No Run Game? No Problem.
September 15th, 2024
As hard as the Bucs tried in the offseason and summer to repair and revive their running game, it’s still a struggle. And it simply hasn’t mattered as the Bucs’ sit with a 2-0 record.
Damn, that’s encouraging!
The Bucs are Super Bowl contenders and have a lot of improvement ahead of them.
The Lions don’t have a special run defense but it was suffocating today. Rachaad White plodded to 18 yards on 10 carries. Bucky Irving was a little better with 22 yards on 7 carries. But that combination from the running backs is absysmal.
Baker Mayfield was the Bucs’ top rushing dog today with 5 carries for 34 yards and a touchdown. And the TD sure seemed like a designed run. (Joe’s basing that on the offensive linemen pushing downfield early.)
For some reason, the Bucs can’t figure out how to run behind Tristan Wirfs.
It’s an ongoing mystery, and one that simply doesn’t matter on this glorious day.
The Bucs are that good, despite the run game woes and the absence of an effective edge rush.
Amazing.
September 15th, 2024 at 4:34 pm
RW is nearing a demotion
September 15th, 2024 at 4:36 pm
The Bucs best run blocking olineman Goedeke was out. Skule was liability, period.
Irving needs more touches. RachaadWhite leaves a lot to be desired.
No more pitches please. Run downhill with Bucky.
September 15th, 2024 at 4:37 pm
2–0 and Offensive line has a long way to go. Last week pass blocking looked really good, but the run blocking was on and off. This week none of it looked really good. They are better than last year and they should gel as the weeks go on.
SKULE should not start another game right tackle. That was horrendous.
I love WIRFS as much as the next buccaneer fan, but he has just been a little above average the first two games.
Awesome though, being 2–0 and like Joe said, a lot of improvement to go. Got to get healthy.
September 15th, 2024 at 4:37 pm
The Lions don’t have a special run defense but it was suffocating today. Rachaad White plodded to 18 yards on 10 carries.
———
The Lions literally had the 2nd best run defense in the NFL last year.
And, again, for the 100000th time, please show me where White is missing his running lanes and getting good blocking and not getting yards.
Man, give it a rest.
September 15th, 2024 at 4:37 pm
That play was definitely a designed run. Barton was at the second level on a line backer pretty quickly.
September 15th, 2024 at 4:39 pm
Skule was bad. Bucs need to get healthy ASAP.
September 15th, 2024 at 4:40 pm
Bucky needs the Carrie’s. White is not a RB. Great pass Catcher not a good RB though
September 15th, 2024 at 4:40 pm
The Lions must be kicking themselves for losing a game they really outplayed us in, except for when big plays really needed to be made. Only one TD!
Todd should get the game ball. What a glorious win. Best defense I’ve seen since the Super Bowl I think.
September 15th, 2024 at 4:41 pm
*with a lot of backups and young players stepping up. Bravo.
September 15th, 2024 at 4:42 pm
During the game I mockingly write about how White needs to be cut because he didn’t break 11 tackles to get 4 yards on a play when he’s hit in the backfield as he’s handed the ball.
The people above are the ones I’m mocking, just in case anyone was wondering. Truly clueless, no idea what they’re watching.
If you watched that game today and thought White was the issue in the run game, seriously, you got WDS, White Derangement Syndrome.
September 15th, 2024 at 4:42 pm
Oh was Skule a liability today? Didn’t notice….
September 15th, 2024 at 4:44 pm
How can Skule be the best we have? Simply unacceptable. We have to make a move. Someone’s practice squad has to have someone better. If not trade a future pick. Try Hainsey or Newsome. That was hard to watch.
September 15th, 2024 at 4:44 pm
@ Rod- Without looking back Rachaad missed two cut back opportunities from my memory. One was a lane on the Bucs final possession.
I get what you’re saying. You aren’t wrong, but White doesn’t break tackles unless he’s running full speed in open space. He’s not strong enough to be a down in down out RB1.
September 15th, 2024 at 4:48 pm
Plug Hainsey in at RT until Goedeke gets back. He can’t be worse.
September 15th, 2024 at 4:48 pm
please no more Rashad white up the gut ever. I like the swing him out wide and dump it off
September 15th, 2024 at 4:48 pm
I remember one play where White had a clear running lane and went the wrong way, but that’s it. Our o-line just wasn’t getting any push.
And David I agree with you- Wirfs has looked extremely average through 2 games. It’s very concerning to me.
September 15th, 2024 at 5:02 pm
Wait for the ALL-22, and like every single other week, all the stuff you think you see on TV turns out to be wrong.
Then, once you’re proven wrong do you guys ever say, oh, my bad. Nope, you just double down.
Like last week vs the Redskins. There was one play that maybe you could say White should have cutback – then the ALL-22 comes out, and nope, it was the correct read and run.
Over and over, the same thing happens, never an update to say, I was wrong. Nope, just more anti-White propaganda. WDS.
