Rondé Barber: “That’s On Byron”
December 11th, 2020
Rondé Barber took Bucs fans down a very interesting road this week during his chat on The JP Show.
Of course, the Bucs were a topic of the day with host JP Peterson and the Bucs’ running game came up.
Barber pushed just about all his chips in on Ronald Jones, saying RoJo might be better than Dalvin Cook.
“I think in terms of size, speed, and dynamism with the ball in his hands, I don’t know that there’s a better guy. You can say [Dalvin Cook] is just as good, but he’s not nearly the size of Ronald Jones,” Barber said.
“Ronald Jones is the type of back, that if he’s on 90 percent in the fourth quarter, guys don’t want to hit him. He’s big, strong, powerful, and he can go through you, over you and around you.
“I was impressed with him as a rookie. And I knew he was kind of behind and he wasn’t in it like he could have been in it mentally. But I saw the flashes last year and I was expecting what we’ve seen this year. And the more touches he gets, the better he gets.”
Ok, Barber’s a big RoJo fan. But what about the Bucs needing to focus on the run game to improve the offense?
Barber said he talked to Bucco Bruce Arians during the bye week and noted that the offense has got to run through RoJo.
Peterson replied that Arians may say that but it’s not happening.
To Joe’s surprise, Barber then wagged a finger of shame at offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich.
“That’s on Byron. That’s on Byron. He’s gotta commit to it,” Barber said. “He’s gotta have the patience to do it. And not a lot of coordinators have the patience to stick with the running game, especially when you’re behind in the game early. You feel like, ‘Oh, I gotta chase it and get back in it right now.’ Nope, that’s not how you win football games in the NFL.”
This is all very intriguing considering Arians is head coach, it’s his offense, he carries a play sheet and is Leftwich’s mentor. Second, Tom Brady is driving the bus when it comes to choosing plays and checks at the line of scrimmage and the power of his input.
But “that’s on Byron,” says Barber, who may be the ultimate Bucs insider.
Yes, Joe understands that Brady is a quarterback and quarterbacks like to throw when they have loads of elite weapons.
Joe’s tired of thinking about the responsibilities and desires within the Bucs. Just go out and score 30 points a game like this team is more than capable of achieving.
December 11th, 2020 at 10:01 am
We’ll need a strong run game this weekend with Mike Evans being limited due to another hamstring injury. I really hope we run 35 times or more. In Brady’s career he is 74-2 when the offense runs 35 times or more.
December 11th, 2020 at 10:02 am
I think he nailed it. Byron does seem like he needs to learn the discipline of not abandoning the run too early. And Arians needs to instill that discipline since hes a mentor. And Brady to check out of dumb high risk passing plays more often. Its three pronged
December 11th, 2020 at 10:04 am
BA is coming off as highly overrated
December 11th, 2020 at 10:05 am
I wouldn’t crown RoJo as a Dalvin Cook, but I do agree with Barber on Leftwich giving up on the run way too early.
Although Arians has been on the record saying his offense is a passing offense. He has never lied about that.
December 11th, 2020 at 10:13 am
Agree with Barber on this one. Stick with the run, but mix it up. Don’t always run up the middle on 1st and 10. And more importantly, STICK WITH ROJO. How often is he pulled and Leftwich inserts Fournette? Give ROJO a break here and there, but give him as many carries as he can handle.
December 11th, 2020 at 10:18 am
The thing is, and it’s proven fact, a really good run game opens up the passing lanes.
December 11th, 2020 at 10:25 am
It’s the age old question…which comes first the chicken or the egg.
Do we set up our run game with a quick passing attack that pulls the safeties out of the box and gets LB’s back on their heels, or do we set up the passing game with a crushing run attack that draws the attention of the defenders…away from QB and targets.
One thing for sure is I grow weary quickly of repeated series that start with a first down run…it gets very predictable. We don’t seem to have any draw plays in our offense either…perhaps that is not Brady’s forte…a draw play for him would be a quick dump to the RB…OK more of them..less first down three yards and a cloud of astroturf.
December 11th, 2020 at 10:26 am
They all panic too fast.
December 11th, 2020 at 10:29 am
What PSL Bob says. ^
December 11th, 2020 at 10:56 am
My Momma says that foosball is of the devil. But, she also says that Byron needs not only to commit to the run, but get more diverse withe run play design. Look at her hometown team the Saints as an example.
December 11th, 2020 at 11:05 am
Our best personal grouping is 12. Run and play action out of that! I believe we ran the ball 13 times last game. That is awful! We have an embarrassment of talent and we underachieve. 7-5 is completely on this coaching staff. BTW why does the media not ask the “QB whisperer” why he didn’t fix Winston and why the GOAT throws too many int’s in this offense? Take the gloves off and smack this coach around! I have been a Buccaneer fan since my childhood. I have followed them since 1976 when I was 5 years old! Don’t tell me to be patient! I want results as a season ticket holder and so much emotional investment. My son and I will be sweeping up the confetti when Arians, Brady, and Gronkowski are long gone. NO EXCUSES!
December 11th, 2020 at 11:09 am
Ronde nailed it again. We’ve got a beast in RoJo, and yes a beast in Fournette if Bucs ever let him get some decent carries, plus we’ve got an OLine that really can run-block when they’re allowed to do it more than 5 times a game. We’ve got a QB who’s as inaccurate as just about any NFL QB early in games, so why in $%&#@’s creation do we neuter the running game & insist on passing?
RUN THE FRIGGIN BALL MORE.
December 11th, 2020 at 11:14 am
BL shows panic when the D lets the Bucs fall behind 2-3 scores.
