Here Comes The Running Game
November 23rd, 2019
Bad things happen when America’s Quarterback, Jameis Winston, throws the ball too much.
No, Joe’s not talking about Jameis’ blistering turnover pace, Joe’s talking about losses.
JoeBucsFan.com columnist Ira Kaufman loves to note how the Bucs are now 0-13 in the past five years when rushing 20 or fewer times in a game.
Bucco Bruce Arians told everyone that his offense would run the ball effectively this season and it was imperative. Sadly, starting RB Ronald Jones is averaging 3.4 yards per carry through his last seven games and the Bucs’ overall have a bottom-tier attack from their running backs, based just about every measurable available.
So now what next tomorrow against Atlanta?
Joe is very confident (call it a little birdie in Joe’s ear) that Bucs fans will be treated to a much greater commitment to running the football against the Falcons than fans have seen in recent weeks.
Joe’s not sure how that will pan out if the Falcons can move the ball at will against the Bucs’ soft secondary. No NFL team passes more per game than Atlanta at 41 attempts. But still, count on the Bucs’ looking much more balanced tomorrow.
Perhaps that will produce the Bucs’ first 100-yard rusher in more than one calendar year?
BUCS-FALCONS PREVIEW FROM DERRICK BROOKS & IRA KAUFMAN. An all-new TAMPA TWO, presented by Caldeco Air Conditioning & Heating.
November 23rd, 2019 at 11:16 am
Question marks in every position.
November 23rd, 2019 at 11:18 am
Starting to seem evident to me we are now playing for next year. It’s all about improvement, personnel decisions, learning the system etc. Thus why Dean didn’t play and rojo took so long to be named starter.
Jameis has one of the easiest schedules for a qb the remainder of the season. These teams are simply not that good. Even the Texans are overrated.
This is the biggest stretch of jameis’s career. If he turns the ball over a lot or underperforms against bad defenses, he’ll be gone. If he plays well, then he’ll be back.
Willing to bet it’s the ladder. There’s gonna be a lot of upset bloggers here in a few months.
November 23rd, 2019 at 11:19 am
Keep possession of the ball and continue drives. Sometimes because of our weak secondary, not sustaining drives, and too many 3 and outs is giving the enemy too many extra chances of pulling ahead in the score which causes us to abandon the run early. Make a concerted effort to keep drives alive, even if you have to do it on 4th down. At this point “No risk it, no biscuit”
November 23rd, 2019 at 11:21 am
“LOL
run heavy offenses creates 14 pts if lucky in the modern NFL game
run plays are used to setup the pass and explosive plays
how about high percentage short passing routes? How was that short 5 yard shallow cross to Godwin for 30 yards
oops. BSer said he doesnt run a play twice in 1 game
Bucsfans, We have been scammed”
Kobe Faker
November 23rd, 2019 at 11:37 am
Better keep running that delayed screen pass!! That’s the only thing Jay Miss has done consistently and positively the last 5 years!! Falcons by 14 to move up in the NFC South!!
November 23rd, 2019 at 11:46 am
Anyone else getting an annoying a$$ ad when they hit ‘read more’?
November 23rd, 2019 at 11:46 am
Yeah I heard that we dont EVER run the same play. How is it them that we run up the middle nearly 80%+ of the time? Is it in a different formation, the play still is a run up the middle. Sounds like the same play as was used the last series on first down.
Tired of losing, and I am just a fan. As a player I get they make plenty of money. Where is that “Want To” form these players? We see it week in and week out in our opponents players. They laugh at our ineptitude. As a player this would get under my skin and there would be hell to pay in the next game. Like the saints running plays on fourth and 3, multiple times. And the sorry part is we give up the first down. Where is the team, homefield, self Pride? We hear how much the players are angry with losses and yet we see the nearly famous Ole’ play By our starting LT, we see the nearly FAMOUS hike before then calls for it. We see the lack of knowledge in the back end of our defense, and players all pointing fingers at each other. Where is all that anger at losing? Where is these players Pride to be a NFL player. To be a 2019 Buccaneer player and to see how we get beat on every game. I could not deal with that mentally. Where is these players Pride? Does cashing those checks make you forget that you and your teammates just got your arses beat again?
I have several players I like on our team. But this is getting old and has been old. When should we the simple fans be able to cheer for a hard nose, in your face team that wins at all cost?
November 23rd, 2019 at 11:53 am
Killiade I too am seeing an add that covers everything up until you close it with the tiny X in the upper corner. It is like thisnDoleman law group add that covers my area to type. Like it is doing right now. To clear this off I tilt my phone and make it be small and below the typing area.
