Unexpected Run Game Struggles Explained
August 16th, 2025
Anyone have 2022 and 2023 flashbacks tonight?
Joe sure did. Joe actually did earlier this week when Bucs icon and insider Rondé Barber himself fired some shots at the former Bucs run game of the 2022 and 2023 seasons.
Tonight in Pittsburgh, the Bucs first-team line started with Charlie Heck replacing Tristan Wirfs at left tackle. Joe’s not blaming Heck, but the Bucs couldn’t run the ball to save their life with the first team. Brutal.
Bucky Irving had 8 carries for 12 yards. Yeah, you read that right.
“That’s a heck of a defensive front over there [for the Steelers,] ” Bowles said. ‘They were like that in [Thursday] practice, as well. We gotta find different ways of opening up the run game and moving the pile a little bit and get going. They did a good job deciphering us.”
Right guard Cody Mauch said the Bucs were shaking off rust. “Pass pro felt good, but obviously still some things to fix in the run game. We didn’t have a very good day doing that,” he said.
Mauch acknowledged the Bucs ran the ball better on offense in Thursday’s practice against the Steelers and were better overall. But they also had their big dog, Mike Evans, who rested tonight.
“Yeah, I thought Thursday was a really good day all around,” Mauch said. “We were running the ball. Bake was slingin’ it. I mean, watching Mike was do his thing, which is always just fun to watch. For a joint practice, it was pro ball, good team to go against.”
Mauch said he doubts having a new starting quarterback, Teddy Bridgewater, affected the run game but he said he’d have to check the film.
Center Graham Barton said the Bucs had “live-action bumps” in the run game: “little assignment things, little discipline things and they’ve got a couple of talented guys in there.” He added that his targeting and his eyes needed to be better tonight.
Barton said he’s not concerned and the Bucs’ first-team run game shouldn’t be judged on less than 20 snaps, especially after strong work against the Steelers on Thursday and a several very good practices.
Like Bowles, Joe’s going to go watch the film.
August 16th, 2025 at 11:52 pm
I’m really glad Todd had Bucky in there. That was critical to the team’s success. Surprising he didn’t tear a hamstring or an ACL. What a head coach we haszn. How many touches did Sean Tucker get after Todd’s brilliant declaration?
August 16th, 2025 at 11:59 pm
Yeah…well, baby steps. At least they broke the night game curse.(two in a row)
August 17th, 2025 at 12:02 am
Can’t believe i’m saying this, but Barton was the weakest link on the 1st team oline tonight, he kept getting pushed back.
August 17th, 2025 at 12:06 am
This is what underwear football and cupcake training camps do to teams these days.
It takes the first month of the regular season before teams start playing real football
August 17th, 2025 at 12:32 am
I saw a stat last year about us throwing on 1st downs instead of running in 1st downs, and that seems to be the key factor to success in our run game. Not running the ball on 1st down.
Obviously, we still need good blocking and a good rb play. But we ran and got stuffed many times on 1st downs tonight.
Gotta switch that playcalling up, Grizz the Wiz!
August 17th, 2025 at 12:44 am
It’s preseason.
August 17th, 2025 at 1:55 am
These joint practice weeks seem to be a hit with coaches and players. I haven’t seen one. Joes, are they really going full tilt at these practices enough to claim “victories” ?
August 17th, 2025 at 2:03 am
Oh, yes.
August 17th, 2025 at 2:50 am
In the 1st quarter at least (with our 1st team in there), the plays were quite predictable (poor Teddy’s only been here a week), the blocking was mediocre, and the Steelers have a damn fine defense. I assumed that no one told our 1st team offense they were gonna start last night, but once they settled down they did OK.
August 17th, 2025 at 3:29 am
Saw some news elsewhere about battle for backup QB?? If that’s true why did coaches put Bridgewater with 1st string offense and Trask with the 2nd strings? What battle is that?
