“The Good Teams Run It In”
November 7th, 2025
Bucs OC Josh Grizzard.
The Bucs stand at 6-2 coming off their bye week. The Bucs are in first place in their division, 1 1/2 games ahead of the Stinking Panthers in the NFC South.
But are they a good team?
Joe asks this question because it seems the Bucs offensive coordinator may wonder about that. Josh Grizzard was asked yesterday about the Bucs’ red zone offense and he spoke of the goal line offense.
In particular, Grizzard still seemed irked that on two separate possessions in New Orleans 12 days ago, one in the second quarter and one in the third, the Bucs had first-and-goal from the slimy Saints-1.
In the second-quarter possession, the Bucs failed to punch it in on four straight runs. In the third quarter possession, it took a third-effort by Sean Tucker on fourth down to squeeze the ball over the goal line for a touchdown.
Grizzard seemed unnerved by that lousy goal line offense.
“When you get the ball on the half-yard line, you need to be able to score and generally [by] running it in,” Grizzard said. “The good teams run it in. They’re able to pound people.
“So, when it comes to that, it comes down to one, the fundamentals and techniques and pad level and how we’re hitting blocks, but then, also opening up a little bit where, if it’s not working, you might need to throw it.
“That way you can keep these guys honest. But it comes down to pad level and the want-to when it comes to that, because if you get it down there that low, you’ve got to be able to punch that thing in.”
Grizzard’s own words were “The good teams run it in.”
The Bucs came within a cat’s whisker of failing twice in the same game to punch it in from the slimy Saints-1. And it was the slimy Saints’ rotten rush defense, not the 1976 Steel Curtain.
Just using Grizzard’s definition and how close the Bucs came to blowing it twice, it appears the Bucs offense needs work. Certainly at the goal line.
November 7th, 2025 at 5:57 am
OLine has been rocked with injuries this year like I have never seen this team deal with before….
Hopefully, the week off was good for all and we can get Luke back soon. He’s a tone setter when healthy – as was Mauch whose loss for the season was significant.
This OLine needs to get back to its dominating ways now that most of the starters are back and all are playing their normal positions….
Grizz is absolutely right btw – in believing if you cant get 1 yard on multiple runs – then you don’t deserve the TD or a win!
November 7th, 2025 at 6:11 am
The Bucs can pass it in against the Patriots.
November 7th, 2025 at 6:59 am
Helloooooooo, you’re NOT a good offensive team. Accept that fact. Your Oline is awful. You couldn’t score from a whisker length from the goal line 8 times. So, get over conventional thinking and do something creative. Developing a stubborn attitude at this juncture of your makes you look stupid.
November 7th, 2025 at 7:06 am
Some of this is on Grizz. When our guys failed from the one. At some point you have to go to plan B. It’s not like we don’t have weapons. TEs and some clever pass run options come to mind. Come on Grizz.
Go Bucs!
November 7th, 2025 at 7:13 am
In his own words, “but then, also opening up a little bit where, if it’s not working, you might need to throw it.” DUH! It wasn’t working, and you didn’t call a pass play. This is totally on Grizz. Did the o-line get out muscled? Yeah! Ok, we’ll work on that, but in the meantime, pass the damn ball. Geez!
November 7th, 2025 at 7:13 am
“Grizzard’s own words were “The good teams run it in.”
You’ve got to be more pliable in your methods than this coach. Yes, good teams run it in, but the best teams are highly efficient in redzone no matter the call.
November 7th, 2025 at 7:18 am
Grizz needs to use more 12 personnel to help out the run game…put durham in the backfield as a lead blocker…
GO BUCS!!!!
November 7th, 2025 at 7:18 am
No creativity inside the 5 at all, no boot action, no misdirection, just crowd em in and slam it in – which we can’t do right now…
Grizz play calling leaves a great deal to be desired inside the ten
November 7th, 2025 at 7:38 am
Looks like Merle’s grandson, Luke, will be back against the Patriots. Never thought I would be excited about that.
