Run To Win
November 17th, 2020
Needs his touches.
Yes, park-violating, home-invading, NFLPA-ignoring, down-forgetting, jet ski-losing Bucs quarterback Tom Brady had a very nice game Sunday.
And Brady, when given time, can still slice up defenses.
But if Terez Paylor of Yahoo Sports! learned anything watching the Bucs the past two weeks, it’s that Brady, Hall of Fame quarterback that he is, is not Dan Fouts.
In other words, if Brady doesn’t have balance in his offense, the entire offense crumbles as we all witnessed in the Saints Seal-Clubbing.
And Paylor believes the Bucs can still make a Super Bowl so long as Arians doesn’t abandon the run game.
For this to work, Tampa Bay’s running game must be on point. The Bucs have the personnel to do it, with a solid offensive line, one of the league’s best blocking tight ends in Rob Gronkowski and two young, talented backs with contrasting styles in Ronald Jones and Leonard Fournette.
Those guys need the ball, even when Ali Marpet, one of the league’s best guards, doesn’t play (as he didn’t the last two weeks).
Those guys need the ball, even when the defense they’re facing is good against the run (like the Saints are).
But you can’t give them the ball when you fall in a 21-0 hole, as the Bucs did against the Saints a week ago. It’s no coincidence that all three of Brady’s interceptions came after that.
Would the Bucs have been in a 21-0 hole if the Bucs fed Ronald Jones and/or Leonard Fournette the ball more often? Joe isn’t sure. But what Joe is damn sure about is that Brady simply didn’t have enough time a week ago to mount any sort of passing game.
Sunday, he did.
Joe thinks it is a combination of pass blocking, giving the backs their fair share of touches, and keeping Mike Evans involved in the offense.
Add those three up, and the Bucs will be hard for anyone to stop.
November 17th, 2020 at 1:13 am
The Saints game was an abnormally – the entire game should basically be stricken from the record. If it was possible to do so I’m sure the Saints would take that deal if it meant getting Brees back as well.
Anyways the Bucs should be passing to setup the run, not just running up the middle on every first down. Even with the Jones 98-yard run factored in, I think the Bucs still average like 2.2 yards per carry on 1st down, mainly because Leftwich is so incredibly predictable for the most part. There’s no issue with running as often as the Bucs do, just mix it up, playaction pass more on 1st down and then you can run it some more on 3rd down. Additionally on 3rd and inches you don’t have to go to shotgun, sometimes you just run it up the middle. So there’s plenty of chances to run it up the middle and hit that team quota, you just don’t need to do it so often on 1st and 10.
November 17th, 2020 at 3:14 am
Will BA combine the running game with a short passing game to move the chains, control the clock and keep Brady clean. Or will Rams defensive line be too much for our O line like in the Saints, Bears, Giants games. Will BA learn and grow or will we see another game of collapsing pockets.
November 17th, 2020 at 3:49 am
The Saints are living rent free in the Buccaneers head. The Bucs were in a daze. The Saints now have 7 games left with only one team with a winning record. Which gives the appearance that they now have a clear path to win the NFCS and a high seeding in the playoffs with a first round bye. But not so fast, the Saint’s have turned their season over to JW, maybe as a placeholder for a few games going forward but nonetheless. Payton will try using his run game more and keep Winston on a pitch count but in doing so I believe it will allow these losing teams to stay in the game and maybe steal a win at the end. They’ll be baiting Winston into making the same errors he made while he was here but Payton will design a conservative approach and control the clock.
I bring this up because a good run game controls momentum and limits turnovers and controls time of possession so we need RoJo and Fournette, Vaughn, and McCoy to be our focal point going forward. Make it a plan and stick with it.
November 17th, 2020 at 4:19 am
If they keep Haeg on the bench and the defense stops playing such soft zone coverage we stand a better chance at not getting into a 21-0 hole in the 1st quarter. It seems all season long this defense is allowing points on teams 1st possessions marching right down the field on them constantly giving up 3rd and longs. Rojo is the better bet at winning and should get at least 25 runs a game. He’s just a better all around runner than Fournette.
November 17th, 2020 at 5:50 am
The Bucs and Brady could easily control a game like Joe Montana with a short quick passing game, and running the ball. Brady can do the same thing, I am not saying the Bucs have Jerry Rice and J Taylor but they have excellent WR’s that are comparable and that can go deep at any moment when called on. For me the Bucs need to be flexible and dictate to other teams, and not respond but dictate on offense and defense and play their game, and not put themselves in position to play the other teams style and strength, Dictate with the Goat and attack on Defense. There are many ways to skin a Cat, so let the Surgeon Brady have at it. Pound the Rock and control the game and take dagger shots down the field. It also keeps the Defense well rested. GO BUCS!!!!
