Run Game Elixir On Deck
September 27th, 2017
Backup Eagles RBs gashed the sorry Giants defense last week.
The Giants have played so horribly in the first three weeks of the season, it seems they are already outdoing the Jets.
How bad is football these days in Gotham? A proud New York daily publication even consoled Jets fans not to freak out over winning a game because the tankjob for Baker Mayfield will come.
And here come the Giants to the Den of Depression.
When the Bucs and the Giants lock horns Sunday, it will be an interesting matchup of the rotten Bucs run game against the [expletive deleted] run defense of the Giants.
The Bucs have the fifth-worst rushing attack in the NFL in yards-per-attempt: 3.3 yards a carry. The Giants’ rush defense? Woof, types Paul Schwartz of the New York Post.
Through three games, the Giants are 32nd — dead last — in the NFL, allowing a ghastly 153.3 rushing yards per game. This is shocking. Virtually the same unit, the same players, proved to be a tough bunch in 2016, allowing only 88.6 rushing yards per game, and even more run-defense dominance was expected this season.
So could the Bucs, terrible as they are at running the ball, actually expose the Giants on the ground? It sure would help. Again, since the start of the 2016 season, America’s Quarterback, Pro Bowler Jameis Winston, is 9-4 when throwing 35 passes or less and 1-4 when throwing over 35 times in a game.
Simply put, if Charles Sims is able to gain three yards between the tackles Sunday, you know the Giants must have a positively putrid rush defense.
September 27th, 2017 at 9:37 am
The Bucs will give them new life
September 27th, 2017 at 9:39 am
The Bucs don’t have a prayer against the Giants air attack.
September 27th, 2017 at 9:41 am
And they are looking at our pass defense the same way. We might have to abandon the run game. again.
September 27th, 2017 at 9:44 am
If only the Buccaneers were aware that they’re running back situation was terrible going into the draft. Oh that’s right, they were. Well if only a versatile back from Florida was available when they picked. Oh that’s right, there was.
September 27th, 2017 at 9:47 am
I think Peyton Barber is a better option than Rodgers or Sims to get through the one game left of Martin’s suspension and even to split carries with Doug when he does come back
September 27th, 2017 at 9:51 am
Thanks for the stats Joe, sounds good, we can run the ball and play action pass–that is encouraging, our defense is the problem, I just can’t watch another beatdown like we took from the Vikes. Apparently Eli has mastered getting the ball out in record time-superfast so pass rush probably would be ineffective anyway, man just wish VH3 would take the next step already and at least contend for the ball.
September 27th, 2017 at 9:52 am
Agree, Give Barber the ball.
September 27th, 2017 at 9:52 am
Doug’s back in 6 days. But the Bucs have got to get the W over the Giants on Sunday without him.
If we can run the ball effectively, we have a very good chance of winning. Control the clock. Keep our defense rested. Keep their D on the field and Eli off of it.
I want to see more Peyton Barber earlier in the game and less Charles Sims on any down not named 3rd.
September 27th, 2017 at 9:58 am
Our D is so bad right now but if we can run the ball and get 7 with long drives and our D stays off the feild we will win
September 27th, 2017 at 9:59 am
I agree that we should be using Barber earlier and more often…..and, lets see some more screens to Sims.
Koetter is getting a pass on his gameplan and playcalling…..he shouldn’t be….our offense has been weak for a couple of years.
Koetter is too conservative on 1st down, 2nd & short and in the red zone.
More high percentage short passes to Hump, TEs and backs.,.,..yes, I’m calling for more dink & dunk. Sprinkle in a downfield overthrow or two if you must.
September 27th, 2017 at 10:00 am
Eli Manning has been licking his chops all week, he own the Bucs. Eli is the Bucs Daddy, he’s 5-0 against the Bucs, including a playoff win in Tampa.
September 27th, 2017 at 10:04 am
The Bucs have the fifth-worst rushing attack in the NFL in yards-per-attempt: 3.3 yards a carry.
I love the drama. It does not reflect the ability of our running game since we had to abandon the running game last Sunday.
117 yrds vs Chi. with a good front 7.
The running game will be fine as long as we don’t have to abandon it again by being down 14 which is a good possibility.
Offensive game plan and Jameis smart play is the key in this game. Red zone touchdown are a must.
September 27th, 2017 at 10:04 am
T@ampabaybucfan
agree with you wholeheartedly
these short probable passes will get jameis in a groove and accurate
“Free OJ Stocker”
September 27th, 2017 at 10:07 am
This game scares the crap out of me…we (the bucs ) are notorious for giving winless teams new life …over and over again….its time we go into a game against a winless team and stomp on their throats…but knowing us..we find a way to lose
September 27th, 2017 at 10:23 am
Ya I don’t think that the Bucs will be able to run on the giants. I’m sort of on board with opening things up five wide. I think this team has some talent at receiver and should play to it’s strengths (despite Jameis’ tendency to throw picks).
