Can Alfred Morris Take The 2013 Rushing Title?

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

Last year he got an average of 21 carries a game. This year he's averaging 18 carries per game. Not a huge difference. And Helu is getting a larger workload than any backup had last year.

Again, the last few games we've commited to Alfred. Before that, not so much.

Statistics darn statistics.

Hail.

[TheGreek1973]

Trent Williams has atleast1 more year on his contract. He is prior to the current cba and may have a six year contract. May want to restructure his contract now when we have the money anyways. Morris has two, Griffin has three, Kerrigan has two. We aren't going to worry about two years down the road now. We will worry about that when the time comes.

nah can't do that dude, we need to always manage your cap space.  i believe if you don't use it its added for the following year. This is why the Eagles always seem to have loads of cap space.  If this is the case I much rather just spend the money only on a sure thing and not reach.  I don't want a "fancy" name receiver or some guy that only wants to get paid.  Save our money if the value is not there and pay our own players that are worth it.

[Redskins Ruckus]

To you all who say, "commit to the run game" you realize that the skins are 3rd in the league on rushing yards per game, right? I think they're pretty committed to it...

 

That's an argument fallacy. You can't just look at a static number like that in a void and say we're committed to the run. His YPC are very high. He needs more touches.

[Redskins Diehard]

Last year he got an average of 21 carries a game. This year he's averaging 18 carries per game. Not a huge difference. And Helu is getting a larger workload than any backup had last year.

I see why you have picked that username.  Unfortunately the narrative has already been written...anything short of running the ball every down is "abandoning the run". 

[steve09ru]

no!  because our coaching sucks, our line sucks, our defense sucks, our special teams sucks, our passing sucks!

 

sorry figured I'd throw it out there before someone else

 

(sarcasm btw)

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

I see why you have picked that username.  Unfortunately the narrative has already been written...anything short of running the ball every down is "abandoning the run". 

 

Dude averages over 5 yards a carry. 

 

Prior to the Bears game, when he was still averaging over 5 yards a carry, the most he'd carried the ball in a game was 16 times. Twice. He was averaging 14 carries a game as we went 1-4.

 

The last 4 weeks, suddenly his carries go to 17, 19, 25 and 26 respectively,and hey presto we go .500 over the stretch which should have been even better. 

 

He's averaging 5.2 yards a carry on the year. The 4th best league wide on backs over 20 carry's on the season. Yet he's STILL only 9th in the league at attempts a game at 18. That's with the last 4 weeks jump to 22 carries a game. 

 

Whichever way you try dress it up (misguided 'we've had to pass from behind <even though we've consistently torn it up on the ground> et all), Morris has been WOEFULLY underutilised this year prior to the last 4, and in particular last two games. (And even at that his almost total absence on first and goals from inside the 5 twice could WELL be argued to of cost us the game in Minneapolis as much as any pathetic defensive showing.).

 

That's not fictional narrative. That's one being written before your very eyes by the OC. 

 

No 'voice of reason' or 'diehard' that apparently precludes critique where it's due on his team will change that. 

 

Hail. 

[steve09ru]

Dude averages over 5 yards a carry. 

 

Prior to the Bears game, when he was still averaging over 5 yards a carry, the most he'd carried the ball in a game was 16 times. Twice. He was averaging 14 carries a game as we went 1-4.

 

The last 4 weeks, suddenly his carries go to 17, 19, 25 and 26 respectively,and hey presto we go .500 over the stretch which should have been even better. 

 

He's averaging 5.2 yards a carry on the year. The 4th best league wide on backs over 20 carry's on the season. Yet he's STILL only 9th in the league at attempts a game at 18. That's with the last 4 weeks jump to 22 carries a game. 

 

Whichever way you try dress it up (misguided 'we've had to pass from behind <even though we've consistently torn it up on the ground> et all), Morris has been WOEFULLY underutilised this year prior to the last 4, and in particular last two games. (And even at that his almost total absence on first and goals from inside the 5 twice could WELL be argued to of cost us the game in Minneapolis as much as any pathetic defensive showing.).

 

That's not fictional narrative. That's one being written before your very eyes by the OC. 

 

No 'voice of reason' or 'diehard' that apparently precludes critique where it's due on his team will change that. 

 

Hail. 

I get that we could have ran more earlier in the season from looking at the numbers but if you look at the situations in game can we really say that?  Turnovers and 3rd down conversions killed the offense the first part of the season which allowed the opposing offenses easy scoring opportunities which then resulted us getting into a quick hole.  When that happened, the defenses we faced were able to go into obvious passing situations and go all out after RG3.  He was rusty and was not reading defenses or making adjustments based on what the defense showed to give Alfred the ball.  QBs have to be able to read the defenses and I'm sure that will come but play calling and execution is more than just the OC.

