Arians: No Issue With Leonard Fournette
December 14th, 2020
Bucco Bruce Arians explains.
So it created a bit of a tremor yesterday morning when the Bucs released their inactives and a big named popped up.
Yes, stud Bucs running back Leonard Fournette was a healthy scratch yesterday. That’s rarely a good thing.
Now Joe is not insinuating anything shady — no pun — is at play here. The last time Joe remembers a name running back was a healthy scratch when the team was in a playoff drive was Doug Martin on Christmas Eve of 2016 in New Orleans.
We all know what surfaced just days later.
Again, let Joe be clear: there is nothing out there that suggests Fournette is in any trouble or needs any assistance with anything off the field. But it does raise an eyebrow why Fournette was a healthy scratch.
Bucs coach Bucco Bruce Arians said yesterday after the game that it was just a numbers game and Arians rolled the dice on Shady McCoy.
“I love Leonard,” Arians said. “I think he’s a heck of a kid and a great player. We just wanted to get ‘Shady’ back involved. He’s fresh and he showed it today.
“[Shady] made it all pay off for me. I took the risk and he made it pay off. He made the best of his opportunity, but it’s nothing against Leonard.”
Shady looked rejuvenated and played a key role in the first drive of the second half, giving Ronald Jones a breather and racking up 32 yards on four carries. Let’s remember that the Bucs also activated rookie Ke’Shawn Vaughn, who had been in the witness protection program.
Could it be as simple as Arians wanted to get more production from his running backs in the pass game and that’s why he activated Shady and Vaughn?
December 14th, 2020 at 5:19 am
It’s going to be tough to recruit FA’s if they aren’t being used.
December 14th, 2020 at 5:27 am
A player’s performance should dictate his playing time. Fournette EARNED his inactivity, IMHO.
December 14th, 2020 at 5:45 am
It doesn’t make sense not to dress a healthy Fournette in the most important game of the season so far, unless he has a performance problem or something bigger. For Arians to offfer the glowing remarks he did suggests it’s not the former. I could be persuaded otherwise if it came out his effort and performance at practice had dropped off. Maybe he has some other personal problem keeping him down.
December 14th, 2020 at 6:29 am
Shady was a beast in pass protection. And I’m talking he picked up some heat.
December 14th, 2020 at 7:18 am
Joe in Mich, have to agree with you. I was so excited when the Bucs picked Fournette up. But he has done very little for us. Maybe this will wake him up.
December 14th, 2020 at 7:23 am
Fournette has dropped an absurd # of passes for a supposed ‘pass-catching’ running back
December 14th, 2020 at 7:48 am
Fournette adds nothing to that running back room. I would not switch back to him. Let McCoy and Vaughn handle 3rd down.
December 14th, 2020 at 9:21 am
BA is full of BS he should release Fournette and be done with it.
December 14th, 2020 at 9:21 am
TDTB Says:
December 14th, 2020 at 5:19 am
It’s going to be tough to recruit FA’s if they aren’t being used
____
Dumb statement. It’s tough to “recruit” anyone when the best players are not being used. Fournette is wildly overrated.
December 14th, 2020 at 9:21 am
Fournette has been inactive while on the field for the most part.
December 14th, 2020 at 9:42 am
Mccoy needs to be our 3rd down back going forward. The rookie should get the 3rd drive of each of the remaining games to see what he’s made of. Unless of course we’re down 21 by then in which case what’s a running back?
December 14th, 2020 at 9:53 am
Arians is the one who tried to tell us fournette was a pass catching back and we just assumed he knew what he was talking about. He is rojo but not as talented. He won’t be here next year so not really worried about it. I expected to see Vaughn though. Against these three opponents get that man some playing time
December 14th, 2020 at 11:51 am
Shady needs to quit dangling that Ball around. He will Fumble on a key play.
December 14th, 2020 at 4:49 pm
Dojo broke his pinkie…
December 14th, 2020 at 11:49 pm
Shady had some huge blocks as well in the passing game.
Fournette was smiling after dropping passes.
And Vaughn cn play special teams. Fournette cant.
Fournette was also avoiding hits last week. He is not running hard at all.
Shady deserves the carries and catches!
And he protects the King of Ireland/America: Tom Brady, the Celtic King!
Go Bucs!!