Rachaad White Is Catching On
November 8th, 2023
More targets coming?
Joe already wrote that Bucs misplaced slot receiver Rachaad White is on a hot streak.
White has caught his last 20 straight targets in the passing game. It’s the longest active streak in the NFL. Speaking about White today, Bucs coach Todd Bowles mentioned that White’s run of catching the ball is a classic case of taking what the defense gives you.
Defenses have “doubled Mike [Evans] and Chris [Godwin] down the field,” Bowles began. “So [White is] open with about 10 or 15 yards of real estate to run before anyone gets close to him. So we started taking advantage of that a little bit more.”
And Bowles added when defenses start worrying about White underneath, then Evans and Godwin should see more targets because of fewer double-teams.
“When they start taking [White] away, we’ll start going down the field a little bit more,” Bowles said. “It kind of works hand-in-hand.
“But [White] is very good in the open field.”
Joe will also repeat what he typed earlier today:
If you are a defensive coordinator and are gameplanning for the Bucs passing attack, who keeps you up at night more, looking for a way to defend White or shutting down Deven Thompkins?
For Joe the answer is pretty obvious. White is a weapon in the passing game.
November 8th, 2023 at 2:15 pm
What hot streak? Four losses in a row? Individual performance means nothing. You either win the game or you lose. These guys are losers.
November 8th, 2023 at 2:24 pm
Time to bring JPP Back and SUH!!! both available… no motivation or desire what so ever from this Defense.. we need some wake up calls!!!
November 8th, 2023 at 2:25 pm
“Defenses have “doubled Mike [Evans] and Chris [Godwin] down the field,” Bowles began. “So [White is] open with about 10 or 15 yards of real estate to run before anyone gets close to him. So we started taking advantage of that a little bit more. When they start taking [White] away, we’ll start going down the field a little bit more,” Bowles said. “It kind of works hand-in-hand.”
That’s exactly what I said earlier today, I’m glad our coaching staff is finally catching on! Hopefully we can use Rachaad White like the greatest show on turf used Marshall Faulk. The difference between White and Tompkins is that every time Tompkins lines up Defenses know he’s going to run a passing route, but with White you don’t know if he’s going to run, pass block, or catch. That’s what gives Rachaad White the advantage and makes him much more difficult to defend than one dimensional players like Ke’Shawn Vaughn or any wide receiver.
November 8th, 2023 at 2:31 pm
The offense looks good when they get Cade Otton and White involved at the passing game….
But the depth at those positions is absolutely pathetic. Ko Kieft and Keyshaun Vaughn??? Yuck.
November 8th, 2023 at 2:45 pm
The Rachaad White hype, is gaining momentum.
He’s a game changer. He can catch a football.
November 8th, 2023 at 2:57 pm
“If you are a defensive coordinator and are gameplanning for the Bucs passing attack”
We rank 15th of 32 teams in passing yards per game, I doubt we scare anyone.
November 8th, 2023 at 3:02 pm
devin thompkins needs to refocus on ball security…
i’ve noticed in recent games after he coughed one up a few weeks back, he has had a few that looked like potential fumbles or fumble situations…
he needs to focus on ball security because he often looks like he’s about to fumble in these recent games
November 8th, 2023 at 3:13 pm
If this is true why has it taken this long just to kinda get it going. This should be a halftime adjustment or at the very least, after the bye week. Goes back to these coaches are not the solution and should just end this ASAP. We’ll see this weekend. If the guys have given up on the coaches, it’ll be a good ole curb stomping. Plus it’s another rookie QB so I would guess he goes for over 400 yards and 3 TDs. If I did fantasy football my QB this week would be the Titans rookie QB.
November 8th, 2023 at 3:19 pm
Why was White drafted? Pass catching shills better than his running in college? Are we certain with our scouting folks….Drafting RBS WHO CAN’T. RUN AND COVER BACKS WHO CAN T COVER.
.
November 8th, 2023 at 3:28 pm
I like White on the check down. Otton also improving over the middle. If they can figure a way to scheme this for CG, the offense will improve.
November 8th, 2023 at 3:36 pm
Again, White got big holes in the first half because a TE (Otton) tossed in with the line to help pull a hole open.
For some reason that stopped after halftime and the run game sputtered to a stop.
I would love to see Kieft as close to a fullback and bull holes open for not just White but Sneak and Edmond too. That would open play action passing a lot more too.
November 8th, 2023 at 3:47 pm
Continuity. I don’t see it.
November 8th, 2023 at 3:50 pm
Oviedo Jim Says:
November 8th, 2023 at 3:19 pm
“Why was White drafted? Pass catching shills better than his running in college? Are we certain with our scouting folks….Drafting RBS WHO CAN’T. RUN AND COVER BACKS WHO CAN T COVER.”
Bigger question is why wasn’t he drafted as a WR?
He’s a good player at the wrong position.
November 8th, 2023 at 3:52 pm
Adam, Thompkins is another guy who needs to be benched. He’s another side ways returner going nowhere, and yes, now ball security is a problem. I’d bet he fumbles a return before he ever scores on one. They should give the bigger Jarret a shot. Canales said he’s really good with the ball in his hands. Since he can’t crack the line up at receiver, get him some touches returning kicks.
November 8th, 2023 at 4:02 pm
From my perspective, the poor running game is caused by several things. The interior OL has had a lot of gaffes, as has Otten and the TEs. They’re all taking a lot longer than expected to understand zone blocking. I still think Canales is doing ok, but he often looks like a rookie playcaller. White has not been good at making people miss behind the line, but he’s a super reliable checkdown option. All of these problems seem to be improving slowly.
