The Fading Art/Focus Of Rushing
January 3rd, 2024
“Dave, how about running behind Mauch here.”
Every team will hand off, so teams have every incentive to be good at rushing the football.
However, running is losing its importance. Consider the following eye-opening stat that hasn’t been soiled yet by the stat nerds.
Through 16 NFL games this season, the league only has six running backs with 1,000 or more yards.
In 2019, that number was 16 rushers over 1,000 yards. In 2020, the last season before the NFL moved to a 17-game season, there were eight running backs over 1,000 yards.
And only two of this year’s running backs are posting stunning yardage: Christian McCaffrey of the 49ers and second-year man Kyren Williams of the Rams, their 2022 fifth-round draft pick out of Notre Dame.
Running just isn’t what it used to be, which is a head-shaking thing for Joe to type after the Bucs hammered away at their failed running attack Sunday despite trailing by multiple scores in the second half.
Bucs running back Rachaad White is in the pack of NFL running backs that can bust 1,000 yards on Sunday. He has 915 yards this season, tied for 15th-most in the league. But White has needed a whopping 253 carries to get there.
That’s the third-most carries in the NFL behind McCaffrey and Derrick Henry.
January 3rd, 2024 at 11:40 am
Unless you have a strong O line and RB like McCaffery or Henry, it’s better to pass and go for the points. Our running game sure doesn’t keep the defense “honest”. Refs flag defenders a lot now along with protecting the QB, so a pass play may result in lots of yards even if it is an incomplete pass. I truly don’t understand Canales and Bowles trying to run even when they are in a hole?
January 3rd, 2024 at 12:10 pm
Running the football in the modern game is set up by passing first. This is the exact opposite of many who claim that the run sets up passing. Canales has to get with it with short slants and out passes to loosen up linebackers and safeties so the run is not overplayed by defense.
January 3rd, 2024 at 12:16 pm
Just more proof, we should clean house. I am STILL……STILL FURIOUS about that game last Sunday. These guys are getting paid 6 and 7 figures and they came out and did that with so much on the line. It was like I was in the Twilight zone for 3 hours. I couldn’t believe it, I still can’t! I was totally bummed out after that game. Unhappy new years for certain.
@joes
Sorry guys but those fans u 2 and ira met at the brewery some days ago were right. Ain’t winning a championship with this staff.
He is a crazy question, which team was the true Bucs, the ones that clobbered the Jags and Packers or that clown show the came to be last Sunday? You guys said it in the late 3Rd quarter and 4th from the Jags game, our offense turned in that then but I blew it off and that’s what I get. Shame on me and I have no idea what we will get this Sunday in Charlotte.
January 3rd, 2024 at 12:22 pm
Every team needs a Travis Henry type back door 3rd and short (<2).
January 3rd, 2024 at 1:33 pm
The real reason in decline of 1K rushers is the vast majority of teams use committee approaches in today’s game.
January 3rd, 2024 at 2:12 pm
Gipper – Literally what I yell EVERY SINGLE WEEK! This is why we have been underutilizing CG has been so maddening! Last week seemed to be a CG game with bubble screens, slants, wheel routes, and LOTS of motion against an aggressive DL in the slimy saints.
January 3rd, 2024 at 2:39 pm
Keep doing the same thing over and over again and hoping for a different result is the definition of sanity.
It seems the coaching staff excels at it
January 3rd, 2024 at 3:09 pm
JamesEvans24, I feel the same way you do. Very disappointed, and Gipper I also agree with you 100% open the game with short passes make the safeties and LBs drop back in coverage and the run game will be successful. Our running back has to have a whole to get any yards he can’t make one himself or run anyone over he has to have space.
January 3rd, 2024 at 3:10 pm
Someone needs to take a baseball bat to Canales’ head. Run up the middle on fist down, man am I sick of that call!
January 3rd, 2024 at 3:10 pm
first
January 3rd, 2024 at 4:23 pm
Check the offensive stats. 7 of the top 10 rushing teams are playoff teams. Strong D and an excellent running game still works.
January 3rd, 2024 at 7:45 pm
What happened to passing to set up the run? I.e. rams of the late 90’s early 2000’s. They had horses for recievers and used them but also ran the hell out of the ball. Granted, it was Marshall Faulk but geeze, pass the freaking ball. We were down in the fourth and still were trying to run the ball. There was no uptempo. When we decided to go uptempo and had success in doing so, it was too freaking late. It’s so bizarre. Coaches often out coach themselves. It’s frustrating to watch.
January 4th, 2024 at 4:19 am
Can you say refs and rule change pushed through by Roger and the owners?
They are slowly but surely ruining the game for the sake of a dollar and TV ratings!
BTW, not everyone wants to see more penalties and more passing.
Go Bucs!