Run Game Helps Team
June 14th, 2019
Underappreciated?
Joe’s a passing game kind of guy. Give Joe a quarterback who can wing it down the field time and again and Joe is happy.
(Say whatever you want, but Joe’s become a big fan of Big XII football. Come noon Saturdays, those games are almost always on FOX or FS1. And that’s where you can find Joe parked. The Big XII believes in throwing the ball. Entertainment!)
Even though Joe is a huge proponent of the air game, that doesn’t mean a team should turn its back on a run game. Yeah, passing = wins. But a team really needs to have a reliable running back or two.
The keyword here is “reliable.”
The Bucs don’t have anyone reliable. Oh, the Bucs get their briefs bunched up and will tell you Peyton Barber is that guy but dangit, Joe sure hasn’t seen it. Joe just can’t bank on a hope and a prayer. The Bucs haven’t had a reliable run game since inept Lovie Smith was here.
Joe already documented today how a run game can actually improve your defense — yes, it’s true! And we all know a run game takes heat off a quarterback’s shoulders.
Even Brad Gagnon of Bleacher Report notices this.
[Jameis] Winston could, however, use more help from a running game that ranked in the bottom five in terms of yards per game and yards per rush last season. Second-round pick Ronald Jones was a complete disappointment as a rookie, and top dog Peyton Barber wasn’t much better with a 3.7 yards-per-attempt average. The Bucs didn’t make any major changes at that position this offseason.
Bucs coaches really, truly, honestly think Barber can rise to the challenge and that Ronald Jones is salvageable. And the proof is in the pudding. The Bucs, as Gagnon points out, did nothing to bolster the run game (pulling Andre Ellington out of mothballs is, frankly, nothing).
The coaches aren’t saying this, certainly not publicly, but they are in a way saying the following by their actions: The Bucs didn’t know what they were doing with the run game in the previous three seasons.
Certainly, if the Bucs thought their running backs were that awful they wouldn’t have brought the stable of backs back virtually intact.
June 14th, 2019 at 2:11 pm
Not sure why Barber isn’t reliable – that would be a good word for him. Like Reggie Cobb or Earnest Graham or Michael Pittman. Nothing special, they aren’t going to win you a game, but they’ll get you 3.5 yards per carry and not really hurt you.
Well other than stupid Gruden watching Pittman run into the back of his o-line on every play while keeping Alstott on the bench, that did hurt the team.
June 14th, 2019 at 2:11 pm
HELL YEAH JOE!!! My boy Sam Ellingher at Texas does it all. I always say if Jameis gets gone, Ellingher would be a dream for me.
June 14th, 2019 at 2:14 pm
I feel that the Bucs need to rework some contracts so that they can pick up a quality back when training camps start releasing runners.We must also pick up a quality guard.I feel that BA has some tricks that will solve our problems..At the moment I am very nervous about are chances for success!!!
June 14th, 2019 at 2:15 pm
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and their fan base could use a QB who is more reliable, and not being suspended for disrespecting women, or turning over the ball too much when they are on the field.
Now or never! Go Jameis in 2019!
June 14th, 2019 at 2:18 pm
I like the Bruce Andersen pickup.
June 14th, 2019 at 2:22 pm
Excuses!
No more excuses!
I am 🤢 sick of the phrase, “If only Jameis had more support”.
Talk to Licht! Three OL making north of ten million per, and all the picks on offense.
Are these same fans going to make excuses for Devin White? “If only Devin White had like help…”
How about this, if the players we have are any damn good this won’t be a question.
QB is the most impactful position on the field, so forgive me for having a focus on the lack of results from the position- as compared to the draft resources spent.
June 14th, 2019 at 2:26 pm
Down in the dirt Doug … Thinking exactly the same thing. Before the season starts, there’ll be TWO quality veterans added to the roster: a RB & a Guard. Right now we have no one to back up Barber if he goes down (even if RoJo excels this year, he’s not the run-it-up-the-gut threat that Barber is). And right now we don’t even have a viable right Guard IMO. BA’s obviously in no hurry to fix those 2 things right now, but I’m confident that he’s looking.
June 14th, 2019 at 2:30 pm
For those of you that clearly don’t like Jameis, do you seriously blame him for our record or are you just using that to make your point? I can’t imagine you really believe our record results are due more to him than all of the other horrible aspects on our team. Seriously do you really believe our issues are with our QB not defense, running game or kicker?
