“A Lot Of Mental Errors”
September 20th, 2022
Rookie talks red zone blunders.
The mighty Bucs offense has gone from being the NFL’s red zone bullies to something far less scary.
What’s happened? Fair or unfair, Joe’s mind runs to the tight end position. Bucs rookie Rachaad White pointed to “a lot of mental errors” in the red zone during his visit to the Buccaneers Radio Network yesterday.
“A lot of guys having a little mistake that costs you big in the red zone,” White added.
Also, per White, some players like himself are “doing the right thing” but not executing. White pointed to his rough drop in the red zone against the slimy Saints.
“I had a little route and I dropped the ball, like a 6 or 7 yard route, just things like that. Plays you know you got to make,” White said.
Joe hopes White’s drop didn’t cost him Tom Brady’s trust. Brady doesn’t have a ton of patience and a red-zone drop in a big game is rough.
Joe almost was glad to hear White reference many mental errors in the red zone. That’s very fixable.
September 20th, 2022 at 9:05 am
First step is admitting you have problem.
September 20th, 2022 at 9:08 am
I’m not sure what the issue is with this team and rookie running backs. His production thus far is reminiscent of Jones’ first year. I feel like Vaughn could give them more production at this point.
September 20th, 2022 at 9:08 am
I think White played very little after that drop. I think we should give Vaughn a chance. He had a great camp and preseason. White is overhyped.
September 20th, 2022 at 9:19 am
I really don’t care what a guy that see’s 5 snaps a game has to say about execution. Truth be told he should be inactive on game days until his play catches up to his mouth. He’s been talking since draft day and I haven’t seen anything to back it up.
White being active over Vaughn screams Bruce Arians influence. He thinks he’s the second coming of Edgerrin James right now and he’s going to keep tooting that horn to give him playing time.
September 20th, 2022 at 9:36 am
His drop is an issue but far from the only one in the red zone. I like BL’s play calling overall and Brady has audible options but execution is an issue. Agree with Joe with the TEs. It isn’t just Gronk’s big body and huge hands that’s missing it’s also his ability to sense and feel what Brady sees when there’s an obvious hole in the coverage to exploit.
As for White, he’s not Lenny. He needs a little more room to operate. You can’t call vanilla run plays and just plug in different RBs and expect them to work the same. Lenny can punish and break arm tackles so a “smash mouth” play call suits him. A “counter trey” type of play with pulling guards, bodies in motion would benefit a quicker, more agile back like White. He has great vision and acceleration. The kid is one hole opening away from a house call. Get him to the second level of the D and watch him feast.
September 20th, 2022 at 9:40 am
I am glad he spoke up, it means he is trying and will continue to.
I watched Lenny drop a screen or two also, but I don’t hear him say that he should have caught them.
Lenny was pretty tentative about hitting the line on Sunday. That is because he has a bum leg. That is what back ups are for, to allow starters to heal, and that won’t happen until the team can have some faith that a back up can make yards.
Right now they just plug a different style of back in and run them like they are Lenny, they are not and won’t be good that way.
Hopefully, the O-line can get it together and learn how to help our backs get the job done.
September 20th, 2022 at 9:55 am
Seriously, get Vaughn in the game against GB. Especially if Lenny still has a bad leg.
September 20th, 2022 at 10:05 am
Is not having Bruce Arians running the offense hurting us this year? It always seemed to be a debate on whose offense this was etc. No risk it no bisket has left the building from what I have seen. We are very conservative now.
Not necessarily a bad thing I don’t mind ground and pound with good defense. Brady has won this way and won with high-powered offenses. This could also be an adjustment to help the OL but I guess we will see.
September 20th, 2022 at 10:30 am
In 2021, the Bucs offense finished second in the NFL in red zone efficiency. They have high standards, and they want to return to that level. The offense needs more time together and has faced two very tough defenses, so I am confident that everything will gel soon.
September 20th, 2022 at 10:59 am
Mental errors are but one issue. There’s a lack of continuity on the OL, WR and TE group as well.
We moved the ball well against the Cowgirls but couldn’t finish inside the redzone. NO played us like they always do in the trenches.
Back-ups need to step up when their number is called (looking at you rookie!) or they’re not going to last.
