“It Was The Best Run-blocking”
November 21st, 2018
Talks up o-line.
Bucs running back Peyton Barber ran for 106 yards against the Giants, only the second time in his NFL career he broke the century mark on the ground.
And like the first time he ran for over 100 yards in an overtime loss to the Packers last year, the Bucs almost won the game.
In his weekly sitdown with WFLA-TV Channel 8 sports director Dan Lucas, Bucs Bit-O-Honey-snacking, Ozark-watching coach Dirk Koetter said there is a reason Barber had a nice game against the Giants.
The reason, Koetter told Lucas, started up front.
“It was the best run-blocking game we’ve probably had from the five linemen and the tight ends that we’ve had as a group all season,” Koetter said. “Then Peyton, the yards he made after contact and his explosiveness through the hole, I thought Peyton just had an outstanding game.
“Peyton has been very patient this year and he has waited for his opportunities, and when he has gotten his opportunities, multiple opportunities to carry the ball, he’s done a good job with it.”
Look, Joe likes heaving the ball in the air as much as the next guy. But maybe if Barber is going to run like this, and the offensive line is doing to run block like this, and America’s Quarterback, Pro Bowler Jameis Winston, plays better when the Bucs go play-action pass and don’t go full-blown Don Coryell, then going to a ground-and-pound attack might be the smart thing to do?
You can watch Koetter’s full interview with Lucas below. Video courtesy of WFLA-TV Channel 8.
November 21st, 2018 at 12:17 am
More runs, less passes, less opportunities to throw int’s. Also slows game and protects defense. C’mon mayn;)
November 21st, 2018 at 12:24 am
Get rid of big fat softie Gerald McCoy, and spend money on an offensive line that can run block
November 21st, 2018 at 12:39 am
I’ll say it again…put Vita Vea on the o-line!
November 21st, 2018 at 12:50 am
The reason the Bucs end up throwing so much is because they’re down 21-0 in the 2nd quarter and they haven’t turned the ball over or anything, they’re down 21-0 because Dirk comes out and tries to “establish the run” early in the game by running up the gut for no gain, goes 3 and out, then punts the ball only to see defense give up a TD drive in 5 plays.
Last time I checked the Bucs were #8th in the NFL in time of possession, in 2015 when they were 2nd in the NFL in rushing they were #25th.
BTW lets look at those rushing stats: The Bucs are one spot behind the Steelers and one spot ahead of the Bengals, who are one spot in front of the Falcons, the Giants, the Vikings and the Cardinals.
So basically running the ball means nothing since that’s a mix of some of the best teams and worst teams in football. BTW the Cardinals WANT to run the ball and have great runner, and they’re literally last in the league. That’s what happens when you have a coach that says you MUST run the ball and you can’t, and that’s basically what people here are calling for, just run the ball for no yards so we can lose by a lot more points.
What the Bucs should do is use the pass to setup the run and run it when they’re not expecting, don’t just run to meet a quota like Dirk does, where he needs to run it up the middle on 1st and 10 at least 10 times in the first half, it’s like he has OCD – and the issue is defenses know it’s coming and sit on the play, that’s why the running game isn’t working and it’s why the offense rarely comes out strong – because that’s when most of the rushing in the game takes place.
November 21st, 2018 at 1:48 am
Spread them out the first play, get some movement, get the defense guessing and get a couple successful runs, we’re more than capable. Throw Djax in motion and F@CK with the defenses head..are they not thinking of these things?!
November 21st, 2018 at 5:59 am
I think the OL just sucks for the most part. It took the OL till Week 11 to have a decent run game? Or could it be that the Giants defense is pretty putrid?
My bet is on the Giants D stinks!
November 21st, 2018 at 6:19 am
“Jameis improvement this year?
Lol! Getting yanked and playing every 2 weeks?
This QB whisperer deserves the hall of fame. 1st developing the 10th pick and now the 1st. Playing mind games with young QBs. This clown has caused regression to every young QB. This indecisive Klown has no idea whatsoever is going around. He is Pathetically incompetent”
Kobe Faker
November 21st, 2018 at 6:28 am
I’m sure it’s no coincidence that you had your best run game against a team with a worse record than us that is until they beat us. Let them do it more than one game in a row before we start giving them props. I doubt they magically figured it out except to say the giants suck up front just like we do
November 21st, 2018 at 6:28 am
The better offenses have a two pronged running attack. Since there are not that many Todd Gurleys in the league that are an equal threat in the passing and
rushing game, then having a good inside runner and a speedy outside runner and pass catcher is effective. When you have both elements then motion can be used
more efficiently to cause confusion for the defense. Blocking execution is critical
whether you run on first down or throw a screen pass to a back. We are not
blocking well for screens out of the backfield and they are often blown up before they start. Its puzzling to me why we can have a perfectly executed wide receiver
screen and not execute screens out of the backfield. Our wide receivers seem to be working together better to block for these screens than our O lineman do for screens out of the backfield.
November 21st, 2018 at 6:47 am
Bucs lead NFL in interceptions- one way to improve this is with effective running game.
Coaches must commit to running game for it to be effective
November 21st, 2018 at 8:41 am
fire dirk asap!!!!!!!
he’s clueless and players have quit on him…..we may not win another game this year with this incompetent coach at the helm…..
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!…#PRESSURESONTHECOACHES!!!!…GO BUCS!!!!
November 21st, 2018 at 8:45 am
this staff has had 3years to commit to the run game….they love being finesse and passive…..
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!…#PRESSURESONTHECOACHES!!!!…GO BUCS!!!!
November 21st, 2018 at 10:00 am
I for one did not expect Jameis to be throwing so much every game back when we drafted him. I was under the impression we would be very balanced run/pass. Boy was I wrong.
November 21st, 2018 at 10:59 am
Giants ranked 25th in rush D..and we eeked out 100 yds.
Woo Hoo. Klueless has got to go.
November 21st, 2018 at 12:10 pm
It doesn’t take an Einstein to figure out that RB’s in the passing game give your team an advantage. Chiefs, Rams, Saints, Steelers, Patriots all get their backs out in the passing game as do many other teams. The Bucs not so much.
November 21st, 2018 at 1:35 pm
Its hard to commit to the running game when your 20 to 30pts behind by halftime. Some one said our weakest defensive positions are safety, DE, DT & LB in that order. I disagree. I think safety is our strongest (Evans & Whitehead) Next would be DE (JPP & Nassib) Then comes LB & our weakest would be CB
November 21st, 2018 at 1:50 pm
Wait, are you telling me that Dirk’s offense is a run-first offense? That’s weird, because that’s what he’s always said and we know Dirk can’t be right.