Defenses Are Not Overly Scared Of Rachaad White
October 18th, 2023
Limited respect from defenses.
Teams that fear a running back often make sure they have plenty of defenders near the line of scrimmage to increase the chances of bringing the guy down before he hurts the defense too badly.
That doesn’t seem to be the overriding concern when Bucs running back Rachaad White is in the game. Over at the official NFL NextGen Stats, they list percentage of times running backs take a handoff and face eight men in the box or more. White doesn’t see such defenses very often.
In fact, less than a fourth of White’s carries have come against eight-men (or more) boxes. It’s 22.86 percent to be exact. That’s a middle of the pack percentage when it comes to starting running backs around the league.
Defenses fear Baker Mayfield more than White. Joe is confident Mike Evans and Chris Godwin also keep defensive coordinators up at night more than White does.
October 18th, 2023 at 9:12 am
Bring back Lenny and pay the man.
Baker would love to have him in the backfield. Lenny blocks, can catch, and is a freight train running down hill. Rachaad is an absolute BUST
October 18th, 2023 at 9:15 am
That only illustrates how bad white is. If there’s hardly eight man fronts, then it should be easier for the RB.
October 18th, 2023 at 9:17 am
Don’t need all those guys in the box when White runs directly at a defender when there’s a hole to run through 3 feet away.
October 18th, 2023 at 9:30 am
The Bucs can’t run the ball and Baker Mayfield can’t complete a pass longer than 12 yards.
Defenses will continue to stack the box until our QB can start connecting on the deeper routes…
I can’t believe this team’s run game is worse than last year’s. At least with Tom Brady at QB defenses had to respect the deep routes. Not so this season.
October 18th, 2023 at 9:36 am
Joe again I ask. With the RB’s and also Mayfield. Is it bad coaching, the players themselves or both?
October 18th, 2023 at 9:37 am
It’s a heck of an offense we got. Pretty much identical to last year. That hurts.
October 18th, 2023 at 9:48 am
A week ago Mayfield was All Pro MVP and now he is just a too short run of the mill guy.
October 18th, 2023 at 9:58 am
Why would they be? He’s a nobody in a nobody running game.
For all the “genius” in Canales offense, they ain’t diddly squat.
I feel bad for the D.
Heck, the D’s don’t even have to stack the box respecting the run game. That makes it even harder to throw downfield or get a play-action bite.
The O is a hot mess. I don’t see a lot of results improvement over Flat Brim’s.
October 18th, 2023 at 10:00 am
probably wrong to pile on Rachaad White, because I really want him to succeed but need to see more
October 18th, 2023 at 10:08 am
The Bucs need, right now, a Mike Alstott type running back!
October 18th, 2023 at 10:18 am
Not having to worry about deep passes nor the run , opposing defenses main objective was to stop the dink and dunk passes that’s why they play a loose eight man box , stop the short passes and you stop the Bucs , that is why we were 3 for twelve on third down tries and why Detroit had the ball almost a full quarter longer than we did. You give a team that much more time with the ball and even the best defenses , ( of which We are one), will have trouble,( even though We did hold Detroit to one of their lowest point totals all year).
October 18th, 2023 at 10:18 am
his use of the english language has gotten much worse since his rookie year
October 18th, 2023 at 10:19 am
Not saying the run blocking is great (it isn’t) but there’s plenty of examples of White (and Vaughn) completely missing holes being opened. They have the vision of Mr Magoo.
This team could use a Derrick Henry type – RB that can see holes or… make his own when the OL falls short. White and Vaughn cannot. They need holes (and apparently a map with flashing lights leading to them) to be successful.
October 18th, 2023 at 10:24 am
Defenses are not scared of our run blocking because they are hitting our running backs before they can even cross the line of scrimmage without needing 8 men in the box!
October 18th, 2023 at 10:26 am
Okay sure Rachaad White sucks. Whose fault is that? Who picks the players?
Licht picks that backs that can’t run behind the offensive linemen that can’t block. Mystery solved.
October 18th, 2023 at 10:31 am
This thread could be better said with a single word- -“Duh!”
October 18th, 2023 at 10:33 am
HC grover Says:
October 18th, 2023 at 9:48 am
A week ago Mayfield was All Pro MVP and now he is just a too short run of the mill guy.
^^^^^^^
You think this, because you’re a dumbfounded dips-hit. Normal people think normally.
October 18th, 2023 at 10:41 am
Doesn’t help White’s case when he spent the entire offseason running his mouth.
Or Vaughn, since he pouted about his place on the depth chart.
