Buccaneers Run Offense vs. Packers Run Defense Preview
Ronald Jones II scampered for 113 yards and two touchdowns the last time Tampa Bay and Green Bay faced off in Week 6. Can he replicate that performance against the Packers in the NFC Championship?
It won't be easy. The Packers run defense has undoubtedly improved, while Leonard Fournette has taken on a big role in the Buccaneers' running game.
Considering the magnitude of this contest, we're joined by Bill Huber of SI's PackerCentral.com every day leading up to the game, previewing matchup by matchup. After keying in on the Packers rushing offense and the Buccaneers rushing defense on Friday, we're flipping sides today.
Tampa Bay rushing offense
Everyone wants to talk about Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ electric passing offense, but respect is due for the duo of Ronald Jones II and Leonard Fournette.
Jones, “our guy,” emerged as one of head coach Bruce Arians’ favorite members of the Bucs’ offense in training camp. Into the season, Jones had flashes of brilliance including a 98-yard touchdown run against the Carolina Panthers in Week 10, but was not consistently utilized when Tampa had to rely on the passing game during a stretch of losses. To make matters worse, Jones missed two games later in the year as he was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list.
Jones’ absence allowed Fournette to step into a bigger role, making his September signing a wise move in hindsight. That role extended into the playoffs, as Fournette posted 230 yards from scrimmage and two total touchdowns over the first two postseason games. Jones would miss the first game of the playoffs as well, but added 62 rushing yards in the Divisional Round.
Similar to pass protection, the Buccaneers' interior offensive line is strong in its run blocking. Rookie right tackle Tristian Wirfs has also been sound as a run blocker; a brute on the edge that has little trouble pushing rushers outside.
Although the respect Brady and Co. have garnered is certainly warranted, the Buccaneers' offense can be considered balanced and two-dimensional. “A good one-two punch,” as Arians describes them, Jones and Fournette have been productive and relied upon at times. Although the Bucs’ offense hasn’t been substantially creative, the rushing attack makes Tampa Bay a bit unpredictable.
Green Bay rushing defense
For the season, Green Bay was No. 21 with 4.55 yards allowed per carry and No. 13 with 112.8 rushing yards allowed per game. However, those numbers should be split to tell a more accurate story.
In the first seven games, going through the four-touchdown debacle against Minnesota’s Dalvin Cook, the Packers were No. 23 with 4.65 yards allowed per carry and No. 14 with 119.0 rushing yards allowed per game. In the final five games, which included matchups against Philadelphia’s Miles Sanders (fifth in yards per carry), Chicago’s David Montgomery (fifth in rushing) and Tennessee’s Derrick Henry (first in rushing), the Packers were 11th with 4.38 yards allowed per carry and 109.4 rushing yards allowed per game. Take a 45-yard touchdown run by Tennessee quarterback Ryan Tannehill, and that goes down to 4.0 yards per carry and 100.4 yards per game.
It’s been a team effort. Defensive coordinator Mike Pettine has made a more concerted effort to stop the run, relying less on dime packages and using more traditional defenses. The front has played better, keyed by outside linebackers Za’Darius Smith and Preston Smith doing a better job of setting the edges. Undrafted rookie Krys Barnes has settled in as the every-down linebacker. The tackling has improved. The defensive line is led by Kenny Clark, though he wasn’t nearly as impactful as last season, and it recently added veteran run-stopper Damon Harrison.
The Packers will have to do a better job against the run than they did last week, when Rams rookie Cam Akers ran for 90 yards on 18 tries. He gained yards on every run and was only limited to 1 yard on one of his carries – though that was a key third-down stop early in the game. If Tom Brady has a bunch of second- and third-and-shorts, it’s going to be an impossible challenge given Brady’s accuracy and play-action prowess.
Of note, Barnes suffered a broken thumb last week against the Rams. He played most of that game with a club-cast to protect his left hand. To state the obvious, it’s not easy having only one fully functional hand to tackle, so that will be worth watching as he has to take on blockers and contend with Jones and Fournette.
