RoJo Punches Off The Ropes In The RB Battle
September 27th, 2020
Look who closed out the victory today with five consecutive runs for two first downs, allowing the Bucs to take a glorious knee two consecutive times.
His name isn’t Leonard.
Joe is very proud of Ronald Jones. He could have wilted after Leonard Fournette stole the show against the Panthers last Sunday and possibly his job.
But RoJo stood tall today and was the better running back, and more valuable. Fournette fumbled and was ineffective seven carries for 15 yards. Yeah, the fumble was credited to Tom Brady, but the handoff was right in Fournette’s gut. RoJo finished with 13 carries for 53 yards, including a Mike Alstott-style run Joe wrote about here, and he had 2 catches for 20 yards (though it seemed he misplayed a short throw in the red zone).
No, nobody expects this game to catapult RoJo to a Pro Bowl. But as Joe wrote this morning, this was a critical game for RoJo’s confidence, and RoJo has to be beaming right now for delivering.
He’ll continue to be an important cog until Fournette can find a rhythm.
RoJo got his third consecutive start today, and Joe expects No. 4 next Sunday.
September 27th, 2020 at 8:16 pm
ROJO still looked very meh today…..The Bucs clearly have run game issues.
September 27th, 2020 at 8:17 pm
His downfall is his vision.
September 27th, 2020 at 8:19 pm
Rojo is clumsy as hell and needs some braces on this legs
September 27th, 2020 at 8:19 pm
He closed out the game. Props.
September 27th, 2020 at 8:20 pm
it was the o line that made him look blah. He had a 15 yard run called back on a hold. Rojo is running hard and Fournette hasn’t been able to take control because this line of ours is soft like tissue paper.
September 27th, 2020 at 8:21 pm
Fournette is a proven back with over 1000 yards rushing for lousy Jacksonville last year so I put very little blame on him. Our offensive line is good overall in pass protection, but is very up and down at run blocking. Frustrating as hell man.
September 27th, 2020 at 8:22 pm
He does run hard……we seem to have a huge problem running on 1st down….and, it’s been that way for a long time no matter who the RB is.
4 ypc is respectable but not great……I’m thinking more play-action on 1st downs will be effective.
September 27th, 2020 at 8:23 pm
Jamyth stats
September 27th, 2020 at 8:26 pm
We have two running backs as much as people want to make it controversial. We need them both and I’m pretty sure the browns don’t have this type of drama, there is room for both unless people think Vaughn will come in here and replace rojo production.
Regardless of who is starting we suck at running the ball
September 27th, 2020 at 8:28 pm
Trying to get the ball to too many backs. Just roll with Fournette and Shady and forget Rojo.
September 27th, 2020 at 8:34 pm
I don’t even need to look at game stats to realize we must be one of the worst yards per carry teams in the first half of ballgames. Our run game is just not working. Other than that, we are improving every week in other areas. Pass O is coming together and D is making plays.
September 27th, 2020 at 8:42 pm
It’s not a battle for a spot, it’s called a combo
September 27th, 2020 at 8:45 pm
I swear that when RoJo runs I can hear Jenny yelling “Run Forest Run”
September 27th, 2020 at 8:46 pm
RoJo is better than Lenny. Look at the film. RoJo has better vision and burst. Lenny had two good runs last week that made his stats appear like he had a good game. In film review, you see how many holes and cuts he missed. If Leftwich would stop calling such predictable trash and actually got creative and deceptive in his playcalling, RoJo would take off and so would this offense! Until then, expect more of the pedestrian running game and forcing Brady to win the game.
September 27th, 2020 at 8:54 pm
Great job, Rojo.
I like our backs, including loose ball carrying McCoy.
September 27th, 2020 at 9:06 pm
Oh but Joe I thought we crowned Fornette as the best running back to ever play the game last week?? I thought he just ate defendes to death and was twice the RB Rojo was?? I thought we crowned him starter and ready to trade Rojo Joe??? ….. See man, stop acting on emotion!! Just because you have a crush on someone doesn’t mean they are any good!!!
September 27th, 2020 at 9:13 pm
Let’s hope that the competition will bring out the best in both backs. Do we ever run the outside? Or is it that our backs are too slow? or is it the blocking?
September 27th, 2020 at 9:19 pm
Jeebs is 100% right.
September 27th, 2020 at 9:34 pm
Fournette has had two good runs this seaon and nothing else. He’s averaging two yards a carry on all other carries.
September 27th, 2020 at 11:04 pm
As our O-line gets better, our running backs will magically get better. If it doesn’t, they won’t. So far, it looks effectively better than last year.
I hate the way McCoy carries the ball like he thinks it’s a loaf of bread. No wonder he’s got a fumbling reputation.
September 27th, 2020 at 11:49 pm
Who dat in first place in the nfc south?
September 28th, 2020 at 3:03 am
Actually, the ball was not in Fournette’s gut on that fumble, it was breast high and bounced off the bottom of his pads.
And BTW, Rojo’s fumble last week wasn’t his fault either. TB had done a weird bunny hop type step just before handing it off and came in too high with the handoff and caught Rojo’s right arm instead of stomach. Somehow though RoJo gets blamed for it.
I love having TB as our QB, but timing with handoffs isn’t quite as “automatic” as it will be by mid-season. Patience is a beautiful thing though while watching this team jell a little more each week. Go Bucs!
September 28th, 2020 at 11:53 am
It’s funny how many Bucs fans simply hate this kid b/c of his poor rookie season.
RoJo did exactly what we needed, and was without question the better back yesterday. Fournette is a heavier load for those short yardage situations, but as I’ve been saying all season long- both of them have the ability to take it to the house and break tackles. They just need the o-line to set up some good blocks.
I’m fine with our current 2-headed monster at RB. We just need to stop the predictable 1st down runs. It’s killing out run-game and causes too many drives to sputter by being so predictable.
September 30th, 2020 at 9:22 am
No running back will look good with the run game blocking the bucs have against a stout defensive line. Its the primary weakness of the Bucs offense. Too often the Bucs runners are getting hit at or before the line of scrimmage. Hard to break a long gain when there are few openings. Too often are backs are lucky to fall forward for a miniscule gain. Every team we play knows 1st down is gonna be an off tackle run more times than not. Our line is best in pass blocking. Open with strength and pass more often on first down. Don’t continually let the defense stack against the run and back off against the pass on 2nd and 3rd.. Commit to the fact that our offensive strength is the passing game first and use the run game for a change up not the lead. Run, pass, pass is our dominate pattern. Our running backs are more than adequate. Our line is best at pass blocking, not running. I know the coaching staff would love to enhance the passing game with a balanced running attack but our line is just not that good at run blocking against a stout defensive line. Set up the run with what you do best. Pass, pass, pass. When the line backers back off a bit and the defensive line goes full on into a pss rush mode then trap blocks can open big holes.