Bucs Should Use Graham and Pittman More

The Bucs took Cadillac Williams number 5 overall in the hopes that he would be their franchise back for years to come. Williams paid immediate dividends running for over 400 yards in his first 3 games and getting his shoes into the hall of fame. Since those three games though he has more games under 30 yards, nine, than he does 100 yard games, which he has 5.

Now Cadillac has been hurt since those games at start of the 2005 season, but that is not a big surprise as he was injury prone at Auburn. Cadillac had his best seasons at Auburn when he had a healthy Ronnie Brown to share time with. Caddy is just not a feature back that can carry the ball for you over 25 times a game for the whole year and the Bucs need to realize that. On top of his injury concerns, Caddy does not pass block well, cannot catch out of the backfield, and has been putting the ball on the ground all too often. Cadillac has more fumbles than touchdowns this year and it seemed that Gruden had enough of it last game and benched him in the third quarter.

Earnest Graham, who has always been great in preseason, got the call and ran for 75 yards on 8 carries and did not fumble the ball. Graham seemed to run with a purpose and was much more physical when he hit the holes and ran over people. Cadillac seems to be timid and dancing around, which is getting him nowhere. It could be because of an injury or maybe that's just how Cadillac is, but it's clear that he is not the punishing back that the Bucs need. Michael Pittman has also made the most of his time catching passes and running the ball the past couple of seasons and should also be involved in the mix.

Williams can be effective, but he needs to split time like he did at Auburn. Gruden has run a system in which he went with a RBBC before when he was the coach in Oakland. He should go back to that system here and let Graham, Pittman, and Williams all share the load. If you out the ball on the ground as a running back you put your team in a bad position and right now Williams seems to be hurt and it is effecting his ability to carry the ball. Graham has earned the right to get some touches and Gruden should allow him to show everyone what he has.