“I Was Damn Near Playing On One Leg Today”
September 18th, 2022
Wounded star.
Despite the absolutely thrilling Buccaneers win today, a few red flags emerged.
One is the postgame comment of Leonard “Lombardi Lenny” Fournette.
Fournette left the Dallas win last week with a hamstring tweak in the fourth quarter. Announcers didn’t make a big deal of it and he looked great after the game, with no ice on his leg in the happy postgame locker room. But looks can be deceiving. It’s possible Fournette wasn’t being candid with trainers, or his hammy didn’t improve as quickly as hoped.
Fournette started today and was a workhorse out of the backfield, hammering out 24 carries for 65 yards. (Confidence in rookie Rachaad White has sure waned in a hurry.) But Fournette said after the game that “I was damn near playing on one leg today.”
That should make any Bucs fan queasy.
White got 2 carries for 1 yard. Fellow running back Giovani Bernard left the game injured after a kickoff return, and Ke’Shawn Vaughn was inactive for the second consecutive game.
Fournette is on pace for about 350 carries this season. That’s about 100 more than is reasonable if the Bucs want to keep him fresh for the postseason.
And now tough guy Fournette is talking about playing on one leg.
Heal fast, Lenny!
September 18th, 2022 at 6:54 pm
We need to activate Vaughn and get him in there. Lenny can’t carry the entire load for the whole year. And if White isn’t ready, then give Laird a try as a third down back. He has looked good when he has been in.
September 18th, 2022 at 6:55 pm
Sorry to steal your thread Lenny, but how can you not laugh at the Falcons… LOLOLOLOLOLOL!!!!!
They work themselves all the way to then throw an INT in the end zone. Hilarious. Yes, I’d have liked to see the Rams lose, but still, LOLOLOLOL!
September 18th, 2022 at 6:55 pm
I don’t think the coaches are down on White per-say, I think they just didn’t want to risk anything in this game – Go with the guy you know doesn’t fumble, who doesn’t have issues in pass pro – White was still in on some passing downs – Lenny can rest after these first 4 murders row of games. Hahaha
September 18th, 2022 at 6:56 pm
I have confidence in Vaughn. Not sure if it’s the other guys special teams value or maybe Vaughn doesn’t have it in pass pro
September 18th, 2022 at 6:58 pm
Let White do more than predictably run up the gut on 1st down and lets see what he can do. I have a lot of faith in him.
As for Vaughn, he looked way better this preseason – I’d be OK with him playing.
September 18th, 2022 at 6:59 pm
Injuries…I hope Hicks isn’t already banged up.
September 18th, 2022 at 7:01 pm
Let’s activate Vaughn for next week. Smith doesn’t look good at all so far.
September 18th, 2022 at 7:02 pm
Why would Lenny give this info to the Packers?
September 18th, 2022 at 7:03 pm
LOL again on the Falcons – one play left and they can’t even get the ball in the air.
September 18th, 2022 at 7:03 pm
Agreed guys, Brady must not trust Sneak much in pass pro, because he is a tough runner. Whatever the case, gotta find a way to get him involved to take some pressure off Lenny.
September 18th, 2022 at 7:03 pm
#8,
Suh!!!
September 18th, 2022 at 7:04 pm
lambeau Says:
September 18th, 2022 at 7:02 pm
Why would Lenny give this info to the Packers?
——
I heard he’s lying. According to locker room reports from Nassib, Fournette has 3 healthy legs.
September 18th, 2022 at 7:06 pm
Some of those runs were so fierce and overpowering, I can’t even understand how he could do it with one bad hamstring. Very impressive. Get well.
September 18th, 2022 at 7:08 pm
@Lambeau
It’s public knowledge for two weeks straight. Lenny was hobbled late in the game against Dallas and I really wasn’t expecting him to get the work he got today, but apparently we needed him. Even w/o gouging the defense on a per carry basis, Lenny moved the ball enough to keep the run game respected by that NO front.
September 18th, 2022 at 7:09 pm
Still can’t understand why teye were running Fournette into the heart of the line and to the right side when last week all his successful runs were to the left. I just don’t get it.
September 18th, 2022 at 7:10 pm
Gio….one play….injured…..replace him with Vaughn…..play Racaad White on 3rd downs….
