NFC North running backs.

[Harlan Huckleby]

AP and Forte are clearly the class of the division. After watching the Lions Best in a couple games, that guy is quicker than either Starks or Grant. Plus the Lions have that rookie RB on IR, what's his name.

It's a QB league - a great RB is hardly that much more valuable than a good one. Still, its odd for Titletown to not have a class RB. I like Starks a lot, not sure he will be fast enough to be elite, we'll see.

[RashanGary]

Alex Green baby!

Best big back in the draft.

[Upnorth]

I hope you are right Harrell because we are definatly in the lower half of running back talent in our division.

[RashanGary]

I hope you are right Harrell because we are definatly in the lower half of running back talent in our division.

The nice thing about the Grant/Starks duo is they both have good size and they're both mostly no non-sense. We don't need a lot of yards out of our backs. We just need 3 or 4 yards consistently to keep AR is in good down and distances. Our guys do that. Star RB's are nice, but our offense just needs steady.

Green is going to be a cool fit when he gets in. The 4 wide, AR in shotgun with Green as the back package is looking fun.

Jennings and Nelson wide. Finley and Cobb in the slot. Green as RB. . . . That's about as wide open as it gets.

[Pugger]

AP and Forte are clearly the class of the division. After watching the Lions Best in a couple games, that guy is quicker than either Starks or Grant. Plus the Lions have that rookie RB on IR, what's his name.

It's a QB league - a great RB is hardly that much more valuable than a good one. Still, its odd for Titletown to not have a class RB. I like Starks a lot, not sure he will be fast enough to be elite, we'll see.

We don't need him or Grant to be elite. We need them both to get enough yards to keep defenses honest. It would be nice to have a back that can convert 3rd and short tho...

[vince]

The nice thing about the Grant/Starks duo is they both have good size and they're both mostly no non-sense. We don't need a lot of yards out of our backs. We just need 3 or 4 yards consistently to keep AR is in good down and distances. Our guys do that. Star RB's are nice, but our offense just needs steady.

Green is going to be a cool fit when he gets in. The 4 wide, AR in shotgun with Green as the back package is looking fun.

Jennings and Nelson wide. Finley and Cobb in the slot. Green as RB. . . . That's about as wide open as it gets.
This. The Packers' running game has been a big asset to Rodgers this year, which is exactly what it needs to be. Games are won through the air.

[Fritz]

The only yards Forte could find on the ground against Detroit came when he bounced outside. Which Packer RB is best suited to doing that?

[vince]

The only yards Forte could find on the ground against Detroit came when he bounced outside. Which Packer RB is best suited to doing that?
I think Starks is very good getting to the outside. That's been his bread and butter so far this year. He showed good vision and cut-back ability between the tackles in preseason but that seems to have left him lately. His yards seem to have come mostly from bouncing out and running hard on the frontside of the play.

[ThunderDan]

The nice thing about the Grant/Starks duo is they both have good size and they're both mostly no non-sense. We don't need a lot of yards out of our backs. We just need 3 or 4 yards consistently to keep AR is in good down and distances. Our guys do that. Star RB's are nice, but our offense just needs steady.

Green is going to be a cool fit when he gets in. The 4 wide, AR in shotgun with Green as the back package is looking fun.

Jennings and Nelson wide. Finley and Cobb in the slot. Green as RB. . . . That's about as wide open as it gets.


The other issue is we don't have to break the bank to pay a RB like MINN did. That is not going to allow them to keep talent somewhere else on their roster. If our offense is geared for the pass I would rather spend the money on Jennings, Finley, LT than on our RBs.

[ND72]

I really like our stable of backs. Starks & Grant are starting to show a nice 1/2 punch. Does anyone have rushing statistics for the season just to see where the numbers are? Green is showing to be a beast out of the backfield on passing downs, which I love. He's a bigger, faster back than Jackson was...I just worry about pass protection, which Jackson was amazing at.

[sheepshead]

Actually I wonder if an 'elite' RB would want to play here. In the same vain would we want to pay an 'elite' RB under this system with this personnel? We get 75-100 yards a game on the ground? We're golden.

