Bredeson thriving, Mauch struggling in run game

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have one of the NFL’s most explosive running backs in Bucky Irving, but the production from their offensive line hasn’t been nearly as consistent as the team’s recent rushing success might suggest. While Ben Bredeson has established himself as one of the better run-blocking guards in football, Cody Mauch has been on the opposite end of the spectrum, and his struggles are becoming increasingly difficult to overlook.

According to Pro Football Focus data shared by Judah Fortgang, Bredeson has won 79% of his individual run-blocking matchups while facing one-on-one situations on roughly 54% of his snaps. Both figures are comfortably above the league averages of 48.9% and 43.4%, highlighting just how effective Bredeson has been when asked to handle defenders without additional assistance. Mauch, however, has been one of the least effective guards in the entire NFL by the same measurements. He has won just approximately 12% of his individual run-blocking matchups while facing one-on-one situations on roughly 21% of his snaps. Among the qualifying guards, Mauch ranks near the bottom in both categories, a concerning development for a former second-round pick entering his fourth NFL season.

At this point, the Buccaneers need more from Mauch. These aren’t numbers that can simply be dismissed as growing pains or attributed entirely to the struggles of the offense around him. Tampa Bay invested significant draft capital in Mauch with the expectation that he would develop into a reliable long-term starter, and entering Year 4, winning individual assignments in the running game should be an expectation rather than something the coaching staff is still waiting to see consistently. Both players operate within the same offensive system, yet Bredeson has demonstrated considerably more success creating movement and winning his individual battles. While blocking assignments and defensive matchups can differ, the gap between the two is far too significant to ignore.

Tampa Bay currently leads the NFL in the lowest pressure rate allowed, at 18.4%, but strong pass-protection numbers shouldn’t excuse individual shortcomings in the running game. Irving’s 165-yard performance against Dallas showed what this offense is capable of when running lanes develop, but the Buccaneers cannot depend on their running back consistently overcoming poor blocking. Mauch has had ample time to establish himself as a dependable starter. If Tampa Bay wants to build a sustainable rushing attack around Irving, Mauch needs to start winning his assignments rather than remain one of the weakest performers, especially in a contract year.

This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Bredeson thriving, Mauch struggling in run game