The Buccaneers just lost in spectacular fashion to a Rams team that looked like they were simply better-coached, and this Tom Brady stat shows it perfectly.
“Establish the run,” some fans said as they described how the Buccaneers would be able to pull out a win against the Rams in one of the toughest games of the season. Tampa and L.A. tend to play close games when they’re matched up, and this one proved no different to a certain degree.
The run has never been Tampa’s strong suit, yet the “football guys” throughout the fanbase believe this is what has held the Bucs back this year so far against the Falcons and the Cowboys. With Tom Brady and all of the offensive weapons in Tampa, the lack of a run game has been the issue. Yeah, right.
The one area we will agree on is that the running backs for Tampa have left plenty to be desired over the season. Ronald Jones and Leonard Fournette can’t earn the starting job despite getting plenty of chances to do so, and the game plan has done little to help.
Regardless, a change is needed in Tampa and soon because the Bucs were just beaten far worse than the final score would indicate. The Buccaneers tried to run the ball in far too many obvious situations, and the run game imploded long before it could get started. In the end, the run game was so bad that Tom Brady finished as the leading rusher for Tampa.
You read that right. Tom Brady, coming off massive knee surgery at 44, was the leading rusher for a real NFL team in a game that mattered. Brady’s whopping 14 yards on three carries were a perfect way to describe the dysfunction for the Bucs in L.A. today, and a change is needed.
Whether the Buccaneers decide to start from scratch with personnel or completely change their game plan, this offensive mentality regarding the run has to change, and quick.
The pass looked just as dangerous as ever with Brady under center, but the Buccaneer run game has been laughable over the first three games this year, and Tampa will be hard-pressed to win games if they keep going in this same offensive direction.