An optimistic view on the run game, with STATS

[NAC386]

Okay, so I'm as disappointed as the rest of you about the performance of the team this year. It is no secret that our offense and defense have been among the worst in the league. I did want to point out some statistics that give me hope for the future though. Looking on NFL.com I noticed that our running attack, which has looked pretty awful, actually hasn't been THAT bad with very mediocre running backs.

Ryan Torain- 91 for 391= 4.3 yards per carry

Kieland Williams- 57 for 227 = 4 yards per carry

Clinton Portis- 54 for 227 = 4.2 yards per carry

McNabb- 29 for 151 = 5.2 yards per carry

These stats do not blow anyone away. However, all 4 of our top rushers for the season are averaging over 4 yards per carry. We are ranked 14th in the league in yards per carry. There are 10 teams who average LESS than 4 yards per carry, including the ravens, colts, and dallas.

Considering that none of our running backs are elite rushers, and our offensive line is not very talented (for the most part), that is not a bad average at all. To compare, Portis has NEVER average more than 4.3 yards per carry in his tenure in Washington, and even averaged 3.9 in 2007. If Ryan Torain can average 4.3, imagine what a more talented back like a younger Portis could do on this team.

What does this mean to me? It tells me that Shanahan's rushing system could very well turn around sooner rather than later. If we can upgrade 1 or 2 linemen, OR upgrade the RB position, I could easily see our rushing attack going over 4.5 yards per carry in year 2 under Shanahan and become a top 10 attack.

Just a bit of optimism about what I think has been one of the more disappointing aspects of the season. My question is, do you agree that the SYSTEM is working, and with a few upgrades (and I mean a few, not a dozen) we could really turn the offense around?

[Botched]

I dig the optimism.

I think if we were able to score early more often, we'd have better rush yardage totals. You can't run a whole lot when you're always behind. It's nice to see our YPC are above average though.

[darrelgreenie]

I think part of the problem with our running game is Kyle's impatience and lack of commitment.

[Popeman38]

James Davis - 15 for 51= 3.4 yards per carry

Against the NYG, 9 for 40=4.4ypg

---------- Post added December-8th-2010 at 10:48 AM ----------

I think part of the problem with our running game is Kyle's impatience and lack of commitment.

Well, we have to throw when trailing by 2 scores. The Giants game, we had to throw almost the entire 2nd half. Same with Minny. Same with Philly. Same with......

[Mahons21]

I think part of the problem with our running game is Kyle's impatience and lack of commitment.

I totally agree. Except for the Philly game, the one game we needed to get away from the rush early, and we stick to it.

[NAC386]

I agree there has been a lack of commitment to run the ball. Some of the time I think it's a result of our defense giving up points and falling behind though. You can't run the ball when you're losing by a lot, which is why our passing attack is top 10 in yards.

I didn't include James Davis in the stats because he only has 15 carries, and game 1 to game 2 his average improved dramatically. In a few weeks we'll have a better idea of his average.

[darrelgreenie]

Of course when the score dictates you must lean towards the pass.

But, Kyle imo has shown a propensity towards the pass even when based on the score we can still run.

Someone mentioned the Vikings game.

The RBs only had 9 carries in a 13-17 ball game.

[HTTR F Dallas]

I like our running game and where it's going. I think we'll be successful next season with an improved line and hopefully an improved offense as a whole.

We should bring back all 4 RB's to Camp:

Portis - He showed that he still has it when healthy and has only had 178 carries in 2 years...

Torain

Davis

Williams

I think it would be a mistake to try and find a new running back from the draft or FA... We'll get a great starter out of one or two of these guys. *Plus besides Portis, they're all 24-25 years old...

[Mahons21]

Of course when the score dictates you must lean towards the pass.

But, Kyle imo has shown a propensity towards the pass even when based on the score we can still run.

Someone mentioned the Vikings game.

The RBs only had 9 carries in a 13-17 ball game.