This is a 100% serious question.
June 14th, 2019 at 2:38 pm
down in the dirt doug
“We must also pick up a quality guard.I feel that BA has some tricks that will solve our problems.”
No doubt about it. No way the pass master BA will have Benenoch starting at right guard. Since they didn’t pick one up in the draft and couldn’t afford a good one in FA, they’ve likely been thinking of a trade situation since BA walked into the door. Could be big. Also think they need to be looking at LG and RG cus we could easily move Ali back to RG (his best position).
June 14th, 2019 at 2:50 pm
RoJo needs to get past the LOS to do his thing…and since we didn’t address the OL in the draft I don’t expect too much different this year out of the running game…
June 14th, 2019 at 3:24 pm
The FanMan is shaking his head to a run-game; “Yessss SIR!” Why?
” run game can actually improve your defense — yes, it’s true! And we all know a run game takes heat off a quarterback’s shoulders.”
Less Jameis is better for the TEAM. 35+ pass attempts and we are toast! And that is supported by FACT!
June 14th, 2019 at 3:26 pm
Everything starts in the trenches. The offense works as a unit. If the line is struggling the run game struggles. If the line and run game struggle the passing game struggles. The offense struggles as a whole.
June 14th, 2019 at 3:30 pm
In 2018 the Tampa bay Bucs rushes the 426x 1983. The bears rushed the ball 339 for 1280 yards. They finished 12 and 3. So what was the true difference???
June 14th, 2019 at 3:32 pm
Karlos Williams! Go get him Bruce!
June 14th, 2019 at 3:42 pm
I want to see Bruce Anderson get to work.
June 14th, 2019 at 3:43 pm
roster not set…..still time to add an RB…..
GO BUCS!!!!!
June 14th, 2019 at 4:03 pm
SteveK Says:
June 14th, 2019 at 2:22 pm
Excuses!
No more excuses!
I am 🤢 sick of the phrase, “If only Jameis had more support”.
so jameis does not get the same decade long free pass that cancer93 received from Joe and the cancr93 nuthuggers association gave him. We spent 10 years listening to the cancer93 apologists crying he needs more support. Just curious why one first round pick gets to play the no support card yet another one gets held to a higher standard. jameis is the most important buc since sapp and one of only 3 bucs in history that matters selmon, sapp and winston and the only true winners this franchise has ever had.
June 14th, 2019 at 4:04 pm
this oline has been and will be garbage regardless of the rah rah bs from BA
June 14th, 2019 at 4:09 pm
NOSBOS … Your 3:30 PM post interested me but totally bewildered me at first (I thought at first you were comparing last year’s Bucs to the 1983 Bears … who coincidentally had an awesome running game).
But now I get it, I think (but your Bears rushing numbers are wrong … that was what their defense ALLOWED). The 2018 BEARS OFFENSE ran the ball 468 times for 1938 yds (ranking #7 in rushing yardage), while the BEARS DEFENSE only allowed 1280 rushing yds on 339 rushing attempts (ranking #1 in rushing yardage allowed). Last year’s Bears defense also ranked #1 in TOTAL POINTS ALLOWED, the best criteria IMO for defensive rankings.
The 2018 BUCS OFFENSE ran the ball 389 times for 1523 rushing yds (ranking #29 in rushing yardage), while the BUCS DEFENSE allowed 1983 rushing yds on 426 rushing attempts. So assuming that you were comparing the 2018 Bucs’ DEFENSE to the 2018 Bears DEFENSE, the ‘true difference’ is that the Bears run defense was a helluva lot better than our rushing defense was. But the Bears 12-4 record versus our 5-11 record kinda gave that away I’m guessing.
June 14th, 2019 at 4:12 pm
I stand corrected DR,gotD@&) allergies.
June 14th, 2019 at 4:15 pm
Can’t be one dimensional if you wanna put a ring on your finger. Eventually you will run into a bad matchup and if you can’t win in other ways you are screwed.
June 14th, 2019 at 4:21 pm
There is more potential on the OL then y’all give credit for. Whether or not then hit full potential remains to be seen.
I will stand by my prediction that D.Smith wind the pewtee for most improved Buccaneer in 2019.