September 18th, 2022 at 7:18 pm
Play Vaughn.
September 18th, 2022 at 7:25 pm
Smoke for the next game, they have a RB on the PS that looked good in the last PS game. RW unless injured should be able to pick up where Lenny left off . Team is winning having to overcome missing starters
September 18th, 2022 at 7:28 pm
Rod…. 😂 😂😂😂 I was reading up from the bottom of the page after my post and stumbled across yours 😂😂😂😂
September 18th, 2022 at 7:28 pm
More important is Brady’s hand ok? White hasn’t done anything that excites me about playing him.
September 18th, 2022 at 7:31 pm
The way they talked about Vaughn and how he was doing at the end of the season, it’s really surprising that he hasn’t been activated the first 2 weeks. The rook hasn’t shown anything at all in the first 2 weeks so I’d get Lenny some help and get Vaughn on the field. No sense and hurting Playoff Lenny early in the year.
September 18th, 2022 at 7:37 pm
Vaughn has been recovering from a injury in PS
September 18th, 2022 at 7:43 pm
next week Lenny should rest and we should play Sneak more
September 18th, 2022 at 7:44 pm
Why we still have Bernard is a mystery to me . he did nothing last yr & doing same this yr ??
September 18th, 2022 at 7:46 pm
Fournette is not a good short yardage back and never has been and it’s shameful that the staff doesn’t know this .
September 18th, 2022 at 7:51 pm
captivajim Says:
September 18th, 2022 at 7:44 pm
Why we still have Bernard is a mystery to me . he did nothing last yr & doing same this yr ??
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He wasn’t, on paper, a bad signing. He’s a dedicated 3rd down back, proven blocker, but he’s just been injured and more injured. The Bucs drafted White to replace him, and I think he’s shown enough that you could cut Bernad pretty safely. Is anyone else signing Bernad if we cut him? Nope. So if you wanted or needed him later you’d be able to do so. Meanwhile we could use the extra roster spot.
September 18th, 2022 at 7:54 pm
Anemic win. Brady needs Gronk. I hope he comes back soon. It would rejuvenate Tom, and it would rejuvenate the Bucs. Anemic wins will not get you to the Super Bowl. Anemic wins are a problem. But hey!, that Bucs D sure did a great job!
September 18th, 2022 at 8:01 pm
I have a lot of faith in white….. He hasn’t produced yet because Lenny has been a beast and a wrecking ball. White will get his opportunity against the chiefs and I see a better outcome.
September 18th, 2022 at 8:01 pm
There’s no good reason to advertise the severity of your disability.
September 18th, 2022 at 8:04 pm
@Brazen Zebra
Our defense has allowed 13 points in 8 quarters of football, while rendering our opponents anemic on their point scoring side of the ball lol you tried tho
September 18th, 2022 at 8:25 pm
Anemic win? What an idiot!
Time to activate Sneak and sacrifice a chicken to the injury gods. And,
Suh.
September 18th, 2022 at 8:25 pm
Heal up big guy….they need to let him skip practice.
September 18th, 2022 at 8:29 pm
The Gio experiment is a failure. Get Vaughn back in the mix.
September 18th, 2022 at 8:40 pm
I think we see a lot of White against Green Bay.
September 18th, 2022 at 8:43 pm
Bernard injured again. What a surprise, an injury prone marginal player is hurt again. Time to let him go. He offers little value other than practice for the trainers.
September 18th, 2022 at 9:14 pm
Gio won the Dallas game in 2021. This offense isn’t creative enough to warrant a receiving 3rd down back. BL is way over his head.
September 18th, 2022 at 9:36 pm
Not sure why Keshawn Vaughn wasn’t active after Whites showing running the ball last week. I guess he will be active now if Bernard is injured. Vaughn is a better runner right now than White and runs with power. Maybe Vaughn is not as good in pass pro, but he could give Lenny some plays off in the running game.
September 18th, 2022 at 10:00 pm
White isn’t ready for the show. It was obvious who was better in the preseason. Vaughn is caught up to the speed of the game and hits the hole with way more confidence and speed.