November 7th, 2025 at 8:11 am
We need more creativity, but not fancy plays either. How many of us were screaming or crying when they kept trying to get in the end zone over and over again, the same play. And nothing gained.
November 7th, 2025 at 8:20 am
Luke brings more agility to the position and is an adept agle blocker. Happy to see him back again. Hope Luke lines up next to him this week. If he can handle padded practice then he is ready.
The good teams typically run a QB sneak when it’s 1 yard or less. Tom Brady took these most of thee time and succeeded. Apparantly Grizz does not want to do this. SInce Mike is not available I would fake it up the middle and then throw it to a TE on the first attempt
I have watched two of the Patriots games this year. Their defense tends to over pursue and bite hard on handoffs.
November 7th, 2025 at 8:35 am
It felt like The Grizz was being passive aggressive in that goal line situation. The previous week he got criticized for not staying with the run. Against the Saints he said “OK. You want me to stick with the run? You got it! Look at me, I’m sticking with the run! You happy now?”
November 7th, 2025 at 8:42 am
What’s wrong with a quick pitch to Tucker? He’s our fastest back. We could also run a bootleg or a run pass option off a bootleg or naked bootleg. Yeah, or just a QB sneak. How about a slant to a big tight end? Believe me, Grizzard and Mayfield both know that. I think they are just trying to determine what they are working with. I’m not worried. Say what you want about Grizzard. Coen or Canales were never 6-2 (fixing to be 7-2) through the first 8 games. Remember the only stat that matters. Griz is smoking the last two OCs we had here in the ONLY stat that matters.
November 7th, 2025 at 9:44 am
“Coen or Canales were never 6-2 (fixing to be 7-2) through the first 8 games. Remember the only stat that matters. Griz is smoking the last two OCs we had here in the ONLY stat that matters.”
You can’t be seriously trying to pass off our team record as a direct comparison of our current OC to our last 2 OCs. Not points scored, not the eyeball test of how the offense looks, or the differences in personnel and their usage, but the team record? C’mon man
November 7th, 2025 at 9:49 am
There are multiple formations you can run the ball in from. I agree with him that they should have been able to punch it in with the formation they were in but the other guys have pride too so no matter how it gets done just get it done.
November 7th, 2025 at 11:05 am
WBL, that’s rich coming from you. You were the one who wouldn’t stop screaming Mayfield was the league leader in picks and fumbles last year. Leading the league in touchdown passes the last two years and he’s crucified for throwing 26 picks in 2023 and 2024. Average 13 picks a year and being run over the coals for it. Well maybe you were right. So now Baker doesn’t have the same gunslinger mentality. Oh well, our record is better than ever even if we’re averaging 3 or 4 points a game less points scored. The record is ALL that matters. So I’m gonna realize that Baker and Griz know things that we don’t. Even though it looks like they don’t know what they’re doing, especially early down calls and third down calls and red zone calls. We were league leaders on third down conversion rates last year. We were league leaders in touchdown passes the last 2 years. We were league leaders in the red zone last year. I’m not quite sure what it’s gonna take for Grizzard and Mayfield to be successful this year in alot of you guys eyes. But anything short of a long playoff run will be a failure in Baker and Josh’s. And I’ll settle for that.
November 7th, 2025 at 12:31 pm
“WBL, that’s rich coming from you. You were the one who wouldn’t stop screaming Mayfield was the league leader in picks and fumbles last year.”
No, just emphasizing we can’t go far with the guy touching the ball every single sap, throwing as many picks and putting the ball on the ground as many times as Baker did in 2024. Mayfield has improved there this year, you realize that improvement actually plays a big part in us being 6-2?
“Griz is smoking the last two OCs we had here in the ONLY stat that matters.”
The record is all that matters, but you trying to use that to credit the job Grizz has done as if that’s solely to his credit as a point of comparison or “smoking” our previous OCs makes NO SENSE, sir. That’s my point and why you still earned a “C’mon mane”
November 7th, 2025 at 3:42 pm
I have a bad feeling this guy is going to cost the Bucs a win in a big game.