Hot Microphone Catches Run Game Doubting
August 21st, 2021
If you watch the live NFL Game Pass feed of Bucs preseason games, you sometimes hear things not meant for a live audience.
(Perhaps after this post, important people at One Buc Palace will make sure it doesn’t happen again.)
When WFLA-TV goes to a commercial break, the NFL Game Pass feed continues. So at times you can hear play-by-play man Chris Myers chatting with game analyst Rondé Barber and sideline guy Dan Lucas.
Early in tonight’s game during a commercial break, Myers said to Barber that the Bucs have been struggling to run the ball all preseason. Barber replied that the Bucs didn’t run the ball well last season, noting that Tampa Bay ranked 28th in rushing last season. (Joe will add that the Bucs ranked 29th in total rush attempts and 25th in yards-per-carry).
The Bucs won the Super Bowl, so it’s all moot. But it was interesting to hear ultimate-insider Barber acknowledge the Bucs’ struggles pounding the rock.
And yeah, they didn’t blow open holes tonight or last week.
It makes Joe wonder just how incredible Ronald Jones averaging 5.1 yards per carry was last season. Leonard “Playoff Lenny” Fournette was at 3.8 yards per carry in the regular season before he exploded in the playoffs against stout defenses.
It’s rarely discussed, but if the Bucs’ run blocking can pick up where it left off last postseason, it will be literally impossible to contain the Tampa Bay offense.
August 21st, 2021 at 9:54 pm
They were very efficient running the ball when it wasn’t just up the gut every 1st down.
But as you correctly pointed out Joe, they did not attempt to run that often.
I’m not worried about it based on 2 measly preseason games where starters barely even played.
August 21st, 2021 at 10:02 pm
It’s impossible to tell yet. Tonight’s game is a joke with the scrubs.
I haven’t given up on our run game yet when the first team OL is in.
Meanwhile what’s with our freaking special teams…nothing special about them!
At least perhaps Succop after a tough camp is turning the corner. Nice to see him convert a long FG.
August 21st, 2021 at 10:49 pm
You mean 17 yards on 15 carries isn’t good enough for you? Wow, picky bunch.
But, without the starting offensive line and running a really really dumbed down playbook, it’s hard to take anything away from this game.
August 21st, 2021 at 11:15 pm
After two games without the starters it doesn’t look promising about team depth. Tryon and several others on defense did well but overall the backup depth looks weak. I like Trask. With no blocking he still made some plays. His arm strength looks strong enough. Hands of stone from our oft injured tight end. He may be big. He may be fast. But he dropped way too many catchable balls. So our starters on defense and offense our great. A few backups have good potential. If we lose more than a few starters to injury or covid a second Super Bowl may not happen. Hope the injury bug stays away again this season. Our backups just have not looked very good against the other teams backups. Hope I am wrong. The starters got game. Some backups are good too. The others have stunk both games. We ain’t that deep guys.
August 22nd, 2021 at 2:18 am
Arians said he purposefully evaluated the passing game tonight,he said he didn’t want to run the ball much at all..
August 22nd, 2021 at 6:34 am
agree to all of the above…. preseason = player evaluation for 2nd and 3rd string
August 22nd, 2021 at 6:41 am
I told oneilbucs he likes to push false narratives talking bout the run gm. Anything to try to diminish Brady turning the Bucs into winners. Make excuses for losing now making excuses for winning.
August 22nd, 2021 at 9:08 am
It’s always a happy Sunday morning when I actually agree with Joe and the article is not about a former quarterback. The running game has been awful for several years now. I know not a lot of teams use fullbacks anymore but the ones that do seem to run the ball pretty damn well. San Francisco can throw any running back in their game and have them lead the NFL in rushing. We’re also the worst in the NFL at being creative how we get the ball tour running backs. There are no holes to run through and they seem to slow to pull the guards or tackles to help block. Last year we started using motion and screen passes like the rest of the NFL and it worked great. Let’s hope we don’t regress back to the Stone Age again. Adding Giovani Bernard seems to be an indicator that we plan to throw to the backs more this year. Let’s hope because last night was gross.
August 22nd, 2021 at 9:28 am
They made the Bengals look like the Steel Curtain last week.
The Redkin’s run game carved them up like butter. The highlight reel made them look like they averaged 12 yards per carry.
Somethings not right.
I listened to Gene Deckerhoff the 1st two weeks. That guy needs to retire with Sloppy Joe at the White House.
He had no idea who was in the game at QB for the Titans and his associates are too polite to correct his ravings.
Who kicked the 49 yard FG? Arians said it was Pinion. GD said it was Succoup.
August 22nd, 2021 at 1:23 pm
If you go back and look at the Patriots teams when Brady was their QB he never really had a good consistent run game. Don’t get me wrong they had some good RBs from time to time but they were never known for being one of the better run teams. That is what makes Brady so impressive is that he has done so well without the crutch most QBs lean on.
August 22nd, 2021 at 7:27 pm
How about some counters, mix it up instead of 1st down dive or off tackle. Predictable as he’ll. If we as fans know it’s coming, ya think a DC may have a clue as well?
August 22nd, 2021 at 11:29 pm
Every running back can’t be Mike Alstott Ronde.
August 23rd, 2021 at 1:31 am
Who cares itz a passing league. They trashed KC in the run game during the biggest game of the year. Smart analytics know you need rushing attempts not so much big production.