November 17th, 2020 at 6:38 am
Rod, the Saints game was an “anomaly.” But we might call Antonio Brown an “abnormally.” Hey, it’s early.
I agree, Leftwich is predictable.
Very good chance the Bucs face the Saints again in the playoffs. I hope the Bucs remember two horrendous games and correct when it really counts most. I hope Brees (if he’s back) remembers where he got his rib issues from and thinks about what’s coming before every snap.
November 17th, 2020 at 6:38 am
Rojo has 3 career games with 20 plus carries. All 3 games were wins, and he rushed for over 100 in each with a 6.2 ypc. Hmmm….
November 17th, 2020 at 7:19 am
Roy T.
I think at that time of night, Muncher was probably on his 4th wine spritzer…. so please forgive his grammar.
Anywho…… while the Saints game was truly pathetic, sadly, I don’t think it was our worse showing ever.
I seem to remember a Thursday night game against the Falcons a few years back………
🤢🤮
November 17th, 2020 at 7:44 am
We went 7-9 last year….choosing to hand the ball to Barber instead of Rojo…..JW interceptions & fumbles ended up being the gameplan.
Keep handing him the ball…..mix in some safe passes/play action and success will be there.
November 17th, 2020 at 8:15 am
Terez paylor sounds like a made up name.
November 17th, 2020 at 8:35 am
Thank Jesus he’s not Dan Fouts. That guy never won anything. Ditto Dan Marino.
Stats are for losers.
November 17th, 2020 at 9:04 am
“Joe thinks it is a combination of pass blocking, giving the backs their fair share of touches, and keeping Mike Evans involved in the offense.”
Amen brother!!!👍
BL, please read this every week 15 minutes before each game!!!
November 17th, 2020 at 9:18 am
Rod Munch Says:
November 17th, 2020 at 1:13 am
The Saints game was an abnormally – the entire game should basically be stricken from the record. If it was possible to do so I’m sure the Saints would take that deal if it meant getting Brees back as well.
Anyways the Bucs should be passing to setup the run, not just running up the middle on every first down. Even with the Jones 98-yard run factored in, I think the Bucs still average like 2.2 yards per carry on 1st down
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It’s called an “anomaly”… but it wasn’t an anomaly. It was the Saints offensive and defensive fronts absolutely bullying the Bucs fronts. That isn’t an accident. Big plays can be accidents… but consistently getting pushed back is not. That’s called getting beat in the trenches.
As for the 2.2 YPC on first down… I’d love to see those numbers because I don’t think they exist… especially with a 98 yard TD jaunt factored in. The only stats I was able to uncover is that the Bucs are #31 in the league in lowest percentage of plays on 1st down being runs at 23.87%.
November 17th, 2020 at 9:42 am
The only time Fournette has really had any success lately has been on a quick toss to get him to the outside. Otherwise he’s been pretty invisible. Wouldn’t mind seeing a bit of Vaughn to spell Rojo.
November 17th, 2020 at 9:47 am
some of yall keep saying play action on 1st down but what happens when the pass is inaccurate or the WR/TE drops the ball?….
that puts you behind the sticks which makes your play calling predictable….
playcalling aint the problem..its the execution….
theres a reason why BL will be an HC next year….
yall need to wake up!!!
GO BUCS!!!!!!
November 17th, 2020 at 9:59 am
If BA had made the Jensen guard swap during the Saints game, it may have went a little better. Good point made above about Brees’ first injury and again this week. That game here may have cost the Saints more than the Bucs in the long run. If anyone was to blame for the Saints loss it’s BA and Bowles. They were both out coached from the beginning.
November 17th, 2020 at 10:34 am
Play action on 1st down led to 3 and out on 1st possession vs Saints.
November 17th, 2020 at 1:40 pm
But you can’t give them the ball when you fall in a 21-0 hole, as the Bucs did against the Saints a week ago. It’s no coincidence that all three of Brady’s interceptions came after that.
This was never an excuse for the Saints new starter. Shouldn’t be now either. Hypocrisy and Bias to the extreme.
As for Rojo, he is the best RB on the roster. However he’s a hot and cold guy. He needs constant carries to heat up. Some guys can just turn the switch on and off at will, he needs to get going and then stay on the field the majority of the game. Fournette should be the backup guy in case of injury. Rojo is running strong, he’s young, he’s healthy and he’s hungry. Feed Rojo.