Bruce Arians Doesn’t Like Throwing To Running Backs
September 11th, 2021
Channeling Al Davis.
Joe and the Sage of Tampa Bay sports, the great Ira Kaufman, are at each other’s throats on this subject.
Joe recognizes the Bucs have one of the greatest collections of wide receivers and tight ends in the history of the game. And Joe believes every pass that a receiver or tight end is not targeted is a wasted play and downright irresponsible.
Ira, with the possible exception of a tangy beet salad, loves nothing more than a backup running back catching a short pass in the flat and running for four yards.
Yes, Joe understands former Bengals backup Giovani Bernard had a couple of key catches in the game-winning drive Thursday night to help the Bucs rally to beat the Cowboys 31-29. Awesome scoring drive.
But guess who made the biggest play of that drive? Pro Bowl receiver Chris Godwin.
Well, yesterday Bucs Super Bowl-winning coach Bucco Bruce Arians grumbled when asked about throwing to running backs. Arians, too, apparently realizes his team’s overwhelming strength is not receiving backs.
“Very average,” Arians scoffed when asked about the passing game involving backs. “And we dropped a screen pass for an interception.
“We don’t like to throw to backs if we don’t have to. They’re check-down people. We don’t bring backs in here to throw them 100 passes. We’ve got enough guys outside to throw 100 passes to.”
Not only does Joe fully agree with Arians, Joe is also reminded of a famous axiom of Al Davis.
“The adage that goes around in professional football — and I hear everyone say it — take what they give you,” Davis explained. “That all sounds good to everybody but I always went the other way.
“We’re going to take what we want.”
And with a revived Antonio Brown, Mike Evans, Rob Gronkowski, Cam Brate, Scotty Miller, Tyler Johnson and Godwin, the Bucs have the means and ability and the firepower to take what they want.
Enjoy The Ira Kaufman Podcast, presented by Bill Currie Ford.
September 11th, 2021 at 5:07 pm
Fournette was supposed to have excellent hands coming out of the backfield. Didn’t look like that on the pass that went through his hands and resulted in an interception. I’m sure things will improve over time, but I certainly understand BA’s philosophy. If one of our receivers or TE is open, get them the ball.
September 11th, 2021 at 5:11 pm
I don’t think TB12 has that attitude. He takes what they give and plays conservatively. Play not there he throws it away to avoid a sack. Ball has to be out in 2.5 seconds, nowhere to go , check down or throw away, live for the next down. Certainly on some plays, such as TD to Brown he held it longer but he seemed to be staring at AB the entire run, waiting on him to get separation to let the ball go. (thinking about that, I wonder what TB would have done if the separation didn’t develop ? survey the rest of the field or throw away, good thing we never have to know).
September 11th, 2021 at 5:15 pm
Cowboys played mostly Cover 3….which means throwing into the flats, screens & RB’s is the smartest thing to do
September 11th, 2021 at 5:16 pm
************************************************************
“We’re going to take what we want.”
************************************************************
Now THAT is a positive winning attitude
I also want to see us treat every game as a home game.
Whatever field we walk on to, be it grass or turf, inside or out, It belongs to us and our opponents are the interlopers that need to be driven off of it!
September 11th, 2021 at 5:30 pm
I’m with Al and Joe on this one. You’re still my favorite though Ira. 😋
September 11th, 2021 at 5:31 pm
buxszntkt Says:
September 11th, 2021 at 5:11 pm
I don’t think TB12 has that attitude. He takes what they give and plays conservatively. Play not there he throws it away to avoid a sack. Ball has to be out in 2.5 seconds, nowhere to go , check down or throw away, live for the next down. Certainly on some plays, such as TD to Brown he held it longer but he seemed to be staring at AB the entire run, waiting on him to get separation to let the ball go. (thinking about that, I wonder what TB would have done if the separation didn’t develop ? survey the rest of the field or throw away, good thing we never have to know).
