The Tougher Yards Went To Ronald Jones
May 23rd, 2022
When Leonard Fournette arrived in Tampa, he happily stated that the stacked boxes he ran against consistently in Jacksonville wouldn’t be commonplace with the Bucs.
Fournette was right. Playoff Lenny didn’t face nearly as many eight-man boxes.
NextGen Stats, an official NFL property that compiles data via tracking technology in game equipment, says Fournette faced an 8-man box just 13.33 percent of the time last season, and it was a shade more than 10 percent in 2020. Compare that to 31.7 percent during his 2019 Jaguars season.
But what’s moore interesting to Joe is how former Bucs running back Ronald Jones took on those stacked boxes the past two seasons. Jones faced an 8-man box 22.77 percent of the time last season (21.88 percent in 2020).
So with Jones now playing for the Chiefs, will Fournette be called upon to take on the theoretically greater challenge posed by a stacked defensive front? Or will defenses play the Bucs differently because Fournette is more of a dual threat than RoJo?
Regardless, it’s a safe bet that the Bucs will rely on Fournette to absorb more of the ball-carrying load this season and that load will be more challenging.
May 23rd, 2022 at 11:40 am
The stats don’t lie. Jones was a far greater threat while running the ball and the team was also less likely to throw the ball with him in there. Jones was a fantastic runner… but not reliable in pass protection and not great as a receiver. That being said. many of our biggest plays on play-action in 2020 came with Jones in the backfield.
May 23rd, 2022 at 11:56 am
Remember when “fantastic runner” RoJo got stuffed on 4th and goal from the 1 in the Super Bowl?
Good times.
Not as good as Lennys TD to open the second half of the Super Bowl, but a close second.
May 23rd, 2022 at 12:01 pm
Tougher yards went to Jones… or more likely there were assigned to Jones but he did not get them
May 23rd, 2022 at 12:02 pm
Duh, Rojo couldn’t block or catch.
It was an obvious run play when they put Rojo in the game, so the teams brought everyone up. This is football, not rocket surgery.
May 23rd, 2022 at 12:03 pm
RoJo was the more powerful, talented runner. Too bad he couldn’t handle two other items on the laundry list: Receiving back and pass blocker. He needed a change of scenery; leaving for KC might be best for his career. That being said, if RoJo doesn’t improve as a pass blocker, Mahomes will run the risk of a mugging whenever RoJo plays.
May 23rd, 2022 at 12:07 pm
Could also be argued that with his sub par blocking and catching skills when he was in teams were more inclined to expect a running play. Maybe I’m wrong. But when I saw him on thr feild I generally expected a run.
May 23rd, 2022 at 12:08 pm
Rojo in……Rojo run…….Lenny in……Lenny run or pass…..
May 23rd, 2022 at 12:12 pm
RoJo was pretty good running the ball between the tackles. Not every running back was perfect.
RoJo was not a home-run hitter which Joe drove Joe crazy. Yeah, he had one long run for a touchdown. Historic!
One run. One! Want to score from outside the 8-yard line on the ground? RoJo was not your guy. Except for one play. One!
Joe remembers how once Joe wrote RoJo was more of a fullback than a running back. And Joe got killed for typing that.
RoJo had 523 carries in four years with the Bucs and only once did he score a touchdown outside the eight-yard line. One.
That’s not a home-run hitter in Joe’s eyes.
May 23rd, 2022 at 12:20 pm
Chicken or the egg …
May 23rd, 2022 at 12:35 pm
Interesting stat Joe about Rojo from 8 yards out or more. What did Lenny put up?
May 23rd, 2022 at 12:39 pm
I don’t often comment because most people on this website don’t do their home work. Ronald Jones drop % .74, Lenny .82, Jones yds per catch 8.7, Lenny 6.7,Jones catch %72.6, Lenny 78.3. AS you can see very little difference between the two. Stats over the last three years were used. So if Jones has hands of bricks what does Lenny have? I will agree Jones did a poor job of picking up the Blitz, and became a head case. I often wonder if Brady would have fed Jones the ball so he could get 1000 yds instead of passing to his buddy the quitter, what Jones might have become with the Bucs. Brady’s favoritism some times can cause problems.
May 23rd, 2022 at 12:47 pm
It’s not surprising when you consider ROJO’s passpro was trash, and the fact he was limited there made him serve as a key for opposing defenses to basically signal what was coming. Strong, at times violent runner, but that was the only threat he served as in Arians’ offense and we need more than a bruiser.
