Run Game Worse Than Thought
September 5th, 2018
Him.
The Bucs rushing attack this decade has been mostly worthless.
Take Doug Martin (well, Chucky did). But for two years, Martin was a rotten running back. He was consistently lousy. And the reliance on coaches pretending that he was the second coming of Walter Payton may be one reason why the Bucs have been docked so often in Buccaneers Cove, which is last place in the NFC South.
And without naming names, jet-flyin’, kiss–stealin‘, data-analyzin’, Bucs-film-studyin’, data-driven, limousine-ridin’ Thomas Bassinger of the Tampa Bay Times seemed to be pointing a finger right at Martin in a missive Bassinger typed on Twitter.
The #Bucs haven’t had multiple touchdown runs of at least 12 yards since 2013. From 2014 to 2017, they’ve had three total. Everyone else has at least twice that.
— Thomas Bassinger (@tometrics) September 4, 2018
Well, who was the go-to back for the Bucs in that same time period? Yup. That would be Martin.
So with Martin off the roster of the Bucs this season, that’s addition by subtraction. He may not be Payton, and he sure as hell wasn’t Gale Sayers.
September 5th, 2018 at 8:09 am
Something has got to give. Or some one.
September 5th, 2018 at 8:10 am
Aside from predictable play-calling, and poor o-line play, sure.
September 5th, 2018 at 8:33 am
Let it go man…. Just let it go…..
September 5th, 2018 at 8:34 am
Did you ever stop to think that it could be quite possibly due to the fact that defensive coordinators had zero respect for a passing game? They would stuff the run knowing that JW had a high chance of turning the ball over. Makes sense to me.
September 5th, 2018 at 8:35 am
I just drove off the (explative) highway.
September 5th, 2018 at 8:36 am
How lucky did jason get that dougie got popped to nulify the guranteed contract he was just given?
September 5th, 2018 at 8:39 am
it’s a new dawn in tampa, we now have a back who seems not to be in the drug subculture of thee tampa nightlife, no more molly, or whatever else destroyed two promising football careers here in tampa, think about the 10-6 year jfro and raheem put together, and the good years druggie i mean douggie gave us, now one is trying to hang on and salvage what is left of his NFL days and the other cant buy a job on a arena league football team
September 5th, 2018 at 8:45 am
Amen Pickgrin.
September 5th, 2018 at 8:57 am
DUGGERSQUAT
Some one has been giving. The fans. Every year we give our hard earned money and support for this team, but the only thing that changes is the excuse they use to justify the half arse effort on Sunday. That better change this season, JW suspension and all. NO MORE EXCUSES!!!!
September 5th, 2018 at 9:07 am
They should go pick up Josh Adams from the Eagles Ps.
September 5th, 2018 at 9:09 am
I was never much of a Martin fan as a player. I always thought Blount was the better back of the two.
September 5th, 2018 at 9:20 am
Leave it to our resident clown go deep to blame the passing offense for a lack of run game. Do you seriously even read the crap you type out?
September 5th, 2018 at 9:20 am
Amen Pickrin…..
September 5th, 2018 at 9:22 am
Coincidentally 2014 was the same year Lovie took over and in is infinite wisdom cut the entire oline as his first order of business. Btw that oline had like 3 pro-bowlers on it didn’t it? Zuttah, Penn and Davin Joseph.
Hit me up week6 after Dougie runs behind Lynch and an avg oline and tell me how awful he is.
With an oline made from Swiss cheese I’m not sure Barry Sanders could rush behind this oline.
September 5th, 2018 at 9:24 am
“Bring Josh Adams and Steve Means”
“Philly Philly”
Kobe Faker
September 5th, 2018 at 9:32 am
Honestly, we all know the running game has been horrid for a while, outside of the two good seasons Martin had.
But this is a new year with a new line and a new starting running back. Before we just assume we still suck, how about we actually see them play?
September 5th, 2018 at 9:40 am
If only this team had Barber last year.
September 5th, 2018 at 9:45 am
Martin knew how to play the league game. Play well when your contract renewal is coming up. Otherwise, just take it easy. Lots of players do this each year.
