Boosting The Backs
August 7th, 2019
Good with backs.
More running back love from Bucco Bruce Arians.
All through the offseason, many Bucs fans (perhaps none louder than Joe) hollered for the Bucs to do damn near anything to upgrade the stable of running backs who did absolutely nothing last year, a proud Bucs tradition for much of the post-Chucky era.
Instead of beefing up the position, the Bucs willfully ignored it. Arians has grown tired of being asked about the Bucs’ running backs, especially when one reporter tagged Bucs running backs “substandard.” That got Arians fired up.
Yesterday, once again, Arians went to bat for his running backs.
“This is a very, very solid NFL group,” Arians said after practice Tuesday. “They each bring something different to the table. You can get everything done within the offense with all four guys, and maybe five with Bruce [Anderson III].”
Do the running backs look better than last year? Well, Ronald Jones does but let’s not pretend he’s the second coming of Barry Sanders quite yet. Jones looks better largely because he was invisible in last year’s training camp.
Jones didn’t look like he belonged on an NFL roster in 2018. This year he does, but that’s about it.
Barber looks about the same as last year: Lot of movement, lot of hustle, lot of sweat, not a lot of production.
Call Joe a worry wart (you’d be right) but already a very young, shaky defense has taken three body blows with knee injuries to two of its best players, Lavonte David and Vita Vea; and a neck injury to a third star in Jason Pierre-Paul. Who knows when those guys will be back to full strength?
This puts more pressure on the offense to succeed. And if the running backs can’t get the job done, who is going to have to answer to Team Glazer about why this position was willfully ignored?
WATCH EVERY Bucs road game this season with Ira at Buffalo Wild Wings! The fun starts Friday, when Ira will be in Wesley Chapel with about 20 gift cards for fans (while supplies last).
August 7th, 2019 at 8:09 am
The make or break for Jones career lies between his ears. He has “better than most” talent (watch his USC highlight reel), but without the required confidence needed to want the ball he will do nothing. Like everything else with this year’s Bucs, all we can do is wait, watch and hope for the best.
Looking forward to it …
August 7th, 2019 at 8:33 am
“if the running backs can’t get the job done, who is going to have to answer to Team Glazer about why this position was willfully ignored?”
Gump by now is praying that Darrell Henderson fails miserably in Los Angeles. If he matches his 2018 college numbers of 1909 yards rushing and 27 TD’s in 11 games, he will probably be voted Rookie of the Year.
Extrapolate those numbers to a 16 game season and you get 2,775 yards rushing and 40 TD’s. Wow!
Look out for Game 4, when the Bucs depleted and battered defense visits LA to face the best team in the NFC. The one-two punch of Gurley and Henderson will open the Glazer eyes.
After missing on Derwin James last year and DH this year, Gump should be out of professional football forever.
August 7th, 2019 at 8:38 am
Let’s not mention Ronald Jones with Barry Sanders….ever. Dude has 44 career rushing yds with a 1.9 avg yds per attempt. Barry’s first game in the league he had 9 attempts for 71 yds, 1 TD and a long run of 26 yds. Those would be career highs for Jones.
August 7th, 2019 at 9:03 am
Joe specifically stated that he was not Barry…don’t see a problem.
August 7th, 2019 at 9:41 am
I am surprised that Bruce hasn’t pulled a Vea yet by tapping out of the Bucs by now… of course if he did he wouldn’t get that extra retirement scratch so there is that…
August 7th, 2019 at 9:56 am
Reserve OT Mike Liedtke is out for the season with a shoulder injury.
August 7th, 2019 at 10:41 am
BA committing to the run game greatly approves our RBs production. Question tho Joe??? Have you watched the Vea play from yesterday??? I’ll say my spidey senses are firing really high after watching the play. My opinion, Vea is fine. We just won’t see him in any live action during this pre- season. I hope ME and Suh are somehow shut down as well.
August 7th, 2019 at 10:43 am
bama
damn!!!!
the hits just keep on coming….
GO BUCS!!!!
August 7th, 2019 at 11:00 am
Joe’s tongue in cheek comment about Jones and Barry Sanders is the smoking gun that he still doesn’t understand the difference between an efficient running game that is appropriate for the system and moves the chains and one that is centered around a generational superstar at the position.
August 7th, 2019 at 11:02 am
@813broccoli
don’t change your tune again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
813bucboi Says:
August 7th, 2018 at 4:54 pm
i can hear DR and rhealist now……
injuries!!!!!…..that’s why we had a lousy season….give the coaches a pass…..lol….
NAWL!!!!!…not this year!!!!…..you had the injury excuse last year…..learn and adjust!!!!!…that’s what good coaches do!!!!!
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!…#PRESSURESONTHECOACHES!!!!…GO BUCS!!!!
August 7th, 2019 at 11:05 am
They DID address to RB’s, its just that you don’t like it. The answer will come from the coaches (by far and away our best offseason pick up), continued passing dominance, the rise of the tight ends and complimentary runs/screens/check downs.
Calm the F down…
All these injuries do help solidify my opinion the season should expand (18-20 games) and so should the rosters (more depth). That move would also blunt any attempt for other football leagues from starting up.
In BA I Trust!
August 7th, 2019 at 11:13 am
Sport—
“BOOM!” 🎤 drop
No kidding. Eor has to be Eor.
