Critical Time For Ronald Jones
January 3rd, 2021
Think for a moment: it was Bucco Bruce Arians who recently admitted publicly that Ronald Jones’ “confidence was shot” and in desperate need of repair.
And Arians also has been clear he made great efforts to re-build and maintain that confidence in a player who returns to action today wearing a form of a cast on his left hand — after two missed games nursing a broken finger while having The Sickness.
The Bucs, per Arians’ comments on various platforms, want RoJo to get significant work today to shake off rust before the playoffs. And Joe suspects there’s a sizable desire inside the halls of One Buc Palace to get RoJo enough carries to have a good shot at a 100 yards rushing so he will hit 1,000 for the season. Why? Because it would skyrocket his confidence.
But Joe’s thinking a lot about that cast and the likelihood of RoJo fumbling with it, which could hurt his confidence. It seems RoJo is just one of those players who needs his mind right to succeed.
Arians said on SiriusXM NFL Radio this week that RoJo mostly is a right-hand carrier of the football, so he wasn’t too concerned.
Well, Joe is concerned.
Perhaps today, more than anything else besides finding a “W,” it’s crucial for the Bucs that RoJo have a clean no-turnover game.
GREAT TAMPA TWO episode looking at what Brooks calls a must-win against the Falcons.
Legendary Buccaneer Derrick Brooks is here twice a week on JoeBucsFan.com talking Bucs with The Sage Of Tampa Bay Sports, Ira Kaufman. Analysis and insight presented by The Identity Tampa Bay and Joe.
January 3rd, 2021 at 8:12 am
Conference?
RoJo is just an average +- NFL running back
The search goes on
January 3rd, 2021 at 8:24 am
I will probably be a little wet today, so the Bucs will need to run the ball better as well as burn clock to keep ATL’s offense (and Bucs’ thin defense today) off the field. Though not as cold, this could be good prep for going into WAS or NYG next weekend…
January 3rd, 2021 at 9:47 am
Wet turn helps receivers versus DB’s. Throw the ball. I can’t stand all the record book hype and to hear BA talk about it worries me even more. If this was a Belichick team you would be benched if you mentioned a self promoting stat. That’s how you win, focus and block out the noise. DO YOUR JOB!!! The rest will work itself out.
January 3rd, 2021 at 10:03 am
Dang, is that a rookie picture? He is way stronger now. What a transformation.
January 3rd, 2021 at 10:08 am
He’s going to have to stop all out efforts to get that extra yard because they are going to do their best to rip the ball out of his arms. When he gets two guys on him he needs to get to the ground instead of being superman for an extra inch.
January 3rd, 2021 at 10:43 am
Well I definitely not throw him the ball today.
January 3rd, 2021 at 10:47 am
Love Rojo and always believed in him…but I would be surprised if he gets his 100 yards today. If the year he’s had isn’t enough to boost his confidence, then there is something wrong upstairs. Besides…what he does in the playoffs will be a big confidence booster.
January 3rd, 2021 at 11:03 am
Vaughn looked great..would love to see him get more touches this game heading into the playoffs. Nothing much to be gained from RoJo risking further injury and taking him out of the playoffs just for personal accolades
January 3rd, 2021 at 11:21 am
Confidence?
Please show me another NFL running back who averages 5.0 YPC who’s confidence is shot. In the history of the franchise, have the Bucs ever employed a RB with a higher YPC with more than 100 carries?
January 3rd, 2021 at 12:11 pm
WE SHOULD SIGN BO JACKSON OR BARRY SANDERS!😃
January 3rd, 2021 at 12:18 pm
Going to go ahead and say the major confidence issues Bruce was talking about are pretty far behind him at this point. Those were brought on by a bad coaching staff as Dirk Koetter and co. refused to play him as a rookie despite not having another competent RB on the roster. Think all this talk can be buried after he ripped off a monster game after his last fumble this season. His hands are still an area of fan “confidence” for him, but at this point think most people realize that’s not a strength in his game and that won’t change with a cast on his finger. Regardless, if he can play, I’m not worried about the cast negatively affecting him mentally. If anything, if he can play the game mistake free, that should IMPROVE his, and everyone else’s confidence in him moving forward.
January 3rd, 2021 at 12:41 pm
Smoke screen game plan fellas
January 3rd, 2021 at 4:56 pm
Bruce Arians screwed Rojo for his 1,000 yards it would have been great for him to get it .