June 14th, 2019 at 4:40 pm
Oh NOSBOS, using allergies as an excuse now? Next thing you’ll tell me is that your arm’s dinged up so you can’t throw deep either.
Tmaxcon summarized it nicely just a little while ago: “No more excuses!”
Joe’s right though: a run game does help the team. But, after all the gushing that BA has done over Peyton Barber (and not drafting a RB), the caption on the Barber photo shouldn’t read ‘Underappreciated’. Well, unless Joe wanted to add ‘by Koetter’ to that.
June 14th, 2019 at 5:04 pm
All excuses are and have been valid for the last 4 years. If fix one thing 3 more break. Stating facts is not using excuses. Our o-line sucked (if you actually watched the games), therefore the run game sucked and the QBs were always looking over their shoulders. We had the worst defense in the league and the one of the worst special teams (in every facet). These are facts not excuses, but haters and non Bucs fans that continue to chime in on this website, love to hear yourselves talk.
June 14th, 2019 at 5:27 pm
And actually DR that ranked them 11th overall in the league. 4.1 yard average a rush attempt to 3.9. My point was they weren’t all that much better a rushing team than us,they were just more committed to running than klueless was. See as an oc he ran the Ball effectively because it was Lovie’s mandate.
June 14th, 2019 at 5:30 pm
I said the other night a team can make playoffs with a hot QB and a trash defense. Ask a chiefs fan. Well the same can be said about a top 5 defense and a average offense. Ask a bears fan.
June 14th, 2019 at 5:33 pm
And NOSBOS I agree with you on BOTH. But their odds of going all the way are pretty slim. Ask a Chiefs fan or ask a Bears fan. Or even better, ask a Falcons fan.
June 14th, 2019 at 5:37 pm
I cant wait for the season to start. Im so excited. Theres nothing you idiots can say to bring me down. Bunch of arm chair GMs didnt get there guy in the draft. Boohoo. Cry me a river.
June 14th, 2019 at 5:44 pm
Bucs are back on the attack. Get your big girl panties on haters. Go find another team if it’s to much to handle.
June 14th, 2019 at 5:57 pm
727……I feel your excitement & can hardly contain myself over here. But I don’t got too much problem with the naysayers because Ive lived through the same embarrassment they have……honestly can’t blame them.
What I will have a problem with is anybody who will not be supporting this new era. That’s a bunch of bull. There’s no reason not to support the new leadership here. NONE!!………It’s especially important because of the culture of our community and that we are a transient city that has to fend off yankees daily. We need all the support we can get. Just like every inch on the field matters so does every shred of fan support………I understand the Bucs have given us a team that is not worthy of your support many times and I would never ask anybody to support some of our former teams………But this is not one of those teams. This is a new team & a new era. This team should not be prejudged based on those other embarrassing effort.
If you truely love this team you will want to see this new era be a great one. There is no reason to not support this new team……….and if they do embarrassing us again we can all jump ship in unison which will only make us stronger as a fanbase!!!!!
It’s times like these that try men’s souls. I’mma show what I’m made of and my goal is to be the loudest MF in that joint when those pissant 49ers come to our house!!!!! What’s your goal?
GO BUCS!!!!!!
June 14th, 2019 at 6:01 pm
Also I noticed people on here swinging from Peyton Manning yesterday. Yes,he was a prolific passer of the football but he also had the benefit of starting his career with Marshal Faulk and Edggerin James. Belichess was pimp smacking him for years. It wasn’t til Joseph Adai started running the air out that ball and his defense stepped up that he won a chip.
June 14th, 2019 at 6:09 pm
NOSBOS Manning was a great reg season QB and he was a choke artist against Tom Brady in the playoffs. The one time he got past Brady had more to do with Brady having a bad game then anything……..or like you said how the Colts found a legit defense that year.
In a way you could make a great case that choker Manning made Brady great more then Bellicheck did.
That’s my version of the story.
June 14th, 2019 at 7:25 pm
Given a choice between a sure thing like Darrell Henderson or a gamble like Rojo, Longshot Licht will always roll the dice.
June 14th, 2019 at 8:19 pm
Who the eff is derell henderson? Are you even on the right website cause I just looked it up in my NFL almanac and their is no record whatsoever for this henderson guy you keep talking about.
If your a pro scout then spit it out. Otherwise go to the Raiders fanpage and see if you favorite RB can crack the roster and not be a Week 1 inactive.
