The Lead Dog
December 28th, 2021
Ke’Shawn Vaughn’s future.
One cool thing from Sunday’s win was guys you barely knew were on the roster made monster plays to help the Bucs crush the Stinking Panthers.
One was running back Ke’Shawn Vaughn. He had been used so little this year, and not used a whole bunch last year, that Joe began to wonder if he would still be around in 2022.
Then Vaughn goes out and runs for a 55-yard touchdown against the Panthers with key blocks from another bottom-of-the roster guy, the immortal Cyril Grayson.
Yesterday in his day-after presser, Arians was asked about Vaughn’s upside.
“I think he’s a lead back,” Arians said. “He has great running skills, excellent jump-cut ability and he’s worked on his hands. His hands are better. He dropped one yesterday – it p!ssed him off – but he has worked on his hands hard. I think he’s a lead dog, yeah.”
Joe thinks we will see quite a bit of Vaughn the next two games because of pass blocking. If you watched Sunday’s game closely, or watched the replay on NFL Game Pass, you will notice Ronald Jones got terribly turnstiled on pass protection.
It’s pretty obvious that RoJo cannot pass protect and that guy could get Tom Brady maimed.
It’s not like RoJo is Roger Craig in the pass game. The Bucs have enough injuries and they can’t have guys out there who will put the franchise (Tom Brady) at risk of getting crippled.
Ke’Shawn Vaughn scored 55 yard TD. pic.twitter.com/Q3daHthFOR
— Vandy62⚓⬇ (@vandy_62) December 26, 2021
December 28th, 2021 at 10:05 am
Two back set
December 28th, 2021 at 10:10 am
KV aka “Sneak” is a sleeper. He balled out on a crap team (Vandy) in the SEC when everybody knew he was getting the rock. All he needs is playing time. A diamond in the rough, Sneak could be THE surprise back with fresh legs in the playoffs this year. Stay tuned….
December 28th, 2021 at 10:15 am
That was really a pretty run by Vaughn. And also great blocking by Grayson. He did a great job of maneuvering his body while blocking and not getting a penalty.
December 28th, 2021 at 10:20 am
He’s definitely the future – highly unlikely in my opinion we have Fournette or Rojo after this season.
We will put the money into the defense instead, and look to draft another running back in the mid to late rounds.
December 28th, 2021 at 10:22 am
If you have to choose between a guy who can run well and pass block vs a guy who can run really well and not pass block, and Tom Brady is your QB, it’s pretty obvious who should be getting more reps. You have to protect the franchise.
December 28th, 2021 at 10:23 am
RoJo needs to be on a heavy run team like the Pats
December 28th, 2021 at 10:25 am
I would have cut Vaughn a long time ago. He really surprised me Sunday. LOL, there is a reason I am not an NFL Head Coach.
That was a very impressive run.
December 28th, 2021 at 10:33 am
I’ve been telling anyone who would listen. Vaughn has Star Potential. However, it is not going to show if he can’t get the rock. Key was a Huge thorn in the Gators’ side for years, even playing on a crap team.
December 28th, 2021 at 10:38 am
So Vaughn has 1 big run against a depleted Carolina team and suddenly hes the future? Please….I remember Peyton Barder had some big runs back in the day.
Vaughn still has a lot of bad tape out there, 1 run doesnt mean a whole lot.
December 28th, 2021 at 10:44 am
Why would Vaughn not be here next year? He’s still on his rookie contract…..
I still don’t understand why we can’t run on 1st downs……….we have a good Oline for pass blocking but run blocking is suspect.
December 28th, 2021 at 10:45 am
That was an impressive run, no doubt, and shows off Vaughn’s speed, vision, and cutting ability. The facet of this run that impressed me most? The score. It was 0-3, Panthers, and this run took away any momentum (hope?) the Panthers had at that point in game. This run showed a killer instinct by the offense. Impressive because nobody knew what we’d be getting from some 3rd stringers. This game gives hope and optimism for the playoff push even if we don’t get all starters back.
GO BUCS!!
