No Martin, No Problem
September 17th, 2017
Impressive in his absence
However you may view the talent and value of suspended Doug Martin, he wasn’t missed today in the Bucs’ huge opening-day victory.
Jacquizz Rodgers and Peyton Barber were consistent and flashed at times, too.
Rodgers grinded 19 bellcow-like carries for 67 yards and a touchdown run. That’s 3.5 yards per carry. Barber, with the Bears knowing the run was coming, pounded 10 carries for 47 yards in the second half. That’s 4.7 per rush. (Martin averaged 2.9 per carry last season.)
Charles Sims threw in two yards for just two carries and a fumble.
The offensive line won more than they last against a solid Bears front-7.
Very encouraging stuff from a running game that has a pile of critics. And they stayed healthy and protected the football.
Next up? A better defense in Minnesota.
September 17th, 2017 at 4:17 pm
Offensive line played great. Besides a couple whiffs by D Smith, hopefully it’s just dust an he’ll shake it off.
September 17th, 2017 at 4:17 pm
Doug who????
Quizz had a gorgeous TD!!! I called it earlier on Twitter!!!
Peyton is NFL material..
September 17th, 2017 at 4:17 pm
barber looked real solid. if he was a tick faster and had a little more wiggle he would be special
September 17th, 2017 at 4:17 pm
Knew this was coming smh this website is so predictable… if you thought jacquiz looked good enough ur crazy. Doug will make a huge difference when he returns just gotta survive till then
September 17th, 2017 at 4:20 pm
Another reason we didnt go rb high in the draft…..probably wont next year too.
Need DE and CB 1st and 2nd next year! Maybe rb afterwards.
September 17th, 2017 at 4:21 pm
Bring ’em!!!
Just like today we will have COOK cooking behind the line of scrimmage.
Today was a thing of beauty at the House of Pain!!!!
We are just getting started.
September 17th, 2017 at 4:22 pm
The obligatory anti-Martin story…
D Smith did not look like a strong LT
September 17th, 2017 at 4:24 pm
You spent all last season arguing that Jacquizz Rodgers is better than Doug Martin, then you stomp your feet for Dalvin Cook and Adrian Peterson, now it’s back to Rdogers is better than Doug Martin. If Doug comes back healthy and sober, there’s no reason not the think he’s an asset for this offense
September 17th, 2017 at 4:25 pm
They got the job done, but only in keeping the defense honest. The blocking was good enough for Martin, alone, to have gone over a 100 yards. Barber should get more carries next week.
September 17th, 2017 at 4:27 pm
Liked Quiz and Barber. Simms just doesn’t do it for me anymore. Martin wasn’t the only one with a 2.9 yards per carry last year, and nothing sims did today impressed me – he should be the odd man out when Martin comes back. At least we know Doug has potential…
September 17th, 2017 at 4:28 pm
LifeOfABucFan Says:
September 17th, 2017 at 4:17 pm
Doug who????
Quizz had a gorgeous TD!!! I called it earlier on Twitter!!!
_________________________________________________________
You called a 1 yd run? What were the possibilities? 😉
September 17th, 2017 at 4:31 pm
We need Doug! Did you watch the game?
September 17th, 2017 at 4:32 pm
Yeah this is literally a non-story. Barber was impressive closing out the game. But legit only in another anti-martin story, is 3.5 yards per carry declared “solid.”
If, no… When Martin comes back, if he has a 3.5 ypc game you would probably say he had a crappy day.
You guys crack Joe up. A couple of guys have a solid day running the football against a good front 7 and you throw around all kinds of baloney. –Joe
September 17th, 2017 at 4:39 pm
With Doug I think we could have had 41 points today … Doug will start against the Patriots imho
September 17th, 2017 at 4:43 pm
This team is better with DM, plain and simple, the defense was dominant enough we didn’t need a super strong run game, but the team is better with #22 out there
With 2015 Martin, but not with 2016 Martin, not at all.–Joe
September 17th, 2017 at 5:12 pm
Yep, I’m sure when Martin comes back (which Joe said wouldn’t happen) and starts (which Joe said wouldn’t happen), Joe will be quick to hit publish on a 3.5 ypc and call him a “bellcow.” Don’t ever change, Joe(s).
You guys love to make things up. Joe has written consistently that Martin’s return is highly unlikely, but becomes more likely if something happens to the running backs on the roster or their performance is bad. Martin’s odds improved a notch or two when McNichols was cut. And there are two more games to go. Joe didn’t call Rodgers a bellcow, Joe said his carry total was “bellcow-like,” which it was. –Joe
September 17th, 2017 at 5:22 pm
Rodgers had a 3.5 average – he looked extremely ordinary – although in fairness to him all Dirk did all day was run it up the middle on first down once the Bucs were up 3-0. Give it a rest Joe, Martin is the starting RB when he gets back, he looked fantastic in the preseason and is a HUGE upgrade over Rodgers.
September 17th, 2017 at 5:23 pm
I think the joes let duemig write all the anti DM articles. You guys are delirious haha. Anybldy with two eyes and a brain could tell would have gotten more than what Rodgers did today. Can’t wait for the tantrum you guys will throw when DM comes back and starts.
Another 2016 denier in the house. –Joe
September 17th, 2017 at 5:28 pm
Oh, I get it. “Bellcow-like” is not the same as “bellcow.” Sweet Fancy Moses, keep the comedy coming.
September 17th, 2017 at 5:31 pm
Joe has never answered this question but did Martin do something to a female family member or something along those lines? You’re so insanely out of touch with reality I can only figure there is something we don’t know about stroking the hatred. First Rodgers did not look good today – he didn’t look bad, but he didn’t look good. Barber made a couple of nice plays when the game was way out of hand and the Bears players had already quit. Pretending that is the RB duo that carries you to a SB title is silly – I’ll put my money on the team’s only 1st team All Pro RB ever that looked fantastic in the preseason.
