Historic Low For Rachaad White
September 12th, 2025
Rachaad White scored nine touchdowns last season and was a key piece of the Bucs offense even after Bucky Irving became the No. 1 running back.
So why did White have a historically low number of touches Sunday?
Offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard needs to figure that out in a hurry.
Joe hasn’t always been a White fan, but White proved himself completely last season with nine touchdowns. White was very solid running and was a weapon in the passing game.
Those nine TDs were a big number. Iconic fullback/running back Mike Alstott hit nine touchdowns (or more) just twice in his storied Bucs career, same for 1980s Bucs great James Wilder. Warrick Dunn got there once in Tampa, so did Doug Martin and Leonard Fournette.
White had just three touches against Atlanta on Sunday, less than he had in any game last season and his fewest in a game since Week 3 of his rookie year in 2022.
After back-to-back runs of 11 and 3 yards early in Sunday’s second quarter, White did not get another carry while Bucky Irving struggled.
Joe expects the Bucs to find more ways to get White involved. A player can’t be a weapon if he’s not used.
September 12th, 2025 at 9:26 am
To be fair, Rachaad White had some fantastic blitz pickups that were critical to extend a few drives.
Joe wasn’t being unfair, was only referring to touches. –Joe
September 12th, 2025 at 9:37 am
I think they are getting ready to trade him. Theres a few teams that could seriously use White. The commanders have a hole with Austin eklers injury. White can seamlessly fit in Eklers role and probably excel in that offense.
Not happening. Bucs need White. Joe can’t see them trading him to a good NFC team. –Joe
September 12th, 2025 at 9:37 am
Throw the ball to White and good things will happen. He is fantastic in the open field.
September 12th, 2025 at 9:43 am
White will get the ball plenty. Hope that Grizz occasionally uses a two back set so that defenses will be kept off balance on hot underneath receivers.
September 12th, 2025 at 9:53 am
Yeah, last year 1000 total yards and 9 total touchdowns!! And the year before, 2023, I think he had 1500 total yards and 15 total touchdowns. I think I’m right on that. We trade White at our own peril.
September 12th, 2025 at 9:58 am
I had to look it up. He did have 1500 total yards in 2023 but only 9 total touchdowns. Still some great production.
September 12th, 2025 at 9:59 am
I would rather see Tucker get some touches.
September 12th, 2025 at 10:01 am
I completely agree Joe. I was disappointed to see White only get 2 touches. He looks leaner and faster this year. He is dangerous in the pass game. They need to mix things up and get him involved a ton more!!. It would be nice to see a few 2 back sets with Bucky. You are on the money if you have a legimate weapon it must be used or you are shooting yourself in the foot, pun intended
September 12th, 2025 at 10:03 am
I thought the same thing but this guy was busy blocking his tail off to set up other plays. Though I think they need to create some play actions that involve White taking a check down for yardage. He would have had an easy tuddy if he didn’t get tripped up during that screen play. White is really a force to be reckoned with, and he has the body to withstand a long season. It could just be the fact that they don’t want to abuse both backs so they have White towards the end of the season if Bucky falls apart. White came in clutch for the raiders game, and the end of the panthers game if you don’t remember
September 12th, 2025 at 10:05 am
White is the perfect back for when it’s 3rd and 2 and you need 1 yard.
September 12th, 2025 at 10:09 am
Bucky was ineffective as a runner in the ATL game not sure if it was the O-Line but he had only had a 2.6 average on 14 carries while White had a 7 yard average on 2 carries. Give White the ball more!
September 12th, 2025 at 10:17 am
Need to use White/Tucker more and also the TEs more. We will not be as effective if we become Bucky/ME13/EE focused only While those are 3 great players, it won’t matter if we become predictable.
September 12th, 2025 at 10:31 am
He had a crucial block in the Falcons game
September 12th, 2025 at 10:32 am
Hard to get the ball when the defense allows 8 minute drives to the opponent
Allowing long possessions to the opponents limits your own offense, Todd Blows and this defense is THE PROBLEM
September 12th, 2025 at 11:04 am
white running just a few more carries would’ve benefitted us, he was running well
September 12th, 2025 at 11:15 am
Smarter than Joe … we would have had the ball more if Baker had completed more passes that were open. Now that is not typical for Baker, but it was clearly part of the story for the Atlanta game.
September 12th, 2025 at 11:16 am
Need to use all 3 backs
September 12th, 2025 at 11:35 am
That’s criminal, and why you need a full time head coach who will be directive about tactics and personnel use. Sad.
September 12th, 2025 at 11:41 am
Last year against Dallas, Rachaad had minimal touches, the offense sputtered.