August 17th, 2025 at 5:01 am
Last week wasn’t much better until the very end of the game. Tucker didn’t even average 4yds per carry, best I can remember!? It’s just waaaayyy TOO PREDICTABLE. What, are we averaging 90% Run Percentage on FIRST-DOWNS, thru 2-Games!? Did we ‘throw the ball’ EVEN ONCE tonight, on First-Down (thru the first 3qtrs)… I Sure Don’t Remember It!? PACE. TEMPO. GO FAST. Let’s Gooooo! I sure hope to God they are keeping it awfully ‘vanilla’ only because it is the Preseason… Otherwise, I’m Worried. Cause, THIS Ain’t Gonna Work. It’s just NOT. Definitely, not during the first 2-3 Quarters of the game. Ultra ‘tight’ formations, Etc. Ughhhhh.
August 17th, 2025 at 7:04 am
Our OL was in reaction mode, they weren’t imposing their will like they were last game and it showed. One bad outing doesn’t mean panic, but they need to tighten up
August 17th, 2025 at 7:06 am
When their first contact with our runner is consistently occurring well behind the line of scrimmage-well there is your problem.
August 17th, 2025 at 7:57 am
Barton got absolutely DESTROYED last night. Watched the recording to break down the failure of our OLine and Barton was awful. Get your sht together dude youre the QB of the OL…
August 17th, 2025 at 8:14 am
Stunk to high heaven! No excuse for it guys.
Go Bucs!
August 17th, 2025 at 8:39 am
Bucs & Bucky struggle to run ball and no Rachaad White to blame… Steelers stacked the line because play calls were predictable and poor blocking. Need Mike, some screens and a QB that can run to keep them from stacking the line
August 17th, 2025 at 8:41 am
I’m not worried about the run game…definitely not when we line up Evans, Godwin, McMillan, and Ebuka 4 wide and have our starting o-line out there, offenses and O.Cs will be shaking in their boots and the runs will come. First few games will be a test though will Wirfs and now possibly McMillan and Godwin out for a few
August 17th, 2025 at 8:46 am
Calm down. Running backs get better the more they carry the ball. This is pre season, it means nothing and nobody is trying to play their best. When their leader Baker is on the field, and it’s for real, things will look different. I am not worried about our run game, it kept us in it last year. I am more worried that not enough focus has been on fixing the defense problems that hurt us and which is why we couldn’t run the ball last night.
August 17th, 2025 at 9:06 am
It’s preseason but the OLine sure sounded like they were waking up from sleeping pills. I hope I’m right that Grizzard will open that play book wide, come September.
August 17th, 2025 at 9:20 am
Not worried about the running game at all. When we have our loaded offense out there, things will open up. We’ll be fine.
August 17th, 2025 at 9:36 am
the truth is probably closer to Grizzard calling interior runs over and over because the first one sucked. they knew we weren’t throwing much without our top two wideouts and a guy who doesn’t know the playbook at QB. that plus wanting to avoid showing the league any more successful stuff to study, and i think the O-line was set up to fail in this regard. the Steelers definitely take away the run though, that’s in their DNA, and without Watt and co. in there, maybe the backups are more of the run-stopping ilk.
August 17th, 2025 at 10:12 am
“little assignment things, little discipline things and they’ve got a couple of talented guys in there.”
Why would anyone be concerned about our run game last night? It’s a “worthless preseason game” so it doesn’t matter! LOL!! Of course they matter! This is when every player on the team will be looking at film and fix the mistakes and play better!!!
August 17th, 2025 at 10:19 am
I hope it isn’t due to the lack of “smellies”.
August 17th, 2025 at 10:35 am
This is why I believe starters need to play in preseason. Get your body used to the physicality. Players are now limited in practice and most teams are treating September as the preseason. Can’t worry about injuries
August 17th, 2025 at 11:56 am
The problem with dominating in practice is when the other guys aren’t going all out and it fools you when in game time the next day. I was thinking exactly that when reading how we “dominated” them in practice and it looks to me that’s what happened
August 17th, 2025 at 12:11 pm
We were running VANILLA offense- none of our exotic blocking schemes that were so successful in our run game last season. None of our awesome counter plays for instance. This was more “put a man on a man and see who wins” kind of runs where *everybody* needs to win or you don’t get much yardage.
Winning or losing isn’t hugely important. Not getting injured is.
August 17th, 2025 at 3:00 pm
Instead of bs complaining look at as they are not showing game day plans makes sense to me they did plenty of damage in there 3 days of practice with them knucklehead steelers
August 17th, 2025 at 6:27 pm
I’m not worried about the running game in itself. I’m worried about the game PLAN, and play-calling.