Byron Leftwich And Todd Bowles Grade Leonard Fournette
September 21st, 2022
Joe can’t recall receiving a report card quite like this.
Every player is graded internally after each game. Coaches dissect the film and nobody’s graded on a curve.
Offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich shared the report card on Leonard Fournette during the playcaller’s visit to the Buccaneers Radio Network yesterday.
“Lenny has had A+, he’s been grading out at A+ level the first two ball games,” Leftwich said.
“What he brought to us [in New Orleans], it won’t show on the stat sheet. But all the little plays, all the things that we talk about, all the coaching points, he was dead-on on it. And he helped us so much where nobody would see. He helped us in the passing game. He made sometimes where we should have lost two [yards] he got us back to the line of scrimmage. He gave us good, tough hard runs, where he’s gaining five or six yards where most people won’t gain five or six yards there.”
“The beginning of Lenny’s year has been excellent, really. The effort that he’s putting in, the preparation that he’s putting in. I kind of said it at the end of last year; I think we kind of watched Lenny grow right in front of our eyes into a professional running back.”
Joe is fired up to hear that, but it also makes Joe wonder how bad it would have looked against the Saints if Fournette got, say, an A- grade or a B+.
Todd Bowles echoed Leftwich on the same broadcast.
“We thought he had a better week this week than he had last week [against Dallas] because of his blocking and keeping the guys off Tom,” Bowles said of Leftwich. “You know, he was clean in blocking, chipping helping the offensive line out. He was makin’ hard, necessary yards, whether it was one or two yards, he kept the ball moving and kept it churning. And he was out there fighting and we thought it was one of his best all-round games.”
Joe just hopes the Bucs find a complement for Fournette, because he can’t keep up this 1980’s-style workload.
September 21st, 2022 at 2:43 pm
When / If the Bucs ever get healthy at WR and we stop having a new LT every 5 minutes, the Bucs should return to passing the ball more, which will lighten the load. Also, unlike Joe, I’m excited to see what White can do when it’s more than just being told to run up the middle on 1st down in garbage time.
September 21st, 2022 at 2:48 pm
This team is about run game and defense.
This team can win without Brady. We need to stop accommodating to him. Tom is all about Tom. He retired from the Buccaneers, not the NFL. He was flirting with Miami and San Francisco while playing for the Buccaneers.
Lenny needs to show the same energy to Tom that Tom would show him if the reverse situation occurred. It was a mistake for Lenny to push Lattimore.
September 21st, 2022 at 2:50 pm
He is going to have to carry the workload because there is noone else that the team trusts. He is an every down back, and one that is needed. There currently is not a passing game at all, because if there was, TB12 would be doing it. Likely a great concern over protection and receivers getting open and catching the ball. I think this will be cleaned up during the season, and the team will be better suited for slugfests in January.
September 21st, 2022 at 2:51 pm
He’s such a beast. Rachael White can’t come close. Sneak might be a bit closer, but maybe there’s a practice squad guy in the Browns who is buried in depth that could help out a bit?
September 21st, 2022 at 3:14 pm
Vaughn will be activated this week because Gio to IR……we may see Rudolph.
I’m thinking we need to use the TEs more……Lenny is great and his pass protection is excellent….and correct….that doesn’t show on the stat sheet.
September 21st, 2022 at 3:15 pm
A bit off topic, but the more I read on here, the more the message is being sent that Brady does not have his mind on football. Not good.
September 21st, 2022 at 3:16 pm
Byron stop running lenny up the gut over and over he is better at edges with run blocking
September 21st, 2022 at 3:21 pm
@orlbucfan
Tom is about Tom. He’s not about team. Not a surprise. These past two weeks he has been screaming on the sidelines, not good for team morale.
September 21st, 2022 at 3:39 pm
Hopefully we can get Donny back soon and see continued growth from Goedeke and Hainsey so we can get Lenny a 1000 yard season. The guy deserves to get his numbers too.
September 21st, 2022 at 3:47 pm
orlbucfan … ‘Brady does not have his mind on football. Not good.’
More than likely that’s at least partially true, but he is going through a lot in his personal life. That’d take a toll on anyone.
Bottom line though is that we’re 2-0 to start the season. Our offense is really banged up, but our defense has risen up & is doing their best to put us in position to win games. Eventually Brady will get back on-track, as will the offense. I have a feeling that every game will be a dogfight this year. HOPEFULLY we’ve got the biggest, baddest dog in the fight.
September 21st, 2022 at 4:02 pm
I have a good feeling about this year, even with all the injuries. Our D is for real if only they can stay healthy, so as fans, check that off. Good D: Check.
Good O? Not right now BUT with all our star receivers, we will (should) be good.
Overall, I have a LOT of confidence in this team as a contender this year.
Let’s see how much this is a roller-coaster year, but hopefully it’s a steam-roller year. Bring on the Pack, and LessssssssssssGO!!
September 21st, 2022 at 4:04 pm
As most fans do, I forgot special teams. ST’s: Much better this year and not a liability. CHECK.
September 21st, 2022 at 5:00 pm
Munch
I am excited to see what White can do also. I have seen some big running lanes opening up against Green Bay the first two weeks I would love to see White in there giving Lenny a nice rest
September 21st, 2022 at 10:07 pm
The Bucs, so far, are well on their way to the 11-6 season I saw as their best-case scenario. They only have to go 9-6 the rest of the way and they have at least 7 “gimme” games remaining. They just need to win 2 of the “toss-up” games, of which there are 3 and there are a few more that they could win that I consider 50/50 (Saints, Ravens, 49ers, Rams, Bengals).
They have played the two of the three toughest defenses they will play all year already and have won both of those games. They are in a very good position provided they aren’t devastated by actual injuries (not the nicks and scrapes that far too many people are panicking about right now).
Even better, many of the better teams in the NFC have gotten off to worse starts than the Bucs. That week 2 win against the Saints may very well turn out to be HUGE at the end of the season.
September 21st, 2022 at 10:44 pm
Fournette is so much more a complete back than anyone would have imagined , however right spot , very good hands , very good speed ,,, isnt what the offense needs ,, HE is not good at all as far as a line of scrimmage runner, no line body lean , terrible line miles per hour , no ability to twist and get skinny at the line , no body line dive ( not drive) for a yard drive , just not good lean and terribleback field momentum , shoulder shift and parallel power forward !!
September 21st, 2022 at 10:45 pm
Tell 4nette to stay out of scuffles on the field!!!!! We can’t replace his production.
September 21st, 2022 at 11:38 pm
Lenny has been awesome this year . Hope his body can take the beating.