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

Morris has consistently produced steve, even earlier in the year. Often for big chunks. Yes, there was instances he'd get stopped. But he'd bounce straight back and churn it up. I just can't buy into the situational thing as much as it should be pertinent when you have a back that is consistently getting you the yards regardless. 

 

As for the whole other subject of the QB making line adjustments and changing the protection/ play; by all accounts he has little to no leeway to audible as yet. Whether that's on his development or not is another debate. But at present the calling is almost solely on the OC. 

 

Hail. 

[skins island connection]

 I'd LIKE him to get the scoring title!

My paloffs are now...

[Redskins Diehard]

Dude averages over 5 yards a carry. 

 

Prior to the Bears game, when he was still averaging over 5 yards a carry, the most he'd carried the ball in a game was 16 times. Twice. He was averaging 14 carries a game as we went 1-4.

 

The last 4 weeks, suddenly his carries go to 17, 19, 25 and 26 respectively,and hey presto we go .500 over the stretch which should have been even better. 

 

He's averaging 5.2 yards a carry on the year. The 4th best league wide on backs over 20 carry's on the season. Yet he's STILL only 9th in the league at attempts a game at 18. That's with the last 4 weeks jump to 22 carries a game. 

 

Whichever way you try dress it up (misguided 'we've had to pass from behind <even though we've consistently torn it up on the ground> et all), Morris has been WOEFULLY underutilised this year prior to the last 4, and in particular last two games. (And even at that his almost total absence on first and goals from inside the 5 twice could WELL be argued to of cost us the game in Minneapolis as much as any pathetic defensive showing.).

 

That's not fictional narrative. That's one being written before your very eyes by the OC. 

 

No 'voice of reason' or 'diehard' that apparently precludes critique where it's due on his team will change that. 

 

Hail. 

He is a beast.  Not sure that running more Morris would have helped all that much in the first 2 games.  But it is possible to take a position between "we are running enough" and "we have abandoned the run".  I realize some people like the drama of it all moreso than others and that is cool. 

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

He is a beast.  Not sure that running more Morris would have helped all that much in the first 2 games.  But it is possible to take a position between "we are running enough" and "we have abandoned the run".  I realize some people like the drama of it all moreso than others and that is cool. 

 

I wouldn't say we've 'abandoned' the run per se. 

 

Just not utilized one of the VERY few top echelon weapons at our disposal to the fullest. 

 

Hopefully, the last few weeks are a sign of that changing. 

 

Hail. 

[superozman]

Can he?  YES!  ABSOLUTELY!

 

Will he?  No - he is abandoned too many times when he is rolling.  5+ ypc....and it's abandoned for a struggling passing game...ugh

[Voice_of_Reason]

That's an argument fallacy. You can't just look at a static number like that in a void and say we're committed to the run. His YPC are very high. He needs more touches.

He's getting a very few less touches than he did last year, about 3 less per game, which equates to about 1 less every quarter. Combined with the increase in touches for Helu, and the fact that Morris comes out of the game more on 3rd down this year than he did last year, he's about the same.

Also, I'm not sure that you want to wear the guy out with tons of carries in 2 years. Spreading the carries around isn't necessarily a bad thing.

And they still rank 3rd in the league in rushing yards per game.

There are obviously a few situations where maybe you could run where they pass. But one of the ideas of football is to do the opposite thing of what the defense thinks you're going to do. Run when they think pass, pass when they think run, and you can get some big plays.

Kyle has a tendency to call a PA pass on the 1st play of a drive in the 2nd half when the running game is working, trying to get a receiver working down the middle of the field for a chunk play. The trend started in Denver (Morgan), continued against SD (Moss) and Minn (reed). All three times, the play was open. But wasn't executed.

The idea that we can just run, run, run, run is false. If they don't pass to keep the defense honest, Morris will find no room to run. Specifically against SD, SD came out and said, "You're not going to run on us." Stacked the box. The first 3 or 4 carries netted almost 0 yards. Then Robert threw them out of the coverage by hitting a number of short and intermediate routes. SD adjusted, and dropped the 8th and 9th guy out of the box to stop the pass. Running lanes opened up. Morris had several very good runs. In the 3rd quarter, they adjusted again, now to stop the run, and Kyle hit them with a PA pass down the field.

This is textbook stuff. You force the defense to adjust to you twice. But, you have to execute to take advantage. In Denver and Minn, they couldn't take advantage. In SD, they overcame the incomplete, and still drove down and scored.