Sorry but you don’t know what you’re talking about. Brady knew he had brown from the snap. What he was doing was playing with the safety. Manipulating him with his eyes it’s levels to playing QB!!!!!!!
September 11th, 2021 at 5:33 pm
Just to let you know QBs also help with separation moving the defense with savvy.
September 11th, 2021 at 5:36 pm
He said that but also signed Bernard. So they’ll throw to backs when they need to. Well Tommy will. He doesn’t discriminate. Bernard will have a game or two with almost 100
September 11th, 2021 at 5:53 pm
Good ol’ Al Davis…. too bad that adage, like Al Davis’ emphasis on the vertical game went obsolete with the advent of Bill Walsh and his introduction of the vertical game in football. Which by the way, include passing to RBs.
September 11th, 2021 at 6:08 pm
@Joe … “And with a revived Antonio Brown, Mike Evans, Rob Gronkowski, Cam Brate, Scotty Miller, Tyler Johnson and Godwin, the Bucs have the means and ability and the firepower to take what they want.”
Poor OJ. No respect.
September 11th, 2021 at 6:12 pm
Generally agree with “take what we want”, but if Fournette makes that catch, he had a convoy of blockers in front of him.
September 11th, 2021 at 6:16 pm
correction: Walsh’s horizontal game in football
September 11th, 2021 at 6:18 pm
Throw to our backs Joe?, I don’t want to even hand them the ball. Pass to them they bounce it in the air for a pick, hand it to them they fumble. Let’s go empty every play.
September 11th, 2021 at 6:19 pm
Bruce may not. Tom does. End of story.
September 11th, 2021 at 6:34 pm
It’s clear they’re going to play matchup and situational football with the RBs. Agree with the coach in principle, I just wish Gio got more looks bc 7 targets is too high for Playoff Lenny. The passing game opens up for those guys downfield if the defense also has to respect those 5-6 yard check downs, and Gio is way more efficient than any of the other guys in those situations.
September 11th, 2021 at 6:41 pm
Receivers are not always open…..ask Jameis……..and when they aren’t open, Tom loves to throw to a back…
Even Arians knows tha value of a good pass-catching back once in a while…
It is pure football ignorance not to recognize that.
End of story.
September 11th, 2021 at 6:53 pm
@ youngbucs, from now on I will refer to you as “DA” for DUMBASS.
….Sorry but you don’t know what you’re talking about. Brady knew he had brown from the snap. What he was doing was playing with the safety. Manipulating him with his eyes it’s levels to playing QB!!!!!!!
Brady’s head does not change direction the entire play, he is staring down at AB, and the safety was not being looked off on the play, oh so knowledgeable dooosh.
September 11th, 2021 at 6:59 pm
bucsz, I Saw that play from the other angle and Brady is absolutely definitively looking off the safety. If you don’t see that angle you can’t see it but that’s exactly what he’s doing. Didn’t look back Brown’s way till just before he threw it. His head though was in one spot the whole time, it was his eyes that moved.
September 11th, 2021 at 7:17 pm
Leftwich calls the offense
September 11th, 2021 at 7:21 pm
ok Steven007, i was on the west side of the stadium, and watched the entire play unfold and grew impatient because it truly looked like he was just staring at AB. I could not see the gaze from my side but it seemed incredibly obvious from my seat this was going to AB.
I Stand corrected “DA”.
September 11th, 2021 at 7:33 pm
In fairness to Lenny, that incredible catch he made of the inexplicable Brady pass later on could have saved the game for us
September 11th, 2021 at 7:43 pm
Biscuit boy wouldn’t have a job if not for Tom Brady who loves to throw to RB’s. Arians offense is crap! Leftwich is an idiot. You will see when Tom retires. Without a HOF QB, Bruces offense sputters and flops. They only got consistent last year when they started using a NE hybrid offense, where the TE is highly utilized and the RB’s catch the ball. Unfortunately they couldn’t steal White away from NE in the offseason. Jones is a bust! That fool puts the ball on the ground way too often to be relied upon (both fumbling and dropping passes) Lenny seems okay (except not on Thursday). Biscuit boy and his sidekick are a joke and will be exposed.
