One Legit Reason Bruce Arians Likes His Running Game
January 9th, 2020
Yes, the Bucs rushing attack is weak and has been for the past four years.
But there is one tangible improvement that is part of why Bucco Bruce Arians lauds the running game as if nothing is wrong.
The Buccaneers pounded in 15 rushing touchdowns this season.
They hadn’t accomplished since 2007, the last playoff season!
The last time the Bucs actually eclipsed 15 rushing touchdowns in a season was under Father Dungy, 17 in 2001.
(Here’s a fun fact: the Bucs had just 6 rushing touchdowns during the 2002 regular season. That ranked 31st in the NFL during that Super Bowl campaign.).
Under Dirk Koetter, the Bucs had 11 rushing TDs in 2018, but just 8 in 2016 and in 2017. The humming 2012 Bucs offense had 13 rushing TDs, fueled by Doug Martins’ Pro Bowl season.
Rushing success in the red zone is critical, and overall the Bucs weren’t very good at it this season, but they significantly improved, and it’s a factor in Arians’ optimism.
In Arizona, Arians had some good teams when it came to rushing touchdowns and some bad. David Johnson pounded in 16 all by himself during the 2017 season.
January 9th, 2020 at 11:50 am
cool story…draft Najee Harris
January 9th, 2020 at 11:53 am
RD 1: OL
RD 2: DL
RD 3: RB
January 9th, 2020 at 11:59 am
Weird that I just posted about this lol. It was kind of flukey we had only 33 passing TD and 15 rushing TD when our pass game accounted for almost 80% of the yardage. It’s also good proof of how running well in the red zone is super important for scoring efficiency.
January 9th, 2020 at 11:59 am
get a qb that can actually throw the short ball (and w/o a pick 6) and the opposing D will have to respect the run and not get set for a pick.
The run game will thrive….with a RB off the street if needed
but yeah, we need a new LT
January 9th, 2020 at 12:05 pm
BL working magic!!!!!!!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!!!
January 9th, 2020 at 12:05 pm
http://www.breitbart.com/sports/2020/01/08/tom-brady-i-still-have-more-prove/
go get him jason!
January 9th, 2020 at 12:06 pm
buc15 Says:
January 9th, 2020 at 11:53 am
RD 1: OL
RD 2: DL
RD 3: RB
BINGO!!!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!!
January 9th, 2020 at 12:08 pm
Get it in your head …. Bruce don’t like to draft oline. Just like he don’t like to draft QB. He said a couple times. What part don’t you understand.
January 9th, 2020 at 12:12 pm
Especially with the current oline is young. Expect DL
January 9th, 2020 at 12:15 pm
Dotson old.
January 9th, 2020 at 12:31 pm
Yes replacing Dotson should be top draft priority. If we can get a OL stud, we can use Dotson as depth if he doesn’t retire
January 9th, 2020 at 12:58 pm
daft najee harris
January 9th, 2020 at 1:06 pm
Who.
Cares?
You’re 7-9, missed the playoffs, and still complaining about a RB when you passed on a franchise RB in favor of a TE who literally hands the ball to the other team.
January 9th, 2020 at 1:26 pm
The run game got a big boost when Cappa’s game got up to speed. He opened holes past the linebackers late in the season. Get a RT that can also run block and almost anyone will be able to get yards next season.
A better RB would still be on my wish list. I still think a short, powerful and fast back like C.J. Verdell would be a better choice than a bruiser.
January 9th, 2020 at 1:27 pm
I won’t be surprised at all to see David Johnson suiting up for the Bucs in 2020.
January 9th, 2020 at 1:39 pm
john taylor 2020 draft will change that, trevor lawrence 2021
January 9th, 2020 at 1:42 pm
Watching Michael Pittman run that year was hilarious. He got it done vs. Oakland but he looked like a rat on ritalin.
January 9th, 2020 at 2:18 pm
@Craig
What about JK Dobbins? He’s not a super tall guy, but he can be both a bruiser AND has sneaky good speed/agility. After he transformed his body last off season, he was a whole new animal for the Buckeyes.
Dobbins nearly single handed could have beat Clemson. If it weren’t for some bad calls by the refs and an ill-timed collapse of the defense OSU won that game and it would have been on the back of Dobbins.
January 9th, 2020 at 2:30 pm
Man, I would love to see Mike Alstott in todays offense.
January 9th, 2020 at 2:51 pm
>posting breitbart articles
YIKES
Anyhow I don’t think our run game was as bad as a lot of people in here say it is. It needs to be better but not as bad as they keep screeching it is. I see that a lot of the winston defense force uses the running game excuse as a reason for our QBs bone headed turnovers when they are indefensible but that’s beside the point. The fact we can actually pound them in the redzone is huge that I will take all day.
January 9th, 2020 at 3:38 pm
Cam Akers, like the other FSU running backs disrespected at draft time, will be a steal.
January 9th, 2020 at 4:20 pm
I posted awhile back when they were not as bad as some thought . at that
time they had or 11 TD’s. Given the fact that they also run just good enough to make play action work well . They also had good blocking schemes at times where the RB’s scored from farther out than the 1 or 2 yard line. Seems like thats were the execution could be improved both in blocking and running.
January 9th, 2020 at 5:07 pm
XAVIER JONES RB from SMU
Dude has some moves
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SStvdWCGw
January 9th, 2020 at 5:37 pm
Ronnie is fine as a RB – again, you do not need a top running game when you have the top passing game. BUT, what you do need is a top pass catching back, and the Bucs do NOT have that. Dare was pretty awful this year and more INTs were caused by Winston trying to get him the ball than anyone else I can think of off the top of my head (if anyone has the actual intended target stats, let me know). Dare just isn’t an NFL talent and isn’t even remotely close to what Charles Simms was.
So if the Bucs want to get a back, just get a pass catcher who can block – exactly like Simms. In fact call Simms up and see if he can still play or not – the guy had awesome hands and was solid as a blocker.
Also there is still the possibility that the Bucs can get David Johnson. I have to assume he’s cut by Arizona, and if that’s the case maybe the Bucs can get him on a prove-it deal. If so, then you (hopefully) have a top back, someone who CAN catch the ball – and who I assume can block. He also already knows the offense so there shouldn’t be an adjustment period. I’m not paying big money for David since we don’t know his health, but a one year moderate level money deal – sure, make it happen.
January 9th, 2020 at 6:06 pm
Harris would be a great 3rd round pick…….a bruiser who can get 3/4th & 1 or 2…..
January 9th, 2020 at 7:03 pm
My favorite position in football is running back, so it has been torture watching the hot mess that we have had recently. I would be thrilled to get a game wrecker like Derrick Henry if the Titans let him go. If not, hopefully we draft a new back in the early rounds.
January 10th, 2020 at 12:50 am
Still wouldn’t it help Jameis to draft an above average running back? Other teams I feel still don’t respect our running game.
January 10th, 2020 at 8:06 am
We see what Arians is now for a calendar year. He loves to blow smile up his own players buts, and say the problem is fixed. This running game was putrid until RoJo had a couple of decent games at the end. That makes it still terrible. Don’t believe it! We need a pile driving RT. And a legitimate yards chomping running back in free agency and/or the Draft.