That's a pretty ugly stat. I must say I've been unimpressed with Kyle so far, though I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt at this point. Though I don't think he has the personnel needed to run any offense, I have still been confused by a few play calls, that one toss play on 3rd and short comes to mind.

[darrelgreenie]

That's a pretty ugly stat. I must say I've been unimpressed with Kyle so far, though I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt at this point. Though I don't think he has the personnel needed to run any offense, I have still been confused by a few play calls, that one toss play on 3rd and short comes to mind.

I'm certain he'll pull it together but i just hoped he would start off better.

But, this is the 1st time Kyle has designed an offensive gameplan from scratch, in Houston he was handed the keys to a pre-built offense and just tweaked it.

Here he has to learn the personnel and design an offense that maximizes its limited talent.

And compared to last season imo less talented unit this more talented unit has performed worse in every possible way in the passing game.

Its not the individual playcalls that bother me.

I'm probably one of the few this forum that sees nothing wrong with a toss play on 3rd and short.

Its the overall game design that bothers me.

With Fred Davis and Chris Cooley as argueably our 2 best targets you would think they would be a mjaor focal point of the passing game.

I cringe whenever i watch the Packers, Patriots, Saints and Texans use their TEs as a major part of their offenses and here we sit with as good if not better tandem of TEs.

But Davis is barely on the field: Giants game he played 24 of 66 snaps against the Vikings i believe it was 19 of 55.

And despite having the highest catch rate on the team and being rated by football outsiders as the 4th TE in the league he's 7th on the team in targets, Mike Sellers even has more targets.

I'm not sure who's call it was having old man Joey out there but OMJ poached targets from both Armstrong and Davis who have actually been productive with their targets.

Not getting the ball to AA more imo is a mistake.

He doesn't appear to be commited to the running game unless its part of the opening script.

Look at the opening script of the Vikings game imo it was far better then the play calling the rest of the game.

He's been slow to find a solution when the bootleg game gets blitzed, and its been getting blitzed since the Rams game.

We're still a 5-7 step drop passing offense despite the lack of pass protection.

He in the route assignments he doesn't send Tana deep often and has him running slants and in between the hash routes when everyone knows that Tana is an outside the numbers WR that cannot execute the slant.

Our short game (quick game and 3 step drop game) just started to get going and part of that is McNabb's fault for not making the correct read or holding the ball looking downfield in the face of pressure.

But the OC has to have the QB prepared to recognize when and where to make the quick checkdown based on pass rush and down and distance.

Part of the problem is McNabb no doubt but the OC has to create an offense that makes the QB comfortable and the QB can execute at a high level.

Getting the QB hit a ton b/c he's taking 5-7 step drops doesn't seem like the way to make a QB comfortable.

Another solutoin to the quick/short passing game would be to use the screen game more.

We used it very well against the Titans (i think) and its seems like we put it back on the shelf.

[Mahons21]

Great post, I agree with absolutely everything. I've been hoping for screens too, to slow down the pass rush if nothing else, and if our lines mobility is their strength lets get em in the open field.

As far as 2 TE sets go, maybe its the madden in me, but I had this great vision.

Come out with 2TE's and let the defense dictate how you're going to use them. If the defense is going to play them with their base 43 or 34, you could put Davis/Cooley in the slot and the other on the line, you could even spread em out, basically try to force their LB's to cover our TE's. If this personnel lineup is working well and the defense decides to change to a nickel pkg, then you could go back and put Cooley/Davis on the line and go with some semblance of a rushing attack, you might even put Cooley in the back field and use I-form.

I know it's just hoopla, but I just want to see us taking advantage of our best players.

[darrelgreenie]

Great post, I agree with absolutely everything. I've been hoping for screens too, to slow down the pass rush if nothing else, and if our lines mobility is their strength lets get em in the open field.

As far as 2 TE sets go, maybe its the madden in me, but I had this great vision.