May 23rd, 2022 at 12:52 pm
Just like another ex-Buc, he was given multiple years to prove himself and just didn’t get it done. Too inconsistent.
May 23rd, 2022 at 12:53 pm
RoJo did have 2-3 LONG runs called back for penalties. He ran very hard between the tackles but his, IMO, balance and vision for a RB not very good. He falls in the class were he had great success his whole playing career before the NFL against less than NFL talent, his success at USC sums that up pretty well.
The year the Bucs settled for RoJo they desperately needed to upgrade the position and had their eye on a RB that went to the Pats a few picks before.
He does have the potential to have a big year running, just never happened with the Bucs .
May 23rd, 2022 at 12:56 pm
That tends to happen when you’re not a threat to catch or block well. They load up to stop the only thing you can do, run. Lenny was a reliable part of the whole playbook so defenses couldn’t cheat by committing early.
May 23rd, 2022 at 1:07 pm
Jones faced more stacked boxes, because he couldn’t do anything other than run. His pass blocking, and catching were not good, so teams extrapolated that the bucs wouldn’t do much else when he was in the game. It’s the biggest reason he’s gone, too easy to defend.
May 23rd, 2022 at 1:09 pm
That and quitting on Tom Brady didn’t help either
May 23rd, 2022 at 1:19 pm
What is the definition of a home run hitter at RB? I would submit that the number of runs of 20+ yards during a season is a great way to analyze a RB at home run hitting. Using the year 2020 as a statistical guide as it was the ONLY YEAR Rojo had more than 150 carries , here are the numbers=Dalvin Cook had a 20+ yard run every 50 attempts , Jonathan Taylor had a 20+ yard run every 33 attempts , Alvin Kamara had a 20 yard run every 27 attempts and Ronald Jones also averaged a 20 yard run every 27 attempts. Pretty strong company Jones is with there , so sorry Joe , but your statement that ROJO is not a home run hitter is not accurate.
May 23rd, 2022 at 1:23 pm
BucsFan, home run hitters that can’t do anything else are a dime a dozen in the NFL. Unless you’re well rounded, the deficits will hurt the team in the long run, no pun intended
May 23rd, 2022 at 1:28 pm
I guess we will learn what ROJO is or is not capable of in KC this season. I saw many times where ROJO was WIDE open out of the backfield and Brady went elsewhere and please do not mention the MYTH that Lenny is a better pass catcher as Jones drop rate compared to Fournettes is identical.
May 23rd, 2022 at 1:32 pm
Didn’t Rojo actually have two cracks at the goal line in the Super Bowl and failed on both occasions when the game was still in doubt.
Don’t hate Rojo but to me Lenny is clearly the better back for the Buc’s offense. Rojo can “play well” and we can still lose. When Lenny “plays well” we always seem to win. How Lenny goes, the Bucs go.
May 23rd, 2022 at 1:35 pm
Some coaches are also way better than others at getting the most out of their players , whether that being devising the schemes or simply in how you communicate and motivate. Arians put things on ROJO after games that were just lies.
May 23rd, 2022 at 1:38 pm
No doubt Rojo was the better runner. But its a Chicken or the egg type of deal. Stacked the box because 67% (guessing) of the time when Rojo is in the game its a run and he’s not very good in passing situations?
May 23rd, 2022 at 1:42 pm
RoJo was mediocre at best and he doesn’t have the tools to be a feature back. It’s as simple as that. I don’t care that he’s no longer on the roster.
May 23rd, 2022 at 1:46 pm
itsgoodtobetheling, exactly
May 23rd, 2022 at 1:49 pm
I still can’t believe people are still posting Jones can’t catch. The stats say Lenny and Jones are almost identical. The truth is out there. I agree Jones has a tough time blocking and became a head case. Take the time to look up the stats over the last three years for yourself.
May 23rd, 2022 at 2:08 pm
This is a loaded stat that could suggest all sorts of reasons, none of which I care enough about to dig into.
May 23rd, 2022 at 2:14 pm
The best way to summarize Ron Jones career with Tampa Bay is to say that he better improve several aspects of his game if he plans on making Kansas City’s team.
May 23rd, 2022 at 3:17 pm
Joe in Michigan.
Personally, I think that Rojo has a pretty good chance of making KC but the fact that they guaranteed only a $250,000 signing bonus means the NFL as a whole did not think that much of Rojo just like the Buc’s brain trust. His contract surely does suggest that he is not a lock to make the 53-man roster.
