Lacking Run Game Sure Seemed Like It Sank Tom Brady And The Bucs
June 23rd, 2023
A little research shows it’s fair to say the worst rushing attack in the NFL last year did the Bucs in.
Yes, the Bucs got to the playoffs thanks to a lousy division. And recent history reveals that if you cannot run the ball, you are screwed unless you have a superior quarterback.
Joe has seen a six-year pattern: Teams with a garbage rushing attack but a top-shelf quarterback were OK. Teams that had a garbage run game and no quarterback were, well, horrid.
Here are the records of teams with the NFL’s worst running games in the corresponding seasons.
2022: Bucs 8-9
2021: Texans 4-13
2020: Steelers 12-4
2019: Dolphins 5-11
2018: Cardinals 3-13
2017: Lions 9-7
As you can see, the Bucs and Steelers had Hall of Fame quarterbacks to save their bacon. The Lions had Matt Stafford. Joe isn’t sure he’s a Hall of Famer but he has had excellent seasons.
Yes, Brady ranked third in the league in passing last year. That saved the Bucs.
Brady sure did cover up a lot of warts on offense.
June 23rd, 2023 at 9:02 am
that truth is self-evident
June 23rd, 2023 at 9:11 am
Some decent rbs left that could come cheap. Just saw James Robinson was cut by Pats. He is banged up but could be signed cheap and given time to heal. Hunt, Zeke, Hilliard are others still out there. Chase edmunds isnt great.
June 23rd, 2023 at 9:30 am
Bowles stated plan in his interview with Tony Dungy that was shown the night of the Dallas game was to take the air out of the ball, and give the defense more time to rest. Well day 2 of training camp when Ryan Jensen blew out his knee, it was a harbinger of things to come. This was after Allie retired and Cappa went to greener pastures in Cincy. So Todds plan ended up being executed by a Rookie LG and and a 2nd Year, first time starter at Center and a new RG, along with a hobbled Wirfs and D Smith. That was a recipe for disaster, and that is what the last ranked running game in the NFL is. Brady still ended up winging it a ton, but with a bad line and no running game. If you get beat on the line of scrimmage, you will never win most of your games, and the 8-10 record is exhibit A, I say 8-10 including the playoff game. That includes Brady pulling 4 games out of his azz to win a losing total of 8 games. Hopefully the line plays better, because if they do not, the Bucs will not be competitive week in and week out. No matter who the QB is, solid play from the line and a Running game are keys to a QB’s success. Even “Slingin Sammy Baugh ” T Brady came out with a losing record last year. I believe the O line will play much better with the New Offensive Coordinator Canales, and being more experienced and healthier. But time will tell.
June 23rd, 2023 at 9:30 am
The continued attempts to redeem Brady’s 22 season continue……the question is, why is that necessary. We all know the following:
Brady is the GOAT
Brady won us a SB
Brady almost got us there in 2021
Brady was hampered by many negative factors in 2022
Brady was not in top form physically or mentally in 2022 and performed at a mediocre level
If you can’t agree with those, you are in the minority.
June 23rd, 2023 at 9:34 am
Lacking anything resembling a competent OC was difficult to overcome for offense and defense. Hoping Canales can right that side of the ball
June 23rd, 2023 at 9:36 am
Brady was hampered by many negative factors in 2022
Brady was not in top form physically or mentally in 2022 and performed at a mediocre level
And having to come to practice every day and function with what I described to what I described only exacerbated the problem.
Tom Brady for the most part looked nothing like Tom has every other year of his Career. No Running game and a bad line play turned Tom into a very mortal looking QB. At 45 in the NFL with bad line play, not good. And week after week the offense just looked bad. Just no fun to watch.
June 23rd, 2023 at 9:37 am
Well that’s a by project of a bad gm giving him the worst line in the nfl
June 23rd, 2023 at 9:42 am
“Yes, Brady ranked third in the league in passing last year. That saved the Bucs.”
No it didn’t Joe Brady
Before Munich Tom Brady threw 10 TDs to 1 INT in 9 games
After Munich Tom Brady threw 15 TDs to 7 INTs in 8 games.
3 of those final 8 games being multiple INT games we went 1-2 against San Fran, Cincy(2 fumbles as well), & needed to take Arizona to OT after only allowing them to score 16 points, but Brady having a bunch of yards is “saving” us.
You know what the difference is between a foot race or marathon and football? Covering ground will win you a foot race or a spot on the podium at a 5K, but covering ground in football doesn’t tickle the scoreboard and you need points to win.
All of last season our offense only scored > 21 point on 5 occasions(smh) and we went 2-3 in those 5 games.
June 23rd, 2023 at 9:44 am
Pretty solid summation, Tampabaybucfan. And I’m a Brady fan.
June 23rd, 2023 at 9:49 am
@Tbbf
If you said that about anybody else involved with this team last season, we’d hear in return that those are all excuses and you know what, that’s exactly what they are is excuses.