The truth is, if you can't do both things, you can't do either thing. They have to stay balanced, or neither thing is going to work. At least not in this offense, with this personnel.

[Always A Commander Never A Captain]

That's an argument fallacy. You can't just look at a static number like that in a void and say we're committed to the run. His YPC are very high. He needs more touches.

 

That's also a fallacy.  Chris Johnson's YPC was high last night, but after the first two drives he stunk.  His first 8 carries, 70 yards or 8.75 yards per carry.  His next 9 carries, 16 yards or 1.78 yards per carry.  His YPC for the whole game was very good, yet after the middle of the 1st quarter he was god awful.

 

I'm all for feeding Alfred Morris, but the offensive line is too inconsistent between solid blocking and getting blown up.  On some occasions, Morris has to make a cut as soon as he gets the hand off because an o-lineman got driven way into the backfield.  Now Morris is more talented than Chris Johnson in making something out of nothing, but our o-line is allowing too much penetration.

 

Morris is getting stuffed on 21% of all run plays, that's 22nd in the league.  As a run first offense, you can not expect to be consistently efficient when that's the case.  As such, we have to pick our spots for when we run a little more carefully.

[Voice_of_Reason]

Can he?  YES!  ABSOLUTELY!

 

Will he?  No - he is abandoned too many times when he is rolling.  5+ ypc....and it's abandoned for a struggling passing game...ugh

This is so patently false.

Really, if they didn't pass eventually, then the running game would get stuffed. The two are complementary.

Look at the last drive against Minn. They were in a 3 minute drill, down by 7. They put together a 14 play drive, that ended up with 7 runs and 7 passes. They used the run (mostly Helu, but some Morris) to make sure the Vikings couldn't tee off on Robert. They stayed balanced, even without a TO, down by 7 with less than 4 minutes left. They got down to the 8, and even ran on 1st down with 40 seconds left. That run play, btw, had a chance of scoring a TD. Minn wasn't expecting it, and it was one block that wasn't held onto long enough for going in for a TD. But with ~28 second left, and 2nd and goal from the 4, they passed three times.

I have no problem with that from that situation, because you have to assure, with no TOs, that they get 3 plays, no matter what. They actually had the ball in receivers hands 3 times on passes, but they just couldn't connect.

But, this myth that they have to just run Morris 35 or 40 times a game is getting out of hand. The pass game has to be complementary. And Robert has played 3 very good games in a row. There's no reason to abandon the pass to just run.

because that would make the run less effective.

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

..... But, this myth that they have to just run Morris 35 or 40 times a game is getting out of hand ......

 

Not being facetious man, just genuinely curious as to where you're reading this. Just wondering how I keep missing it if it's 'getting out of hand?'

 

Hail. 

[Voice_of_Reason]

Not being facetious man, just genuinely curious as to where you're reading this. Just wondering how I keep missing it if it's 'getting out of hand?'

 

Hail.

It's constant, in just about every thread. These are some examples. They are not exact quotes, I don't have the time to go through all the threads to attribute them, but they are pretty damn close.

"We don't run Morris enough."

"Morris is getting 5+ yards per carry, why are we passing?"

"We're abandoning the run for a struggling passing game"

"Kyle calls bizarre pass plays when the run is working."

"Kyle just keeps abandoning the run in the second half."

There isn't a thread that goes by where one of these things isn't mentioned. Even if the topic is which cheerleader has the best belly-button (which, btw, I think is Adrianna. I've done extensive research. If you haven't checked her out, I'd do so...), almost every thread ends up with some form of "Morris doesn't get enough touches" or some variation.

Which, over the last multitude of games is just not true. It was true in the first 2 games. But, they were SOOOOOOO Bad in the first half, offensively, defensively and ST wise, that they were down by a million, so that's going to happen. But other than that, in games when it's been competitive, it's just not true.

There are some spots where they might have run instead of passed. But, the idea is to run to set up the pass, and catch the defense in a situation where they are expecting run, and you hit them with the pass.

And Robert, at least for the last month, has been playing very well. So there's no reason not to at least try it.

The only extremely odd thing is that Robert seems to have a bugaboo about hitting open receivers on PA on the first plays of drives, specifically in the second half, but sometimes even in the first halves. I don't know why that is. It's really strange. But I wouldn't stop calling it. I'd keep at it until it starts working. Because guys are getting open, and I'd much prefer that they get that fixed, and start hitting those passes for chunks of yardage, abandon them.

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

Well, interestingly, whilst you didn't clear up the '35-40 times a game' line; you did at least distract me enough to go check out the mysterious Adrianna. 

 

Which I shall now do. 

