Tom Brady Talks Run Game Deficiencies
October 3rd, 2022
Lombardi Lenny
The Buccaneers have had a poor running game, if you listen to the words of Tom Brady today.
Brady was asked what the deal is with the Bucs’ absent rushing attack during his Let’s Go! show on SiriusXM Mad Dog Radio.
Brady didn’t hesitate. The Bucs absolutely need to run the ball and have a balanced offense, Brady lectured, and it’s been bad for three consecutive games.
“It’s too difficult to become one-dimensional over the course of a season and we have not done a good job in the run game this year,” Brady began. “We started off pretty good against Dallas, who’s actually a really good defense and ran the ball very well. And against the Saints it wasn’t very good. Against the Packers it wasn’t very good, and yesterday.
“And I think a lot of it comes down to playing from behind where you become one-dimensional and you throw the ball so much. But, at the same time we need to be productive when we do run it. So getting ourselves in the right run play. You know, gettin’ our guys the right angles and the right opportunities to, you know, have some confidence that we can make yards when we hand the ball off.
“I think being efficient is one thing, being explosive is another thing. You can see when you play from a lead like the Chiefs did yesterday, and they have everything at their disposal, you know, you have the opportunity to run the ball a lot more. And we’ve got to be able to play with a lead. We’ve got to stop turning the ball over. We gotta get ahead. We gotta make third downs. We gotta score points. And when you get ahead, it allows you to [run and pass]. And if you do both well, you become very tough to stop on offense.”
Brady went on to say a team can get away with being pass, pass, pass for a couple of games, but eventually balance is necessary to win a Super Bowl.
Joe’s study of the Bucs’ run game yesterday reveals rookie tight end Cade Otton getting blown up a couple of times and Leonard “Lombardi Lenny” Fournette looking like he needed a pregame hype speech.
Lately, Fournette seems a lot more comfortable with the ball in his hands out of the backfield versus a handoff.
October 3rd, 2022 at 6:27 pm
Gronk.
October 3rd, 2022 at 6:28 pm
Well at least the O-Line was consistent: they were poor at pass protection and poor at creating holes for the running game.
October 3rd, 2022 at 6:37 pm
They really weren’t bad at pass protection—1 sack, (albeit a brutal one) and 5 hits. The sack was a corner blitz, and a back would needed to have picked that up
October 3rd, 2022 at 6:42 pm
They were terrible at pass protection, Beej. Don’t just look at the stat, watch the game tape. Brady was in the shot gun and dropping back for short passes, that’s insane. It’s forcing more yards in the air which helps the DBs, and it’s keeping the Buc WRs from running longer routes or late developing routes. It’s just terrible football.
October 3rd, 2022 at 6:48 pm
I think our pass protection is suspect……because Brady is in the shotgun and gets rid of the ball very quickly…..sometimes too quickly…..he doesn’t like to get hit and he won’t take the chance……
Our run blocking is horrible….How can we constantly get stuffed for minus yards.
Part of it is playcalling…..all those failed run plays were on 1st downs.
October 3rd, 2022 at 6:49 pm
Maybe the Bucs should use the Long Snapper at Center, snapping the ball 8 yards to Brady, who can then drop back three more steps. I’m sure he’ll rarely get sacked. That way Bowles can proclaim that the Bucs have great pass protection.
October 3rd, 2022 at 6:51 pm
We also need to punt better
October 3rd, 2022 at 6:55 pm
Joe could sit here and write articles all day long about how bad we are in so many different aspects of our game. Actually, Joe could not do that.–Joe It’s sad that this what our team had become. It’s a total dumpster fire on all fronts.
Everyone from the front office, to head coach, and BL are to blame.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Bowles wasn’t the head coach after next season. BL better dust off the resume too.
I know it keep saying this, but it really didn’t have to be this way.
I feel like we bought into a pump and dump stock and now it’s crashing on us cuz it was a total scam.
October 3rd, 2022 at 7:01 pm
Lethargic Lenny needs less touches. White needs more. The kid has way more juice; and more reps will help him gain confidence, while Lenny stays fresh.
