What to make of Buccaneers running back conundrum

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have two useful running backs in Ronald Jones and Peyton Barber, but they have not figured out how to deploy them.

In two weeks, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have had two separate leading rushers leading the charge. Head coach Bruce Arians has stated that he is going to ride the hot hand at the running back position this season between Ronald Jones, Peyton Barber, and Dare Ogunbowale; his gameplans, however, have not aligned with this statement.

Week one it was second year running back Ronald Jones who led the way for the Buccaneers with 75 yards rushing on 13 carries, topping his totals entirely from his abysmal rookie season. Barber managed just 33 yards on eight carries in that same game, yet it was Barber who came out as the starter and who led the way in week two.

Last year’s leading rusher took command of the rushing attack in Thursday night’s win over the Panthers; Barber ran for 82 yards and a score on 23 attempts, averaging under four yards per carry. Jones, the supposed hot hand from the previous week, was given just four carries for a measly nine yards.

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Does Arians account for the hot hand while in game or on a week-to-week basis? If it were on a week-to-week basis, there is little reason why Peyton Barber should have started over Jones on Thursday night. However, if Arians rides the hot hand in game only, then it would make sense why Barber will continue to start the games at running back, then shuffle based on who is performing better throughout the game.

There is an ominous feeling that the Buccaneers’ rushing attack, while improved from last year, will still struggle to get moving on a week-to-week basis. Heading into week three as the New York Giants come to town, it is a complete mystery as to who will be the lead back in Tampa and who will be utilized the most.

While Jones burst onto the scene and looked like the better of the backs, it was still Barber who trotted out as the starter in week two. Even though Barber started, Jones regressed to looking like the runner he was as a rookie again, and the former Auburn Tiger was the workhorse despite being relatively inefficient.

The good news for the Buccaneers and their running backs is that the season is just two weeks old. However through these first two weeks, the Buccaneers have no real rhythm at the running back position and neither Jones nor Barber have taken the reigns.