June 14th, 2019 at 8:36 pm
Les Snead and the Rams have have a better version of Alvin Kamara and they stole him from the Bucs!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8eUftZS9Sl
June 14th, 2019 at 8:38 pm
Tmaxcon,
Good point. Not a fan of 93’s demeanor and the excuses!
Just win!!!!!
And if you don’t win, fans want to know “why”?
Licht paid three o-linemen more than $10 million per. Why does the line still suck?
June 14th, 2019 at 8:46 pm
JimmyJack, Henderson is the RB out of Memphis. Went to the Rams.
June 14th, 2019 at 8:52 pm
Bruce Anderson NDSU! He tore it up!
June 14th, 2019 at 8:56 pm
One hand should feed the other. There’s no question we all want to say less turnovers from Jameis and smarter decisions. With that said, the man is always forced to put this team on his back. Usually he ends up coming through only to watch the defense piss it away at the end. I can’t even begin to imagine how many wins we would have the last 4 or 5 wins if this defense had any balls to it. The reason the Bucs have been playing golf during the playoffs is because this horrific defense has been a joke. No running game, no kicker and turnovers didn’t help but the real reason was this sieve of a defense. Get that fixed and this team is in the playoff hunt.
June 14th, 2019 at 8:57 pm
Darrell Henderson is a rookie with comparable style to that of former Falcon RB: Tevin Coleman.
Licht and crew thought they’d trade that pick in the third, to the Rams, who took him. At least when our DBs can play, we can say Licht drafted 9 of them in the 4th round or better- about damn time.
Here’s to hoping RoJo gets it together.
June 14th, 2019 at 9:41 pm
I can’t argue with any of that Jack.
June 14th, 2019 at 9:43 pm
Henderson still isn’t in the Alamanac and there aren’t a RB on Earth gonna save this rush game cause it don’t work without blocking.
Don’t care what the Rams or Saits do. They got the blocking to make it work.
If the Bucs wanna get serious about rushing they better get the blocks or it’s going nowhere. Zeke Elliot or Shaq Barkley be damned.
There was nobody running behind that line last year and nobody running behind it now unless we get the blocks.
You can’t draft one runner and think he’s gonna cure all cause it never works that way. It starts up front and the first place to look is D.Smith. That dude didn’t get paid BigTime just to block on passing downs. That’s absurd. After him we got Marpet and Jensen both making mega dollars……..If you can’t open holes with them guys that’s called sh!t coaching.
If they can’t get em blocking then send em packing with Dirk. But either way the blocking better come first or I don’t care who you draft.
June 14th, 2019 at 9:43 pm
Henderson still isn’t in the Alamanac and there aren’t a RB on Earth gonna save this rush game cause it don’t work without blocking.
Don’t care what the Rams or Saits do. They got the blocking to make it work.
If the Bucs wanna get serious about rushing they better get the blocks or it’s going nowhere. Zeke Elliot or Shaq Barkley be damned.
There was nobody running behind that line last year and nobody running behind it now unless we get the blocks.
You can’t draft one runner and think he’s gonna cure all cause it never works that way. It starts up front and the first place to look is D.Smith. That dude didn’t get paid BigTime just to block on passing downs. That’s absurd. After him we got Marpet and Jensen both making mega dollars……..If you can’t open holes with them guys that’s called sh!t coaching.
If they can’t get em blocking then send em packing with Dirk. But either way the blocking better come first or I don’t care who you draft.
June 14th, 2019 at 10:19 pm
Big XII? Pfftt.
June 14th, 2019 at 10:20 pm
JimmyJack
Agree with you on needing help STILL in the trenches! But Meathead decided to grab even more 2nd round DB’s in the draft! Amazing! But Ghost is correct in his infatuation w Henderson. 3 backs in the draft stuck out way above the rest between Jacobs, Sanders and Henderson, and Henderson could be the best if the bunch! He’s got the it factor!! Would love to see Bruce Anderson be the free agent diamond in the rough just as the Broncos found theirs last year.
June 15th, 2019 at 2:16 pm
I wonder what Barber would look like if he wasn’t playing behind the worst run-blocking o-line in the league?
Or if he wasn’t being hit behind the line of scrimmage more often than any other team in the league?
Hmmmmmm.