What will he do?
Joe just isn’t the type of guy who sees any benefit to running the ball just for the sake of running the ball. Nor does Joe believe in throwing the ball just for the sake of throwing the ball.
Of the two, Joe would take the pass over the run.
If a run game is not working, Joe just does not see the logic of beating your head against a brick wall just so one can flex and act like the tough guy. What’s the point if a run game is not producing?
To Joe, there are only so many snaps in a game. Each one is precious and it shouldn’t be wasted just to prove someone is hung like Matt Kalil.
If the pass is working, pass the ball. If the run game is working, run the ball. Once you find what works, make the defense stop you.
After the Bucs lost to the mighty Lions, Bucs coach Todd Bowles seemed to indirectly scold his offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard for passing so much. Bowles emphasized the Bucs had to run the ball.
And Grizzard sure tried at New Orleans the next week, with pedestrian results averaging three yards a run.
Now this week’s opponent is the Patriots. They are downright stingy against the run. New England has only allowed one guy this year to run for more than 50 yards and that guys was Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen who had 53 yards against the Patriots.
So no running back this year has broken 50 yards in a game against New England.
Armed with his information, Bowles yesterday seemed to soften his late-October we-must-run-the-ball edict..
“We’ve got to block it better,” Bowles said of the running game. “At the same time, we’ve got to understand that we’re not going to hit our head up against a brick wall.
“If they’ve got too many people up there, we’ve got to throw it and loosen it up as well. So, again, we’ve got to coach it and scheme it up and at the same time, the guys have got to block it, too.”
It will help tremendously if Luke Goedeke can return. The right tackle left the game at Houston in Week 2 and hasn’t played since with some sort of weird foot injury.
At times, Goedeke is spotted walking around in sandals without his feet taped up or using any sort of walking device. Other times, Goedeke is spotted in a boot and buzzing around on a specialized scooter for those with an injured leg or foot.
If the Bucs couldn’t run on the slimy Saints (three yards a carry) Joe doesn’t see how the Bucs will be able to run effectively against a strong defense like the Patriots.