It’s interesting: the entire world knows Brady is best at play-action, but BL doesn’t run the ball enough to allow for an effective play-action passing game, and then Brady gets killed by major pass rushes.
BL is very low on my list as an innovative, effective offensive game planner. Koetter looks like a genius compared to BL.
I am harshly down on game-planning by the Bucs coordinators. I like BA and what he brings leadership-wise, but no fan of game implementation by his coordinators.
December 11th, 2020 at 11:18 am
Leftwich is a hack of a coordinator. I’ll make this real simple…..if Andy Reid or Sean McVay had this offense, do you really think this offense would be sputtering in week 12? Do you think we would have no identity at this point?
December 11th, 2020 at 11:27 am
@Mitch … “In Brady’s career he is 74-2 when the offense runs 35 times or more.”
That’s a really interesting stat Mitch. Tom Brady has won 226 regular season games and apparently one-third of those wins came when his team ran the ball A BUNCH? One could probably make the assumption then that the more you run the ball the better you get at it? (If not, then why would you stick with it & why would the win-loss differential be so great?).
No question in my mind that Tom Brady is very talented & works extremely hard at his craft. But he’s also benefitted from (1) being with the same excellent team & coach for his first 20 years; (2) having some superb defenses to support him & even feed him takeaways; and (3) playing in a division that wasn’t exactly the strongest during any of those 20 years.
In other words, a LOT of things have to come together for ANY QB to earn the title GOAT. When the GOAT starts getting older AND many of those other factors change, the results MIGHT change also. Father Time is still undefeated.
December 11th, 2020 at 12:04 pm
RoJo got a minimum 17 carries in his four 100 yard games.
3-1 in those games. Of course it’s on Leftwich and BA when they give him less than ten carries and ppl wonder why we’re in a slouch.
December 11th, 2020 at 12:18 pm
Ronde is correct in his assessment but not in his blame. Rojo not getting the ball and us not sticking to the run starts with BL but it’s on BA as the Head Coach to get on BL or over rule the play calls and get Rojo back in the game and get him the ball. When things are going our way BL is a decent play caller but once we fall behind by too much he panics and wants to pass on every down with as someone mentioned earlier no draws or delays. We need more creativity in the run game no matter what.
December 11th, 2020 at 12:34 pm
Anybody notice what rams rookie running back did last nite against a patriot defence Which had just shut out the chargers last week a dominating RUN game just about knocked patriots out of playoffs RUN the ball , would also like to see Vaughn in relief as he will be here next year unlike fournette KINDA happy to see that Newton is done!
December 11th, 2020 at 12:41 pm
“12 weeks and the low football IQ Bucsfan still dont get it
Rojo is a useless runningback under Brady as QB
A Charles Sims type running and passing back is 5 times as valuable
20 years and Brady hot receiver is always the runningback
Rojo cant catch nor block
If Tampa gets behind 10 pts or the defense starts blitzing non stop…Rojo sits”
Kobe Faker
December 11th, 2020 at 12:42 pm
It’s time to hire Barber as G.M.. He’d be the next John Lynch maybe better because of how well he knows the Bucs. Licht is a tool who needs Tom Brady, and every other name he can find because of how poorly he’s drafted over the years.
December 11th, 2020 at 3:27 pm
Hodad letting it all hang out… Tell us how you really feel?
Licht has been inconsistent is his draft selections…I would have constructed this organizations core vastly different over last several years… But hard to argue w/ this 2020 roster.
Aside from TB12 & Gronk’s obvious decline – AB’s bipolar mood swings…This is the best 53man roster of Licht’s Tampa tenure. But knowing it was assembled in 100% Win Now mode, we should all understand it has a VERY limited window….It’s 2020 home game Super Bowl or bust!
If this roster flops down the stretch… Hard to see how it gets any better for the Bucs in 2021 – marketing TB12’s retirement tour.
December 11th, 2020 at 3:42 pm
The Licht hate is getting really tiresome, old and stale. Like Ronde but disagree. BAzz has final say over offense. Hope he’s got his hoary old act together Sunday.
December 11th, 2020 at 3:55 pm
Rojo doesn’t possess Cook’s vision, speed to the corner, subtle moves, or balance. It’s not even close. I’m a fan of Rojo but Dalvin is in a different neighborhood.
December 11th, 2020 at 5:46 pm
Amen to that.
And he nailed it. Bruce designs the entire system / offense. Brady chooses the plays he likes for each week / gameplan. Byron is the one calling the plays during the game… Though they said the scripted part is done by Brady.
Both have been bad lately.
December 11th, 2020 at 5:53 pm
@Stringer Bell: and Cook won’t blast a LB off his feet between tackles.
A different kind of back.
Rojo has plenty of vision and he has no problem dropping shoulders…unlike Cook.
Cook is a good back, no doubt. At least when he’s healthy.
And cook won’t wear a D out like a big, fast back like Jones or Henry will (not comparing Jones to Johnson except in the hammer category, Henry has no peers in the NFL.)
December 11th, 2020 at 5:54 pm
BTW: that screen Jones took to the house tip-toeing down the sideline was a thing of absolute beauty.
December 11th, 2020 at 10:47 pm
If you can’t catch and are an average blocker, but you are in at tailback, guess what the defense knows you are going to do? It is simple – in the NFL, a back must have all of it – vision in the run game, run good routes, pass block, catch the ball. RoJo still isn’t there in all areas yet.
December 12th, 2020 at 9:14 am
The fact of the matter is Suckwich totally sucks as OC. And BA should be ashamed letting this clown call plays. BA has totally pulled the wool over the Glazers & Licht. He was hired as the head coach but it seems he’s more of a spectator.