Beckles: Find A Run Game
June 10th, 2019
Former Bucs G Ian Beckles.
The best medicine for America’s Quarterback, Pro Bowler Jameis Winston? One former Bucs offensive lineman has the elixir.
And that would be running the ball.
Former Bucs guard and current popular local radio personality Ian Beckles took to his podcast, “In the Trenches,” to suggest the problem with the Bucs is not Jameis, it is that the Bucs have put Jameis in an impossible situation for a quarterback to win.
No run game + abhorrent defense = chaos, Beckles explained.
“The most important thing in Jameis’ development is running the football or not,” Beckles said. “Jameis has been put in a situation in the first few years where, it was an equation for failure. Throwing the ball 45 times a game is an equation for failure for any quarterback. Especially when you have the worst defense in the league. It is just not conducive to good statistics.
“Run the football, run the football. Good. Let me hope that Bruce Arians comes out and his main focus in training camp is to run the football. That is important. I don’t know if we have the studs for back there. But if we have the studs up front — and I don’t know if we have that either — anybody can run the football. Let’s hope that works out. …
“When you are worried about Jameis Winston, I am worried about our defense.”
Beckles’ concerns are valid. This defense looks to be banking on a whole lot of rookies and young players who have yet to prove anything. Throw in the fact everyone on that defense is learning a new defense, that’s one helluva of a mountain to climb.
Then you add in the Bucs lost a helluva lot of sacks from last year, Joe doesn’t know what kind of magic wand people think Todd Bowles possesses.
It is easy to say you have to run the ball when you don’t have the horses to do so. There again, the Bucs are banking on young guys in the backfield who have yet to prove they can mount a serious NFL running attack.
Saying a team is going to run the ball is one thing. Doing so is quite another. If you don’t have the horses to run, then you better find some. Somehow.
June 10th, 2019 at 12:13 am
So many holes to fill. I too would like to have seen how Jameis would fare with a beefed up oline and a really good running back.
June 10th, 2019 at 12:13 am
When a running back with tons of potential is sitting there at the 70th pick…do not trade out for some later 4th rounders. Just a thought.
June 10th, 2019 at 12:31 am
Would of loved to see that the beginning of his career like his rookie year. Both Martin and Simms account for 2,000 yards rushing.
But I get it. You can’t run the game wihen down 21 points every game. You can’t
How about complementary football? I learned thru the Koetter years how important it is. Seems when the defense did play good offense was trash……
June 10th, 2019 at 1:12 am
He’s right on the money on this one. Good take- lichts refusal to address is nothing short of football malpractice and he should be fired immediately.
Clean House in the front office- and if BA doesn’t see it- fire him too.
June 10th, 2019 at 1:14 am
And all of you little sissies need to wake up, pull your head out, and stop calling realistic fans negative or not real fans.
Doubters see what’s in front of them
June 10th, 2019 at 2:27 am
Joe doesn’t know what kind of magic wand people think Todd Bowles’ possesses.
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Fun fact: BA has a career 6-7 record against the NFCS including 2 playoff loses to the Panthers. He’s never beaten Ron Rivera. I guess defense really does win championships.
#1 pass offense, running the ball, oline none of it matters without a good to great defense.
I see Bowles in the same light as Leslie Frazier. I hope to goodness gracious that he performs better than Leslie did as a DC.
Buchanan and Whitehead at safety should be decent enough but I seriously hope we sign at least 1 pro-bowl caliber CB bc VH3 ain’t it, why they extended his contract is beyond me.
June 10th, 2019 at 4:59 am
“Joe doesn’t know what kind of magic wand people think Todd Bowles’ possesses.”
What “people” are we talking about? Any fan with an ounce of knowledge sees this. Clearly Licht sees it too; he just has more needs than resources to go after what he needs…his own doing.
And of course a lackluster running offense (would not say”NO” running offense) does not help a QB and his passing game, especially when playing from behind. But that doesn’t absolve Bucs QBs from making poor decisions that only gets the team into a deeper hole. No one gets a pass, period.