June 23rd, 2023 at 10:14 am
Nah, Tom sank Tom along with the Leftnut.
DUDE should have stayed RETIRED and he knew it shortly after he UNRETIRED but was too prideful to admit it.
That is all there is to it.
I will say this though, even the sorriest version of Tom was WAY BETTER than any Bucs QB that we have ever seen. BUT that is not say a lot!!!
Can’t wait to never see another Brady article!!!
June 23rd, 2023 at 10:18 am
On top of no running game, Brady was playing scared.
In some games, it got so bad that our receivers were not even finishing their routes, knowing Brady would just throw the ball away.
June 23rd, 2023 at 10:18 am
@Tampabaubucsfans. It’s necessary because he’s 45! That’s why he needs the help. How long have you been watching football?
June 23rd, 2023 at 10:21 am
@August 1976. People won’t accept the truth. They’re called “excuses.”
June 23rd, 2023 at 10:28 am
Oh, I think we’ll be quite a bit better running the ball this year. Just better play calling will get us off the cellar floor. I don’t see us rivaling the Titans rub game, but I’d bet we rise above #20.
June 23rd, 2023 at 11:05 am
Tom Brady was derailed by Tom Brady. When father time comes for you it’s over. Red zone awful. Third down stats awful. Mobility awful. When you’re washed you are washed. Brady had a great career but he retired a year too late. That’s just a fact.
June 23rd, 2023 at 11:12 am
So how would have Brady done behind the Eagles line with smith and brown last year?
We had the worst line in football people
June 23rd, 2023 at 11:16 am
@Tampabaybucfan
Finally, somebody says like it is. Agree 100% with you Tampabaybucfan …
June 23rd, 2023 at 11:33 am
Watch the Dallas game again. No one will say, if only the Bucs could run the ball that they would win that game.
June 23rd, 2023 at 11:38 am
Bowles game plans, play calls, ongoing blunderouss real time decisions, clock management, and more. Up the gut with all of it. Get him out.
June 23rd, 2023 at 12:26 pm
1. Horrible line
2. GM went invisible
3. BA force fed a complete incompetent coaching staff down the Bucs throat.
4. Glory hound undiscipline overrated LB.
5. Aging QB in the middle of a family crisis.
6. Game plans that neutered the receiving core.
7. Dropped balls.
8. Piss poor running game
9. Secondary made out of glass
10. A D that quits in the 4th quarter.
11. NO BALLS from the HC down.
Add them all up and get on your knees and thank Brady for a 8-9 season.
June 23rd, 2023 at 12:47 pm
N e fan tapping into the source
U can’t over state having the worst line in football
June 23rd, 2023 at 12:58 pm
Could it be that The Bucs had a 45 year old QB or nah? Oldest in history?
June 23rd, 2023 at 1:11 pm
1. Horrible line – Graded out 9th best of all OL units in spite of the attrition at every position
2. GM went invisible – GMs can’t score points or make tackles, also what OL starters are walking the street in late July or at all in August
3. BA force fed a complete incompetent coaching staff down the Bucs throat – It was the coaching staff that one the Glazers a 2nd SB title lol stupid comment
4. Glory hound undiscipline overrated LB. – That LB was on a defense that probably felt like it was reliving 2019
5. Aging QB in the middle of a family crisis – Go to any employer and ask them how much leeway an employee gets for bringing his at home problems to work with him?
6. Game plans that neutered the receiving core w/QB play to help, Brady looked like Cap Rooney from “Any Given Sunday” right before Willie Beaman took his job
7. Dropped balls – I can give you 10 instances where he totally missed Mike Evans and 6 INTS where they were sh*t throws in Evans direction
8. Piss poor running game – Didn’t stop of the 2 years prior when it was a minimalist approach
9. Secondary made out of glass – BS take lol I’m convinced causals can’t even call out the coverage on a given rep let alone judge the ability of certain players in a given coverage and how they should react.
10. A D that quits in the 4th quarter – A D that was run down from carrying the weight of their responsibilities & our offense, while the O couldn’t get out of it’s own was for 2-3 quarters. 8.2 ppg in the first half and some of you guys “we have no pass rush” bro we hardly ever held and sustained a lead to ever force any team/QBs hand.
11. NO BALLS from the HC down – This statement would include the QB
This was fun, foolishness, but still fun
June 23rd, 2023 at 1:19 pm
I don’t blame the running backs, the OLine was in shambles, the TEs couldn’t block to save their lives, coaching staff was incompetent with an OC that was incapable of game planning. Brady probably had enough of this garbage.
The biggest mistake going forward is allowing the HC to continue to be in control this season no matter who the QB is. The guy either makes bad decisions or just ignores issues and does not correct them. Perfect example is allowing Leftwurst to control the offense all of last season when everyone saw that he was failing miserably. Bowles did nothing….
I have seen enough.
