Do Rachaad White Runs Suggest Byron Leftwich Is Trying To Change?
November 9th, 2022
Change in direction?
Joe’s feelings on failing Bucs offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich are very clear. That stated, is Leftwich trying to change?
Using only the naked eye, nothing is different about Leftwich and his play calls in Week 9 from Week 1. SOS. Still trying to give Playoff Lenny a concussion by slamming him to nowhere up the middle hoping he finally breaks one.
How many carries did Ronald Jones have before he finally scored a touchdown from beyond the 10-yard line?
Well, Joe is noticing chatter where folks think rookie running back Rachaad White should be (will be?) getting more carries. Joe doesn’t know if that is the answer. White’s stats are as mediocre as Playoff Lenny’s.
However, Joe’s research of NextGen stats may show Leftwich is trying to adjust via White. The majority of White’s rushes, including his longest, came behind the right side of the line.
Now just about everyone knows if the Bucs have strength on the front line it is on the right side where Shaq Mason and Tristan Wirfs can be found.Yet previously, Leftwich was allergic to running right but seemed to love to running the ball behind the Bucs’ most vulnerable linemen, youngsters Robert Hainsey and Luke Goedeke.
Yeah, Joe knows, backwards.
Sunday, Leftwich had White run right a whole lot more than run left. Is that a sign Leftwich is catching on? Or is that just wishful thinking?
November 9th, 2022 at 5:18 am
Cool diagram Joe. Still, from that it looks like the 2 runs to the left were the most successful. Just sayin’
It’d be interesting to see what that same diagram looks like for some really good running teams. For instance, the Giants. They’re 6-2 and have Daniel Jones at QB & Saquon Barkley at RB. That’s essentially their whole offense. Giants have rushed 263 times for 1292 yards (4.9 YPC) to only 223 passes for 1273 yards (5.1 YPA). Jones has 64 carries for 363 yards (5.7 YPC) & Barkley has 163 carries for 779 yards (4.8 YPC). All their other players have only 36 rushes total.
Giants have a 51.5% run-pass ratio. They’ve played a bunch of tight ball games (they don’t ‘run away’ from anyone) but they’ve only lost to Dallas (6-2) & Seattle (6-3). Obviously Giants have found a way to parlay the team strength (running the ball) into winning. And yet their #22-ranked offense has only scored 163 points in 8 games (20.4 PPG average) & their #9-ranked defense has allowed 157 points (19.6 PPG average).
MAYBE their coaching staff has figured out something that ours hasn’t?
November 9th, 2022 at 5:20 am
“Stubborn and dumb.”
November 9th, 2022 at 5:38 am
DR, good observations. That’s just good coaching to make the best of what you have. We are wasting downs running so obviously and poorly. We have to find something that moves the chains. Maybe a predominately short passing game with occasional draws and deep passes to keep yhe defense off balance.
November 9th, 2022 at 6:04 am
We’re too predictable, and that’s the bottom line. It’s merely a matter of time before that screen pass to Godwin ends up a pick-6. It almost happened twice on Sunday! The formations give it away. If I can see it, I know a DC can see it.
The same applies to our running game. If we’re in 2 TE sets and nobody is scared of our TEs, they’re going to cheat the run.
Whether White or Lenny, there needs to be a heck of a lot more creativity in our run-game and offensively overall.
November 9th, 2022 at 6:16 am
You could have a drinking game based on us running up the middle on first down
November 9th, 2022 at 6:41 am
Beej … A drinking game based on ‘us running up the middle on first down’ sounds great, but we’d all be drunk by the end of the first drive and miss the rest of the game. Oh wait …
November 9th, 2022 at 7:14 am
You’re assuming there is a ryhme and reason for certain play calls. You know what they say about assuming, right?
What that shows is that 5 of his 8 carries were the exact same call and most of those where on the exact same drive if I remember right. It also shows that he made it back to the LOS on every carry, so at the very least he didn’t have any negative plays.
Listen, we all know White is the better running back right now. The coaching staff knows that too. They’re trying to keep the fragile ego of Fournette in tact so that if we do make it to the playoffs, when he actually cares about carrying the ball, that he is still engaged with the team and not pouting in the corner.
November 9th, 2022 at 7:29 am
Byron is either ignorant, stupid, retarded, dense, brainless, slow, dull-witted, empty-headed….
Or a combination of all of the above.
November 9th, 2022 at 8:57 am
What we’re currently doing worked fine with all-pros up and down the roster
November 9th, 2022 at 9:03 am
joe this is easy stuff to figure out…lol…
if he’s just realizing it’s time to run right behind mason, wirfs and kieft, then he should never have held the position
(notice i’m discussing him in past tense)…
also, as much as rojo had stone like hands, i can’t but think of how dam hard he hit those holes the past couple of seasons…
he used to run so dang hard…it was crazy…
it made me wonder if rojo was still here could he be bangin’ out 4 yard runs as his average?…i tend to think he could…
but too little too late…he wasn’t tom’s guy and now he’s hanging by a ball hair on reid’s practice squad
November 9th, 2022 at 9:06 am
I like Lenny as a dude, but not any more as a stsrting RB.