September 20th, 2022 at 11:09 am
Also have mental issues when considering the play calling.
September 20th, 2022 at 11:39 am
Rachaad White is in his first year of a duo block run scheme, ASU predominately runs zone if I’m not mistaken, meaning the rookie is learning to adapt his raw talent as a runner to conform it to a blocking scheme that he’s still piecing together between his ears. I know some of you could care less about the nuances of that, but it’s probably the easiest route to pinpointing why White who’s got ridiculous cutting ability and good vision, can’t fully explode in a scheme that rewards runners that excel with those traits.
The wild thing is, all through the preseason, Sneak Vaughn was looking the best he’s looked that past 2 years and seemed as if he found a level of comfort in this scheme. Time will tell for both these guys, I just hope they get legit chances w/o being NEEDED.
September 20th, 2022 at 12:13 pm
I told a guy last night he was overrated. It’s game two of a rookie season but he is very bad up the gut and certainly hasn’t shown his receiving skills yet. Bucs fans think he’s third round Bijan Robinson without. Too big to get find holes. May not be overrated in two games, but most certainly overhyped since drafted.
September 20th, 2022 at 12:23 pm
That’s right Craig, I saw Lenny drop 1-2 as well.
September 20th, 2022 at 1:16 pm
‘Joe almost was glad to hear White reference many mental errors in the red zone. That’s very fixable.’
I’m sure the veterans love it when rookies are critical of the ‘many mental errors’ that were made in the Red Zone. Got news for Rashaad: 8 rushes in 2 games for 15 yards isn’t exactly setting the world on fire. Neither is catching 2 of the 4 passes thrown to you for a whopping 7 yards receiving. Color me unimpressed.
I think there’s more going on in the passing game than we’re seeing, and it probably focuses on the elephant in the room, Tom Brady. Look at how his RBs are doing:
o Fournette … 6 targets, 4 catches (66.7%) for 19 yds
o White … 4 targets, 2 catches (50%) for 7 yds
Now look at his TEs:
o Brate … 5 targets, 2 catches (40%) for 16 yds
o Otton … 2 targets, 1 catch (50%) for 4 yds
And lastly his WRs:
o Evans … 11 targets, 8 catches (72.7%) for 132 yds
o Gage … 8 targets, 7 catches (87.5%) for 41 yds
o Godwin … 3 targets, 3 catches (100%) for 35 yds
o Jones … 5 targets, 3 catches (60%) for 69 yds
o Perriman … 8 targets, 3 catches (37.5%) for 45 yds
o Miller … 8 targets, 3 catches (37.5%) for 34 yds
o Darden … zip, zero, zilch
Brady’s career completion percentage is 64.2%; it’s 66.3% while he’s been a Buc. Right now, through only 2 games admittedly, he’s sporting a 59.1% completion percentage, and it was only 52.9% against the Saints. Still think there’s more going on than meets the eye.
September 20th, 2022 at 2:06 pm
As always good breakdown Defense rules
September 20th, 2022 at 2:24 pm
Defense Rules…User name spells it
The totally immobile Brady has been sacked three times behind his terrible, young, banged up oline everyone in the media knows about. If we can ever get WRs back, it will be a hole new ballgame. Calling the obvious run play is worse than getting stuffed at the line. Smh
September 20th, 2022 at 2:34 pm
@Defense Rules. have you taken into account the drops?
September 20th, 2022 at 6:26 pm
The Darden experiment may be coming to an end. As critical as some are about Scooter and gooey about DardOn, the fact that Miller is in and contributing while DardOn is in and committing holding penalties while getting zero targets says it all.
DardOn looks great in shorts. Is invisible on Sundays.
September 21st, 2022 at 8:00 am
Just let him run the ball I’m tired of hearing blocking or catching the ball. Why not just feed him the ball and let him run. If he’s more of a zone type of runner and that’s what he does best well hell let him do that . You see that’s what sperate Andy Reid from most coaches in the NFL because he does what his players does best. That’s why every quarterback he touches become good quarterbacks. This is why we can’t develop a quarterback and now so far we having a hard time with running backs now and that’s a position we have always been good at developing. Because we want to change what they do best and try to make them do something they have never done. Run zone plays for him so he can be susessful.