Trusting The Hands
November 16th, 2019
He can catch, too.
As a rookie Ronald Jones looked like a sure bust. His numbers were so bad very few running backs ever recovered from such a horrible rookie season.
One reason Jones was drafted by the Bucs is the team thought he would be a threat in the passing game out of the backfield.
Last year Joe had to wonder if Jones could catch a cold (he had a grand total of 33 yards receiving).
Jones has rebounded to have a so-so year. No, Joe is not overwhelmed with him but he is certainly much better. It seems too many people want Jones to be a dominant running back so badly that running for 50 yards seems to equate to running for 130.
Last Sunday may have been the most impressive game Joe has watched from Jones (minus the ugly fumble). It wasn’t so much from his running, but how he was catching the ball. A year ago, this seemed impossible.
Jones finished the Arizona game with 77 receiving yards on eight catches. Jones caught each pass he was targeted.
Earlier this week, Bucs offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich was asked about Jones being used more as a receiver. Leftwich claims he was always good with that.
“I have no issues with his hands,” Leftwich said. “I’m just trying to put these guys in position. Did I know he can come out with eight catches? No. I know he would come out with some. Sometimes, like I tell you guys, sometimes the defense may dictate where the ball goes because of progressions [and] because of reads.
“We just like to put him in position, in one-on-one positions, to put him in position that if he gets that play – as you can see, he can do a lot of special things with the ball in his hands and we don’t just want to always make it about turning around and handing him the ball.
“When you’ve got a guy as talented as him, you just try to get the ball in his hands and let his gift take over.”
Well, if nothing else, Joe hopes Jones making a big dent in Arizona’s defense by catching the ball gives the Saints a little more to think about, and it softens up their defense a bit more for others to make a mark.
Given the fact that troublemaker and Mike Evans’ kryptonite Marshon Lattimore won’t play, that should open up things for the Bucs offense before the Saints get off the bus.
November 16th, 2019 at 6:01 pm
Mark my words, one day, ROJO is gonna break one of those screens. Until then, nothing like the threat of a screen pass, to slow down a pass rush. So happy to see the screen become a part of our offense again.
November 16th, 2019 at 6:29 pm
“We can run screens non stop with ROJO and OJ and
Take shots deep to Godwin and MeMe
It’s not that hard
So frustrating why Leftover keeps on thinking he has to throw deep to have OJ targets
Dump the ball right of the LOS and
WAtch what 6’6 250lbs and 4.5 forty speed does to a runt safety or slowpoke linebacker
It’s a travesty when Klueless Koetter is able to implement the tightend than this coach intern”
Kobe Faker
November 16th, 2019 at 6:54 pm
Well I think previously when thy saw Jones in they figured run since they didn’t pass to him much before and his pass blocking had been a work in progress. If he continue to show that he is a receiving threst I have a hunch that will keep then guessing a bit more when he’s on the field and may open some things up for him in the run game. Saints may have been surprised to see hin catching so many.. so we will see if he can keep it up
November 16th, 2019 at 7:57 pm
Starting Godwin in all three of my leagues tomorrow. All focus will be on ME13.
Godwin will Crush it!
November 16th, 2019 at 8:03 pm
If they stopped running up the middle on every 1st and 10…
November 16th, 2019 at 8:29 pm
Hey Kobe I thought Rojo was nothing and that Dare was gonna be a star?
So much for that prediction eh?
And for all the shade you throw at lefty, our offense is generating points. If not for the secondarys total ineptitude we’d be in a playoff race right now. So you certainly cant pin this seasons woes on Leftwhich.
Hopefully SMB and Dean can keep progressing like they are so we can actually stack some wins.
November 16th, 2019 at 9:35 pm
RoJo has improved to meet expectations like night and day from last year. That jackrabbit scamper to pay dirt can’t be far off.
November 16th, 2019 at 9:49 pm
Gotta credit RoJo from last week. The first catch to convert a 3rd & 15 was a huge spark for the team that setup our first score(RoJo run).
Still that one big splash run seems so elusive. It’s felt like it’s right on the cusp of coming for well over a month now. I’ve seen him make a guy miss many times but it just carn’t seem to happen when it’s that one guy to beat for a pasture of yards. Had a run to the right last week with just one guy to beat for the big one and just couldn’t shake him……..Nonetheless every time the guy touches the ball I perk up. Go get it baby!!
GO BUCS!
November 16th, 2019 at 10:14 pm
Agreed JimmyJack!! First time I’ve perked up watching a Buc RB since Dunn,Alstott,wilder or Eckwood!!
November 16th, 2019 at 10:29 pm
ROJO is looking the part for sure. Shore up the O Line but no need to worry about RB.
PS Charlie Strong is a horrific football coach. No wonder why he can’t recruit. USF. Get rid of this dude like now.
November 16th, 2019 at 10:46 pm
Shill Joe – you are a football jackass. Thinking a guy is a bust in his rookie season with the limited touches he got, along with defenses keying his presence, proves your ignorance.
If only you were as critical about some of your own Sh!tty journalism (ahem misspelling, misguided blogging, and horrible personnel ideas, aka Manziel), you might have some context let this guy have a chance to be to a rookie.
In BA I Trust!
November 16th, 2019 at 10:49 pm
Why does lattimore get in m1k3 head idk but he has room to grow still