The Buccaneers Lack Home-Run Speed on Offense
by Sander on Apr 18, 2011 8:00 AM EDT
Email
PrintThe Buccaneers are many things on offense. They're explosive, they're dangerous, they have players who can break big plays on every down. But despite all that they do lack one dimension in their game: true breakaway speed. The kind of speed that, as they say, 'blows the top off defenses'. The kind of speed that forces safeties back a couple yards. The kind of speed that uses Freeman's big arm. Right now the Bucs have no such players.
Sure, they have Mike Williams, but he's not a real home run hitter. Mike Williams is a good route runner who can get open, he can make people miss and turn a small pass into a big gain. He's a terrific wide receiver for a lot of different reasons, but not his vertical speed. Arrelious Benn is a very physical wide receiver who can run over people, he's explosive out of his cuts and he can get down-field. We saw him make a number of catches on deep balls - but he doesn't have that terrific top-end speed either. Benn can get behind defensive backs on designed plays, but he can't just blast by players.
The Bucs had one such player on the roster, though, but they could never get him going before a devastating knee injury ended his season: Kareem Huggins. Because of his knee injury it's impossible to know what he'll be in the future. He may not be able to return to football, and even if he does return he may lose his speed. He can't be counted on in the future. The Bucs need to find a speed merchant somewhere, and the draft should be the place. There are a number of speedy running backs who could add a new dimension to the Bucs running game, and several vertical threats at wide receivers should be available as well. Players like WR Titus Young and WR Denarius Moore could make the already good Bucs offense a whole lot more potent.
27 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
I have to disagree with the whole concept of a "Home Run" threat
By saying a team needs a home run threat, you’re basically saying the team isn’t good enough to win and you need one player to consistently take it to the house. I believe this thinking is flawed. In baseball, a home run threat only gets to bat once every nine batters, and unless other guys can get on base, he can only score the team one run at a time hitting home runs. That doesn’t do anyone much good. Also, if that’s your only threat, it’s easy to pitch around him to get to everyone else.
The same goes in football. If you need a home run threat to win games, he’s only one guy. He may be able to break a big one every now and then, but it’s terribly inconsistent and it’s too easy for other teams to take away one guy. The Bucs are building what we really need. A team of base hitters, guys that can move the chains, get first downs, drive the field, eat the clock…. oh yeah, and they all have the potential to hit that home run. None are “Home run threats”, but they all have the ability to hit a home run. Teams can’t defend that as easily, they can’t “pitch around” one guy. Let’s hit 3 singles, then knock one out of the park, it’s much more effective that way.
Benn showed several times last year the ability to get behind defenses. Mike Williams showed he can take a short slant pass the distance. LeGarrette Blount has shown the ability to take a simple off tackle run 50 yards down-field. But they’ve all shown the ability to work together and move the chains as well.
When do you ever see DeSean Jackson picking up just 10 yards? He’s a home run threat, he rarely gets those base hits. How about Mike Wallace of the Steelers? Again, home run or nothing. I’d rather have guys that are consistent every down players that move the chains and have the ability to break one every now and then… guys like we already have.
by Bruce McRae on Apr 18, 2011 9:16 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs
The value of guys like DeSean Jackson, Mike Wallace and Randy Moss (when he was still good) isn't (just) in the plays they make
The NFL Network guys showed this a couple times last season, but when a team plays the Eagles their safeties are routinely 10 yards further back than when they play any other team without such a deep threat. Without real explosive speed you become easier to gameplan against and easier to play. For an extreme example, look at the Ravens’ passing attack the past year. They had a slew of underneath receivers but couldn’t get anyone deep. The same could be said for the Falcons.
Don't discount the importance of speed...
as stretching the field with a very fast WR, even if he is a decoy, opens things up for other players underneath. Opposing teams must respect speed, as it creates some real coverage mis-matches. Randy Moss, even if he doesn’t catch a lot of passes, makes life much much easier for the other WRs on the team he plays for.
Bruce, I also have to disagree with you...
A “Home Run” threat can open up the rest of the field greatly for the rest of the team. It can open up the run game and make play action more effective if this player is a receiver. If he is a RB, then he can keep the defense honest by having to keep 7 or 8 in the box for the run to open up for the pass.
If the defense has to concentrate on one guy burning past them and having a guy with a big arm throwing it to him (a la J-Free), then someone will be open. I do belive that this threat needs to come out of the backfield though. We have a good number of effective receivers in my opinion. I would love to have a Reggie Bush-type player come to Tampa. He would be the 3rd Down back, but can line up in the slot and run a route.
Doesn't Mike Williams do this now?
What your talking about is a WR/RB that takes more than one player to cover. Mike Williams started getting doubled and the K-2 started getting open looks.
Top end speed is over-rated when you have several players capable to make big splash plays. Blount isn’t super fast but he can break off a 50 yard run.
You can always use a versatile player no matter what offense you have.