August 7th, 2019 at 11:22 am
Stoked they are streaming preseason for us out of state people.
The Vea injury is such devastating news man. I really freaking hope he has the most minimal injury possible for needing an MRI. That guy was going to anchor our D-line and set the tone for everyone. Top 5-10 DT down the stretch of his rookie season.
August 7th, 2019 at 11:43 am
RB is the least of the Bucs worries, need a backup OT ASAP. Also a DT and DE on the other side.
August 7th, 2019 at 11:54 am
@ Ghost
I liked Henderson too, but your post may be the dumbest thing I’ve ever read. If he hits those #s, he wouldn’t “probably be Offensive Rookie of the Year”, he’d be the league MVP. Don’t try to extrapolate his #s to a 16 game NFL season, that’s an exercise in futility. He’s also playing behind a guy widely considered the best RB in the league. I think he will surprise people, but temper the expectations dude
August 7th, 2019 at 12:36 pm
Ghost you are a complete brick head if you think a mid round back (or any back, ever) would rush for 2,700 yards and 40 tds. Just because you astonomically over inflate the value of an undoubtedly average running back doesn’t actually mean Jason Licht sucks at his job, like you think it does.
Man, the Max Kellerman inspired, neurotic, panic ridden and cult minded hot takes are strong in this city.
August 7th, 2019 at 12:50 pm
@Big Marlin, DH was the best RB in all of college football history (8.2 ypc) and since DH put up those numbers as a back up at Memphis, it was easy to extrapolate the statistics playing behind Gurley.
Don’t forget that DH will probably be allowed to return kicks, where he averaged over 50 yards per return and a TD per game.
You’re absolutely right that he will probably be the League MVP, the Super Bowl MVP, All Pro, #1 in the Top 100 and Player of the Decade but I didn’t want to starting beating that drum this early.
I just wanted to point out that the Bucs had an golden opportunity to select in the 3rd freaking round and they absolutely blew it!!
August 7th, 2019 at 1:14 pm
@Primach You say DH is “an undoubtedly average running back” and a mid round back, but he beat out Red Grange, OJ Simpson, Archie Griffin, Jim Brown, Barry Sanders, Eric Dickerson, Marshall Faulk, Emmett Smith, Jim Thorpe, Eddie George, Dalvin Cook, Leroy Kelly, Gale Sayers, Billy Sims, Adrian Petersen, Earl Campbell, Marcus Allen, Doak Walker, Charles White, Bo Jackson, Tony Dorsett, Ricky Williams, and Herschel Walker in college for the greatest RB in NCAA history.
I am simply saying it was a miracle from God that gave him to the Bucs in the 3rd round on a silver platter and Gump traded him to Les Snead and the NFC Champions for two magic beans.
August 7th, 2019 at 1:57 pm
RoJo still has highway slabs for hands.
August 7th, 2019 at 2:12 pm
Ghost loves to pound that drum about Henderson….. but I agree with Ghost 100% on passing on Henderson in trading pick to Rams for a couple Lottery tickets!! But hey Ghost we can take your hint on how you feel!! Every Poster on this site knows how you feel!!! I promise!!!!!
August 7th, 2019 at 2:49 pm
wow Joe Cnn suits u
August 7th, 2019 at 3:55 pm
realist
what are you talking about?…lol…im singing the same tune….
like i said, injuries happen….every team has injuries….thats no excuse to produce back to back 5win seasons….
fortunately for the “real fans” we know we have competent coaches that will make adjustments and develop the players that are on the roster for situations like this, unlike dirk and smitty…..
buckle up and pull your skirt down missy….your about to witness “real coaching” in 2019!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!
August 7th, 2019 at 3:57 pm
I made the mistake last year of thinking the top rusher in College football in 2017, Penny, who also played in a small school league, was a big miss by Licht, but Penny is just a backup RB in the NFL, and that is exactly what Henderson will be too at a team with a star RB who will get most of the carries. You are just setting yourself up for a gigantic disappointment, ghost, and Licht is a much superior GM than what you think. If he wasn’t BA would not have come here. Turns out BA has done very well with all of Licht’s picks that are still here, except for Benenoch: Spence, Vea, VHIII, Jones, Smith (CB), Davis III, Da’ota Dixon, Edwards, Cappa, Bunting, Stewart, Cichy, Nassib & etc. and don’t forget he got both Bunting and Edwards with giving up the pick which could have given us backup Henderson. BA was right and you are wrong!
August 7th, 2019 at 4:03 pm
Oh and Licht also brought us Dare Ogunbowale and this year’s placekicker who hit a 62 yard field goal that easily could have gone over 70 yards, and White who will be a Super Star. Do you think as a GM you could have hit in all those picks, ghost? NOT!
August 7th, 2019 at 4:37 pm
My picks would have been Josh Allen, Treyvon Mullen and DH. We’ll see what happens.
August 7th, 2019 at 5:17 pm
BA fan. Correction. Trade for Henderson resulted in Jamel Dean and Edwards.
August 7th, 2019 at 7:55 pm
I actually feel like @Ghost of Darrell Henderson is skilled enough in his or her trolling to be somewhat appreciated. I mean, still idiotic, but presented with skill and flare. That’s not bad. So much better than some others. I’m looking at you, tmaxipad.