September 5th, 2018 at 10:15 am
Season i plus one you there. Last year I was in full agreement to bring Doug back, albeit on a short, thin leash. Koetter continuing to call his number, including late in the year vs Panthers tell me a ton about Koetter. Blame Chris Baker all you want for the second Panther loss, but if Koetter would’ve chosen Barber over Martin in the fourth quarter, the Bucs win that game.
September 5th, 2018 at 10:51 am
The entire pathetic franchise has been worthless
From the ballboys to the owners
September 5th, 2018 at 11:00 am
Bucsfanman Says:
September 5th, 2018 at 8:10 am
Aside from predictable play-calling, and poor o-line play, sure
________________________
Cmon Bucsfanman, our o-line is superior. Best in the league. 😂😂
They are not responsible for letting multiple defenders into the backfield before our RB even gets the ball. That’s the running backs fault, obviously!
He should be blocking guys and running the ball at the same time. And calling better plays. The RB is probably responsible for our lousy defense too according to JBF.
September 5th, 2018 at 11:14 am
I made that bet that Peyton Barber will go over 4.7 TD’s this season.
September 5th, 2018 at 11:16 am
O-line.
September 5th, 2018 at 11:21 am
DB55
Puhleeze…that’s sacrilege typing the Muscle Turtle in the same post as Barry.
How many times did we see Barry nailed dead to right in the backfield only to hop another direction and break off a big one.
How many times did we see the Muscle Turtle get hauled down from behind in the other teams defensive backfield.
I watched Barry play…and Doug Martin was NEVER a Barry Sanders even in his two good years.
September 5th, 2018 at 11:52 am
Your best lineman is from division 3. 2 were undrafted. Not one even close to being a pro-bowler. Jason light loves up-right running soft running backs and you cant tell him otherwise. (Simms, McNichols, Jones) He 0-3 at drafting backs. Bragging about Barber being better is like bragging your the tallest midget in the room! Soft front line, soft running backs will doom us every dam year.
September 5th, 2018 at 11:58 am
Can’t have it both ways, Joe. You can’t blame Martin while constantly hailing D. Smith (one of the worst left tackles in the league) as the second coming of blindside blockers.
The one thing I’ve noticed… good lines make good RBs out of most anyone. I’ve said it a thousand times, as long as our line is anchored by D. Smith we will have a subpar line.
Martin missed A LOT of those games in the timespan listed above. No other RB could break free behind D. Smith’s lousiness either.
September 5th, 2018 at 12:02 pm
professional football player with that crooked ass hair line
September 5th, 2018 at 12:17 pm
Gale Sayers said that all he needed to get through a hole was 18 inches. Just 18 inches and then he’d turn on the afterburners. Check out a old clip of him running. It’s an eye opener. Bud Grant, the retired coach of the Vikings said when he was still in Minnesota ” Ya, I hear this rookie is pretty good. Let’s see what he does against a stout defense. Sayers scored 5 rushing touchdowns on that cold Sunday.
September 5th, 2018 at 12:18 pm
Jones hasn’t even played a snap in a real game.
A little premature to call him a bust.
September 5th, 2018 at 12:47 pm
Hey lakeland , go blow it out your arse buddy! You are not worthy of being a true bucs fan and should just stick to being a Oscar the grouch on your own time away from this site! Go blow mud
September 5th, 2018 at 1:01 pm
well, it wont change with predictable playcalling and dirk ditching the run in the first quarter….
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!…#PRESSURESONTHECOACHES!!!…GO BUCS!!!
September 5th, 2018 at 2:58 pm
@miken, Martin’s drug suspension nullified his guaranteed money for last year. But Licht still paid him the amount owed despite the fact it was no longer guaranteed. The Bucs did save roughly 2 million due to suspension but still paid the rest out as though Doug was a top 5 RB (he was paid like he was).
The remaining years were unguaranteed to begin with. This is all to point out that Jason Licht is an idiot.
September 5th, 2018 at 7:57 pm
Licht is a lousy GM. 4-12 5-11 who knows. Either way we will be bad. Thanks Licht.
September 6th, 2018 at 9:23 am
Let’s get leveon Bell NOW