Leonard Fournette And Pass Routes
September 21st, 2022
Lots of pass routes.
Interesting stats on Playoff Lenny and the passing game.
Playoff Lenny has become a true every-down back. He can run and he can catch. He proved that in Jacksonville but for some reason he got tagged with a hands-of-stone label.
Graham Barfield of FantasyPoints.com had something that intrigued Joe about Playoff Lenny and pass plays. Per Barfield, no running back has run a higher percentage of routes on pass plays than Playoff Lenny through two games.
Now why is Playoff Lenny running so many pass routes? Often teams keep a running back in to block. That apparently is not the case with the Bucs.
Maybe the Bucs being so thin at receiver has had Lenny asked to run pass routes because of a lack of depth. Or maybe Tom Brady trusts Playoff Lenny more than he does receivers?
However, even though Playoff Lenny is running a lot of routes, that doesn’t mean he’s being targeted. Playoff Lenny is 10th among running backs through two games with six targets.
Javonte Williams of the Broncos has been the most-targeted running back (16).
Is Bucs offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich (or Brady?) using Playoff Lenny as a decoy to try to get receivers loose or in open space, baiting defenders to cover Playoff Lenny rather than latch on to a receiver?
September 21st, 2022 at 7:26 am
Usually Fournette is solid in the passing game. I think he dropped at least one pass that he should of had in Sunday’s game. No catch the ball, no get targeted.
September 21st, 2022 at 7:39 am
He was hurt, probably used more as a decoy, plus Brady has always loved the dump off pass to his RB’s. Shane Vereen, Woodhead, Faulk, White now Lenny.
September 21st, 2022 at 8:01 am
Lenny gets more touches running and receiving than anybody else on the team. If Brady is the point guard of our offense as a facilitator, Lenny is our shooting guard in terms of totes & targets. It’s part of what made him an upgrade of Rojo, and an RB slipping out of the backfield usually occupies a LB/Safety and makes the seams Brady likes to abuse, all the more exploitable.
September 21st, 2022 at 8:34 am
Lenny & White both dropped passes….would like to see more pass plays to White…..would like to see more 2 back sets…….(we never do that)
September 21st, 2022 at 8:55 am
Lenny can also flatten linebackers like flies
September 21st, 2022 at 9:57 am
What is his injury?
September 21st, 2022 at 11:00 am
TBBF, yes! Particularly with a stud halfback in like Kieft. Or as you suggest Lenny and White or Vaughn. Mix it up a little already.
September 21st, 2022 at 11:37 am
Luv Playoff Lenny. Just when you think he is cornered and out of gas, He perks up and takes you all the way home. My man..Playoff Lenny.
September 21st, 2022 at 1:46 pm
I think Brady and Leftwich trust Fournette more in the passing game than they do any of our tight ends (possible exception to Cam Brate).
So they’re probably keeping a TE to help block while Lenny goes out for a route.
September 21st, 2022 at 2:36 pm
I noticed numerous times the last 2 games where 4Net started in the back field then motioned out to a spot up on the line leaving the backfield empty – and ran a route along with the other 3 or 4 receivers.
A couple times he did the same motion up to the line – but then came back to the backfield before the ball was snapped.
In some of these cases the Bucs are likely using this motion and the defenses response to help Tom determine the defensive set up pre-snap….
September 21st, 2022 at 2:40 pm
SB~LV Says:
What is his injury?
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Lenny tweaked a hamstring in the 2nd half of the Dallas game and definitely wasn’t playing at 100% vs the Saints.