Throughout the offseason workout program and the preseason, the strides in the Buccaneers' ground game have been evident on the gridiron. The cutback lanes are visible and offensive linemen are exploding off the line, showcasing lateral mobility. Run blocking became an area that the O-Line wanted to pride itself on and the added emphasis has come to fruition in the trenches.
"When you have the system that we do and as many formations and motions, it gets the defense's eyes sometimes in the wrong places of what you are trying to do," said Baker Mayfield. "All of the guys up front, I think their tracks are better and I just think they are playing better. Then, in the backfield, it is still obviously a young group that we have but I think they are running it better. They are seeing it, and they are understanding what we are trying to get done. They are not guessing where the hole is going to be, and they are trusting the guys up front."
In the reimagined system under Liam Coen, the ground attack has featured an uptick in conceptual diversity to keep defenses off balance. The iteration includes a mix of mid-zone, wide-zone, tight-zone, duo and gap runs, which provides both linemen and rushers with options. Mid-zone allows the rusher to take a course to either the B- or C-gap, then to either go outside or cut back while the offensive line flows laterally (like in outside zone).
In gap, the center, right guard and right tackle angle block, which allows the left guard to pull and lead the running back. In outside, the goal is to run outside of the defense, but if the opposition does not allow, the rusher then makes a vertical cut. The retooled system has benefited both the men up front and the skillsets of Rachaad White, Bucky Irving and Sean Tucker. With less hesitation and finesse, players are running behind their pads and punishing at the second level.
"The backs have been hitting the hole," said Todd Bowles. "They've been one-cut and getting downhill. They've been doing a good job of finding the creases, and the line has been doing a good job so far. But, again, preseason, you want to see that and you want to see continuity."
Against the Jaguars on Saturday, the Buccaneers had success on early downs running the football, which then set up the play-action game and fly sweeps. The two work hand-in-hand and the marriage of the run and pass has opened up the playbook for Coen. Throughout the first two exhibition games, rookie Graham Barton set the tone up front. Barton manned the left tackle role at Duke for three seasons and has not lined up in the interior since 2020, when he earned freshman All-America honors at center. He has made a seamless move in the NFL, garnering a full-time gig. On Tuesday, Bowles confirmed that Barton will start at center in Week One. He has helped bolster Tampa Bay's run game with his lateral quickness, finishing skills and pad level. The technician is adept at second-level climbs to create lanes and possesses the competitive disposition that the Bucs' brass covets.