June 23rd, 2023 at 1:29 pm
Ya know, the defence was playing lights out till Brady threw that int on the back of the end zone. At that point the wind came out of everybody’s sails.
June 23rd, 2023 at 1:35 pm
“Perfect example is allowing Leftwurst to control the offense all of last season when everyone saw that he was failing miserably”
So fire the OC midseason and hire whom? someone that served under him? What would that change? Hire an OC that’s unemployed? why is he unemployed and what can he change? Imagine having a HOF QB and a former pro QB as your starting QB & OC as a tandem and not being able score > 20 points a game on offense midway through the season, what would you do that’s plausible enough to be a realistic option?
June 23rd, 2023 at 1:54 pm
TBBF FOR THE WIN!!!! BINGO!!! EXACTLY!!!
Last season was a nightmare for the Bucs. There is NO SINGLE REASON FOR THE FAILURE.
It was a perfect storm…one of the clouds in that storm was a GOAT QB
June 23rd, 2023 at 2:37 pm
We had the worst running game in the history of the nfl
Beady had the least amount of time to pass.
June 23rd, 2023 at 2:53 pm
Was saying that he had the least amount of time to pass. This a measured stat they keep.
Its a team game. The GM’s drafting failed this team.
June 23rd, 2023 at 2:55 pm
There were several factors that determined the Bucs lackluster season:
– Sponge Bob offensive coordinator
– Poor job replacing lost talent
June 23rd, 2023 at 2:58 pm
There were several factors that determined the Bucs lackluster season:
– Sponge Bob offensive coordinator
– Poor job replacing lost talent
– Suh
– JPP
– Gronk
– AB
– Marpet
– Jenson
– Cappa
– Whitehead
– Below mediocre running backs
– Below mediocre line
– Below mediocre pass rush
June 23rd, 2023 at 3:12 pm
You left out missing on high draft pics such as ,Luke Goedeke, Robert Hainsey, JTS (our best pass rusher) Logan Hall,Kyle Trask Jaleon Darden, KJ Brit
June 23rd, 2023 at 3:32 pm
At some point in time Joe will need to accept that Tom Brady is not here anymore. We all know his lasting impact on the organization but way too many articles on a man that isn’t on this football team anymore.
June 23rd, 2023 at 5:04 pm
Remarkable what happens when you lose a HOF-level head coach.
June 23rd, 2023 at 5:24 pm
Vacation day Joe?
MCJ and 3 articles?
Must be a weekday record low you slacker!
😀
June 23rd, 2023 at 5:28 pm
You know who is working hard today DoooshLaRue? Chris Meyers…
Chris Meyers, a tireless force,
Endlessly working, staying on course.
With unwavering spirit, he conquers each task,
Dedication and diligence, his steadfast mask.
June 23rd, 2023 at 6:49 pm
Last year the running game didn’t matter. Because it couldn’t keep up with a secondary that had more holes in it than a big batch of Swiss cheese. Holy moly.
June 23rd, 2023 at 11:18 pm
The “Brady” era is over …and the “ALL IN” year did not work! ….can we please move on! ….now that we see “All In” does not work let’s just get back to building thru the draft!
June 24th, 2023 at 12:58 am
Spot on Joe’s
To add to that Bowles tinkering with the offense, Leftnut calling the same play on 1st and 10 every single time, No Red Pen from BA, Leonard Fournette dancing around slowly in the backfield doing his Barry Sanders impression, left tackle on said play standing there like a tree and leaning on defenders instead of blocking them, left guard on said play…well you know, Brady throwing passes at the line of scrimmage to make up for no run game and no protection.
June 24th, 2023 at 6:41 pm
Who cares how bad he played last year the man was 45 years old. This is the same guy who went behind the bucs back to snig with the Dolphins and the only reason why he didn’t play for them is because the Glazers were only thinking about money. A franchise like the Steelers or Green Bay would have traded Brady just because he went behind the bucs back. The only reason why he played for the bucs last year was because he didn’t have chosie. And that to me showed me everything how weak this franchise is the front office and Owner ship . And now I’m seeing the same thing with the fan base. Most of yall on this site including one of the Joes have no pride for the team. That’s why the national meadi don’t respect the bucs and why should they. And this is the main reason why our team has been losing. And don’t give me that we won 2 super bowls because the guy who built the team for the first one the fan base on this site including one of the Joes don’t do nothing but talk bad about him . And for the second super bowl the only guy that gets credit for that one is a guy who was developed by another team and he played for them 20 years. And this is the same guy who showed us he didn’t want to play for us last year with his antics and most of yall on here still making excuses for him and calling everyone else a hater if you tell the truth about Brady last year and that’s what you call a weak franchise and fan base. Y’all need to have more pride for the team y’all talk about me because I have more pride for the team and I don’t kiss Brady behind like most of you do .
June 24th, 2023 at 9:31 pm
Oh-kneelz……Da Word Smiff,
WTH does snig mean?
I feel like I should be being offended……