Hall of Fame MLB player Wee Willie Keeler said it best: “I hit ‘em where they ain’t.” The Buccaneers will take their #1 passing offense into Queens City this Sunday and go up against a limping Bengals defense that was scorched by Kansas City last week. You know what I’m thinking? #1 passing offense (Bucs) vs #29 passing defense (Bengals) seems like the perfect time to feature 2nd round pick Ronald Jones II and the Buccaneers’ running game. Huh, you say? There is logic there somewhere. Let’s see if we can find it.
The passing game is exactly what they are expecting. The Bengals know that we know that, so they will expect the run. That also works in our favor since unlike the Bucs, who have the 4th overall defense against the run, the Bengals rank 28th. The Bengals are nursing injuries in the middle of the defense with linebackers Nick Vigil (MCL) and Vontaze Burfict (HIP) both missing practice this week and not expected to play. This should leave Cincinnati vulnerable up the middle and susceptible to the run.
With Peyton Barber nursing an ankle injury, it is time for Ronald Jones II to start showing off some of that speed. In the last couple of games RoJo has started to get more opportunities as he has continued to learn Koetter’s offensive scheme. The type of runner Jones is means the more carries he gets, the better the chances of him breaking one. If the offensive line can cause some mayhem in the middle and give RoJo a sliver of daylight, he will be running to where they ain’t, and that run could have a good chance of ending with a touchdown.