September 11th, 2021 at 7:59 pm
Listen I’m a pats fan now a BUCS fan also …I just want everyone to know .. Brady knows about Evans 1000 yards in a row .. he respects his teammates and be ready for 2 to 3 1000 yard receivers on this team and gronk will snag RedZone tdz around 18 this year ….let’s enjoy
September 11th, 2021 at 8:09 pm
Exactly
September 11th, 2021 at 8:35 pm
Respect is earned, not given.
September 11th, 2021 at 8:54 pm
Great point, Beeej.
September 11th, 2021 at 10:40 pm
This is one of reason why I want the bucs to develop our own quarterback. Because I’m tired of hearing how Patriots fans are now bucs fan because of one guy. All you Patriots fans need to go because who are you going to be rooting for when we play yall?? I will enjoy this season just like I did last year but this is the reason why Brady will never be a true buc and will always be a Patriot!! And Patriots fans are coming on here to let us know that every day !!! This is another reason why I will give credit to the whole team and not just Brady!! Bucs fan this is why we need to stop depending on other teams legendary players like Brady and others , because it does make us look weak as a fan base !! But at the same time I will enjoy this season !! Go bucs !!
September 11th, 2021 at 11:21 pm
I’m at the point where I would have a recieving back in on every down and use the short passing game as our running game.
Fournette’s hands are only slightly better than Jones hands. Fournette never catches the ball clean, it’s always a bobble.
Some games teams are going to give us the run game so they can try to neutralize the passing game a little. It won’t work, but those are the only games that you’ll see Jones and Fournette gain much on the ground.
Here’s the thing, Arians and Leftwich don’t try to scheme to create a good running game. Their run plays have zero imagination unless you count the Benn’d Around wide reciever jet motion sweep play. It’s always going to be off tackle right or left, or up the gut right or left. Whatever the running back gets out of that will be earned the hard way.
You’ll start seeing Bernard in the game alot more I think as the season goes on.
September 11th, 2021 at 11:22 pm
I think OJ is firmly on the trade block right now, that’s why we aren’t going to see him in the game risking injury.
September 12th, 2021 at 12:02 am
Oneilbucs the only who looks weak is you you’re miserable. How about you go root for the team you originally rooted for. Stop telling others how to be fans. Brady is the Bucs QB weather you like it or not you need to get a grip dude. Hey everyone let’s do what oneilbucs says. Let’s throw out our first championship also because lord knows we had plenty impactful free agents on that roster. You’re a straight 🤡 show all in the name of Jameis Winston smh. Dude continue to support jameis no with problem with that. Just stop trying to drag others with you who are actually enjoying these times. People who aren’t taking for granted what they’re seeing a generational talent. The greatest of all time still going strong you’ll never see it again I feel sorry for you.
September 12th, 2021 at 12:17 am
The team always starts seasons looking rough…Tom and Bruce will snap them into place.
September 12th, 2021 at 1:26 am
Did it go “obsolete?”
Since Walsh retired — and Joe worships Bill Walsh — there were the Vikings of the 1990s, the Greatest Show on Turf Rams, the Chiefs (for a few years there with Dick Vermeil), the Colts (sort of), the Steelers (when Arians was offensive coordinator) and now the Bucs.
September 12th, 2021 at 1:34 am
Youngbucs I feel sorry for you with your Brady worshiping lol 😆😂!! And yes I don’t have to hate or bash another player like you do just to be excepted on a fan page lol 😉😆 !! You get all emotional when someone don’t worship Brady or hate Jamies lol 😆😂!! You so weak minded 🤣😂 !! I control your emotions any time I want to little boy lol 😆!!!
