“We Were So Bad Running The Ball Last Year”
July 15th, 2024
“Jason, here’s what we’re going to ask Baker and here’s what I want everyone to tell Baker.”
Yes, the quote in the headline comes from the fearless leader of the Bucs’ offense, Pro Bowl quarterback Baker Mayfield.
Joe often wondered what Mayfield really thought of the sad Tampa Bay running game last season, especially after all his years with the Browns’ punishing rushing attack.
For example, as a rookie in 2018, Mayfield and the Browns had the 11th-ranked running game in yards per carry. That’s good. In 2019, Cleveland improved to fourth-ranked. In 2020, the Browns stayed in the top-5 and jumped to No. 1 in the NFL in yards per carry in 2021.
Last year with the Bucs? Well, serious fans no Tampa Bay ranked dead last in the league in yards per carry — for the second consecutive year.
“We were so bad running the ball last year,” Mayfield told Pardon My Take.
Mayfield talked about how much he appreciated the Bucs steadily asking for his opinion on hiring a new offensive coordinator this past winter after Dave Canales left for the Panthers. Wisely, Mayfield acknowledged the Bucs possibly were only humoring him/courting him in free agency and would pick the guy they wanted without a care of what Mayfield had to say.
Still, Mayfield said, the input felt great. Mayfield said Bucs management asked him what kind of offensive coordinator the team needed “leadership-wise,” for skill players and, specifically, for the offensive line. And that’s when Mayfield dropped the line about the Bucs’ miserable running game.
Joe is starting to wonder whether Mayfield, prior to signing his fat free agency deal, was promised a massive upgrade — or upgrade attempt — on the offensive line along with a dynamic rookie running back in the draft.
Perhaps not. But he got both.
July 15th, 2024 at 7:12 pm
How could we not be glad this guy is our QB.
I’m sure some cretinologist will tell us.
July 15th, 2024 at 7:24 pm
Well the first step in fixing a problem is identifying and ADMITTING the problem.
At least everybody is on the same page!!! NOBODY from within OBP or without denies the Bucs running game needs a MAJOR upgrade for ’24.
Given the draft and the development of some younger players it looks as if the Bucs have a genuine chance to move into the top half of the league in running.
I like having TWO “starting” level RB’s. They both will remain hungry and relatively rested and Coen can just go with the hot hand and whatever the situation dictates. Perhaps Coen can actually “scheme” some plays that result in giant mismatches or coverage lapses in the Buc’s favor! There is no law in the NFL that forbids using brains as well as braun to move the ball and score points!!!
July 15th, 2024 at 7:48 pm
Speaking of our RB Room …
R White: Basically, living at OneBuc working with trainers.
S. Tucker: You see his video? ST is adding loads of power. He’s mad, too!
B. Irving: Left camp with plans on improving. He’s walking with new Duck swag.
All three of these young men are grinding.
They’re all fast. They all can cut. They all can catch. They’re all gunning for the job. It’s anyone’s job to win. RB is going to be the BEST competition of the preseason. Absolutely FIRE!!!
July 15th, 2024 at 7:57 pm
This makes an article that was on either ESPN or NFL.com last week even funnier. Dave Canales said one of the goals with the Panthers is to improve the running game. That didn’t seem like a strength of Canales after watching the Bucs all of last year.
July 15th, 2024 at 8:59 pm
I guess Baker wasn’t clamoring to retain our two great run game coordinators. Those two have been bad since Arians was HC. Good luck with them in Carolina Dave, they’d be unemployed like Leftwich if not for you.
July 15th, 2024 at 9:40 pm
Man the running game was like a blown motor and four flat tires on the side of the road. It was one step forward two steps back. I said this before about getting where we got mostly on Bakers arm and some roadkill POS is always talking some trash. Haha.fuel baby. If we can win against Detroit early and San Francisco. We can lose to KC if we win the ones we’re supposed to. The team is ready as long as everyone buys into what the coaches are selling.. Let’s Go Bucs!!!! Can you smell what the Bucs are cookin???
July 15th, 2024 at 9:54 pm
Baker is relentless, tough as nails, and will win over the NFL this season on his way to his first Lombardi Championship.
July 15th, 2024 at 9:58 pm
To the people that say RBs are unimportant so just plug in anyone: Well, since Fournette, they’ve sucked. It’s the backs.
Pick one high or pay a top FA. But, until then, this is what you get. And we all keep praying a 7th round pick or undrafted FA will emerge from nowhere and be the next Earnest Graham.
July 16th, 2024 at 4:24 am
Hainsey the Pillsbury Dough Boy is gone.
He’s a failed experiment. A bust. A wasted 3rd round pick.
And he’s the reason Tom had no time to throw.
And for 2 years straight, 2 of the worst running games, statistically, in NFL history!
All because Licht was proud. I love Licht. Don’t get me wrong. But sometimes he forces his picks on the field.
When Jensen’s leg was destroyed, we should have traded a 2nd round pick for one of the best centers in the league on an bad team.
But Licht wanted to prove he was right about Hainsey. Like with Benenoch.
But Hainsey has weak knees and quads like Benenoch did.
They aren’t NFL lineman.
July 16th, 2024 at 5:00 am
So much to this interview with Baker and we all have been saying the same thing about running the ball. Baker’s words hit hard and true.
stpetebucfan Says: “Well the first step in fixing a problem is identifying and ADMITTING the problem.” Exactly right! Baker’s words were good to hear.
July 16th, 2024 at 5:03 am
Great article Joe, but it’s concerning at the same time. Didn’t realize that Cleveland’s running game was THAT good from 2018-2021 when Baker was starting QB (#14, #12, #3, #4).
Unfortunately the Brown’s passing game finished #14, #22, #24, #27 in those same years. So their running game improved every year, but their passing game got progressively worse.
Not a good look IMO. I’ve long believed that a good starting QB benefits from a strong running game because it keeps the defense off-balance. In the Browns’ 2018-2021 case, that doesn’t seem to be true at all. Of course, we could always blame it on the fact that the Browns had FOUR different OCs in those 4 years. Yup, let’s go with that.
July 16th, 2024 at 8:57 am
My dream is this Oline develops into something special and we keep it together. Would love to be able
To gain 4/6 yard every time we ran the ball!