Last game against the Saints last year, Rachaad had 0 touches, the offense sputtered.
Last year against Washington in the playoffs, Rachaad had minimal touches, the offense sputtered.
This year against the Falcons, Rachaad had minimal touches, the offense sputtered.
To the team’s own detriment, dude must still be in the doghouse for fumbling two games in a row against the Chargers and Cowboys towards the end of last year.
September 12th, 2025 at 11:44 am
@Geno
You might have a point if the defense was not a consistent problem
Todd has consistently been unable to field a competent pass defense, no matter if the players are healthy, hurt or they are stocked with draft picks. Since he has been here they average to be the 24th ranked pass defense.
The defense can stop the run well and usually know teams are going to pass and still can’t stop it. You know what teams are going to do and still cant stop it
September 12th, 2025 at 12:03 pm
If!
If the Bucs were thinking deep thoughts, maybe they were showing tendencies of not giving White touches to set up White for opportunities in must succeed situations such as if the Falcons game went into overtime.
It could be a good thing to try to keep winning without giving White many touches and then spring him on Philly with some plays that are not on film if that turns out to be a close tough game.
September 12th, 2025 at 12:11 pm
Whites been proving himself since he got drafted, what hasn’t worked in his favor is the same thing we’ll give a pass to other players about their performance. First season with us Leftwich as OC, 2nd year Canales, 3rd year Coen, and now this under Grizz.
On the 2 carries Chaad had, he popped 1 for 11 and another for 2, but we gave Bucky the ball 12 more times in the ground game than Rachaad and we didn’t even bother to establish the screen game that was a HUGE part of our offenses production last year. White was a big part of that in terms of getting him in space to do damage and scoring.
Grizz needs to balance the personnel usage in the backfield out. I know Bucky is the fan favorite and all, but he’s not head and shoulders better than any of our other backs. Don’t wait until we need to use the other guys, get them in the mix for this Texan game to give that pass rush something to think about
September 12th, 2025 at 12:12 pm
White was hurt all week, prbly wanted to ease him back in. I was surprised he even played sunday… It’ll pick up
September 12th, 2025 at 12:13 pm
With Godwin and Jmac out they should be throwing to him a little you think?
September 12th, 2025 at 12:23 pm
That was Grizz’ first game calling plays and you could tell. No flow to the offense yet at all. The long drives helped him get in a rhythm. I don’t think Bucky was used effectively either – it looked a lot like Mike Shula running Dunn up the middle.
But it’s 1 out of 17. You have to get a lot of first downs to get enough touches for Mike, Egbuka, Bucky, White, Tucker, Shepard, TEs… McMillan and Godwin when are back… so many guys need the ball.
September 12th, 2025 at 12:24 pm
I was surprised to see Bucky in there on third/fourth and short. That’s no his strength.
On that note, why are all four of our running backs pretty much clones of each other in skill set and size. We need a hammer, a bowling ball, someone who can always get you two yards, hole or no hole (e.g. Alstott).
September 12th, 2025 at 12:26 pm
White and Bucky (to some extent) were doing their da@@dest to help keep Bake upright and not carted off the field. A rookie OC and reshuffled OLine will cause it. I like the fact that Bucky is influenced by White’s receiving and blocking. No way will White get traded. Whoever thinks that needs to get a brain checkup. Tucker will get his chance. Joe is right: Grizzard needs to adapt his Offense to the weapons and talent he’s got. He’ll be facing another decent Defense MN. That’s not on Bowles; that’s on Grizzard.
September 12th, 2025 at 12:50 pm
White is a solid B starter and a borderline A backup. Enough with the nonsense about trading him, or even worse cutting him. Depth of his caliber is how you win playoff games. Injuries will come. You keep your talent, and you don’t give it away to your competition.
September 12th, 2025 at 12:51 pm
YES. This was a huge PROBLEM. 3-Touches. I haven’t been the biggest RWhite guy myself either (running between the tackles, straight up the gut), BUT he moves the chains, and keeps things movin’ – especially when used in the passing game (and later in games against worn down defenses). HE is very important to this offense. And, they had TONS of success last season under Cohen, when using BOTH ‘running backs’ together, at the same time. I mean, the ‘numbers’ were ridiculous. You’d think NOW, having TWO stud receivers out, that it’d be even more critical to get them BOTH on the field together. At the same time.
September 12th, 2025 at 12:58 pm
Things go better when Rachaad gets 15 touches split between running and passing.
