Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 3 impressive moments from Week 3 preseason game
Aug 29, 2015; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Doug Martin (22) runs the ball in for a touchdown against the Cleveland Browns during the second quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Doug Martin is already in midseason form
When discussing Martin’s history of injuries, NFL Network analyst and former Broncos great Terrell Davis said the 26-year-old running back needs to get his mind off of a potential setback and just play the game. Throughout the preseason, Martin has put those concerns to the side, performed incredibly well and secured the starting spot.
If Martin doesn’t play on Thursday against the Dolphins, he will finish the preseason with 118 rushing yards on 20 carries and a touchdown. In each contest, Martin has shown a great mix of vision, burst and strength. Early in the second quarter of Saturday’s game, he showed all three of these qualities in a 19-yard run to the house.
You can't arm-tackle @DougMartin22. They only make him run harder. #CLEvsTB http://t.co/LBfvDoZP2u
— NFL (@NFL) August 30, 2015
After taking the handoff from Winston, Martin initially wanted to take it to the outside. However, once he noticed Tramon Williams lurking behind the blocks, Martin did two very nice things on this play. He quickly found a gap between the tackles and was also able to shed the Browns safety who broke free from Vincent Jackson who was unable to square up for the block.
Prior to training camp, offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter raved about the improvements Martin made to his body, losing 20 pounds and looking in “the best shape of his life.” The weight loss showed on this play. Martin had nice acceleration through the hole and maintained that quickness when hitting the next level.
Judging from his three preseason contests, Martin appears to be in midseason form. It’s clear that he has put any injury concerns in the rearview mirror and he’s entirely focused on running the ball with same confidence he showed in his rookie campaign.
I can’t wait to see what Martin can do with a full workload in Week 1. Still, it remains to be seen if he will be much of a factor in the passing game.