Doug Martin

Doug Martin – you may be confused as to why Doug Martin is ranked number 1. You may be angry that Doug Martin is ranked number 1. You are more than likely thinking to yourself, “why is this numbskull ranking Doug Martin number 1, I’m gonna stop reading what he’s got to say!” Well if you’ve made it this far without ex-ing (x-ing? xing? clicking the x) to close this tab, then you will at least see where I am coming from. After scrapping together a measly yet not awful 33 points in his first 4 NFL games (8.25 ppg), Martin attained 217 points in his final 12 games, good for an average of 18 ppg! If you remove the two obvious outliers from those 12 games, a 25 rush 251 yards 4 td performance week 9 against the Raiders and a 9 rushes for 16 yards game in which the Bucs were blown out 41-0 week 15 by the Saints, he still averaged 16.4 ppg over those 10 games, and there are a number of reasons to believe that number should be his FLOOR this year.

Offensive Line:

For one, former Pro Bowl and first team All-Pro left guard, one of the absolute best run-blocking guards in the NFL, only played in the first 7 games last season before a toe injury sidelined him for the rest of the year. Before last season, Nicks had never missed an NFL start, so there’s no injury prone tag on him. Right guard Davin Joseph is one of the better right guards in the NFL, and he missed ALL of 2012 due to injury. With Joseph returning, Jeremy Zuttah (RU graduate, go knights) moves back to start at center. Pro bowler Donald Penn will be the starting left tackle, while right tackle will be manned by 6’9 Demar Dotson, at least to start the year. It is also important to note that the Bucs traded for 2011 first rounder Gabe Carimi. I have no statistical evidence to support this but I feel like Wisconsin churns out productive, huge NFL linemen every year, so the addition of Carimi can only help bolster the offensive line, especially since the Bucs oline coach, Bob Bostad, was Carimi’s oline coach at Wisconsin and thus the maestro for the successful olines Wisconsin has had the past few years. Doug Martin will be running behind one of the best, if not THE best offensive line in the NFL this year.

Skillz and Attributez:

Martin is a powerful inside runner with great hands and is good in pass protection, allowing him to be your classic three down back. He is a 5’9, 215 wrecking ball of pure muscle with a low center of gravity, not unlike RU alum Ray Rice. He averaged 4.6 yards per carry on over 300 carries, and added 49 receptions on 71 targets, with the 8th most receptions and 4th most receiving yards. Cool stat alert: Doug Martin would have ranked as the 11th best running back last year if you took away ALL his touchdowns. Martin only fumbled one time during the season. I am looking on ESPN for his fumbling records in college but cannot seem to find them anywhere, but apparently he forced a fumble once during his sophomore year so there’s that.

Defensive Improvements:

This is a key factor in my ranking of Doug Martin number one. With the offseason trade for Darrelle Revis and signing of Dashon Goldson, the Bucs immediately turned their league worst secondary in terms of passing yards allowed into a position of strength. With run stopper Gerald Mccoy manning the middle, and high draft picks Da’quan Bowers and Adrian Clayborn rushing the passer, this defense should be much, much improved. A stingier defense works two-fold in helping Doug Martin; first, they won’t allow the opposition to score as often, allowing the Bucs to not only stay in games longer but also lead in games, which will keep Doug Martin active. Secondly, the Bucs ranked in the bottom third of teams in terms of 3^rd down conversion rate, allowing them at a 40.2% rate. Which a MUCH improved secondary, the Bucs should be able to get the offense on the field quicker and more often, allowing for more Doug Martin touches.

Greg Schiano:

Martin also benefits a lot from former Rutgers coach Greg Schiano’s system. Let me tell you as a Rutgers fan, Schiano loves running the ball up the middle. I cannot tell you how many times I watched Jersey Joe Martinek plunge the ball up the middle for 1 yard, causing all Rutgers fans to tear their hair out. Yet Schiano always stuck with that kind of play calling, as well as running back screens, no matter how unsuccessful they were. Doug Martin is Greg Schiano’s ideal back, and he will be handed the rock plenty of times this season.

Conclusion: (IF YOU ONLY READ ONE PART OF THIS DOUG MARTIN BLURB, MAKE IT THIS)

Doug Martin is one of the few three down backs left in the NFL, getting 86% of Tampa Bay's rushes last year. That number is sure to decrease this year right, what with the likes of Mike James and Michael Smith (no, not this guy) as the two running backs on the depth chart behind him, I wrote sarcastically. He had 49 receptions last year, behind your Darren Sproles'es and Lesean Mccoys, but ahead of your Arian Fosters, Matt Fortes, and Adrian Petersons. He also had the 4th most carries in the NFL last year. The Bucs' offensive line is getting back two offensive linemen, and their defense won't be the worst pass defense this year thanks to the arrival of Messieurs Revis and Goldson. A much improved secondary added to last year's best rush defense will lead to the Buccaneers in either close, competitive games or the competition being blown out, both of which are conducive to the handing of the ball to Doug Martin, early, throughout the game, and late i.e. a shit ton of times. Don't be surprised if he leads the NFL in total touches in 2013, and don't expect the Bucs to get blown out like Week 15 of last year. The last thing, something that I failed to mention this entire post... DOUG MARTIN WAS A ROOKIE LAST SEASON! He tied with Arian Foster for the second most running back points last year, and I’ve just chronicled about a page and a half of reasons why that number, and thus his end-of-year ranking, have a great chance of being #1. Rushes. Catches. Yards. Touchdowns. Points. Battle Star Galactica. 

Oh, and also Schiano!!!!!