Another Breakout Run For The Kardashian Chaser
October 17th, 2010
Cadillac Williams has horribly horrific rushing numbers. Kareem Huggins is hurt yet again. Injuries, as usual, have found their way to Earnest Graham. And the guy Raheem Morris was so excited about two games ago, LeGarrette Blount, can’t get a helmet on.
From an on-the-field standpoint only, Joe was not jumping for joy when Derrick Ward was released, simply because Ward showed a couple of strong runs against Jacksonville in Game 3 of the preseason and the Bucs were painfully thin at running back, in addition to not having a true No. 1 running backs. The subpar running backs corps was something Joe harped on through the offseason.
Then, Bucs insider/radio guy TJ Rives wrote that Ward’s release had a lot to do with money. And then Bucs beat writer Rick Stroud called cutting Ward a business decision.
Now Ward is running wild again in Houston. Click here to watch Ward truly create today and bust a run outside for a 38-yard touchdown. The Bucs probably don’t have a guy on the roster who can make this play.
Joe brings this all up because Ward is such a polarizing figure among fans and the Bucs’ running game is putrid. The Bucs probably made the right call on Ward, but it doesn’t feel that way right now.
October 17th, 2010 at 10:45 pm
Remember Carnell Williams saying he was setting a goal of 1400 yards?
Maybe in a 20 game schedule
October 17th, 2010 at 10:47 pm
maybe in a 40 game schedule
October 17th, 2010 at 10:47 pm
To be honest, I’m not missing Ward one bit. Even if he continues to light it up in Houston, he was a horrible teammate here. Obviously, I wasn’t in the locker room, but you saw him complaining on the field. He avoided the media for a year as well. He’s decent when things are going well. He’s a pussy when things aren’t going his way.
October 17th, 2010 at 10:49 pm
How did old man Warrick Dunn average 4.2 ypc in 08 behind pretty much the same line?
What was once a pretty dang good o-line has dropped off in 08, 09.
Coaching? Nah, couldn’t possibly be.
October 17th, 2010 at 10:54 pm
Williams would run wild in Houston’s offense too.
October 17th, 2010 at 10:55 pm
Terrible is the word you were looking for Eric. Our coaching is TERRIBLE. I mean what kind of running scheme do we even employ as a team??? Is it similar to the run defense???
October 17th, 2010 at 10:56 pm
Agree with you Paul. That’s the problem I have with this coaching staff.
October 17th, 2010 at 10:59 pm
Eric — love how you reappear after losses. Yeah, you’re not a hater. LOL
Funny statistics to prove your “point.” The Bucs did not have “pretty much the same line” in 08 and 09. In 08 they had Sears and were running the same system they had been running for years. In 09, no Sears and a switch to ZBS.
October 17th, 2010 at 11:09 pm
@JimBuc
Yeah ya ever think the poor rushing attack may be because of the poor o line play?
Derrick Ward struggled. We cut him and he’s doing good in Houston. Cadillac is now struggling. If we cut him tomorrow he probably keeps his career going with another club. It’s hard to believe that Cadillac is really this bad. I know he’s not the same back as he was his rookie year, but I think he’s capable of doing better than 10 carries for 18 yards.
October 17th, 2010 at 11:14 pm
It’s the coaching. The o-line isn’t even that bad. I guess Ward was right when he said that the O-line in Houston actually “wants to block for their HBs”…. AND that the coaching staff actually has “higher expectations.”
Morris’s house o’ cards has came a crashing down.
October 17th, 2010 at 11:18 pm
by lookin at wards run, i think caddy could make that run too
October 17th, 2010 at 11:34 pm
Jimbuc,
One player, Sears, made that much difference?
I doubt that.
Hey didn’t you take a leave off here? I welcomed you back as I recall……………..and Captain Tim.
But, alas, I am the “hater”. I would like to know why the line play has fallen off though. I suspect its more of the lack of respect for our passing game. Remember in 08 AB went for 1400 yards. Extra guy in the box maybe.
October 18th, 2010 at 12:02 am
Actually, Sears made a pretty big difference. In 2006, before Sears, the run game ended up with a 3.8 ypc average. Not very good. In 2007, Sears first year, they upped to 4.2. In 2008, they still had 4.1 ypc. Without Sears in 2009, they dropped to 4.0 ypc. I know, it’s a matter of inches per carry either way, but the run game was definitely improved with Sears in the game.
October 18th, 2010 at 12:31 am
A player’s (and team’s) success is a reflection of their……. COACHING!!!
October 18th, 2010 at 1:21 am
I agree with Michael. Ward was a chump. Even if he’s making plays in Houston, he was pretty clearly not gonna be doing anything in Tampa, no matter who was ahead of him on the depth chart.
October 18th, 2010 at 2:45 am
Over and done with. Let’s move on and focus on guys who are actually a part of this team. If you’re going to keep bringin’ up Ward. might as well do a variety of articles on Burrell’s resurgence with San Fran over on your other blog. Hopefully Joe, you’ve got better things to do. 🙂
October 18th, 2010 at 7:59 am
The Texans have a better offensive line, but that’s not an excuse for Ward’s solid production. The reason Ward is performing is because he’s upped his effort since being released by Tampa. I don’t know if it was the Florida weather, the big money contract, dating a Kardashian or a combination of the three, but Derrick Ward was a mediocre football player at best on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I’m sure his release and the loss of the big money contract, the Florida weather and the Kardashian relationship have motivated him to play harder in hopes of getting another big money deal.
Bottomline: He was a disappointment while a member of the Bucs and it didn’t help that the number he wore was 28, the same jersey number of one of the classier football players to ever lace them up (and a player who was also released during the same offseason that Ward signed with the team). The running game in Tampa is a serious concern, but I’m content with how things played out and hope for an addition to be made in one of the first two rounds of the upcoming NFL draft.
j.
October 18th, 2010 at 9:36 am
Joe I agree enough about fat lazy Derrick Ward who would rather be in hot tubs in the offseason rather than getting in shape. Apparently the Texans line is better than the Bucs but can we start to concentrate on the players we have. I could care less what Derrick Ward is doing every week. The guy did absolutely NOTHING here. Bring on Blount he could not possibly be any worse than Caddy.