Still Elite
October 28th, 2020
Yes, Leonard Fournette got more touches than Ronald Jones on Sunday against the Raiders in Las Vegas.
But that doesn’t take away from RoJo’s stellar season and, frankly, RoJo was let down a bit more than usual by his offensive line. He finished with 13 carries for 34 yards.
That’s rough, but it was enough to knock him up to 506 yards for this season. As you can see in the FOX graphic above, that was enough to make RoJo rank fourth in rushing throughout the NFL through seven weeks, and No. 2 in the NFC.
Unfortunately for RoJo, he can’t catch, but his four rushing touchdowns are tied for seventh-most in the league.
Joe is so curious to see how Bucco Bruce Arians and Byron Leftwich divide the workload between Fournette and Jones now that they’re both healthy and Fournette knows the playbook. They are a clear 1-2 punch. Neither LeSean McCoy nor rookie Ke’Shawn Vaughn took a snap against the Raiders.
October 28th, 2020 at 5:48 am
ROJO has stepped up his game running the ball, but still has not proven that he can be trusted to catch the ball. There are going to be critical downs in some games they play, and Brady is not going to throw him the ball, because so far his hands are a liability. The Bucs can not telegraph plays with ROJO only running the ball when he comes in. He has to start being consistent catching the ball. Bruce said they did not bench ROJO after he dropped another easy catch, but suddenly he was a spectator for a long time. Fournette came in and caught a couple of passes right away, and now is the 3rd down back because he can be trusted to block and catch. GO BUCS!!!!
October 28th, 2020 at 5:53 am
BA pulled rojo immediately after his dropped pass until the 2nd half, never letting him get his flow going…
for a dude with 3 straight 100 yard games, you leave him in to get in his groove…
he got the hook way too early
October 28th, 2020 at 5:59 am
rojo has cinderblocks for hands
October 28th, 2020 at 6:00 am
At one point he was like 8 carries for 37 yards, then was bottled up on the backfield 3 or 4 times in a row. It looked pretty obvious they knew what was coming
October 28th, 2020 at 6:20 am
It’s a psychosomatic thing he needs more confidence in his hand eye coordination. If I’m right he was never required much to catch in college so it’s gonna take a while to get it. It’s not like the team gave him a huge help in the confidence dept his rookie year, and last year even though he was running really well BL would inexplicably take the ball out of his hands. Just like he’s running with much more confidence, power and decisiveness next year he will take the receiving game to a while different level.
BA saying he didn’t bench him because of the drop is pure bogusness ! Everybody can see that he did. Maybe he didn’t publicly blast him so that RoJo would maintain what confidence he has .
October 28th, 2020 at 6:43 am
He’ll either improve his pass catching or loose reps. Brady will sense if his presence is tipping their hand and wont have any part of it.
October 28th, 2020 at 6:49 am
“Cinder blocks for hands”. LOL. So true, it’s Brady’s team and if RoJo doesn’t catch when the ball is thrown his way, he can ride the bench.
October 28th, 2020 at 7:09 am
Yah. Its all good.
Keep rojo running and fournette catching out of backfield
Shady mcccoy should not be on the field anymore. Sorry. Dude is washed up.
October 28th, 2020 at 7:28 am
Seriously Joe, I mean RoJo has played better this year but Fournette is clearly the better player. Fournette out ran, out blocked and out catched RoJo not to mention Brady seems to trust him more. The two games Fournette has been healthy he has outplayed RoJo by a lot. Fournette should be the starter unless he is hurt.
October 28th, 2020 at 7:38 am
If he can’t catch, he can’t start. Period.
October 28th, 2020 at 7:40 am
So I am ok with either Fournette or Rojo moving forward or some combination – whatever the coaching staff sees in the guys.
Last year according to PFF, Fournette had a 37 pass blocking grade which was worse than Rojo for pass blocking and worse than all but 5 other running backs.
Leonard may be better at catching the ball but may be our worst back at picking up the rush.
I have not seen enough of Fournette to make my own opinion but before we anoint him clearly better for this team this year think about these things.
1. We have not seen enough of him pass blocking.
2. We have not seen him take carries in the beginning of the game for us which is clearly the hardest time to get yards historically rushing the ball.
October 28th, 2020 at 7:48 am
Rojo has ran hard and taken some punishing hits. Give him a rest., let him heal. Play Fournette more. Winning and longevity is more important than leading in rushes and getting banged up.