 

Hail. 

[Voice_of_Reason]

Again, the last few games we've commited to Alfred. Before that, not so much.

Statistics darn statistics.

Hail.

I think the line you're looking for is "Lies, Damn Lies, and Statistics."

So, I almost toss out the Philly and GB game when doing any type of analysis on the offense. Because they were, in my opinion, pre-season games. And the defense was so atrocious, by the end of the first quarter, the game was basically over.

Robert wasn't Robert. He was rusty, looked uncomfortable, didn't seem like he had a lot of confidence. They made up some points in the second halves of games against soft defenses. But, when the games were competitive, they didn't really do much of anything.

Subtract those to anomalies, and the numbers from this year are not drastically different than the numbers from this year. Last year is still better. But not by a ton.

I think one thing that it shows is when the passing game grinds to a halt, so does the running game. If you can't pass and pick up third downs, you have fewer plays, which results in fewer running plays, which results in more passes, which results in more 3-outs, which results in losses.

The two are completely complementary. This team goes the way Robert goes. When he's on, the offense functions well, and Morris can churn out yards. When he's off, the whole thing collapses like a house of cards. Morris and the run-game is very consistent against "normal" coverage. But they can't beat 8-9 man fronts consistently. That's when you see a lot of negative or 0 yard rushes.

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

I think the line you're looking for is "Lies, Damn Lies, and Statistics."

.....

 

I knew what I meant and that's all that matters. So there! 

 

On a different note, Adrianna ..... Yeah, the picture I'm looking at in the shortest of short jorts ..... I'd do her. And as this is a family board, we'll leave it at that. 

 

Hail. 

[Redskins Diehard]

I think the line you're looking for is "Lies, Damn Lies, and Statistics."

So, I almost toss out the Philly and GB game when doing any type of analysis on the offense. Because they were, in my opinion, pre-season games. And the defense was so atrocious, by the end of the first quarter, the game was basically over.

Robert wasn't Robert. He was rusty, looked uncomfortable, didn't seem like he had a lot of confidence. They made up some points in the second halves of games against soft defenses. But, when the games were competitive, they didn't really do much of anything.

Subtract those to anomalies, and the numbers from this year are not drastically different than the numbers from this year. Last year is still better. But not by a ton.

I think one thing that it shows is when the passing game grinds to a halt, so does the running game. If you can't pass and pick up third downs, you have fewer plays, which results in fewer running plays, which results in more passes, which results in more 3-outs, which results in losses.

The two are completely complementary. This team goes the way Robert goes. When he's on, the offense functions well, and Morris can churn out yards. When he's off, the whole thing collapses like a house of cards. Morris and the run-game is very consistent against "normal" coverage. But they can't beat 8-9 man fronts consistently. That's when you see a lot of negative or 0 yard rushes.

I think how "awful" the defense was in the opener is a little overstated.  They gave up one touchdown drive that started on the Philly side of the 50.  Just like the run and pass are complementary so are the "offense/defense/special teams".  

 

I agree that if two things happen a) no threat of pass and letter "b") no threat of Robert picking up even 10-15 on an outside run were to go away then the running of Alfred would suffer.  I also think that if the running of Alfred were to go away then the passing game would suffer. 

[Voice_of_Reason]

I also think that if the running of Alfred were to go away then the passing game would suffer.

I agree. Which is why I said the two things were "completely complimentary."

but I think the focus is more on the QB. It's the more important position.

I do think, however, if Morris was out, the combination of backs they have could eek out enough production in the run game at least to keep defenses honest. Morris is a weapon.

I knew what I meant and that's all that matters. So there! 

 

On a different note, Adrianna ..... Yeah, the picture I'm looking at in the shortest of short jorts ..... I'd do her. And as this is a family board, we'll leave it at that. 

 

Hail.

I didn't say anything about that. but after my extensive research, I do believe that she has the best belly-button on the squad. Maybe that would be a good tailgate thread....

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

.....

I didn't say anything about that...... 

 

You didn't. But I thought it would be remiss of me not to add.  

 

Hail.  

[WFC]

Hopefully this puts the "Morris only had the year he had last year because of Griff" argument to bed forever. Morris is a beast and as far as the OP's question yes I think he has a VERY good chance to get it.

[martytheman]

Hopefully this puts the "Morris only had the year he had last year because of Griff" argument to bed forever. Morris is a beast and as far as the OP's question yes I think he has a VERY good chance to get it.

 

Yeah, I think he's proven that he is the real deal, and his success wasn't based off RG3's running ability.

RG3 has been a shell of his former self both running and passing, and Morris is having an even BETTER year by some statistical categories.