I’m definitely not calling it a “need”, but it would be nice to have more options. You never know when someone will get hurt. I’m pretty all of our receivers missed some time at one point or another last year.
by Tiny iZ Boss on Apr 19, 2011 6:42 AM EDT up reply actions
I always wanted some young dude than ran low 4.3s
but top end speed can be overrated (Dexter Jackson). That being said Freeman can only get better if he has that burner making safeties stay honest. Mike Will, Rejus, and K2 can dominate underneath, you get those three the rock and their all tough to tackle. Their all very big guys for DBs to handle, also LGB could only improve if defenses can’t stack the box.
A guy like Jerry Rice wasn't that fast using a stopwatch...
but nobody ever seemed to catch him from behind. Strange. Speeds with pads off may not always correlate to speed with pads on. I do think we need a guy that can stretch the field, especially with Benn as an unknown.
by Cracker Ball on Apr 18, 2011 12:12 PM EDT up reply actions
eh i'm sure we can pick someone
up in the 5th or 6th round….
Conceptually I agree with this idea
Especially considering that Benn’s injury may prevent him from coming back in good form.
But… drafting a late round speed-demon carries a bigger risk of bust than a late round LB or secondary player in my opinion. The argument could be made that it’s a late round pick so the risk is acceptable, but with all the needs we have (DE, OL, LB, CB, S, RB) I wouldn’t be terribly upset if we end up taking no wide receivers at all in this draft.
Speaking of Benn, any word out there in the midst of the lockout vacuum about how he’s healing?
If you will it, dude, it is no dream.
It was an ACL reconstruction
He may have felt great after 2 months – hell, I felt great after 2 months – but the reality is that that’s when the graft is at its weakest. Until there’s some vascularization (blood vessel growth) the new ligament can’t get up to strength. Feeling great doesn’t tell you what’s going on in the knee. He’s unlikely to get signed off to do anything other than rehab and straight line work before 6 months (ie end of June).
Percy Harvin type
would be an awesome addition to this offense. A guy who can take the handoff on draw plays then split out wide, Kinda like a Marshall faulk
That is an element thats missing from this team that could make it 2x more explosive.
I agree that this type of speed is important I dont think its a necessity for long term success nor do I believe it needs to be a receiver by trade.
does anyone know if there are any Percy Harvin types in this draft.
there is that Taiwan Jones kid
He is a RB for the lower level schools with good moves and really fast.
Yeah...
Patrick Peterson… but that’s the wrong side of the ball. He would be awesome to have though. Wow!
by Tiny iZ Boss on Apr 19, 2011 6:46 AM EDT up reply actions
I think the point is missed...
Everyone is looking for “Home Run Speed” at either WR or RB. But why? Sure, a super fast WR can stretch the field a bit, push the safeties deeper and open up underneath for the slower WRs, TEs and the run game. Or, a power RB can pull the safeties up into the box allowing average WRs to get deep. Or, a WR that is great running routes and running after the catch can pull double coverage, opening up the remainder of the field for everyone else.
What I’m getting at is that we have “Home Run Threats” without the “Home Run Speed”. We don’t need that speed if Mike Williams pulls coverage away from Benn and K2, because Benn has already proven capable of getting open deep and making the catch when that happens. Mike Williams has proven that if the defense doesn’t pay attention to him, he can take a quick slant route to the house. Blount has forced safeties and linebackers to keep an eye on where he is, which opens things up for K2 and all the WRs. If the Safeties drop, Blount can run more free, break a LB tackle, get to the secondary (which arrives late as they were covering Williams) and break a 50-60 yard run.
What I’m saying is that we not only have one home run threat, we really have 3 or 4. That is much better than one little speedy guy in my book. The key here is we have #5. Josh Freeman is the real answer. He’s our home run threat. He can get the ball to Benn, Williams, K2, hand off to Blount, take off and run, change the play, read the defense, do all those things you want a QB to do. We have home run threats, maybe not the speed, but the threat. Any given play, the Bucs can score.
People put way to much of a premium on speed
Look at the Raiders, i dont think there is a team with more speed than the Oakland Raiders. They draft for speed and it would seem nothing else, but it hasnt gotten them anywhere.
Then look at the Patriots that won those superbowls, they didnt have a legitimate burner on their starting offensive roster.
Look at the Packers from last year, totally dominated the playoffs without a legitimate top deepthreat.
But it sure would be nice to have that productive element on this team.
Good point, I'm not saying the Bucs need to reach for a speed guy who can't play football
Just that a speed guy who’s a football player could really help the team.
Totally Agree!
Id just prefer a Percy Harvin mold that doesnt become adverse to running the ball the way he does.
Thats why I referenced Marshall Faulk.
its a game of speed, we can always use a homerun threat. desean jackson/mike wallace/percy harvin those guys are headaches for defenses
i was really looking forward to seeing kareem run last year, too bad.
I think you sell Benn speed short
He is faster then you give him credit for, I think he will prove that once he gets back to 100%. Even with him though, I think our team still lacks at least 1 more home run threat, and I think we can get him if we draft Jacquizz Rodgers, if we pick this guy up, I don’t think there will be a defense out there who can stop us, he is all this team is missing.We passed on a guy from Oregon State that who I thought was perfect for us in 01 Chad Johnson, 10 years later history repeats it self as another big time player out of Oregon State, please Mark Dominick I am begging you draft this guy
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on Bucs Nation
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