The most worrying issue to me is that Bowles may be meddling with the playcalling. There’s no evidence that he’s doing this, but every single offensive coordinator he’s ever had has been low scoring and conservative.
November 8th, 2023 at 4:22 pm
Upstate NY BUC Says:
November 8th, 2023 at 2:24 pm
Time to bring JPP Back and SUH!!! both available… no motivation or desire what so ever from this Defense.. we need some wake up calls!!!
***
Yeah, and Joe Namath’s available, too.
November 8th, 2023 at 4:37 pm
Probably not Suh but JPP can absolutely still make a difference in the Bucs locker room on a defense that lacks a vocal leader from both the players and coaches.
November 8th, 2023 at 4:38 pm
Davis and Dean Not practicing. Davis is still in the burn unit from being burnt all day last Sunday. Still hasn’t recovered yet lol
November 8th, 2023 at 4:39 pm
Suh started in the Super Bowl last year. Making a comment like above just proves how little you know.
November 8th, 2023 at 4:40 pm
But with Jason Lichts recent inactivity in free agency (except for Ryan Neal!), I wouldn’t expect him to do anything.
November 8th, 2023 at 4:41 pm
Why do the Bucs need more defensive tackles? They don’t, Suh is not needed.
November 8th, 2023 at 4:44 pm
Vita Vea and Suh played next to each other when Bucs won the Super Bowl and shut down KC.
November 8th, 2023 at 4:45 pm
wheres our confidence poll Joe????
November 8th, 2023 at 4:46 pm
We’re waiting Joe…………………….
November 8th, 2023 at 5:09 pm
not a fan
November 8th, 2023 at 5:15 pm
It’s amazing to me that it only takes this coaching staff 4 – 6 weeks longer to see things that us fans can recognize from our couches.
November 8th, 2023 at 5:45 pm
If you think White & Otten are the saviors of this team, you are sadly mistaken. Neither one carry this team, except to the bottom. Looking forward to the draft. Hopefully the coach & general manager will be unemployed & looking for their next job. Hope is not a winning strategy..
November 8th, 2023 at 6:01 pm
GM isn’t really the problem. I can criticize some of his DL/OLB picks, and RB picks, but otherwise Licht hits on way more than he misses. Especially in rounds 1 – 4.
The coaches on the other hand… whether you’re talking about Bowles, Goodwin, Canales or Armstrong… all seem stubborn and/or incapable.
November 8th, 2023 at 6:14 pm
Honestly I believe the Bucs could bring in almost anyone who has even a basic knowledge of play design and play calling and they could probably do better calling the plays. To be really brutally honest a good Madden player might be able to call a better game.
November 8th, 2023 at 6:15 pm
JPP said he’d only sign with a contender. I’d assume the same with Suh. Niether player is interested in coming back here. Stop living in the past. Besides 31 other teams don’t want them either.
November 8th, 2023 at 6:18 pm
31 other teams do not want to pay their asking price right now, not to be confused with do not want their talent , which is HOF talent in one case.
November 8th, 2023 at 6:34 pm
“GM isn’t really the problem.”
Couldn’t disagree more….Jason Licht totally botched this defense in the off-season.
– Letting Mike Edwards, Logan Ryan AND Keanu Neal walk for Ryan Neal
– Letting SMB walk for Zyon McCollum
– Not being able to upgrade from JTS.
When you let 3 quality safties walk, I don’t know how you can’t blame the GM. Especially when you replace them with garbage.
Sure, Bowels play caling has been bad, but he’s got a lot less to work with this year. From a player standpoint the defensive roster fall off like a cliff from last year in a large part thanks to Jason Licht.
November 8th, 2023 at 6:41 pm
Also, undersized Greg Gaines has been a lot worse at run stopping than Rakeem Nunez Roaches was.
The defensive roster was there (with affordable players too), Licht botched it.
November 8th, 2023 at 6:45 pm
Have we become that bad that we lose 5 of 6 and we talk about a hot streak of a running back catching 2 yard passes. Geesh. It’s a bucs life.
November 8th, 2023 at 6:52 pm
Licht is back to being Licht as a horrible GM ever since Brady left. To make matters worse he locked up Davis and Dean to long term inflated contracts. In exchange Bucs now have the worse secondary. We’re screwed for a long time.
November 8th, 2023 at 7:52 pm
He averages 8.9, not too shabby
November 8th, 2023 at 9:04 pm
RW is a good player. He just isn’t an every down RB. He is a top notch 3rd down RB in the NFL. If the Bucs can find a RB that can run between the tackles and knock over LBs and Safeties they will have a formidable backfield.
November 8th, 2023 at 10:54 pm
Bucs are due to win maybe a game or 2 soon
#BlindSquirrelNuts
November 8th, 2023 at 11:33 pm
It is the improved Tight End play that opened up the offense Sunday. Its the only thing that really changed.
November 9th, 2023 at 1:09 am
“If you are a defensive coordinator and are gameplanning for the Bucs passing attack, who keeps you up at night more, looking for a way to defend White or shutting down Deven Thompkins?”
Joe with Thompkins and or Palmer’s speed it should be an either or, pick your poison type situation. But for some reason we are not making either one of them the threats that even Scotty Miller was.
It is great to see White getting yards wither way.
Go Bucs!
November 9th, 2023 at 10:26 am
Doubling Godwin and Evans has also opened things up for Otton, which is why he has become more productive recently.