Bruce Arians, Tampa Bay Buccaneers. (Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports)
Todd Gurley was not alone in wondering why Bruce Arians would not give Leonard Fournette the ball on fourth-and-goal.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians made the first mental blunder of Super Bowl 55. Atlanta Falcons running back Todd Gurley was one of many to point this out on Twitter.
The Buccaneers were up 7-3 and in a first-and-goal situation on the Kansas City Chiefs. A touchdown would have made it 14-3 Buccaneers, but Arians got too cute with his play-calling to hit pay dirt. Tampa Bay did not give the ball to Leonard Fournette once on that drive.
The Buccaneers are hoping this series does not come back to haunt them.
Even though the Chiefs punted on their ensuing possession, Gurley and Los Angeles Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey were questioning why Arians would not give the ball to Fournette in a goal-to-go situation. The only running back the Buccaneers used on that drive was Ronald Jones. If the Buccaneers picked up Fournette mid-season, why would you not use him to score points?
Overall, this is the Super Bowl and even the slightest miscue can cost your team from winning it. While Arians has had a great career as a head coach in the NFL, this is his first trip to the Super Bowl leading his own team. He is going up against Andy Reid and the team that won it all a season ago. There is no margin for error here, so let’s hope the Buccaneers did not cost themselves.
If Gurley and Ramsey can state the obvious, then why did Arians not give Fournette the football?