October 3rd, 2022 at 7:53 pm
PassingThru is right. The game was out of hand, and the Chiefs were allowing the short stuff. Until the bucs prove they can run the ball, teams will continue to play shell coverage against them. Dallas was fools gold.
October 3rd, 2022 at 7:56 pm
Were players thinking about the hurricane? It’s tough when your mind is not on the field
October 3rd, 2022 at 7:57 pm
‘Brady went on to say a team can get away with being pass, pass, pass for a couple of games, but eventually balance is necessary to win a Super Bowl.’
Joe, you need to get The GOAT to read you previous column titled ‘It’s Time For Todd Bowles To Embrace No-Risk-It-No-Biscuit’. How dare Tom use a word like BALANCE. Yup, you need to edumicate him.
October 3rd, 2022 at 7:58 pm
The oline can’t run block.
Team has holes everywhere but Licht is some great GM…lolololol
Licht is garbage
October 3rd, 2022 at 8:12 pm
Ko Kieft.
October 3rd, 2022 at 8:19 pm
Big difference between the 2 teams yeasterday. K.C. was gashing is and setting up 2nd and 3s. Bucs on the other hand were running for backwards yards in that 1st quarter. We were stting up our kickers.
We better figure out a run offense. Brady knows what hes talking about you cant be one dimensional over a entire season. A great offense is one that can beat you in many ways. Bucs aint there yet.
October 3rd, 2022 at 8:25 pm
The intensity it is lacking in weeks 2, 3, and 4 on offense.
The defense had it in weeks 1 &2.
Last night we got smoked because KC wanted it more. Bottom line period!
That was a revenge game for them. It was 2yrs late but revenge no less.
Bucs should rebound this week. Should…
Bucs better!
October 3rd, 2022 at 8:26 pm
Impose your will on the man across from you!
Name of game for years!
October 3rd, 2022 at 8:47 pm
Lenny is hurt. Plain and simple. He just isn’t complaining about it or making excuses.
October 3rd, 2022 at 8:48 pm
HD Buc, you are so right! All of KC’s players were running through us with passion and desire. Devon White started on fire but by mid second quarter he was in the right place to make plays but was going backwards on contact. KC just clearly wanted this one bad. Bucs? I don’t know where their heads/hearts were. I hope the intensity issue gets resolved in short order. Can Bowles do it?
October 3rd, 2022 at 8:51 pm
Byedon Leftbi*ch … ‘I wouldn’t be surprised if Bowles wasn’t the head coach after next season.’
IMO, you couldn’t be more wrong Byedon. Who was the last coach that the Glazers got rid of after ONE year? Bingo … never have.
Todd Bowles is having to walk a tightrope this year IMO because he’s got 2 parallel goals. For one, this is almost certainly Tom Brady’s last year and the expectations are sky high obviously. We’re a very talented team in terms of starters, but quite a few of them are old and/or injured. Hard to win a Super Bowl with a bunch of players riding the pine.
For another, Bowles is tasked with building the FUTURE Bucs team. Lots of our starters are on the last year of their contracts and are here for 1 reason: win a Super Bowl. Many won’t be here next year. I’m sure that Todd is keeping a close eye on what the 2023 Bucs team (and beyond) will look like and what it’s ‘identity’ will be. The fact that he got promoted to HC tells me that we’ll transition back to being a defensive-minded team. Hey, that’s our history.
Only time will tell where all this leads though. My gut feel is that it probably won’t be as good as we’ve come to expect these past 3 years, nor as dreadful as many fear it will be.
October 3rd, 2022 at 9:14 pm
Before the season, many here rightly believed a 2-2 record would be ok. Well, we are 2-2. No question this team can and should be playing better. Our WR corps is hobbled. Evans is our lone healthy receiver. Definitely missing Gronk. OL playing hurt, a rookie LG, and a new center and RG. And, hard to argue Bowles is as good as our retired former Hall of Fame HC. Nevertheless, we can and should be 6-2 by the end of the month and on pace for 13-4 or 12-5. Oh, and the NFC South is the worst it has been in years. Basically, too soon to hit the panic button.
October 3rd, 2022 at 9:32 pm
Look at Brady’s comments and read between the lines.