Neither one has lived up to their own visions of themselves.
October 18th, 2023 at 10:45 am
Outside of Evans, and Godwin there isn’t much else to worry defenses. Our backfield is a joke, as are our TE’s, and let’s be real, our QB is a journeymen on a prove it deal. Truth be told, I don’t think Evans, and Godwin are that big a concern. Baker hasn’t hit any deep balls, White can’t find a hole, Evans has been dropping passes, Godwin can’t find the endzone. Hence one of the worst offenses in the league. Don’t see that changing much this year with current personal.
October 18th, 2023 at 10:48 am
When they know exactly where the run is going, they don’t have to stack the box.
Maybe try a few more runs OUTSIDE of the tackles?
When you are as predictable as we are, you are easy to defend against.
THATS on coaching!
October 18th, 2023 at 10:57 am
RagingBrisket – it’s not that simple. Hainsey wasn’t supposed to start this year and Mauch is a rookie.
In any case if you look at the publicly available data only 8% of picks on ANY team in ANY round go on to become great players. Only 22% become significant contributors for 2-3 years and the rest become spot-starters, back-ups, or busts.
That’s an average of a 70% miss/bust rate for every GM in the NFL.
If you want to go by position group there’s only 1.6 out of 10 chance Rachaad became any good based on his draft status.
The best chance to draft a RB is the first round with a 58% chance of getting a productive starter for over half their career. The problem is RB’s have the highest bust rate in the first round over the past 30 years.
What no one talks about is that Ali Marpets retirement set the o-line back 3-4 years in my opinion. The Bucs didn’t plan for it at all and were caught off guard. Hainsey was never supposed to start. He’s a depth piece and Jensens injury is the only reason he is there today.
This is why the Bucs should draft a blue chip OG/Center in the first or second round in 24. They have the highest success rate of any position group in football to become quality starters behind. TE is right behind them.
October 18th, 2023 at 11:10 am
Let’s try Sean Tucker for a whole game, not just spot carries in obvious run downs.
October 18th, 2023 at 11:19 am
That’s an average of a 70% miss/bust rate for every GM in the NFL.
*************************************************************
I also like to point out that that is out of the top 2% of all college players as well.
Even the worst player out of the draft (or Mr Irrelevant) is part of the top 2%
October 18th, 2023 at 11:36 am
More damning- Rachaad White faces the most light boxes (6 or less in the box) than anyone in the league. He’s not the guy.
October 18th, 2023 at 11:38 am
No sh!t
October 18th, 2023 at 11:44 am
Why would you stack the box when your front four are already in the backfield harassing the backs?
October 18th, 2023 at 11:48 am
Sometimes it’s not X’s and O’s, it’s the Jimmy’s and Joe’s
Before we start hollering about coaching and play calling. Dudes on the field have to deliver.
Dudes on offense can’t all have bad days, at the same time, lol
October 18th, 2023 at 11:51 am
to think that ko kieft isn’t seriously involved in this anemic rushing attack at this point as a lead blocker – should really be a major concern !!
what, is he in the doghouse or on laundry room duty as well…???
canales vs. kieft = hucksters and shucksters at war
wtf is going on with canales and ko ?
all you stat men up in here —–> can someone please look into and talk about how many snaps ko is getting on offense, on average per game…???…not special teams…just offense snaps…and also this year compared to last year…
this should really be a top of discussion, with him being brought in here primarily as a blocker and a run game that can certainly use a lead blocker more often than not…
and please don’t anyone say “well if ko comes in, the defense knows it’s a run play”…we all know coach wants a running team and a 50/50 ish pass-run offense…so at times it’s no secret we are running the ball – there’s no real reason kieft should be riding the pine this hard, or so invisible out there, or so uninvolved in blocking where it counts…
he made a lot of impact blocks last year
October 18th, 2023 at 12:46 pm
Quote- “In fact, less than a fourth of White’s carries have come against eight-men (or more) boxes. It’s 22.86 percent to be exact. That’s a middle of the pack percentage when it comes to starting running backs around the league.-End Quote
“That’s middle of the pack percentage…”
Then, what’s the point? It’s common.
Well, we’ve had all kinds of obscure “stats rigged to fit a predetermined conclusion,” “game-tapes” of various O-line performance on “pass protection,” but still no tapes of where Rachaad White has ever even once missed a hole the O-line has created on an “up the middle” rushing-play. Not even proof that the O-line has -ever- delivered a hole for one of these wasted “1st n’ up the middle” plays.
All kinds of special posts on singling-out Rachaad White for criticism, but zero proof to back-up the bogus assertion that it’s all the #1 running back’s fault that there is no running game.