He’s not productive enough and White has earned more playing time and possibly even the Starting RB job, in my opinion, at this point, because of his productivity.
It’s as simple as that.
And please bring back Rojo as a #2 RB and dang I guess I’ve totally soured on Lenny and his alpha male/territorial/dominaneering personality over the starting RB role, apparently.
Good RB aren’t getting their fair shake because of his ‘tude. And it would be one thing if HE was the most productive RB and he was getting mad that their putting in the less-productive RB in key situations. But it’s the opposite of that. Which is why it’s a problem.
LENNY MIGHT NEED TO WALK THE PLANK.
November 9th, 2022 at 9:08 am
Part of the reason for the left side runs are on Brady. His preferred way to turn is left, so Leftie might be willing to change a little.
What bothers me is how much they suck up to Pouty Lenny. Vaughn had two runs, one he pulled out of the fire, the other pulled the fire from him. It was the O-line’s fault for not giving him three inches to move in.
Then Vaughn was gone and Lenny came in and got his fire pt out about a dozen times. Then he pouts when forced to sit, and people notice.
Lenny looks like one of those pedestrians in traffic who won’t go an extra 10 feet to use a crosswalk. No patience.
November 9th, 2022 at 9:18 am
Rachaad White is a much better cut, cut and go RB than Lenny, but Lenny is much more dangerous in the open field. Leftwich flashed the bunch formation with White on-line with the WRs and Lenny in the backfield, that we haven’t seen that Jet sweep out of our even shift into a 2 back set. We need that
November 9th, 2022 at 9:28 am
Wonderful. As if we didn’t telegraph running plays enough before, now it’s even easier for defenses.
When Lenny is in, Bucs run left. When White is in, Bucs run right.
At least try a few 2-back sets!
November 9th, 2022 at 9:43 am
Defense Rules Says:
November 9th, 2022 at 5:18 am
Cool diagram Joe. Still, from that it looks like the 2 runs to the left were the most successful. Just sayin’
It’d be interesting to see what that same diagram looks like for some really good running teams. For instance, the Giants. They’re 6-2 and have Daniel Jones at QB & Saquon Barkley at RB. That’s essentially their whole offense. Giants have rushed 263 times for 1292 yards (4.9 YPC) to only 223 passes for 1273 yards (5.1 YPA). Jones has 64 carries for 363 yards (5.7 YPC) & Barkley has 163 carries for 779 yards (4.8 YPC). All their other players have only 36 rushes total.
Giants have a 51.5% run-pass ratio.
—————————
Defense Rules… I get totally what you are saying but you are confusing percentage with ratio… they are not to be used the same. A ratio requires two different numbers to be used. 51.5-48.5 is the run-pass ratio. 51.5% is the percentage of runs. They are not the same.
November 9th, 2022 at 10:47 am
Brandon,
I see what you are saying also; however:
The statement “51.5% run-pass ratio,” since there are only 2 variables, run and pass, when one variable is expressed as a percentage, the other percentage must equal 100%. It’s a simplified statement that does require a tad more info, but most readers can understand that the remaining 48.5 can either be stated as a % or as a ratio.
In a statistics exam, DR would probably get partial credit, LOL.
Now, can we get back talking about something important such as the wonderful choices of play-calling?
November 9th, 2022 at 11:06 am
An idea for Byron:
Sean Payton on Cowherd said he scouted teams every week and stole plays.
On Wednesday he’d install the creative 3rd down plays he saw;
On Thursday he’d add the most innovative Red Zone ideas he had seen, etc.
What an idea!
November 9th, 2022 at 12:07 pm
What makes you think he can recognize good place to steal?
November 9th, 2022 at 12:54 pm
No.
Just dumb coincidence.
November 9th, 2022 at 1:04 pm
D-Rok … ‘In a statistics exam, DR would probably get partial credit’.
Partial credit? We must’ve gone to different schools. Mine was ‘Get it right – A; Get it wrong – F’.
They didn’t offer any Participation Trophies either. Obviously picked the wrong school.
November 9th, 2022 at 1:12 pm
LOL, DR, easy tiger, I was just teasing. FWIW I earned 100% in Stats both in high school and college en route to a Microbiology degree.
My alma mater is Cal State University, Chico – and I never got partial credit for anything especially in upper-division science courses.
In a “it’s a small-world” comment, Aaron Rodgers went to nearby Butte College, but he was a few years after me…
Anyway, have a great day, DR – appreciate your comments, as always! 😉
November 9th, 2022 at 6:04 pm
White’s stats aren’t much better but going by the eye test and just watching him run versus Lenny, he’s been much better