[ND72]

Rushing Rk Team G Att Att/G Yds Avg Yds/G TD
2 Minnesota Vikings 5 149 29.8 800 5.4 160.0 7
9 Chicago Bears 5 107 21.4 507 4.7 101.4 2
10 Green Bay Packers 5 125 25.0 495 4.0 99.0 5
12 Detroit Lions 5 121 24.2 479 4.0 95.8 3

[KYPack]

I like all 3 of 'em. Green (like the name) will be a valuable tool once he gets acclimated. He is woeful on pass pro, but so was Starks when he started.

Vic Ketchman had an interesting point at the GB site:

Quote on

Through five weeks, the NFL average for rushing attempts is 126.4 per team. The Packers have run the ball 125 times. The NFL average for passing attempts is 168.4. The Packers have thrown the ball 181 times. That means the Packers are throwing the ball 59 percent of the time, which doesn’t take into account the times Aaron Rodgers has scrambled out of pass formation. A team that throws the ball 59 percent of the time is clearly a passing team.
Quote off

Hardly an earthshattering point to a Packer fan but...

We are an outdoor team that is virtually unbeatable in dome, where all our weapons can be unleashed.

[pbmax]

Actually I wonder if an 'elite' RB would want to play here. In the same vain would we want to pay an 'elite' RB under this system with this personnel? We get 75-100 yards a game on the ground? We're golden.

Depends on the back. It worked for Marshall Faulk.

[sheepshead]

Depends on the back. It worked for Marshall Faulk.

yup!

[Harlan Huckleby]

The elite backs seem to make only a little difference in their teams success.

I agree that the current stable of GB backs is fine, it would be nice to see one of them become an exciting player if only for fan interest.

The back I couldn't remember who the Lions have in wings is Mikel Leshoure from Illinois. He was a great college back.

Forte in Chicago reminds me of Michael Westbrook during his best years in Philly.

[mraynrand]

The only yards Forte could find on the ground against Detroit came when he bounced outside. Which Packer RB is best suited to doing that?

I'm going to have to go ahead and sort of disagree with you there. Forte seemed to do well running wide of the tackles, but inside the ends, particularly when they - the DEs - were lined up pretty far outside. Double Suh and wall him off whichever direction you want to go, and give the outside rush to that DE. There will be a gap there, and you have to account for the LB, but that's how the Packers will get yards running. Unless Green can get the edge - because both Grant and the Stark plug struggle getting outside quickly.

[mraynrand]

Forte in Chicago reminds me of Michael Westbrook during his best years in Philly.

Interesting comparison. Westbrook was more dynamic and quick, in my memory, but the numbers are really close - Forte is getting the 9 yard/catch average that Westbrook had, and may be even be a stronger runner, even though he gets a lower average because the Bear's O-line and receivers suck. LeSean McCoy reminds me of Westbrook too - I wonder why?

[pbmax]

Interesting comparison. Westbrook was more dynamic and quick, in my memory, but the numbers are really close - Forte is getting the 9 yard/catch average that Westbrook had, and may be even be a stronger runner, even though he gets a lower average because the Bear's O-line and receivers suck. LeSean McCoy reminds me of Westbrook too - I wonder why?

Charlie Garner in this group perhaps?

[RashanGary]

We are an outdoor team that is virtually unbeatable in dome, where all our weapons can be unleashed.


That has been the case, and as far as being dynamite on turf, I think that will stay. But this year, Grant and Starks are both that no nonsense, mudder type running back. We have two of them. We have a young, ascending OL. This might be a different year with that.


And I still can't wait to see the 4-wide shotgun formation with Green in the backfield!

[Fritz]

I'm going to have to go ahead and sort of disagree with you there. Forte seemed to do well running wide of the tackles, but inside the ends, particularly when they - the DEs - were lined up pretty far outside. Double Suh and wall him off whichever direction you want to go, and give the outside rush to that DE. There will be a gap there, and you have to account for the LB, but that's how the Packers will get yards running. Unless Green can get the edge - because both Grant and the Stark plug struggle getting outside quickly.

My first reaction to your post was to claim authority in this dispute because I was at the game. But then I remembered that I had about seven beers that night.

[Upnorth]

As mentioned before we don't need a homerun hitter, just a steady 3 - 4 yrds and a consistant short yardage back. We kind of have the first, but who can we count on to get the first from 2 yrds or less on third down? I don't remeber seeing much sucsess this year in that situation.