Forget The Run
October 26th, 2022
Keep passing, please.
Joe is a big, big, big believer in using what works. If something is not working, then why beat your head against a brick wall using it?
There are only so many snaps in a game. Don’t throw away precious chances on an element doomed to fail?
That’s Joe’s conclusion when it comes to the Bucs running the ball. The Bucs are the worst running team in the NFL. Jeff Kerr of CBS Sports demonstrates with additional stats just how sorry the Bucs’ run game is.
No run offense: … The Buccaneers are 32nd in the NFL in rushing (64.4 yards per game), 32nd in yards per carry (3.0), and 31st in rushing touchdowns (two).
Over the last six games, the Buccaneers are averaging 49.8 rushing yards per game — failing to get over 75 yards in any of those games. Leonard Fournette is averaging just 3.5 yards per carry and Rachaad White is at 2.7. There’s no depth at the position and no playmaker that can reverse the fortunes of the ground game.
The Buccaneers run offense is bad. The good news — the run game can’t get worse.
Joe cannot take the easy way out and join the hollering chorus that blames the offensive line for everything from icebergs melting to runaway inflation.
To believe the offensive line is the sole culprit to the bad run game is to believe that 30 other NFL teams have better offensive lines than the Bucs. That’s just straight-up nonsense.
Good coaches craft schemes that allow holes to develop for running backs. The Bucs have Byron Leftwich.
On Sunday, Joe saw a glimmer of light when the Bucs brought in left guard Nick Leverett. All of a sudden the Bucs were able to run Leftwich’s favorite play: A run up the middle.
Running Playoff Lenny behind Luke Goedeke hasn’t worked in weeks. And it seems the only guy who doesn’t get that is the same guy who calls the plays.
On Sunday, White behind Leverett seemed to work. But what did Leftwich do? Yup, put Leverett back on the bench and feed Playoff Lenny up the middle behind Goedeke for a one-yard loss. Again.
The moral of this story is the Bucs should lean on the pass. Maybe even more until they can get a win. The Bucs cannot afford to waste snaps running to nowhere.
October 26th, 2022 at 4:17 am
Why is it nonsense to suggest that 30 other teams have a better O-Line than the bucs? We see the evidence of it every Sunday.
October 26th, 2022 at 4:44 am
Good point Joe!
October 26th, 2022 at 4:55 am
If the Bucs are going to run the ball then they need to commit the personnel group to make it happen. Get an extra lineman on the field whenever its needed.
Ravens and Falcons are two teams that run a lot. Leftwich has to figure out
what they do because same old, same old isn’t working.
October 26th, 2022 at 5:16 am
Someone else said this yesterday but it was on point – the White-Leverett plays were too small of a sample size to draw any meaningful conclusions. Seems to me that personnel is only part of the equation for running effectively. It’s also the look we’re giving before the snap, the timing of play fakes, and the route designs. You know, things a coach should be on top of.
“Stubborn and dumb.”
October 26th, 2022 at 5:24 am
Joe … ‘The moral of this story is the Bucs should lean on the pass. Maybe even more until they can get a win. The Bucs cannot afford to waste snaps running to nowhere.’
If passing all the time is the moral of the story, Bucs better write a new story. And fast. We’re totally predictable & that allows defenses to tee off on Brady. So now we’ve conceded the run, defenses have all too easily taken away the deep ball (and most intermediate routes), and all we’re left with is short garbage. We’ve seen time & time again this season that you can’t consistently sustain drives with just that NOR can you score TDs with just that.
If Todd Bowles & Jason Licht & Bruce Arians are intent on sticking with Byron Leftwich through the end of the season, then we can count this as a lost season right now. Bowles obviously can’t fire him THEN take over the OC position himself. BA almost surely won’t come to the rescue & assume the OC responsibilities. Bringing in someone from outside the organization halfway through the season probably wouldn’t solve a thing. Bucs right now have 30 coaches on their payroll. Fire 1 and we’d still have 29. Of all those though, Harold Goodwin is probably the only one who could step in and actually improve things. And if Bowles goes down that road, he’d be wise to do the same thing to himself. Step down as DC and let Larry Foote have a crack at it. Todd has already shown that he can’t handle BOTH the HC & DC duties. Focus Todd focus.
October 26th, 2022 at 6:19 am
Forget the rum ?
October 26th, 2022 at 6:48 am
If people would do their jobs — meaning the coaches would coach and the players would play — the running game would be just fine.
But isn’t that the reason this is a losing team?
The players don’t care because the coaches are feckless.
No leadership. None. Not even from Brady right now. He just does what he wants and none says crap to him. I’d like to see these WRs go back to the huddle after an overthrow or underthrow and say “WTFH, Tommy! Get your shi! Together!!!”
October 26th, 2022 at 6:54 am
Fire Leftwhich.
October 26th, 2022 at 7:03 am
OK Joe, so you think the O Line isn’t the underlying problem, and uet your glimmer of hope is replacing a starting O Lineman.
Got it.
The best solution is to not waste downs nu running between the tackles. Run to the outside, utilizing more Wirfs and Smith. Have Mason pull. Of course Fournette isn’t really an outside runner (I haven seen enough of White on the outside but it looked encouraging), but I think you will see somewhat better results. It’s not a true solution but it at least tries to minimize a weakness.
October 26th, 2022 at 7:20 am
I realize we are shopping Keyshawn Vaughn…..but it’s ridiculous not to give him any snaps…..
I wouldn’t abandon the run game….but I’d use Kieft in obvious run situations….
In particular, I would play action on 1st downs……the entire league believes we will run and even after a heavy dose of play action….they will still believe we will run…..
Why….because of Byron..
