Tristan Wirfs Talks “Last Piece Of The Puzzle”
August 20th, 2024
“Don’t let Tristan down, Rachaad.”
So Baker Mayfield made it clear yesterday that he expects the Tampa Bay run game to be “drastically better” than last year in 2024.
He re-emphasized his confidence in the run game talking to Joe and other media types today.
How pumped are the Bucs about their running game? How about Tristan Wirfs telling SiriusXM NFL Radio yesterday that it “could be the last piece of the puzzle, you never know.”
Wirfs didn’t give a lot of specifics, though he sounded energized by working this season alongside 26-year-old veteran newcomer Ben Bredeson, who was drafted by the Ravens and became a starter for the Giants.
Joe can’t wait to see a better running game, but the bar is low. The Bucs last year were the first team to rank last in rushing in consecutive seasons since the 2006 Cardinals.
August 20th, 2024 at 1:00 pm
Besides lowering fan frustrations with 2nd & 8 on every drive, imagine how helpful unleashing Mayfield in a decent ground game will be…
Especially if the RBs can break an occasional 15+ yd. run.
Mayfield is at his best in play-action, but that only works if LB’s and safety’s bite.
August 20th, 2024 at 1:00 pm
Sometimes the light at the end of the tunnel is a freight train coming directly at you.
August 20th, 2024 at 1:08 pm
So they were last in rushing for two consecutive years – yet made the playoffs in each. It’s almost like it’s not 1970 and running the football doesn’t matter since it’s a passing league.
August 20th, 2024 at 2:40 pm
Fingers crossed that Todd evolves and the Coen/Baker offense including line calls and audibles will look more like BA or even Dirk and less like Bo Schembeckler.
August 20th, 2024 at 3:52 pm
@Joe
Look at the bright side. It might be the only time that the Bucs or anyone sets a record for being a last place team that finished in first place for 3 straight years.
Don’t fix what’s not broke?
August 20th, 2024 at 4:09 pm
Rod, I probably know less about football than anyone else posting here, but I’ll take a stab at this. Last season, KC had 4.3 yards per carry on the run; the 49ers had 4.8; the Lions had 4.6; the Ravens had 4.9.
The Bucs had 3.4.
I’ll probably buy that you don’t need a huge number of rushing yards or touchdowns in today’s game, but I think you need an effective run to keep the defense honest and create space for your receivers.
August 20th, 2024 at 4:19 pm
We wish the Bucs could run the football like Schembeckler’s Wolverines
August 20th, 2024 at 4:24 pm
JustVisiting Says:
I’ll probably buy that you don’t need a huge number of rushing yards or touchdowns in today’s game, but I think you need an effective run to keep the defense honest and create space for your receivers.
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I concur! The stronger your running game and the more the defense is forced to respect it the more your receivers benefit from it. Plus, it takes a lot of pressure off the QB, especially if you’re going up against a strong pass defense.
The running game is also tremendously helpful if you’re ahead in the 4th quarter and you just want to take as much time off the clock as possible.
It IS possible to win without a running game. The Bucs demonstrated that the past couple years. But the team would have been so much stronger if we had a decent running game.
August 20th, 2024 at 4:26 pm
Having grown up in Ann Arbor during the Schembechler years, I couldn’t agree more!
August 20th, 2024 at 4:30 pm
Mostly Obsessed Glennon fan would be the only one hoping to see a Schembecklwr offense. Good thing he’s the ardent fan of a guy who will be lucky to have the career of Big Bird.
August 20th, 2024 at 5:03 pm
The Ravens and 49ers don’t make the playoffs if they had a dismal running game
August 20th, 2024 at 5:41 pm
In looking at the effectiveness of our running game last season, noticed something interesting: winning the TOP Battle counts, and winning the Turnover Battle also counts.
o TOP Battle: Bucs won the TOP Battle in 7 wins but lost it in 2 wins … we won the TOP Battle in only 2 losses but lost it in 6 losses.
o Turnover Battle: Bucs won the TO Battle in 6 wins and tied it in 3 wins … we won the TO Battle in only 2 losses but lost it in 4 losses & tied it in 2 losses.
Hmmm, whodathunkit?
August 20th, 2024 at 6:26 pm
Well we shall see!! If the offense did what it did last season without the run game, imagine how much love everyone on the field can get. Especially the new line could be pretty stout!! Oh yeah baby. Go Bucs!!!!
August 20th, 2024 at 6:33 pm
And the 2007 cardinals ranked 31st with 3.6 yds per carry only behind the chiefs who averaged 3.3 hopefully were better then that
August 20th, 2024 at 8:22 pm
Seeing is believing. Now if the Bucs can get a pass rush going…
August 20th, 2024 at 8:47 pm
Thanks for putting things in perspective, JustVisting.
August 20th, 2024 at 8:58 pm
I fear the running game problems are multifaceted. From the interior line getting zero push and only creating seems not holes. To the one dimensional running backs. To predictable play calling. This team hopefully has solved the interior Oline. The predictable play calling is two problems on own. The play calls themselves are predictable 1st down up the middle. Add too that your opponent can predict run up the middle because of your tendencies and personnel. You have problems. Tampa seems to employ running back by commity. One back is a good reciever. Another is a good blocking in the backfeild picking up blitzes. And the other is supposed to be a between the tackles back. Defenses know whats coming by which back is in the game. This team needs a reliable three down back.
August 20th, 2024 at 9:26 pm
I’ve never seen a championship team that cant run the ball.
That makes winter football on turf that always made John Madden explode! Nothing like a mud game on real turf. “You know Pat?, this is real footballl”!
Pass to score but run to win! Championship teams do this when it matters.
So, Defense Rules you,re spot on, TOP is a huge when you cant run the ball or control the clock.
August 20th, 2024 at 9:53 pm
Fourth round pick from an OL factory like Michigan now on his third team in five years. What gives?
I suspect the sixth round rookie from UTEP might be better in short order. Put him next to Wirfs. They will be huuuuge!
August 21st, 2024 at 12:06 pm
It would be great not to have to pass on 3rd and 2 everytime.
August 21st, 2024 at 7:18 pm
Or third and eight!
August 21st, 2024 at 8:35 pm
Hoping for the best here I would absoulove it if White would share the crap out of defenses like Doug Martin did his first few years!!!!
August 21st, 2024 at 8:36 pm
Mind the typos still no edit feature here lol