September 12th, 2025 at 1:28 pm
He s not as a good as Bucky
Anyone with eyes has seen it over the last year
He shouldn’t get more than 50 carries all year-so he is right on pace
Bucky must get 20 touches a game
September 12th, 2025 at 2:25 pm
Please don’t trade White Use White there alot of games left just throw it to white out of the back field to be fair he was really close to scoring a TD a shoes trying tackle saves a TD because there was noone around if he broke that tackle
September 12th, 2025 at 2:35 pm
White had one of the biggest plays of the day get shut down by a shoestring. He caught that screen pass and would have scored from 50 yards, but the Atlanta LB made a miracle dive to trip him up. Rachaad is a dangerous receiver and in the screen game. He and Bucky should be in a split back formation
September 12th, 2025 at 2:41 pm
White almost broke one for a big gainer but was tackled by a shoestring. He does need more touches and more passes delivered to him. Had to expect some rust from Baker and from the offense in general with Grizz being new and first time play caller. It will get ironed out and will get better
September 12th, 2025 at 2:42 pm
The best use of White is in pass pro and screens, so basically he should be the 3rd down back. I think we’d have seen more of him if we had controlled the ball a bit better, but Baker and the running game were off so much of the game that it’s tough to get everybody touches.
September 12th, 2025 at 3:35 pm
Smarter than Joe … ‘Hard to get the ball when the defense allows 8 minute drives to the opponent. Allowing long possessions to the opponents limits your own offense, Todd Blows and this defense is THE PROBLEM.’
That strikes me as being a ‘glass half full’ analysis. You’re identifying the defense as THE PROBLEM in regards to Time of Possession (TOP) without recognizing that the offense contributes to the other side of that issue.
Falcons had 71 plays in 10 drives. Bucs had 56 plays in 10 drives, although our 10th drive really consisted of 1 kneeldown, so it wasn’t REALLY a drive at all. However, the Falcons also had a drive at the end of the 1st half that only consisted of 2 plays (1 a kneeldown) so that’s kind of a push. Could easily make the case that both teams had 9 drives, Bucs running 55 plays & Falcons running 69 plays (not counting FG attempts or plays not counted due to penalties).
I like to analyze drives of 4 minutes or less versus drives of more than 4 minutes (tells you a lot about the offenses AND the defenses). In Sunday’s game, Falcons had FOUR drives of greater than 4 minutes, consuming 27:35 minutes & scoring 13 points (1 TD & 2 FG) in those 4 drives. Bucs had TWO drives of greater than 4 minutes, consuming only 12:25 minutes & scoring only 3 points (FG).
Shows pretty clearly what happened Sunday. Falcons ate up the clock on 4 long drives (27:35), scoring most of their points (13) on those drives. Their other 6 drives consumed 7:37 giving them a total TOP of 35:12 on the day. But on those 6 other (shorter) drives they only scored 7 points (a real blooper at the very start of the game). Bucs defense did a heckuva job shutting them down on those short drives, only yielding 1 TD in 6 drives.
The other (long) 4 drives are easy to analyze.
o Drive 2: 8 plays – 5:43 mins … Bucs forced them to punt.
o Drive 5: 12 plays – 6:00 mins … Bucs held them to a FG.
o Drive 8: 10 plays – 7:06 mins … Bucs held them to a FG.
o Drive 9: 16 plays – 8:46 mins … Bucs gave up the TD.
That last drive is bothersome. The drive was kept alive because of THREE penalties on the Bucs: Roughing the passer on Vea (15 yds); Roughing the passer on Gaines (15 yds); Defensive holding on Dean that offset a penalty on Atlanta & resulted in a no-play, and ultimately led to a Falcons go-ahead TD with 2:23 left. That was a sloppy series with a couple questionable calls IMO.
September 12th, 2025 at 3:57 pm
Baker only threw for 167 yards, and the team only had 260 yards of offense in total, so there wasn’t many touches, or yards, to go around. Most of that had to do with Baker being off most of the day. It shouldn’t be a big deal going forward, I fully expect now that Baker got the rust knocked off, we’ll see a much better performance in week 2, and if he’s playing better, that will open up the running game.
September 12th, 2025 at 4:52 pm
In 2024 White would bust a big run right after Bucky had a good run !! I expect it to be that way again this season …….. White will feed off of Buckys performance !!
I expect to see a productive run game against the Texans !!
Go Bucs !!
September 12th, 2025 at 7:20 pm
Between the re-shuffling of our OL and Atlanta’s improved run D (something they focused on in the off season) it’s not surprising our run game sputtered. As for White, I think our OC was keeping Bucky in there in the hopes of him busting one or two big runs.
I agree 100% with Joe that White needs more touches than 3 and he was non-existent in the pass game on Sunday as well. I have faith that it’ll improve in both departments as our new OC gets more comfortable.