June 10th, 2019 at 5:49 am
“We need to score and than score again
Our best defense is our offense
We need to be ahead and our opponents 1 dimentional and have go blitz happy
Our defense will be destroyed by the run game. We need the opponent to be always behind and need to pass to score
The difference from Klueless and only way for BA to succeed this year is to score. Klueless was good at moving the ball from 20 to 20 yard line but can BA score in the red zone
That is the key
We will need to be the KC Chiefs of the south. Petal to the metal and score over 20 points in the 1st half to dictate the 2nd half.”
Kobe Faker
June 10th, 2019 at 5:54 am
Disappointed the Bucs did not draft a guard and rt tackle. Not sure what is the thinking here? Dotson is lucky to be healthy enough playing half the games and he can’t bend his knees anymore than my 98 grandmother. Cappa so far hasn’t shown anything and needs some real competition.
June 10th, 2019 at 5:54 am
Football is NOT complicated. A solid run-game means you are controlling the clock. If you’re controlling the clock, you don’t need to throw as often. If your offense is on the field, theirs is not.
If the Bucs can find this balance on offense, it will go a long way toward protecting a suspect defense.
Here are Bucs W/L when Jameis is throwing 35+ times in a game:
1-5 2015
2-6 2016
2-6 2017
2-4 2018
7-21 CAREER when throwing 35+ times. It’s not a winning recipe for ANY QB. And, this is ‘exhibit A-Z’ as to why you don’t rely on one aspect of offense to carry your team.
June 10th, 2019 at 5:58 am
At this point what has changed in the running game from last year?
1523 yards, 11 TD’s and a 3.9 Y/A
29th overall in 2018
June 10th, 2019 at 6:52 am
GMC is gone Beckles will have to find a new whipping boy and I’m sure it will now be the o line. Especially since 3 of the 5 are over paid
June 10th, 2019 at 6:55 am
Right guard issues needs to be settled by start of season
June 10th, 2019 at 7:03 am
Good stuff Bucsfanman.
June 10th, 2019 at 7:27 am
Wow, instead of singing ‘Who Let The Dogs Out?’ it sounds like you all are singing ‘Poor Charlie on the MTA’. Still remember those words … ‘Did he ever return, no he never returned, and his fate is still unlearned’. Well the Bucs’ defense WILL RETURN to its former glory … we’re actually in a better position today than we were in 1995 when the last turnaround actually started.
It’s been a looong time, so many of the newer ‘fans’ might not recognize the similarities. Several key new players drafted that year: Sapp & Brooks (Lynch was already on-board). But those 2 rookies (in 1995) weren’t enough & we went 7-9 (defense gave up 335 pts for a #12 ranking). Sam Wyche is let go & replaced with Tony Dungy who brings along Monte Kiffin & some excellent defensive assistants.
The Bucs turnaround STARTED in 1996 with a new coaching staff, new defensive scheme, another good draft (DB Abraham, DE Upshaw, DE Marcus Jones & Mike Alstott). Season started badly (0-5 then 1-8) but ended very strongly (5-2) for a 6-10 overall record BUT … it set the foundation for better years to come. The defense that year gave up fewer scores (293 pts for a #8 ranking) but the offense REALLY stunk it up (only scored 221 pts for a #30 ranking).
The Bucs defense continued to improve steadily after Tony Dungy & Monte Kiffin brought the Tampa-2 here and always ranked in the Top-10 (usually Top-5), while the offense was meh (except for 2000 when it scored 388 pts for a #6 ranking with Les Steckel as our OC … his only year here).
That 1996 team didn’t have nearly the overall talent that this 2019 team does IMO, especially on offense. So here we sit with a new, quality coaching staff, new defensive scheme, a bunch of talented young (but relatively inexperienced) players on defense … hmmm, sound familiar yet? But what’s different this time is that we have the makings of a solid offense that COULD carry us through the start of this season (see Kobe, I do listen). And THAT’S what it could very well take UNTIL this defense gels.
