Meet The NFL’s 19th- And 21st-Leading Rushers
September 25th, 2019
Devonta Freeman, David Johnson, Le’Veon Bell, Phillip Lindsay, you are no match for beasts in the Buccaneers backfield!
Yes, those big names have run for less yards this season than Peyton Barber and Ronald Jones. (No, not combined.) Jones is tied for 19th in the NFL in total rushing yards. Barber ranks 21st.
Together they have pounded the rock for 327 yards through three games. Overall, the Bucs are eighth in the NFL in total rushing attempts and eighth in total yards. That’s a rushing attack, folks. Believe it or not.
It may not be a running game that scares anyone, but it’s certainly been enough to set up play-action (which the Bucs shunned in the fourth quarter Sunday) and keep a defense honest.
Bucco Bruce Arians warned everyone not to expect a bunch of home run shots by his running backs, but he said they were good enough to grind out four yards a carry. They have done that and Arians said that was all he needed to succeed offensively.
The Rams’ run defense (Sunday’s opponent) has been average this season. Hopefully, the Bucs will be able to get their share of push from the offensive line against all the stud talents on the Rams’ defensive line. Jameis Winston on the road having to play Superman against talented cornerbacks is a rough combination.
September 25th, 2019 at 4:41 am
They need to be more aggressive with Winston. Stop playing scared.
September 25th, 2019 at 4:44 am
Running is good but so is lighting up the scoreboard.
If Winston throws 5 TD’s who cares if he has 2 INTs?
Totally possible. Be aggressive!! Running te ball hard is great too.
September 25th, 2019 at 5:04 am
Sometimes you use the run to set up the pass. Sometimes you use the pass to set up the run. FLEXIBILITY. UNPREDICTABILITY. Will somebody please teach Byron Leftwich how to capitalize on BOTH. He’s become the Stale Biscuit.
September 25th, 2019 at 5:58 am
I agree Cleanhouse. Its time to pull the plug on the “lets neuter Jameis” experiment. Its ridiculous to pay a game manager QB franchise money. Lets turn him loose and see what we got. Its time for Winston to get mad, stay mad and play freaking mad. Go Bucs.
September 25th, 2019 at 6:31 am
What about together as a tandem? The ones leading are basically cowbells and get most the carries.
September 25th, 2019 at 6:35 am
You have to play better before you can be like superman.
September 25th, 2019 at 6:38 am
In due time this offense will be hitting on all cylinders. #3 will get more confidence in this new system an the offense will carry the defense as we face more accurate QBs coming up. Our defense will be tested these next few weeks
September 25th, 2019 at 6:42 am
Peyton averaging 3.7ypc doesn’t scare anyone.
September 25th, 2019 at 6:44 am
We’ve seen this before, for most of the second half Jameis was
not directing the offense with the same confidence. Jameis throws an INT, misses
a couple of wide open passes,holds the ball to long, or gets happy feet and the
conservative play calling comes out. Do I wish they would throw on second down after a good run,yes. Jameis threw three inexplicable bad passes that stalled our momentum in the second half. He did not lose the game but he could have put the game out of reach.
The Patriots won a superbowl by going to a run heavy offense in the second half.
IMO, we have to get better at executing this strategy to keep the ball out of the
opponents hands.
September 25th, 2019 at 7:14 am
Here’s my broken record statement: Our chances of winning decrease EXPONENTIALLY when Jameis attempts more than 35 passes.
Go ahead, fact check it. It’s AWFUL!
What does it mean? Well statistically, the chances of an errant throw or mistake increase with the number of attempts. It’s not only true for Jameis, it’s true for any starting QB. However, consider that Jameis is labeled a “risk-taker.” Now, the risk increases.
Being able to run the football takes pressure off of the QB, thus, less attempts!
September 25th, 2019 at 7:32 am
Yes, we finally have a running game……except for in the red zone……we need to be far more aggressive there…..
And, I agree…..on 2nd and short, that is the time for play-action…..we were 2nd and short many times against the Giants but we chose to run it again getting the first down…..but not much yardage….we score our TDs through the air.
September 25th, 2019 at 8:06 am
The running is good we need a qb who can
Hit a player in stride Evans should’ve had 5 tds
September 25th, 2019 at 8:07 am
We need to start using a FB again.
Like the Patriots do.
We had a top 10 running game with Laine as FB and Lovie as head coach.
I say we start running 6 O-lineman sometimes with Dotson as the eligible receiver. He was a Division I basketball player after all.
More jumbo football.
6 O-lineman on occasasion. Like in 2015. And a FB in occasion. Like in 2015.
And some bloody QB sneaks for Buddha’s sake!
September 25th, 2019 at 8:09 am
BL’s play calling isnt the problem….we finally have a balanced attack and a OC that wont abandon the run game in the 4th quarter….
maybe we run a play action down in the red zone instead of running an RPO that was called by BA…..
BL’s play calling has gotten us “FLEXIBILITY” & is unpredictable…..
BA and the kicker screwed things up…..
GO BUCS!!!!!
September 25th, 2019 at 8:14 am
bucsfanman
i agree….
i dont want to see him reach 30….keep JW under 28 pass attp and we win…..
GO BUCS!!!!!
September 25th, 2019 at 8:37 am
Now I don’t know who called the pass to Brate at the end of the game. That was
not well thought out. Cam is just not the guy to use in that situation,except as a
blocker for somebody with the speed and tenacity to get in the endzone. On this
play, I have to agree with DR on the predictablity angle. Still scratching my head over that one.
September 25th, 2019 at 10:06 am
damn both barber and rojo qualify for the ring of underachievement with the rest of the backups with rankings like those. surprised a parade is being schedule by low standard bucfan.
September 25th, 2019 at 10:44 am
I’m glad to read this. What I’d like to read in the future is that JW has run for a TD! That JW has run at all! That the Bucs create some plays that move JW out of the pocket…he throws best on the run anyway.
I still maintain JW is a vastly underrated runner. I’m not comparing him to Cam or any of the other great QB runners and I’m not suggesting a lot of carries…he can protect himself and not be crazy like Cam.
September 25th, 2019 at 10:45 am
Stronger pass defense with our run game n jameis limiting turnovers that’s a recipe for a win
September 25th, 2019 at 11:03 am
Jones will break a long one. It’s just a matter of time.
September 25th, 2019 at 12:10 pm
Does Leftwitch even know what play action is? If he does he sure fooled me.
September 25th, 2019 at 12:25 pm
@ Jean Lafitte….I thought about that too, but we would lose the slot receiver if they go to it full time….
September 25th, 2019 at 2:06 pm
Sunday is gonna get ugly…
September 25th, 2019 at 2:45 pm
Its nice to have an adequate running game for a change.
Apparently scheme and coaching really did make a major difference for the Oline in regards to run blocking.
Barber is the same runner he’s always been – but Rojo looks like a completely different player compared to the 23 times he got running attempts last year.
Rojo has earned more carries IMO…
If the run game is working then the play-action calls should be utilized heavily. WTF Leftwich? Where’s the play-action medium slant calls over the middle to Godwin, Howard and Brate for God’s sake???