The OL and backs are not producing, period. This should be no surprise, but apparently it is. All that hot air about how great this OL is with run blocking. It disappeared after wk 1 and hasn’t been back. The pass pro has been average to poor. Brady had very little time in the pocket, just look at the film.
There is a clear problem with talent with these running backs. I’ve said all along that Lethargic Lenny (thanks Smashsquatch) is not an explosive back. Never has been, will never be. Give him great blocking and open space, give him several yards to tiptoe and get a head of steam, and he goes, but better backs would be gone with much less.
Rachaad talks a lot, and gets the kind of hype Lenny got coming out of college. I still say he was a bad pick for this offense. A long strider who isn’t explosive or quick or sudden. Ke Vaughn is okay, but not a feature back.
If you have neither great blocking nor great running backs, how can you have a smashmouth running attack that dominates games? You don’t. You have TB12 alone as usual, asking for help.
October 3rd, 2022 at 10:23 pm
penalties that were preventable:
1) punter kicking it oob
2) Nassib horse tackle
3) Goedoeke holding
stupid and wasteful
October 3rd, 2022 at 10:54 pm
PassingThru
If you want to see much worse offensive line play than ours rewatch the Minnesota v New Orleans game.
New Orleans defensive line really beat the crap out of the Minnesota offensive line. It was ugly.
October 3rd, 2022 at 10:56 pm
Cam Brate is in concussion protocol. Bucs need to play Cade Otton and Ko Kieft who had a superb catch last night. Now is the time to refine these two weopons
October 3rd, 2022 at 10:57 pm
3 sacks, 3 other TFL, and 8 QB hits by that New Orleans defense.
October 3rd, 2022 at 11:59 pm
Byedon Leftbi*ch Says:
October 3rd, 2022 at 6:55 pm
Joe could sit here and write articles all day long about how bad we are in so many different aspects of our game. Actually, Joe could not do that.–Joe It’s sad that this what our team had become. It’s a total dumpster fire on all fronts.
Everyone from the front office, to head coach, and BL are to blame.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Bowles wasn’t the head coach after next season. BL better dust off the resume too.
I know it keep saying this, but it really didn’t have to be this way.
I feel like we bought into a pump and dump stock and now it’s crashing on us cuz it was a total scam.
^^^^^^^^
Uh, the Bucs have played 4 games. The season isn’t over, although you’ve already quit on “your team”, from your “THE SKY IS FALLING!!!!” post.
October 4th, 2022 at 12:18 am
Not too late for Licht to get his head out of his behind and sign up a couple of proper offensive lineman.
October 4th, 2022 at 12:22 am
Brady has been great his whole career with a QB sneak. In one of the 1st two games he had 4th and extremely short and handed off instead. My guess is he doesn’t have confidence in Hainsey and Godecke getting a push.
October 4th, 2022 at 10:39 am
It all starts with the O-line and TE to create blocking and holes for the RB. If neither can do it, Lenny will just basically hit a wall.
October 4th, 2022 at 10:45 am
Lately… Fournette has been bad far often than good as a RB with the Bucs. He plays too top heavy and doesn’t break tackles but instead launches himself into tackles and stops his feet from moving. He isn’t agile or quick and lacks the ability to cutback or stop start like a good RB can. As a runner, he is severely limited. He’s fine as a reliable pass catcher but offers very little other than what the defense gives him on a reception. I’ve never understood the Buc fans hype of Fournette but then again, these are the same fans that wanted Richard Sherman, Julio Jones, Beasley, and others desperately. Seems if a washed up named player is available, our stupid fan base wants him.
October 4th, 2022 at 11:48 am
Tom was very specific when he discussed the issues with the run game. He mentioned “taking the right angles.” Wirfs said last year when the team was struggling with the run game Brady held extra meetings with the OL to get it corrected. It actually helped and we did improve. We really miss Gronk, and it’s obvious in the run game. Gronk wouldn’t get pushed back like Otton and Brate. Is Rudolph really that bad??
October 5th, 2022 at 4:59 am
Give Deven Thompkins a chance to add a spark to our offense