Bucky Irving Stat Steady, Rachaad White Number Down (Slightly)
September 27th, 2024
“Hey Buck, you have Superman eyes?”
So early this week Joe brought word of how Bucs running back Rachaad White was struggling terribly at getting yards before contact.
Bucky Irving had no such issue, despite running behind the very same offensive line as White.
Also, White’s poor numbers came with scapegoat Robert Hainsey watching from the sidelines.
White being at the bottom of the list of running backs’ yards per carry before contact isn’t a surprise to Joe. In 2022 and 2023, White ranked 39th and 44th in the league for running backs’ yards per carry before contact. Joe also noted this summer that White’s advanced stats were terrible.
But while White has struggled with this stat, Irving has done well. After two games, Irving trailed only Crows runaround quarterback Lamar Jackson in this category.
Well, Pro-Football-Reference updated its advanced stats to cover all Week 4 games. White’s numbers have dipped at the bottom of the chart, ever so slightly. Irving’s have stayed the same but he’s no longer the top running back with yards before contact per attempt.
Jonathan Taylor of the Colts leads the NFL averaging four yards a carry before contact. The man the Bucs will face this week, Saquon Barkley, is second among running backs with 3.7 yards
Irving is at 3.5, same as last week.
September 27th, 2024 at 12:31 am
The name of the game is to simply give him more of the pie. Who cares if Rashad starts, as long as Bucky cuts into his workload to a much greater degree.
September 27th, 2024 at 1:14 am
I’m a little confused about this stat. Wouldn’t yards before contact be more indicative of line play?
More yards before contact would mean less penetration or more “room” before you encounter a defender.
A lower number would mean less room, defenders in the backfield or less effective blocking.
Maybe I’m interpreting the stat incorrectly?
September 27th, 2024 at 1:41 am
Well, there’s a stat that worthless.
What counts is yards per carry. Let’s let Bucky start,and see how he does.
Let Bucky be the bell cow for a couple games.
Then we’ll all know if White is the problem or not.
September 27th, 2024 at 4:42 am
I still think the Bucs are missing the obvious. Put BOTH of them on the field a lot more to increase Baker’s options exponentially. And in those plays, I’d also have Evans & Godwin out there (they both block pretty well and make pretty good targets) as well as a 6th OLineman (I’ve given up on our TEs’ blocking).
Oh and I’d also let Baker run more. Might even have someone teach him how to slide.
September 27th, 2024 at 6:45 am
Hard to get yards before contact when the OL is pushed back 3 yards behind the line. That is an OL stat, not a RB stat.
[No one has a mission to kill someone’s career. But doesn’t White, and any player under contract, have a mission to produce?
With White at running back, the Bucs are a one dimensional team. Defenses don’t stack the box on him. Why? Because they no he’s not a threat. Guess who/what that hurts? The receivers/passing game. — Joe]
September 27th, 2024 at 6:50 am
I’ll second DR on teaching Baker how to slide.
September 27th, 2024 at 9:04 am
You can look at it that way or you can look at it the way Joe has been stating stretching back to last season: White can’t read his blockers.
If one guy can get production behind the very same line, why can’t the other? You know, the guy some try to convince Joe is the second coming of Eric Dickerson? Right?
September 27th, 2024 at 9:23 am
That’s stat is indicative of a running back that has both quick vision of the whole/blockers and ability to not get touched for making defenders miss until passing your own line with yardage gained. At least that’s my interpretation and thought. I love white as a person and he’s a hell of a threat as a pass catching back but for our future, feature back I think it’s time to give lil Bucky a shot. Or at least 10 more touches throughout the game on top of what he’s already been getting take some of Rashad white handoffs and give em to Bucky
September 27th, 2024 at 9:29 am
Rachaad White is an excellent RB in space. The Bucs need to get him in space more. Put the players in position for success!
It’s not that complicated
September 27th, 2024 at 9:46 am
Tom Brady last season with the Bucs,
Bucs had a patched up O-LINE, worst in the NFL
They were Dead Last in Rushing Yards
Dead Last in YPA
But Brady and Leftwich found other ways to get the RBs involved
Lenny had 73 pass receptions
Rachaad White had 50 pass receptions
This current OC is a joke, he’s just wasting offense talent
September 27th, 2024 at 12:55 pm
A dozen angles to try and blame anyone but the line.
But it’s the line.
It’s been the line for the last 3 years.
We’ve been last in running, with 2(now 3) different running backs.
It’s not complicate. It’s not confusing, it’s not a combination of of things.
It’s the line.
Mauch and Bredeson are the worst starting guards in the league.
That’s simple.
Graham Barton is trying to adjust to the NFL defensive linemen, and switching from left tackle the last 3 years- to Center. He’s playing bad.
That’s simple.
Justin Skule is struggling badly to replace Luke Goedeke.
That’s Simple.
Tristan Wirfs is playing poorly.
Is he nicked up.?
I think our new Offensive line line coach is terrible, and Tristan isn’t comfortable in the new line scheme.
But the problem is the line.
And Jason Licht.
Because he has never replaced Ali Marpet, Alex Cappa, or Ryan Jensen with starting quality linemen.
Hes let all the “ line genius “ reputation go to his head. He’s handicapped the team for 3 straight years.
I’ve said it repeatedly for 3 years.
Posted it here dozens of times. I was right then, and I am humbly right now.
The line can’t block. It can’t run block. It can’t pass block.
The knowledgeable Buc fans knew this would be a problem.
It’s that simple
September 27th, 2024 at 3:32 pm
OK. So we’ve had one tough to watch loss. Our RB had 1500 total yards last year which was 2nd in the NFL. He sucks. Our defense for 5 years running around 20 points per game. They suck. Our head coach got this young group a few plays from the NFC Championship game last year. He sucks. Our offensive line fighting like hell to get better and used to each other. They suck. Now fellow fans -no excuses but we’ve been beat up but we will heal up. It may get worse before it gets better. That will make some teams better and some teams worse. Our team gets better in this regard. We’ll lose a few more games this year. But not many.
September 27th, 2024 at 6:07 pm
Yes. Joe just refuses to acknowledge this.
Also, Bucky’s biggest runs last week all came out of 2 back sets, with massive amounts of misdirection. Someone should ask Coen why we don’t do that more often…