Great article on insider

[Tyrone Bigguns]

I don't think any of our RBs are better than average (Jackson included), but you don't need a special RB to win. However, it would help if our OL played better. After 3 games, we've complained about the OL since we implemented the zone scheme. Hopefully, we improve like the last few years. I'm getting tired of it though.

Ty would agree.

The real question is how many non "special" players can you have and still win?

For Ty, and I think yourself and others, we recognize that you don't have to have a great LT...thus a false argument is made when some talk about us not having a great player at that position.

But, can we win (and at what level) with average rbs, avg linemen (not all, but some), etc?

[vince]

I don't think any of our RBs are better than average (Jackson included), but you don't need a special RB to win. However, it would help if our OL played better. After 3 games, we've complained about the OL since we implemented the zone scheme. Hopefully, we improve like the last few years. I'm getting tired of it though.

Ty would agree.

The real question is how many non "special" players can you have and still win?

For Ty, and I think yourself and others, we recognize that you don't have to have a great LT...thus a false argument is made when some talk about us not having a great player at that position.

But, can we win (and at what level) with average rbs, avg linemen (not all, but some), etc?

The answer to that question depends on how many weaknesses your team has. You may have a lot of "special" players and not win because you can't stop the run or are in a position where you have to play a liability in the defensive backfield who is regularly attacked and beaten. Likewise, a team may have few "special" players (who are only thought of as special after team success brings them accolades) but is solid in all aspects of the game, and that team will win a lot of games.

Super Bowl winning teams have some special talents, but they must first have few or no weaknesses that get exploited in any aspect of the game. Also, you noted that the dfference in talent between Grant and a guy like Stephen Davis is significant, but the difference in actual production is far less than the talent difference creates the perception of among most fans.

Grant is a solid one-cut-and-go-north runner with good size and speed, and that is what the zone system accentuates.

[sharpe1027]

When Grant was doing well, he was taking a slight hesitation about 2 yards behind the O-line and then making a decision. I don't see that now, he is often just putting his head down and going where the play is called.

I have a guess that the poor line play goes hand-in-hand with Grant's lack of vision/cut backs this year. When defensive players are consistently shooting into the backfield because of blown blocks, wouldn't a natural response be for the RB to hit the hole faster to avoid big losses and to get what he can out of each play? If, on the other hand, the RB trusts the entire line to at least do an adequate job, he can be a little more patient and let things develop in front of him. I can't know what Grant is thinking, but it seems to make some sense.