Bucs Still Need to Fix Their Running Game

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are facing similar woes to last year on the ground.

Jan 15, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Rachaad White (1) reacts after a play during the first half of a 2024 NFC wild card game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images / Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers made it a point to fix their running game this offseason once they brought in two new linemen in Graham Barton and Ben Bredeson, a new running back in Bucky Irving and a new offensive coordinator in Liam Coen.

It's been two weeks. That's not a lot of time, obviously, and there is still football to play — but the running game hasn't improved.

The Bucs have a worse yards per carry so far through two weeks than they did on average last year, sitting at 3.43. And while they've somewhat improved in yards per game (with the help of Baker Mayfield against the Lions on Sunday), the run game is still a liability for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at the moment.

Bucs want a better run game in 2024, but two games in, it's only baby steps forward, if that -- they're 30th in yards per carry at 3.43, actually down from their 2023 average of 3.44. Yards per game, they're 21st, averaging 91.0, up a smidge from 88.8 last year.

— Greg Auman (@gregauman) September 17, 2024

The team is 2-0, with a good chance to go 3-0 against a struggling Denver Broncos team coming to Raymond James this weekend. But if they want to be real contenders, they'll have to get that run game to at least average sooner or later.

There are a few things happening here. Some of it is rough, but others things leave hope that Tampa Bay can turn it around.

READ MORE: Why Baker Mayfield Could Be a Real MVP Candidate

Rachaad White still hasn't gotten going

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been relying on Rachaad White to be their bellcow back for the past two years now. White is being given opportunities in the ground game, but simply put, he isn't doing anything with them.

White averaged 2.1 yards per carry against the Washington Commanders and a measly 1.8 against the Detroit Lions. White is particularly useful in other ways, the pass game especially. He had 75 receiving yards against the Commanders in Week 1, after all, but that game — being able to make plays in space — seems more and more like his thing than running between the tackles on first and second down.

White has time to make up for his struggling start, and it isn't all on him when a rookie is playing center next to a second-year player, but it's looking like the same problems from last year are following him specifically.

The Bucs have played two strong defensive lines

Now, here's a double-edged sword for you. In the first two weeks of play, the Buccaneers have played two very strong defensive fronts. The Commanders' defensive line led by Daron Payne and Jonathan Allen may be the only strong part of that defense, and the Lions weren't slouches themselves with the likes of D.J. Reader up front.

On one hand, that could be a good reason why the Bucs have struggled in the run game. The team will play far worse defensive fronts coming up. It's entirely possible that the Bucs immediately get better at that juncture when playing against softer front sevens.

On the other hand, though, the Bucs want to be contenders. And as Ric Flair once aptly put, to be the man, you gotta beat the man. If Tampa Bay wants to win a Super Bowl, it has to be able to run when the going gets tough, because in the playoffs, the going is always tough.

Bucky Irving could be a bright spot

There is one little bright spot that could be shining brighter with every game, and that's rookie Bucky Irving. So far in two games, Irving has outgained White in yards per carry (5.3 yards to 2.0 yards) and total rushing yards (84 to 49). It's hard to compare to Rachaad White whenever he's in space, but between the tackles, he's been the more productive back.

It will be interesting to see what the Buccaneers do here. I can't stress enough that it has only been two games, but if this pattern continues, Tampa Bay will have to do something to make up for it, be it a switching of running back carries, signing a new running back in free agency or something else after that.

One thing's for sure, though — Tampa Bay has to figure something out.

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