So….”Let’s go Brandon (Byron)
October 26th, 2022 at 7:25 am
We’ve been miserable passing the ball too. Why abandon the run when you’re spotty at best executing and sustaining a passing attack over the length of 4 quarters? We went pass heavy this past Sunday and we didn’t even cross the Panthers’ 40 in the 1st half and Brady had 1 pass play >20 yards the entire game. We don’t look like an offense that’s repped our base looks into the ground run or pass, we haven’t looked sharp running anything and watching it is like throwing a spoon at a dart board.
October 26th, 2022 at 7:28 am
Ok, Joe. If it makes you feel better.
October 26th, 2022 at 7:44 am
I could could not believe radio opened the Carolina game with a run up the middle. I mean really right from the rip up the middle run to know where. It’s comical. He can’t be this clueless can he?
October 26th, 2022 at 7:49 am
Jersey – a lot of people here believe BL did that on purpose, as a big F you to everyone on his back about that garbage play. Which is further evidence that he is unfit to coach.
October 26th, 2022 at 7:56 am
…and if that is true, it also shows that BL indeed notices these things casual fans are saying about him.
October 26th, 2022 at 8:04 am
The one thing people seem to forget is that the Bucs have another great offensive mind on the team already. They could just have Tom Moore call the plays if they demote Leftwich. I like BA myself, but it is clear now that Leftwich wasn’t calling the plays before as much as working with Brady and BA. It was a collective effort and Leftwich just doesn’t have a feel for the games as much as BA thought he did. IF we just demote Lefty and give the play calling to Tom Moore with Christianson in the booth then you can have a good offensive mind running things again.
October 26th, 2022 at 8:13 am
Right. Forgot about Moore I don’t think I’ve seen him on sideline this year.
October 26th, 2022 at 8:25 am
3rd and 1 STUFFED, 4th & 1 STUFFED, by the way that 4th down run was a very slow developing play. If the fans know what the play is we would be naive to believe ALL the DC’s in the NFL doesn’t. So frigging predictable and Lenny is having his career ruined by these stupid plays. The fact the Glaizers aren’t taking action on these coaches blow me away because the D blows to. These players do NOT want these coaches and it shows. Get ready to watch your favorite sitcom Thursday, this game is over at half time.
October 26th, 2022 at 8:29 am
Is it me or does Byron sound like a more older, and believe it or not, more ignorant Jameis Winston?
October 26th, 2022 at 8:35 am
Evans was open by 30 yards and dropped a sure TD. Should we do that more often?? This is a coaching/leadership issue. Nothing is working. Starting to see why Bowels did so well in NY. The players don’t seem to care, so why should the fans?
October 26th, 2022 at 8:43 am
If the Bucs loose this Thursday, Leftwich should be fired and either Clide Chistianson or Arians should inherit that responsibility. The Glazers are not going to wait until after Munich. Are you kidding me, the first game played in Germany, no way they allow a dog on the lawn for the first time.. They will make a decision before the Rams game. Remember we have payback on the Rams and we need a competent offense on the field by then. Watch and listen for the boo birds Thursday if the Bucs start laying an egg.
October 26th, 2022 at 8:43 am
I would say the moral is to craft better running plays than straight up the middle, and to use the personnel who are most successful at doing it.
October 26th, 2022 at 8:48 am
Well, since they can’t stop the run on D, I guess they should line up 8 on DLine every play.
October 26th, 2022 at 9:12 am
Can’t run or pass. Starts with O-line.
October 26th, 2022 at 9:34 am
Get Jerry Judy, probably cost Buc’s a 2nd round pick. Evans and Godwin aren’t enough, the other receivers are either in street clothes on the sidelines or unable to succeed on the field.
October 26th, 2022 at 9:40 am
“IT” is conviction and confidence. We’ve watched opposing teams impose their will on us and we really haven’t found a way to get started on offense or make stops on defense. Coaching is questionable, but the effort amongst the guys actually between the lines with the task of making a difference play to play has been absolutely pathetic. Was even more glaring on defense after we lost Winfield, the entire unit just melted like plastic.
October 26th, 2022 at 9:51 am
See that clown in the thumbnail? Yeah, that has a lot to do with it….”putting players in their best position to lose” is what I see, not what I hear when he tries to sell that.
October 26th, 2022 at 9:57 am
Bowels Motto…
If at first you don’t succeed then try the same failed plan over and over again.
October 26th, 2022 at 10:08 am
You can not pass all the time, you need the run to keep the pass rushers honest.
October 26th, 2022 at 11:08 am
I don’t agree with joe’s argument to promote clyde christiansen up the food chain. Clyde wasted the hof defense the same way brady is being wasted today.
joes facts are intelligent and i have no disagreement with them.
when history repeats itself. you gotta think hard. the glazers went with chucky last time and got a super bowl out of it, even though they lost a super bowl winning coach (in a situation where his weaknesses couldn’t hurt him) that cost us some suffering later.
brutal business. but we do have the right owners and after some patience, they will pay the price to get it right.
October 26th, 2022 at 11:45 am
Here is an idea. How about running out of spread formations, c’mon Radio incorporate some of the new NFL’s concepts. When the last time we ran a draw out of shotgun???
October 26th, 2022 at 12:41 pm
We’re way too predictable, and frankly, we’re not passing all that well either. I disagree that we can throw our way out of this mess. What do you think the other teams’ DCs are thinking?! The exact same thing!
Coaching is fluid. Find what works and punch them in the face over and over until they figure it out then adjust.
October 26th, 2022 at 2:38 pm
the O-Line can’t run block .. And , they can’t pass block !!!!!!
October 26th, 2022 at 4:44 pm
Could it be that Leftwhich was too insecure to label Goedeke a bust so as not to offend Jason Leicht?????? So we lose 4 out of 7 when Leverette is clearly better???????? Wow that’s terrible it’s up to the coaches to put the best players on the field