Work in Progress: Why Buccaneers Focus on Running Game Will Continue
To say things haven't gone the way the Tampa Bay Buccaneers envisioned their season going when they opened up for training camp this year would be an understatement.
Starting with the injury to center Ryan Jensen, followed up by training camp injuries to receivers Mike Evans, Breshad Perriman, Russell Gage, and Julio Jones, things have only gone from bad to worse.
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Of course, there's also the retirement of left guard Ali Marpet that preceded all of that, and oh yeah, the real or perceived half-in approach by quarterback Tom Brady.
But it isn't even all of those things that have become a weekly pressure point for Bucs fans.
No, that honor sits firmly on the running game. Or lack thereof.
But fans aren't just frustrated in Tampa Bay's inability to run the ball. More so, they're upset that the Buccaneers themselves don't seem to understand how bad their rushing attack really is.
As a result, the team continues to rely on it for drive starters, commonly finding themselves behind schedule because of it.
"We're making an effort to (run the ball)," coach Todd Bowles told media on Monday. "But not at the expense of losing the ballgame. We're going to continue working on it and go from there."
If that quote doesn't come across as a drastic shift in football theology, that's because it's not. And Bowles doubled down later, saying the team will continue to run the ball, but gave his reasoning for doing so.
"You've got to run the ball better," Bowles said when asked why his offense isn't producing explosive plays. "If you don't suck them up to throw over their head, they're going to stay back all day long...then you've got to take what they give you...we've got to keep working at it. (It) doesn't mean we're not trying to get (explosive plays), just means (the defenses are) back deep enough to where we can't get them. So, we just don't want to throw it over there just to throw it over there."
Sound reasoning, but still not necessarily an explanation of why so many runs come on first down.
Passing the ball, and taking what defenses give them, on first down could potentially keep the Bucs on schedule and make subsequent running plays occur from a shorter yard-to-gain situation.
Not a perfect thought. An idea though.
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All outsiders see right now is a rushing attack ranking dead last in the NFL, producing nearly 30 yards less per game this season compared to the last.
Neither running back Leonard Fournette or rookie Rachaad White is currently averaging better than 3.3 yards per carry.
Additionally, the Buccaneers have rushed for over 100 yards just once this season.
In that game, in Week 1 against the Dallas Cowboys, Tom Brady averaged the most passing yards per attempt he's had all season.
So perhaps there's something to what Bowles is saying, and what the Bucs' offense is trying to do.
Even if we can't see it for ourselves, or particularly want to anymore.
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