December 28th, 2021 at 11:09 am
I always noticed when we brought in for junk time, when the defense knew we were running, he would pull out 7-10 yard gashes every time. Somthing to think about
December 28th, 2021 at 11:13 am
Great run. However, it ~almost~ looked like a block in the back by Grayson. Almost. A flag would not have surprised me. Glad refs kept it in their pocket.
December 28th, 2021 at 11:19 am
Maybe we can stop the sarcastic comments reserved for Buccaneer back ups now? The “immortal” the “legendary” etc. FACT! ALL players that make an NFL roster OR practice squad have talent. ALL of them have worked hard to get where they are and ALL of them deserve respect. Players like Vaughn and Grayson are arrows up through their talent and efforts. It’s NOT all that surprising IMO.
December 28th, 2021 at 11:21 am
That’s the one drawback to being a Bucs Radio fan. I miss the actual live video of the game in progress. That was a beautiful play between Vaughn and Grayson. Grayson is fast, yeow. No kidding that he was a college track star. Yeah, I know the Panthers are bottom feeders, but still, DBs have to be fast. Good illustration of why I’m an NFL fan. Go Bucs!!
December 28th, 2021 at 11:37 am
Cobraboy: no snark here, but do you think Grayson was committing OPI? I thought it was a simple push. Not an expert on Xs and Os. Garv Says: agree with you 100%! 🙂
December 28th, 2021 at 11:46 am
Rojo and Vaughn will be the freshest legs RBs in the playoffs because of Leonard Fournettes bad luck.
It was so nice to see the Dolphins give the Saints a taste of their own medicine except it was just punch them back defense. Bucs don’t understand how to play the Saints, they have to run the ball against them to hit the play action.
Shotgun Tommy vs Saints pass rush is a bad matchup. Tom getting help from a running game and doing fake handoffs and dropping back 5 steps is a completely different game.
Saints got what they deserved, an ass-whipping. Give Dolphins OC some credit, that offense is one man and they figured out every way to get him the ball even though the Saints knew it. Thats great coaching.
December 28th, 2021 at 11:48 am
Yea I watched rojo whiff on one block but honestly it looked like Brady fake handed it off to the left for rojo when Brady should have him fake to the rihht then rojo runs right into the blitzer.
December 28th, 2021 at 11:49 am
Rojo deff needs to learn to pass block better and idk if those hands will ever get better. It’s bin like 3 or 4 years he’s had hands of stone but like JOE says a running back is supposed to run the ball lol
December 28th, 2021 at 12:24 pm
That’s all just coach speak: he’s inspiring confidence. He’s not a lead back, I’m sorry. He would’ve been flashed that level of talent in 2 years.
December 28th, 2021 at 12:58 pm
Ronnie had been improving as a pass blocker, overall. With that said the Panthers do have a very good defense, so you’d need to break down each play and see what happened, who beat him, etc. If Barrett beats a RB in pass protection, you say, wow, what a stupid team for asking a RB to block Barrett, that’s the same thing you do with Rojo and anyone else.
December 28th, 2021 at 3:03 pm
To small of a sample, we’ll know after these next two games.
December 28th, 2021 at 8:24 pm
Championship teams run the ball in December and January. That gets you deep in the playoffs!!
December 28th, 2021 at 8:27 pm
Keshun and Rojo can run the ball!
December 28th, 2021 at 11:00 pm
I want too meet the scout, that lobby for Rojo.
that kid has no Vision what so ever.
December 29th, 2021 at 3:49 am
Hopefully Rojo will continue to be an above average runner and horrible at everything else running back on some other team next year. I hope that Licht is scouting running backs hard as well. Vaughn had a great run and hopefully we do see more of him since that’s the only big play he’s made in two years.
December 29th, 2021 at 11:30 am
Hodad says: “To small of a sample, we’ll know after these next two games.”
I agree. I’ve been banging the drum for Vaughn the last two weeks. He needed reps with the 1’s and Carolina / Jets / Carolina to get a good barometer on what he can do. The guy barely played going into Carolina but still had solid numbers in mop-up work. I have NO idea why people kick dirt on young players when they have rarely been on the field. Remember Godwin his rookie year. Barely played and a ton of you goobers wanted him cut.
Patience y’all, patience.