But I’ll make a wild prediction: whatever the Bucs final W-L record is this year, by the end of the year this TEAM will be playing some awesome football. Might not happen right out of the gate (although it MIGHT), but it WILL HAPPEN. There’ll be a LOT of fans who’ll jump onboard the Pirate Ship once the winning starts happening consistently, just like in 2002. To the JBFers out there (including the Joes) who still have a negative view of what’s being built here, I’d say ‘Don’t be one of those who look back & say “Wow, I never saw this coming”
June 10th, 2019 at 7:56 am
Bravo @Defense Rules! Anyone that wants to believe that our idiot coach last year playing Jaquizz Freaking Rogers repeatedly over Rojo was ever committed to the run is kidding yourselves. BA will run ii whether we are up by 14 or down by 14 because he isn’t Klueless Koetter. He’s Badass BA!! Anyone wanna claim BA would’ve EVER made DJax a captain? Give me a break. Our hapless Bucs finally have great coaching. Not good. Great!! Can’t wait for September when the bandwagon breaks because of all of the haters jumping on.
June 10th, 2019 at 8:14 am
It’s a shame that Gump passed on the #1 RB in NCAA (YPC) history with the 70th pick. I believe Henderson just may have solved the run game dilemma.
But he did get two magic beans for that pick, which allowed him to select his 4th and 5th rounders in the late 3rd. That made it possible to draft a kicker in the 5th.
True genius.
June 10th, 2019 at 9:01 am
Agree with U Ghost on Henderson being a top notch game changing back!! But alone he wouldn’t have solved our dismal Running attack. We needed to address our OLine in the draft…. which we didn’t do that either!! Gump should be ashamed!! He must be related to Jesse James… he has robbed the Glazers!! Conned them into believing he had what it took to be a competent GM.
June 10th, 2019 at 9:40 am
A good run game will help our QB? Thanks for that nugget of information, Ian. Deep thoughts there.
June 10th, 2019 at 9:47 am
ghost & TBUC
agree with the both of you….i wanted henderson and elgton jenkins….but it is what it is….
GO BUCS!!!!
June 10th, 2019 at 10:20 am
This is why I find a lot of criticism of Jameis unwarranted. As simple and self evident as it sounds, no QB can excel with a last place defense and a non existent running game. I would hate to dump Jameis next year without a fair evaluation of his ability to win games. Don’t blame Jameis for piss poor coaching, pathetic defense, lousy run blocking and a non existent running game. Unfortunately Jason Gump has done nothing significant to address the O line and running game this year.
June 10th, 2019 at 12:05 pm
Barber can move the chains and RoJo has some potential to do damage if he can get some blocking and get past the line of scrimmage. Hopefully BA will be able to put these guys in a better position to make plays and keep teams off balance than Koetter did.
June 10th, 2019 at 12:07 pm
Licht needs to beg, borrow, and steal to somehow get a proven “at least” average running back on our team. Wishing and hoping that Ronald Jones is that guy is just irresponsible for someone in his position.
June 10th, 2019 at 4:16 pm
Defense Rules has a valid point. Bucs D may be improved statistically, but the given the strength of schedule, Bucs’ record may be worse. Realistically, I don’t see more than 3 wins for the Bucs (49ers, NY Giants and Detroit Lions). with some breaks maybe a repeat of last year’s 5 wins. Unfortunately the fans may be in full revolt by season’s end and not give this team the chance to develop as Dungy’s teams did.
June 10th, 2019 at 11:58 pm
I lost respect for Beckles when he said Donovan Smith will be worse this year because he’ll be a year older. Smith is 25 years old, turns 26 this month. Smith might be worse this year (I hope not), but it certainly won’t be because he’s a year older. Proves to me that Beckles just says things for the shock value. Plus, he already said we’ll be 2-13-1, which is ridiculous. Do we need to have a running game to make Jameis to be more effective? Yes, but this is as obvious as saying breathing oxygen is good for your survival.