did the Bucs run just 29 percent of the time Monday night in a game never separated by more than one score, with a healthy running back coming off a career game and Aaron Donald extraordinarily neutralized?
Great question!
Bucco Bruce Arians served up an answer on his official Buccaneers radio show.
“We didn’t do a very good job of pressing the hole running-back-wise and overall-blocking-wise to get the job done,” Arians said.
“I thought our protection was really, really good overall. The running game is what was disappointing.
“I thought we would run better against that 6-man box. … We had some spurts where we ran the ball well and mixed it up, but overall it wasn’t good enough.”
About three months ago, Leonard Fournette openly celebrated his new dream scenario of running against a six-man box. Dreams don’t always come true.
Hopefully the Bucs bounce back Sunday against a Chiefs defense that’s far softer than the Rams’.
Leonard Fournette's vision is something else pic.twitter.com/KHj5AjBJlc
— Zoltán Buday (@PFF_Zoltan) November 25, 2020
November 27th, 2020 at 7:18 am
Why didn’t they block well?
Poor run game plan?
No motivation?
No Ali Marpet?
Really. NO EXCUSES!
November 27th, 2020 at 7:36 am
That video is really interesting Joe. Fournette obviously screwed up on his 1st cut (duh), but it also looks like he saw Rams #13 coming up rapidly to fill the hole. Godwin (#14) could’ve potentially taken him out, but odds are that #13 still would’ve blocked the hole. Plus Rams #59 would still have to be accounted for (he was free behind the pile it looks like).
Bucs’ OLinemen did a nice job blocking at the point-of-attack I thought, but it doesn’t look like the play design accounted for the 2 LBs right behind the LOS. By design I doubt that play could’ve ever gotten more than 1-2 yds without a broken tackle very close to the LOS.
November 27th, 2020 at 7:36 am
I believe you actually have to make an effort to run the ball, and not abandon it at the first sign of trouble. That could be the REAL problem.
November 27th, 2020 at 7:51 am
Pound the rock!
November 27th, 2020 at 8:18 am
Fournette not “pressing the hole” which was clearly between Cappa and Wirfs.
Fournette did not have a good game. So why was he in there instead of RoJo?
November 27th, 2020 at 8:48 am
WTF was that?
Ran right into the back of the O lineman instead of taking on the defender in that giant hole.
Fournette should’ve ran into that hole right at that defender.
But no right into your O lineman’s back was a much better option.
My word.
November 27th, 2020 at 9:22 am
I still don’t see why some JBFers have any issue with Leonard Fournette. He’s not a Top-5 RB IMO, but he is a quality RB with an excellent skillset. In his first 3 yrs, he’s had over 1,000 yds TWICE, and the other year he missed half the season due to injury. Career average of 4.0 yds/rush is respectable & consistent, but not eye-catching. He’s reasonably good catching out of the backfield (76%) & consistently averaged about 7 YPC. Good size (6′ & 228 lbs) for pounding the rock AND for pass-protecting.
So why aren’t we using him more? Well, the now beefed-up RoJo is doing better this year running the ball (4.9 yds/rush). And oh ya, BA likes him better, so there’s that, even though he’s not quite as good at catching the ball out of the backfield OR at pass-protection.
What I don’t understand is why we don’t put in some packages with BOTH of them in there at the same time. We’ve all seen other teams do it quite successfully. It’s not exactly a new idea BA; coaches used to do it all the time. Remember Don Shula & the Dolphins? Csonka & Kiick? How about Alstott & Dunn? Come on BA, you love old attack schemes. Try it; you’ll like it.
November 27th, 2020 at 9:28 am
Cappa and wirfs making a 4 lane highway for him against a good front 7. Fournette has to go take on that DB #43 himself. Godwin coming to help. Soft & Sad. #ontothechiefs !
November 27th, 2020 at 9:30 am
What, Arians doesn’t have an issue with himself or his OC’s playcalling and game prep and in-game adjustments? Shocking! Go look in the mirror Jason and Bruce. THERE’s your biggest problem. And it will be slim pickin’s next year with the salary cap. Thanks guys!
November 27th, 2020 at 9:51 am
10 runs is way too small a sample size to be making assessments like that of the run game. Run the effing ball!!
November 27th, 2020 at 9:52 am
Where’s Vaughn in this mix? I don’t recall him touching the ball in several weeks. And do the Bucs run any plays with a two back set? The 98 yard run is an example of why you shouldn’t abandon the run. Nobody’s saying run 30 times for a 2.0 yard average but we’re saying run the ball enough to see if you’re going to have success. I still say there are too many options on offense. Mgmt is drunk with the idea that the offense is stacked and can’t be defended and yet how many times did we see the receivers covered? A lot. Godwin and Evans can’t be stopped. No need to have Brown and Gronk crowding the field. Give me Miller over Brown all day.
November 27th, 2020 at 9:57 am
Give the rookie a chance to run the ball. You can see in this film exactly what’s going on – Fournette doesn’t want to get hit by a safety flying up, so he ducks into a pile. You have be willing to get hit to play RB.
November 27th, 2020 at 9:57 am
Also, was the disappearance of Rojo in the second half vs the Rams explained?
November 27th, 2020 at 10:16 am
Pvssy Fournette didn’t want to get hit by the safety. He’s looking for his next contract already!
November 27th, 2020 at 11:36 am
That was terrible by the running back no doubt. Now go watch this play over and over looking at each lineman. Only ONE sustains his block and that would be the ROOKIE we need more like him.
November 27th, 2020 at 11:42 am
Agree 132— that Fournette run smacks of a RB not wanting to get hit. Pretty obvious and I would love to be privy to what was said at one Buc Place.
November 27th, 2020 at 1:14 pm
They always seem to give up the run too soon.
November 27th, 2020 at 2:38 pm
Go watch all of Fournettes runs this season. You’ll see this a lot. His vision is absolutely terrible, or he’s afraid of contact. And he also has stones for hands. So why is he getting more reps than Rojo, who also can’t catch a cold, but is a far superior runner?
November 27th, 2020 at 4:38 pm
I watched that video and Fournette had a major hole open up on his right side. How could he miss it? Is he blind? Would Rojo have missed it? There was also a receiver open which Methuselah Brady missed. What a ridiculous comedy of errors. It better be cleaned up by Sunday.
November 28th, 2020 at 12:41 pm
RoJo > Fournette
Maybe the head coach and his prized offensive coordinator could figure out a way to give the 3rd leading running back in the league more than 10 touches. Especially in a game where they were never down by more than 1 score…
That’s probably too much to ask of this staff though. Maybe they should hire a few more coaches to help out