November 23rd, 2019 at 12:00 pm
This just in:
Our record when running over 20 times/game over the last 5 years is NOT much better
November 23rd, 2019 at 12:14 pm
treated……hope it is a treat…the only certain way to cut down on INT’s…Authur Blank will have his team and organization ready….(see other thread on JBF today )
November 23rd, 2019 at 12:23 pm
Arians has shown that he no longer has that “it” factor as far as being an effective head coach. Team record tells you exactly what kind of a team we have. 3-7 sucks. Bottom feeder. Arians now has a four game losing streak as a head coach. Winston leads the league in turnovers in the most important year of his NFL career. We have the worst secondary in professional football that was supposedly “fixed”. We are a joke. Fans are now weary of their team and expect to lose every game. Depressing times as a Buc fan. We all expected more from our new coaching staff and all we got was more mediocrity. If one facet of the team is working, the others are not. No sign that this coaching staff has anything figured out after 10 games. I still watch the weekly train wreck of a franchise but I’m not about to spend my hard earned money to go watch that nightmare and leave furious after the Bucs crap all over themselves and embarrass everyone. The Bucs are a joke and it is sad. Looking to the draft to start over again…
November 23rd, 2019 at 12:30 pm
Neither Jameis or the buccs will or can succeed together. As long as Arians and Litch try and fit the square Jameis in a round hole. The team is a 5-11 team at best. Jameis needs a complete team. Great defense and a great oline and running game. Something the buccs won’t have time to create any time soon. Draft a rookie Qb and use the 4-5 years to draft, sign, and improve them team.
November 23rd, 2019 at 12:53 pm
And, for God’s sake…..when you are 3rd and 4…..don’t throw it 20 yards downfield for a likely incomplete pass…..
November 23rd, 2019 at 1:14 pm
Arians likes a vertical passing game. Always has. Plus, the moment we fall behind, the run is reduced.
So don’t count chickens before they are grilled.
November 23rd, 2019 at 1:18 pm
Buc fans believe what they see and are sick and tired of seeing it over and over. Try something new like having a clue in any direction positive. The repeats are wearing thin. Nobody takes credit for having a clue, just more empty excusing clueless words Buc style.
November 23rd, 2019 at 1:53 pm
It seems like they’ll try to find an elite RT (one can only hope). Donovan Smith is a stand up blocker with far from $40 million LT hand technique. You can rotate him to RT easily. They get a QB in FA or stay with Jameis, looks there are some serious OT going high in the first round.
November 23rd, 2019 at 2:00 pm
Let’s trade two 1 and a 2 for Gruden again.
November 23rd, 2019 at 2:00 pm
Koetter and Raheem Morris will be looking for revenge against us, so it might get ugly. Coming off their beatdown of the mighty Saints, in their house, the Falcons are on fire right now. Though I want us to win, I just don’t see it.
I hope I am wrong, but I feel a blowout of us coming in Atlanta tomorrow.
November 23rd, 2019 at 3:01 pm
I’m sure that Arians wants a BALANCED attack, and so does Leftwich. Falling behind early in games kinda screws that up it appears. Yes, sometimes it’s the defense that causes us to fall behind early & abandon the run. Sometimes it’s turnovers by the offense. Sometimes it’s simply that our run game sucks. And sometimes it’s because our coaches simply abandon the run prematurely. Put ’em all together, like we often do, and it spells 3-7 through 10 games from where I stand.
A BALANCED attack IMO doesn’t have to be 50% runs & 50% passes. I’d think that 43%-45% runs & 55%-57% passes is probably better. It should ideally include a decent number of short passes (screens, etc) to the RBs IMO, so that the RBs are handling the ball on close to 50% of the plays. But for that to be viable & effective, the Bucs would need not only high quality running backs (who can all run, catch & block), but also require an OLine that’s good at both run blocking AND pass blocking.
But I think that to be effective a BALANCED attack also requires a QB who’s mobile, who’s accurate, who’s good at distributing the ball, who completes a high percentage of his passes AND who doesn’t turn it over very often. Believe it or not, there actually are QBs like that in the NFL … and it appears that they win more than they lose. Bucs just need to find one. But in the process, we may also need to find a coach who knows how to use a QB like that effectively in his attack plan. I’m having my doubts lately that BA is that coach.
November 23rd, 2019 at 3:10 pm
Thanks for sharing Joe. I do think the run game has slightly been improved and could be more if they had used it more. Understand YPC is roughly the same but consider the added TDs we are getting from our RBs. Extra touchdowns is nothing to brush off.
Overall our running game has mostly positive plays which is OK. What we are missing is the splash plays. I feel like RoJo has some in him yet I been saying that for two months now and still haven’t seen it. If he starts getting them the YPC will start being more respectable.
November 23rd, 2019 at 3:14 pm
DR looking at last week we was down 10 for most of the 2nd and 3rd quarter. That is not a reason why you should abbondon the run game ever. If it’s fourth quater, fine I get it. If it’s 1965, sure I get it……..But in today’s NFL 10 points down in the middle part of the game is no reason to pannic…….which is what I say happened.
November 23rd, 2019 at 3:57 pm
DR
Nice ideals for future consideration but in the here and now we have to work with what we have. Do you agree that we have nothing to lose at this point? Do you agree that’s it now that Arian’s has to follow his own little battle cry. no risk it, no biscuit. From here on out, start using all four downs if you have to. Time to pull out all the stops and take more risk. Let Gay try those 50+ yarders instead of punting, onside kicks, fake punts, etc… I don’t see that, and at this point if we are serious about imposing our will and gaining confidence then the Coaching staff needs to take boulder steps in managing the game. That never say quit attitude then maybe a good portion of those trickery’s and risk will pay off and build confidence in this team for next season. It all starts with Coach Arian.