September 15th, 2024 at 5:03 pm
The way it looks is running behind Wirfs isn’t any better. So far Wirfs hasn’t looked very good in the run or pass. It’s kinda shocking to see him struggle this much. Good news is you know how good he can be and should go back to being a better player. He got a lot of money and needs to start playing like his ply level
September 15th, 2024 at 5:08 pm
Rod Munch has a history of supporting poor players
RW is just a average at best NFL running back, he has No moves !
September 15th, 2024 at 5:09 pm
Skule was brutal. Give Haggard a shot
September 15th, 2024 at 5:13 pm
@Rod – I openly admit my mistakes here. You’re digging in and being stubborn with your generalities. You’re mad at the boogie man. White is a good football player. However, he is not good with breaking tackles or after contact. It’s a hard truth you need to digest.
September 15th, 2024 at 5:17 pm
The Buccaneers won this game. Lions didn’t deserve to win it We should have intercepted Goff 4 times.
September 15th, 2024 at 5:58 pm
Oh yeah, Glad to see that Bucky Irving 3.1 yard average is gettingbsome of you so excited.
Lets see. Fournette averaged 3.5 yds 2 years ago. Rashaad White had 3.6 yards
Last year. Bucky Irving rushed for a 3.1 average today.
Guess we just keep starting horrible running backs- because apparently our Line is creating tons of running lanes
Riiiiiight.
2 years last place in Rushing. Well on our wsy to finishing last place again this year. With 3 different backs.
How long is Jason Licht gonna let this team finish last in rushing. Mauch was horrible in run and Pass blocking today. One sack was on him. Bredesen struggled all game. Consistently beaten by his guy. Skule obviously isnt NFL caliber.
And I cant believe Wirfs is coasting- but hes played two bad games in a row.
No matter what some people believe, the problem isnt all the backs. Its the line.
We have the worst two starting guards in the league. Said it all summer, and I was right.
With no running game, and no TEs- I cant figure out how Mayfield is winning games. It really is amazing.
September 15th, 2024 at 6:14 pm
Not much has been said about the Bucs not passing much on first down. I think they needed a little bit of a change up. The right tackle should have been pulled at halftime. That’s $30,000,000 the Bucs have in Mayfield. If you give up 3 sacks in one quarter you have to pull that guy. Hainsey certainly can do better than that.
September 15th, 2024 at 8:11 pm
Ed Says:
September 15th, 2024 at 6:14 pm
Not much has been said about the Bucs not passing much on first down. I think they needed a little bit of a change up. The right tackle should have been pulled at halftime. That’s $30,000,000 the Bucs have in Mayfield. If you give up 3 sacks in one quarter you have to pull that guy. Hainsey certainly can do better than that.
———-
The Buc could sign Tom Brady to play RT and he’d do a better job.
Seriously that’s as bad of a performance as I’ve ever seen. It was like Ryan Smith and Chris Conte bad. There’s no reason that guy should ever see the field again in a Bucs uniform.
September 15th, 2024 at 9:03 pm
The right side of the line was a turnstile. The left side wasn’t that much better.
#WhatHappenedToWirfs?
September 15th, 2024 at 9:04 pm
I’m being a bit hyperbolic of course, but Wirfs has looked incredibly average so far through 2 games.
September 15th, 2024 at 9:13 pm
Pick a back and give him 20 carries. I hate this splitting carries. RB needs to get in a rhythm and will eventually break a big run. Splitting carries is just dumb
September 15th, 2024 at 9:15 pm
@unbelievable Wirfs is 30 lbs lighter and playing on a high ankle sprain.
September 15th, 2024 at 10:26 pm
A Buc fan.
Wirfs isn’t 30 lbs lighter because he caught a disease!!
He lost the weight, because the team told him he was 30lbs overweight.
The team monitors these guys weight and diet. Almost every player has a personal nutritionist, both the Teamalso hires a staff to monitor team weight.
Losing 30Lbs should have made him a better player. If that’s the problem- let’s all chip in and stock him up with Snickers bars!
It’s gotta be something. He’s a shadow of his normal self. Hope he gets it together. That line has enough problems.
September 15th, 2024 at 10:32 pm
Please, please quit saying Hainsey.
I thought Meybe he’d be better at Guard than Center. He originally looked promising.
But nope. He was so bad in Preseason, that he shouldn’t be on a team.
But then neither should Mauch, Bredeson, or Skule., so Hainsey blends right in!
September 15th, 2024 at 11:26 pm
High ankle sprain? When did that happen?
September 16th, 2024 at 5:19 am
PhD supervision is a crucial aspect of doctoral education, as it involves guiding and supporting doctoral candidates throughout their research journey.
September 16th, 2024 at 6:43 am
@Capt Tim – Right, but that weight loss results in some strength loss and it changes his anchor. He hasn’t settled into his playing weight and his anchor has obviously been negatively affected at this point (exasperated by his ankle injury).
@Unbelievable – Joe reported a few weeks ago Wirfs went down during drills with an ankle problem. He was on the ground with trainers, JL, and Spytek around him. I’m sure given his team first mentality and new contract he is just taping it up and grinding it out but the big boy is hurt. It’s obvious to me.