Think of a contract that is slightly better than Aaron Stinnie.
May 23rd, 2022 at 4:03 pm
Remove the question mark Joe – and you answered your own question.
“defenses play the Bucs differently because Fournette is more of a dual threat than RoJo”.
May 23rd, 2022 at 4:32 pm
Rojo will go down in history with the longest run of a Buc ever, I’m pretty sure he is top five in runningback with the longest run after catch for an RB with that run after catch against the Chiefs in the game where Cheetah went off. I’d be interested to see what other Bucs RB have with YAC for a TD
May 23rd, 2022 at 4:42 pm
ROjo should have had a 1,000 yards in 2020 but BA stop him from getting it .
May 23rd, 2022 at 6:03 pm
RoJo can catch hes just not good at it. Look at Lenny recieving passes. Its a catch and turn upfield all in one swift motion. He is a step and a half ahead of where RoJo would be bouncing off of tacklers and falling forward for valuable yards.
RoJo is like catch the ball step one. Secure the ball step two. Turn up field step 3. Hes getting tackled for one yard where Lenny is picking up a fresh set of downs.
Or how bout go look at Lenny getting beyond the line and finding the exact soft spot of a zone that Brady is looking for. The chemistry is clear and its a night and day difference to anything RoJo can offer.
Also looking at catch % is a terrible way to look at it when we are talking about RBs catching 2 yards check downs.
May 23rd, 2022 at 7:20 pm
Actually it was two other guys. One of those two guys was AB’s landlord.
May 23rd, 2022 at 7:40 pm
Oneilbuc Says:
May 23rd, 2022 at 4:42 pm
ROjo should have had a 1,000 yards in 2020 but BA stop him from getting it .
^^^^^^
Of all of the things to care about, this is close to the bottom of the list, right before what color socks Ron had on.
May 23rd, 2022 at 8:32 pm
Sorry Jimmy Jack, but Jones averaged 8.7 yards per catch compared to Lenny’s 6.7 over the last three years. I learned to do my home work over 55 years ago and it came in handy financially. I suggest you do the same before you post.
May 23rd, 2022 at 9:04 pm
Rojo was not a head case until BA and TB got in his head. He was a mishandled kid on his rookie contract. He produced and was stiffed for that diminutive freak. One way loyalty is not sustainable.
May 23rd, 2022 at 9:08 pm
RoJo was the best back on the roster, the most explosive and the more powerful and able to take on stacked Ds and tough yards. That’s why I’ve been saying for months that this team needs a FEATURE BACK with power. They don’t have a guy like it on the roster.
Lenny is not and never will be that, and if pushed into that role, he’ll dance around and get taken down, as usual. The others aren’t feature backs, either.
We can only hope that the additions of guys like Shaq and Kieft will open up holes. I still don’t see a smashmouth running attack with what they have at the moment.
May 23rd, 2022 at 9:41 pm
So 1976 I think what JOE calls a “Home Run” hitter is exactly that.
What is a Home Run?
A Score!!!!!!!!!!!!
20+ yards is a great stat to be in and with his limited carries as a part time guy, I’m sure the NFL is littered with those guys.
JOE wants a guy that can take it to the house on any given play.
Ala Chris Johnson and Priest Holmes and Alvin Kamara.
May 23rd, 2022 at 9:53 pm
steele Says:
May 23rd, 2022 at 9:08 pm
RoJo was the best back on the roster, the most explosive and the more powerful and able to take on stacked Ds and tough yards. That’s why I’ve been saying for months that this team needs a FEATURE BACK with power. They don’t have a guy like it on the roster.
Lenny is not and never will be that, and if pushed into that role, he’ll dance around and get taken down, as usual. The others aren’t feature backs, either.
We can only hope that the additions of guys like Shaq and Kieft will open up holes. I still don’t see a smashmouth running attack with what they have at the moment.
^^^^^^^^^^
I’m not sure what alternate universe or make-believe world you’re living in, but if you watched any of the games last year, you’d know that Fournette was better than Ron Jones.
May 24th, 2022 at 9:04 am
With few exceptions, RBs are a dime a dozen due to the injury toll and such. RoJo was good on balance, but injuries and fumbles tend to level the values of RBs not named Adrian Peterson. If you don’t have 2 RBs actively playing , you end up with none. Probably the best RB the Bucs ever had would’ve been Cadillac Williams, but Gruden gave him the ball over 40 times in a game and burned out his career. The best friend of a great back is another back to split the load.