November 23rd, 2019 at 4:20 pm
Let’s see if our 6-10 talent can get a win
November 23rd, 2019 at 4:31 pm
JimmyJack Says:
DR looking at last week we was down 10 for most of the 2nd and 3rd quarter. That is not a reason why you should abbondon the run game ever.
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I think it’s because the Saints had scored halfway through 3rd qtr. and made it 27 – 10. That’s when we went into passing mode where Jameis did drive us down the field for the TD to put it back to 10. Then the 4th started and we went aerial attack mode till the end.
November 23rd, 2019 at 5:18 pm
Lets hope we run more than 8 running plays this week.
November 23rd, 2019 at 6:10 pm
Jean we never really shifted to passing mode. Unless you count shifting after the first play(successful 7 yrd run).
We had two Dare runs with under four minutes in 4th quarter. Between the 1st play of the game and the 2 Dare runs we called 3 runs for the entire rest of game.
That’s 3 runs for most of the 1st quarter, all of 2nd, all of 3rd, and most of 4th…….combined. Agree with you that at 27-10 Midway through third you gotta pass a lot. But that doesn’t explain the entire rest of game.
There was no other mode to that game other then pass happy.
November 23rd, 2019 at 6:48 pm
JimmyJack … You’re spot on about abandoning the run prematurely, but just as much it’s the deep passing that throws things out of whack. I’m of the opinion that for deep passes to have a reasonable chance of success, they have to be ‘set up’.
Realistically, the Saints are a better TEAM than the Bucs. They have a better QB, they have a better OLine, they have a better running game, they have a better defense. However, if you look at the stats for the game, 3 things are REALLY lopsided (besides the score of course): (1) turnovers (Saints – 0; Bucs – 4); (2) Time of Possession (Saints 37 mins; Bucs 23 mins); and (3) offensive BALANCE (Saints – 28 rushes/35 passes; Bucs – 8 rushes/51 passes). The huge difference in TOP is a consequence of both the difference in turnovers AND the difference in offensive BALANCE IMO. Rushes & high percentage short passes keep the clock moving, and if executed effectively, keep drives moving forward.
Deep passes can be great quick strikes (scoring points quickly but short-changing TOP). But they can also be drive killers, and not just because of INTs. They obviously have a much lower completion probability on our team at least. In the New Orleans game for instance, Jameis was 1-for-3 deep in the 1st half, with 1 intercepted (no damage; end-of-half). He was 1-for-6 in the 2nd half, with 1 intercepted (Pick-6 putting the game out of reach with 5 mins to go). So in the game the Bucs completed 2 deep passes in 9 attempts, had 2 picked off, killing drives and giving the Saints 7 points. Of the 9 deep pass attempts, 5 were on 1st down, 0 were on 2nd down, 3 were on 3rd down and 1 was on 4th down. Given the down & distance and game situation, the Saints were probably waiting on the 3rd & 4th down passes.
November 23rd, 2019 at 6:49 pm
You’re right. That costly INT before the half was at least a ten point swing.
November 23rd, 2019 at 10:39 pm
Oline is garbage most of the time and the coaches know it which is why they can’t rely on a steady run game. Remember when lapdog Licht told Chris Meyers in a preseason game his first season that he likes to build a team from the inside out? How can this fraud still be here? Dominik and Raheem would have had this team in the playoffs by now if the Glazers let them spend money like they did for this loser.
November 23rd, 2019 at 11:01 pm
Here’s an idea don’t start the game that you practiced ALL week for 3 & out, turnover, punt. It was 21-0 before I finished my first glass of wine. THEN MAYBE we can get a little ground game going. The more things change the more they stay the same.
November 24th, 2019 at 8:40 am
Maybe if they didnt run up the middle on first down all the time.maybr if they started the game in a a quick paced offense, throw the ball on first run a fake run with a screen on second, then run on first when they are not ready for it.Maybr chamge yhe formations on running plays so they dony know what your doing? Maybr on run plays do a few sweeps and not just up the gut every time. Maybe stop being so Damn slow in between plays and pickup the pace of the offense.MAYBE LEFTWICH IS CLUELESS!!!! APPARENTLY SO.IS BOWLES FOR BENCHING DEAN IN FAVOR FOR SOFT ZONE COVERAGE AGAONST THE SAINTS!!!!!
This team is a dumpster fire with little blow boy owners who walk around with their silver spoons all day. Im shooting my gun and watching another game.Not going to waste half my Sunday on a crappy product
November 24th, 2019 at 9:51 am
A better indicator of Jameis woes are ‘pass attempts’. When he throws more than 35+ times, the Bucs record is downright putrid.
If this TEAM is going to be successful, we need a running game and LESS Jameis!
FACT!!!