September 27th, 2017 at 10:31 am
Doug’s back in 6 days. But the Bucs have got to get the W over the Giants on Sunday without him.
only ignorant buc fans would count on a PROVEN FAILURE…. You do realize that the litttle gerbil has SUCKED FAR MORE THAN HE HAS BEEN GOOD!!!!!
September 27th, 2017 at 10:38 am
The Bucs have the 2nd worst pass defense in the NFL(329.5 yards per game).
If the Bucs play ten yards off the receivers and backpedal once the ball is snapped like they did against Minnesota then I would expect Eli to throw for 400+ yards.
September 27th, 2017 at 10:45 am
outside of grimes not a single cb on bucs roster is worthy of a nfl roster spot yet we were fed the BS that cb was deep.
September 27th, 2017 at 10:49 am
maxi-pad Says:
“only ignorant buc fans would…”
Oh – the IRONY
September 27th, 2017 at 12:16 pm
Pickgrin, your 9:52 AM post got me thinking about how our 3 RBs were used in the 1st 2 games. Hadn’t paid too much attention to that, but looking back at their results & snaps I’m scratching my head.
o Rodgers got the bulk of the work, but still not very much. Game 1: 19 runs for 67 yds but was not targeted at all in the passing game; he had 34 of 71 offensive snaps. In Game 2 he had 5 runs for 15 yds but once again was not targeted with any passes; had 25 of 53 offensive snaps.
o Sims got minimal work toting the ball, but was in for quite a few snaps (Jameis protection?). Game 1: 2 runs for 2 yds; targeted 3 times & caught 2 for 7 yds; had 21 out of 71 snaps. Game 2: 2 runs for 4 yds; targeted 1 time & caught it for 9 yds; had 26 of 53 offensive snaps.
o Barber has me shaking my head because he’s been the most effective RB WHEN he was used. Game 1: 10 runs for 47 yds, all in the 2nd half; not targeted in the passing game (but last year caught 83% of everything thrown to him); got 16 out of 71 snaps. Game 2: no runs, no passes, zero offensive snaps (did get in on 19 ST plays however).
So through 2 games our RBs have been targeted exactly 4 times … all to Sims … and have caught 3 of those for 16 yds TOTAL. Our TEs aren’t faring much better: targeted 13 times in the 2 games, caught 10 of those for 97 yds TOTAL. That’s 7 total weapons in the passing game (RBs + TEs) being targeted 17 total times and 13 catches total in 2 games for 113 yds TOTAL. Low usage of short passing game may explain why our TOP was so low (less than 28 mins per game average) compared to last year (about 33 mins per game). Takes a toll on the defense.
September 27th, 2017 at 12:20 pm
payton barber please….GO BUCS!!!
September 27th, 2017 at 1:52 pm
This game should be similar to the first Carolina game last year in approach. Defense is decimated and Jameis has thrown some questionable picks last game. Need to protect both the D and the QB by feeding the rock a lot. Barber/Rodgers better combine for at least 35 carries,
September 27th, 2017 at 2:32 pm
Peyton Barber could NOT be worse.
September 27th, 2017 at 3:57 pm
The Bucs haven’t actually ran the ball enough to know if they’re good or bad – but I do know for certain that Doug Martin is a huge huge upgrade over Rodgers or Barber and he’ll be back next Thursday.
On the downside the running game isn’t going to matter if the Bucs are down 21-0 in the 1st quarter because Ryan Smith and Chris Conte are on the field against Beckham. Ryan Smith and Conte made Diggs look like Randy Moss – so think of what is going to happen if Ryan Smith is trying to cover Beckham.
September 27th, 2017 at 4:59 pm
I think Gotham is suppose to be more Chicago than New York, Joe. I’ve always felt that way and the Dark Knight films were filmed in Chicago. I’m not really in to the Gotham series so I couldn’t tell ya about that.
September 27th, 2017 at 5:07 pm
Let’s spread some PB through that NYG dline. Hahahaha the corniest of the corny.
September 27th, 2017 at 5:30 pm
Having worked in Chicago for seven years, that’s the first Joe has ever heard of that. And the way Chicagoans crow about their city, that may have come up once in a while. Have heard hundreds of references to Gotham = New York.
Guessing in the comic book, Gotham looks like LaSalle Street in Chicago.
Remember: “Gotham” started wwwwaaayyyy before those movies were made. As in 60 years before those movies were made.
September 27th, 2017 at 6:09 pm
Gotham has, will and always be New York.