Literally anyone can wave their hand in the endzone as the ball flies over their head for a touchback, and that’s really all White is doing out there to collect his check on Sunday. Talking a big game and actually backing it up are two different things. White had his chance to contribute today and he dropped his pass and his opportunity to gain Brady’s trust.
They’re going to run Fournette right into the ground if they keep this up. If the powers that be are being honest with themselves Vaughn will be active next week.
September 18th, 2022 at 10:07 pm
i would have liked to see some sneak vaughn today…
i thought he could get around the edge possibly…
or get thru the line and cut to the outside edge…
sneak is good like that
September 18th, 2022 at 10:07 pm
White and the DardOn need to watch the professionals play from the inactive list.
September 18th, 2022 at 10:09 pm
In answer to the question what ever happened to the ignorant class clown from elementary school who found it funny to make tasteless jokes about those less accomplished by him? He grew up to be known as: Rod Munch
September 18th, 2022 at 10:11 pm
i was shocked to see darden have a 15 yard punt return
September 18th, 2022 at 10:12 pm
Julio is already hurt? WTF??
September 18th, 2022 at 10:13 pm
List says one of the top offensive coaches in the NFL is in over his head so it must be true. Heaven forbid he admit the object of his obsession is losing it at QB and when forced to play with a team whose offensive stars are injured, struggles like any other QB. Then again he is over his head to critique a Coach at the highest level of his profession who he likely is not qualified to even wash his car.
September 18th, 2022 at 10:29 pm
Ryan Says:
“Let’s activate Vaughn for next week.”
_______________
Agreed. I REALLY like the way Vaughn runs the ball. I want to see more.
September 18th, 2022 at 11:21 pm
List, if it is really the case that you are only here because of Brady, as people say, and that you are a Pats fan… frankly I have no issue in the world with it.
Tom is really really special, just like Michael Jordan & Wayne Gretzky. The greatest to ever do it. We in TB are so lucky to have gotten to have him here with us. Glad you are here enjoying the ride with us.
September 18th, 2022 at 11:25 pm
Suhhhhhhhh time
September 18th, 2022 at 11:56 pm
Why isn’t Brady dumping off short passes to Lenny as much? Have defenses finally picked up on that?
September 19th, 2022 at 12:34 am
Do the Bucs have a training/trainer problem….never seen a team w/ more hamstring injuries….mostly preventable!
September 19th, 2022 at 1:02 am
TBTB,
Can NOT deny that this is frustrating as hell. WTF?
September 19th, 2022 at 1:25 am
A big reason that the Bucs didn’t use the screen game much and dump off short passes is that the Stains were only rushing four (sometimes even only three) and playing press coverage on pretty much every play, and not just on the wideouts. For a screen to work the target needs a little room at least at the start of the play. The Stains coverage was tighter than a frog’s you-know-what Screens work best against blitzes. The Stains only blitzed a handful of times.
September 19th, 2022 at 7:45 am
Anonymous, obviously the closest you got to the football field was working the concession stand or if you were lucky washing jock straps. BL’s offense is as basic as it gets. I applauded him last week because I thought he turned the corner but to see the same o, same o again made me want pull a BA tantrum. The 1st down 1 back set run up the middle is brutal. YOU probably didn’t see.this but on first down the safeties didn’t cheat up
Also kick the FG, by not getting points builds total momentum to the opposing D, especially in a hostile environment where losing under BA & this coaching staff was commonplace. I am not the only one seeing this read the threads. Right now I am high on the DB’s, they win one of the next two games will prove they are the real deal. It obviously wasn’t Brady’s best game but I didn’t see him do anything wrong.
September 19th, 2022 at 7:46 am
Safeties cheated up. Autofill.
September 19th, 2022 at 9:19 am
Goatfarmer Says:
September 18th, 2022 at 8:25 pm
Anemic win? What an idiot!
Time to activate Sneak and sacrifice a chicken to the injury gods. And,
Suh.
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Great second line about the chicken. I’m still laffin’! Still, the injury bug is nuts!
September 19th, 2022 at 12:36 pm
This team has a ton of old school warriors. Major kudo’s to the whole organization. Super Bowl defense already. How we gonna look if we ever get our starters back on offense? Game over man.
September 19th, 2022 at 8:03 pm
Anonymous say what?