September 17th, 2017 at 5:48 pm
Maybe it’s the large amounts of beer talking but the Bucs run game wasn’t that impressive. I mean, all I could think about while chugging my ice cold beer is how much we need a damn rb. I’m sure martin will do better than what we had today (obviously the Joe’s disagree) but we need to back that can take it to the house… but I’m drunk and that’s my opinion. I’m totally happy with today’s win, if anyone thinks I’m complaining
September 17th, 2017 at 5:50 pm
Joe has never answered this question but did Martin do something to a female family member or something along those lines?
No but the facts are the facts. The Muscle Turtle has SUCKKKED 3 of his five years with this team. That’s 60% of the time. Is it impertinent to bring that up?
He’s a hard runner without game breaking ability. As DK says you can never have too many good football players so I expect him back on the roster. Behind this line if he can’t average more than 4 yards that would be mediocre.
Barber averaged 4.7 yards today! You can try and cheapen it by pointing out the Bears were gassed by that point in the game…but you could also point out that everybody in the stadium knew Barber was going to be running the ball.
It’s ONE game guys. So far so good.
September 17th, 2017 at 5:58 pm
@Stpete
Yes, Doug has been very inconsistent.
But the fact remains that he was CLEARLY the best RB we had in preseason.
One more thing to consider is that, as Licht has pointed out, Doug is one of those guys that thrives in prove-it situations. And this is without a doubt a prove-it type of year for him. Sorry, dude, but every game, at least every season, is a “prove-it” situation. Should be for every player.–Joe
That being said, as much as Joe wishes against it, there is 99.99% chance of Doug coming back and starting against the Pats.
September 17th, 2017 at 6:03 pm
Sim sucks. His shuffling/happy feet are worthless. Twice he had a clear shot and stopped to shuffle and pump his feet. And he fumbled deep into the Bears territory.
September 17th, 2017 at 6:10 pm
Rodgers was decent but he will need to do more to keep the job once Doug returns.
September 17th, 2017 at 6:26 pm
I would like to see more of Barber early and in short yard situations.
September 17th, 2017 at 6:33 pm
stpetebucsfan – Here’s some stats for you…
Year 1 1,268 yards
Year 2 556 yards
Year 3 1,361 yards
Year 4 860 yards
Look at how wildly inconsistent Le’Veon Bell is – the Steelers need to cut him and replace him with a guy they pick up off the street in week 5.
LOL!
Now we’re getting silly. Bell also is a ridiculously good receiver and 25 years old. –Joe
September 17th, 2017 at 6:40 pm
As stated before ESPN has a stat that is just a fact – it’s yards before first contact per attempt – so got that, how many yards a RB goes before first contact.
Guess what team was worst in the league last year?
That’s right, good old Tampa Bay.
That’s what happens when your offensive line doesn’t play well and you have an ultra conservative and super predictable head coach that runs every single first down up the gut once he’s up by 3 points. Hopefully Dirk is aware of that and actually takes steps to mix it up – which didn’t happen today but the Bucs were up by so much it didn’t actually matter.
September 17th, 2017 at 6:46 pm
Rod
Surely to Gawd you do not compare the Muscle Turtle to Leveon Bell!!!!
Bell averaged 4.9…4.9…and 4.7 in three consecutive years. He has three more TD’s than Doug in one fewer seasons. He has far more 20plus yard carries in one less season.
Bottom line is the Leveon Bell does not always get caught from behind like Doug.
Doug is a hard runner…a good player…but he’s not great.
And Doug will produce ZERO for us the first three games. Whose fault is that?
September 17th, 2017 at 7:01 pm
@Stpete
Honestly, what is the obsession with getting caught from behind?
Really? What does it matter dude? Quite a few running backs have been very successful in this league without break away speed dude. You should know better.
Frank Gore, Franco Harris, Jerome Bettis, Steven Jackson, Maurice Jones-Drew and many others.
Not to mention, Charles Sims is the fastest RB on the roster, and that doesn’t seem to be helping him much. So please, drop that dumb argument.
And @Joe, yeah in an ideal world, every player should be equally motivated for every season regardless. But that’s just not the way some dudes are wired. They need that proverbial carrot.
Like in his rookie season, trying to establish himself and prove he was worthy of his draft status. Or in his contract year, which needs no explanation. This is one of those years for sure.
Oh and don’t you find it at least a little bit coincidental that Doug’s worst seasons are the ones where he’s plagued by injury?
September 17th, 2017 at 7:02 pm
Doug is a two time all-pro just like Bell is. Also you know who got caught from behind all the time? Emmitt Smith. If you think straight line speed is what makes a good runningback – LOL! Warrick Dunn also go caught from behind all the time – I guess that means he’s awful – I mean he had more yards than Jerome Bettis, but wait, Bettis got caught from behind so I guess you think he’s awful.
Anywho if your metric of what makes a good RB is if they get caught from behind, well then that explains why you’re not an NFL scout.
September 17th, 2017 at 8:42 pm
I can’t wait for Martin to get back. I think it will be a good year for Doug. Sims is not good although he looked good when he was in protection. Barber is good potential and I think we’ll see him earlier in the next game. I’d start Barber. Great winning a home opener. Go Bucs!!!
September 17th, 2017 at 9:51 pm
I’ve repeatedly said it on these here threads.
The 1-2 Punch of Rodgers/Barber was going to be just fine until Martin gets back.
People wanted to laugh and guess what? They did just fine and the sky is not falling cause we don’t have Cook! lol
September 17th, 2017 at 11:02 pm
I’m embarrassed for the Joe’s. Martin should stay far away