This stubborn notion that: -an O-line can’t develop effective rush-blocking capabilities unless they “practice” their way to success in actual, real game conditions- needs to be the issue examined; hello! not-working! End of examination.
And Rachaad White is taking the heat (and the individual rushing-stats), not the dumb-a$$ed “coaching” who are taking this misguided theory waaay too seriously; to the detriment of the team winning games, specifically; and just the gross waste of downs in general).
It’s the O-line/”coaching,” not the RB.
Still waiting for proof otherwise …
October 18th, 2023 at 1:26 pm
Give the jets a 6th rounder for Michael Carter. Better than any rb we have and young.
October 18th, 2023 at 1:33 pm
@Ed are you familiar with the wide zone run scheme? If not I would understand why you don’t think Rachaad has any responsibility in his poor performances.
Most runs in this scheme are designed to give him THREE creases/holes to CHOOSE from. Meaning there is never a run that is supposed to just go up the middle because by design he should have more than one option. Similar to a pass play he will have a primary, secondary and 3rd read which is likely a cut back that is based on the play unfolding in front of him.
With that said, White has demonstrated in this scheme he has poor vision, bad or slow decision making at the LOS, almost no acceleration into the hole or the ability to break tackles/run through contact. I noted that he missed wide open holes between the guard and tackle or cut backs in every game he has played this season.
Don’t misunderstand me either. I’m not saying there is no responsibility on the oline completely because I believe Hainsey might be the worst run blocking center in the league which limits his options at times when plays get busted in the backfield but the issue here is Rachaad always has more than one designed hole to run to. In my view it seems like he has tunnel vision on the 1st hole and just runs into whoever is in front of him regardless. He also falls down as soon as he’s contacted.
Not a starter at this point.
Now I know you want specific examples of down distance and time stamp. I can’t do that right now. But it has happened every week so in the case he starts against Atlanta I’ll jot them down with you in mind.
I
October 18th, 2023 at 2:34 pm
Canales better learn on the job FASTER.
October 18th, 2023 at 3:00 pm
I like him, but being a patient runner is one thing, getting the ball and stopping and looking around every damn time is another. The interior of the line all need to be replaced and he might just lose his job to Tucker before the year is out.
October 18th, 2023 at 3:43 pm
There isn’t a running back on this roster that is a superstar. With the interior Oline in the shape that it is in Tampa should have tried to find a playmaker at RB otherwise they should have tried to upgrade the interior Oline. Pass protection they are above average but they I don’t believe they are good enough to clear the way for White and White isn’t good enough to make something happen behind our interior Oline.
October 18th, 2023 at 6:02 pm
“ABucsFan” that actually, partially makes my point: Rachaad is a finesse RB who I believe is mistakenly criticized for “floating” around looking for a hole, but missing it because of these movements.
1) I haven’t seen these “hole-opportunities,” that’s my point
In actually watching the games, these creases to either side would be apparent by the traditional networks’ camera-coverage. I haven’t seen them.
2) When Rachaad White “floats” it’s for the purpose of hesitating in waiting for the line to open-up; it’s same as a “cut-back” running back (e.g. O.J. Simpson), only the “float” is just a matter of “style;” call him a “float back.” Same thing.
I don’t understand why this move is criticized as “being confused” and missing holes. There are no holes, straight ahead nor to each side; in my watching-experience.
3) I Believe that Rachaad and Vaughn are ordered to run up the middle regardless of the futility in the attempt; and not to even break outside and take a chance with DEs; they’re (the coaching-game plan) is to “practice” up the middle in actual games until the O-line develops a rote-driven method of success.
It’s not working and it’s costing the offense with an “auto-liability” on each set of downs. It ruins momentum.
October 18th, 2023 at 7:10 pm
I am because that dude is scary to watch
October 18th, 2023 at 7:52 pm
False Narrative, the do not fear Baker. You think philly or the lions feared baker he had like 80 yards through 3 Q’s in both games. sure your not seeing 8 in the box when your down by 20 points and your not attenpting to run the ball either. Check out thos stats in the 1st 2 Q’s then you’ll get a accurate picture.
October 19th, 2023 at 2:17 am
Wow, That is a surprising stat Joe. We still can’t block a normal front?
Or is White just not seeing the holes? We have bigger problems than I thought if it’s both. Which is what i suspect from Bowles statements.
Go Bucs!
October 19th, 2023 at 11:25 am
Look at that same nextgen page and see the RYOE/ATT field. Shows even though our OL is bad, our RB1 is worse.