October 28th, 2020 at 7:49 am
GO BUCs
October 28th, 2020 at 8:03 am
RoJo has to catch the freaking ball. Fournette will eventually take over the reps because he’s the reliable pass catcher. The look on Brady’s face every time RoJo drops a pass says it all.
October 28th, 2020 at 8:38 am
He needs to stop practicing catching from a jugs machine and start practicing catching a ball thats already been thrown as his back is turned and while moving. Like in an actual game. I dont doubt he catches everything on the machine.
October 28th, 2020 at 8:42 am
watch BL work magic!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!
October 28th, 2020 at 8:46 am
I CRINGE everytime I see Brady’s face after Rojo drops a pass!
Man, Rojo is my favorite RB in the league, and I think he’s the most Dynamic back in the league running the ball, based on his skillset… But Dang it, Rojo, Please Catch the D@mn Ball!!!
I don’t want you to get pulled out of the game, home. I want to see some 80-yd TD runs
October 28th, 2020 at 8:46 am
*Homie
October 28th, 2020 at 8:52 am
Me….I’m not complaining….I’m perfectly happy having two stud running backs….
Arians was asked if he benched Rojo after the drop….He laughed and said “No”…
I think he lies but they are football lies….those don’t count.
October 28th, 2020 at 9:20 am
Adam from NY – “all due respect” (in my best Italian voice.) IDGAF. That’s just too bad. I love Rojo, he has been playing inspired. He could have 6 straight 100yrd games but the reality is that Fournette is a better football player. Fournette is the one that can get you consistent 20 yard runs, Fournette is the one that can catch. I have no time for feelings
October 28th, 2020 at 9:21 am
Not sure if the knuckleheads know this, but the RBs Brady had with the Pats was always a mix of styles. He always had a bruiser that didn’t catch much, he always had a receiving back, and he a jack of all trades… ALWAYS. Just because Rojo is struggling to catch the ball doesn’t mean he won’t see the field. LaGarrette Blount led the Pats in rushing during most seasons he was with the Pats. He was never confused with the second coming of Marshall Faulk… yet he played a lot. Rojo is not losing his position. He’s our best runner…. yes, better than Fournette who is big and fast but not a true power runner nor big tackle breaker.
October 28th, 2020 at 9:25 am
RoJo doesn’t necessarily have to be able to catch–in New England Sony Michel has had 800 snaps, 5 drops, 34 targets, and 21 receptions–one target per game.
October 28th, 2020 at 10:07 am
Brandon – wow, 5000 IQ moment brah, I don’t think ANYONE realized NE used a multiback approach. You have truly enlightened everyone today, thank you so much. Where do you get this inside info? This is my favorite gem here: “Rojo is a better runner than Fournette.” Lmao yeah because the data and history TOTALLY suggests that he is. Let me pull out the ol highlight reel here and look at rojos 75 yard touchdown runs. Oh wait – nvm. That’s Fournette. Ronald Jones has literally done nothing compared to Fournette and you’re calling him a better runner. That is such a neat story my guy. Lastly, no one is suggesting pulling Rojo, no one is suggesting Rojo gets less than 15 carries a game, but that FACTS is that Rojo is absolutely PATHETIC at catching the football and he’s not the guy you want on passing downs, ever again.
October 28th, 2020 at 10:12 am
The bottom line is this, if Brady does not trust you in critical moments you will not be on the field when it counts. Brady is about winning.With Brady on the field there is no time for feelings being hurt, just the cold hard facts. GO BUCS!!!!!!!
October 28th, 2020 at 11:59 am
I thought Roberto Duran was ‘Hands of Stone’? 😉
October 28th, 2020 at 12:51 pm
Agreed Adam, it seemed to early to just take him out. His hands actually look a bit worse this season for some reason. But obviously his rushing has improved greatly.
He’s still the starter, and I think the rest of the season they’ll just go with the hot hand, whoever it is. I have no problem with that.
October 28th, 2020 at 12:52 pm
*too early ^
October 29th, 2020 at 6:16 am
Jones is deserving of a second contract due to his improved running, but I think his lack of catching skills will hurt him big-time. I know that Henry got a big deal and isn’t the best receiver, but he’s also a better runner than Jones. Time will tell if Jones will come cheap, because there is no way that I’d overpay for him.