September 12th, 2021 at 1:41 am
And youngbucs I’ve been a bucs fan longer than you probably been alive or even have any kind of knowledge about what you watching on tv Lol 😆🤣 !!! You a Brady fan I’m a bucs fan that’s the difference between me and you little man 👨lol 😆🤣!!
September 12th, 2021 at 4:53 am
Ok oneil convince yourself not me the archives of full of your hate for a player. Once the rumor he was coming started it began. I love the fact that as you’re watching him inside you u can’t deny his greatest or what he’s done here.
September 12th, 2021 at 4:56 am
I’ve never been anything other than a Bucs fan. How about you?????? Yea I know exactly.
September 12th, 2021 at 5:19 am
You weak you reach for anything to say I easily destroy you all the time. Hey I got a question 👀👀. What’s the difference between pats fans still rooting for Brady, don’t you say you still root for jameis????? Hypocrisy!!!!!
September 12th, 2021 at 7:22 am
Why does liking the Bernard signing mean you want to throw it to the backs 100 times a game. I don’t want to throw to the backs a lot. I just want a back that’s reliable enough to be thrown to when needed. I’m very happy with him and how we used him. If RoJo or Lenny could catch better we wouldn’t him.
September 12th, 2021 at 7:25 am
You’ve been a Buc fan longer than he has been alive yet you use emojis like you’re 12.
Brady is the 🐐 PERIOD
No worshipping required.
This TEAM will show grit all season again you watch.
Some will say it’s all Brady leading and others will say the defense bailed him out, but in the end it’s another simple debate and doesn’t matter.
Enjoy it while you can because you will probably never again in your lifetime be able to say the Greatest plays for your team.
September 12th, 2021 at 8:23 am
Really surprised how little we used our new pass catching back. Still think 4net looks slow getting started. Tough runner once he gets going but needs a big hole to run through to get going. Arians too dam stubborn in benching Rojo, his best runner.
September 12th, 2021 at 8:55 am
Billy Buc . I have fun getting all you Brady worshipers and fake fans all pumped up with your emotions I love it because it ain’t deep!!! And another thing I’ve seen great quarterbacks play the game . And I’m not talking about this soft NFL where you can’t touch the quarterback !! Even Brady said the same thing about how weak football has gotten!!
September 12th, 2021 at 10:26 am
Aaahh and here’s the Joe who would never be a coach. Of course you don’t get rbs so you you can throw to them 100 times a game but when your world class receivers aren’t getting open and your qb runs like he’s been prepared to be thrown out into the bay( you know wearing cement shoes!) a rb who can catch is needed. Screen plays are huge and many score tds(ROJO did against KC!) but they also help draw in the coverage when your run game ain’t doing the job so well. So what are you going to have the qb do after 3 seconds and no one’s open, take a sack or throw into coverage or just dirt the ball??? A novel idea, why not to the open rb in the flat??? The narrative this Joe likes to press on us is so funny. He acts as if we all want our whole receiving corps to be made up of rbs!!!Probably the same one who blamed the rbs for not opening any running lanes for themselves when the line wasn’t doing it.
September 12th, 2021 at 11:08 am
I wonder how TB would reply to BA about backs catching passes. I do believe Bernard is a great asset to have, no matter what BA says. Puppet Lefty has to remember this is TB’s team, & I’m sure has the last say in playcalling which was provin Thurs.
September 12th, 2021 at 12:37 pm
TB does not agree, you can see that who he threw at the most important series. Mixing shorts and long throws certainly make more difficult for the defense.
September 13th, 2021 at 10:56 am
Fournette made the play in the NFC Championship game on 4th and 3 with 13 seconds to play. Next play TD to Miller right before the half.
If Fournette doesn’t catch that ball with a double team on him Tampa loses.
Pass catching backs are the difference between having 5 eligible receivers vs 4.