Come out with 2TE's and let the defense dictate how you're going to use them. If the defense is going to play them with their base 43 or 34, you could put Davis/Cooley in the slot and the other on the line, you could even spread em out, basically try to force their LB's to cover our TE's. If this personnel lineup is working well and the defense decides to change to a nickel pkg, then you could go back and put Cooley/Davis on the line and go with some semblance of a rushing attack, you might even put Cooley in the back field and use I-form.

I know it's just hoopla, but I just want to see us taking advantage of our best players.

Thanks-

Then we're suckers together b/c i had that same vision.

You would think we know better by now.

I was fully expecting to see an offense like the Pats/Packers.

Double TEs can do some many good things for the offense.

They mentioned this monday night: when TEs are split wide it forces the defense to declare the coverage if the LBs go out to play the TE its man if the CBs stay its zone.

That alone will help the passing game b/c it makes the pre-snap read easier which makes the post snap-reads easier.

But, i digress

[SkinsCrushCowboys]

the top three backs have combined for 845 yards......while the average is over 4 per carry. I am not sure we can make a good assessment as we have run so little this season. The ZBS will work with the right players and the numbers should improve, but until we can run the ball the entire game to extend drives, avoid turnovers and gain yardage...still much wok left to do,

[gchwood]

Am I the only one who watches the games and it is 2nd/3rd and short and I see McNabb roll out and shuffle down the line rather than taking off and gain the few yards needed? I find my self screaming because it seem like we have an easy 1st, but no he seem hesitant.

[SkinsCrushCowboys]

Am I the only one who watches the games and it is 2nd/3rd and short and I see McNabb roll out and shuffle down the line rather than taking off and gain the few yards needed? I find my self screaming because it seem like we have an easy 1st, but no he seem hesitant.

it is painful, my wife even commented that "he never runs when there is room". Although it would be nice to have a power back and line to run up the gut for the yardage and it would not be an issue

[jflow78]

You had me at "with STATS".

I'm actually comfortable with Torain, Williams, and Davis as our 3 RBs, since each of them have played very well in spots and Williams and Davis have great hands, and then add in Young at FB. I'm actually excited to see the TC battle between those three and Simpson next year. Think about how much younger our RB corp got this season, and we've got a lot of potential in that group.

Now, I feel completely comfortable concentrating on OL, WR, DL, and FS for the rest of the offseason.

[Dirt]

it is painful, my wife even commented that "he never runs when there is room". Although it would be nice to have a power back and line to run up the gut for the yardage and it would not be an issue

A lot of the time, as was mentioned above, we're playing from behind often so we need the ball down the field and into the endzone quickly.

When Mcnabb runs out and has that much time/room, it means 2 things:

1- he can run down the field easily for the first down

2- he has plenty of time to find a receiver deep. Typically, with that much time, defenders are screwed because they're no longer defending a route, their just chasing a WR around the field. And, typically, that WR can find himself open. It hasn't been working because of a combination of the DBs playing very well, staying with there man, and our WRs just not being that good, or BIG enough to get space. If McNabb has a full 8 seconds to run around and look for a guy, he's used to finding one. That's why he doesn't run. We need to get him a guy.

[Guest Spearfeather]

I think part of the problem with our running game is Kyle's impatience and lack of commitment.

Absolutely. Watching the games, I get the feeling that running the ball is something Kyle does, only because Dad tells him to.

[KDawg]

the top three backs have combined for 845 yards......while the average is over 4 per carry. I am not sure we can make a good assessment as we have run so little this season. The ZBS will work with the right players and the numbers should improve, but until we can run the ball the entire game to extend drives, avoid turnovers and gain yardage...still much wok left to do,

The backs are all over 4 yards per carry, though. This is an indictment of Shanahan's playcalling more than it is the running game. We can run the ball much more... We just don't.

[darrelgreenie]

Absolutely. Watching the games, I get the feeling that running the ball is something Kyle does, only because Dad tells him to.

I know right, and those are usual the games where we normally set ourselves with manageable 3rd downs.

My favorite playcall sequence and one that i rarely see are back-to back run plays.