Running Game

[3irty1]

Grant is hurt, we missed out on Lynch, Jackson leaves tons of yards on the field, Nance is a total unknown and Kuhn, a FB, is our best runner. What are we going to do?

Actually I'm not so sure that if Grant were still healthy he'd be having much more success than Pack of scrubs we've got. The running game always takes off slowly for McCarthy, this has been observed. I think I know why.

McCarthy's offense is a multiples offense. He said it himself in his recent press conferences that we've got enough looks, formations, plays, and wrinkles to play a triple header. He's always changed the offense multiple times a season, things come and go. In his scheme having no identity is his identity. Its the Seinfeld of the NFL. Teams like the Colts instead practice a relatively few plays and master them, thinking that if they can just execute perfectly all the time, nobody will be able to stop it. At nearly every level of football this mentality is at the heart of the offense but not ours. An entire offense can be built off of a single running play. Just one play that you are committed to being awesome at, gets you a sure fire 2 or 3 yards, but can also go for more. A play that every defender will be forced to prepare for and every defensive coordinator will start with that play when game planning. Every year it takes us a few weeks to find a play like this. It used to be an outside zone, then an inside zone. So far this year nothing has worked consistently but with reps I think we'll find it even without Lynch.

[pittstang5]

Interesting take...makes sense.

However, concerning the running game, I don't understand how every year the O-line play is bad early on, then all of a sudden a light clicks on and they play decently the rest of the season.

[3irty1]

Interesting take...makes sense.

However, concerning the running game, I don't understand how every year the O-line play is bad early on, then all of a sudden a light clicks on and they play decently the rest of the season.

Like I said I think its just reps. The key to running the football is to get everyone on the same page with reps. When TC opens up we've got a million things to show the rookies instead of just practicing, practicing, practicing a single running play until its completely mastered.

Example: Vince Lombardi's one running play would be the power sweep:


Vince was quoted: "There can never be enough emphasis on repetition. I want my players to be able to run this sweep in their sleep. If we call the sweep twenty times, I'll expect it to work twenty times...not eighteen, not nineteen. We do it often enough in practice so that no excuse can exist for screwing it up."

Another example is the power-o play which is a basic building block of many college offenses and is implemented in some way by every pro offense there is.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xm7YRQ2w6OI&feature=player_embedded

So to rehash, I think the reason we start out slow is because we don't automatically have our good running play. It changes year to year where as in some circles, players come and go but the one play remains the same. There is no reason to change it as the idea is to execute so perfectly that it will work 10/10 times even if a defense is expecting it. My point is that when it comes to running the ball, its better to have one play and practice it a million times than to have a million plays and practice them all once.

[Sparkey]

Interesting take...makes sense.

However, concerning the running game, I don't understand how every year the O-line play is bad early on, then all of a sudden a light clicks on and they play decently the rest of the season.

Well, if they dont practice cut blocking against their own dline (wouldn't want them to get hurt) then it makes sense that it takes 5-6 games for the run game to start to click as they basically practice real cut blocks during the reg season.

[Badgerinmaine]

It's true that the Lombardi-era Packers were able to have a phenomenal running game with a very limited playbook. The defenses are so much more sophisticated now than they were then, though.
"We get a seal HERE and a seal HERE and we run this play in the ALLEY"--V.L.

[packerbacker1234]

It's true that the Lombardi-era Packers were able to have a phenomenal running game with a very limited playbook. The defenses are so much more sophisticated now than they were then, though.
"We get a seal HERE and a seal HERE and we run this play in the ALLEY"--V.L.

make it as complex as you want - it's 11 on 11. If the offense executes the play, it will work every time.

[ThunderDan]

It's true that the Lombardi-era Packers were able to have a phenomenal running game with a very limited playbook. The defenses are so much more sophisticated now than they were then, though.
"We get a seal HERE and a seal HERE and we run this play in the ALLEY"--V.L.

make it as complex as you want - it's 11 on 11. If the offense executes the play, it will work every time.

Really....who blocks the free defensive player? Who blocks the player assigned to the QB or does the QB have to hustle down the field on a play to make a block? If the D knew what play the O was running it would be shut down 98% of the time. Execution be damned.

[3irty1]

It's true that the Lombardi-era Packers were able to have a phenomenal running game with a very limited playbook. The defenses are so much more sophisticated now than they were then, though.
"We get a seal HERE and a seal HERE and we run this play in the ALLEY"--V.L.

make it as complex as you want - it's 11 on 11. If the offense executes the play, it will work every time.

Really....who blocks the free defensive player? Who blocks the player assigned to the QB or does the QB have to hustle down the field on a play to make a block? If the D knew what play the O was running it would be shut down 98% of the time. Execution be damned.

Which is exactly why its important to have a go to play, so that the defense has to cheat on it and open up other opportunities. Being able to just take yards on a bread and butter play or group of plays is just as common now as it was in VL's era. I'd argue that a vast amount of reps are even more important in mastering a zbs play since there are so many added variables. As a lineman its not even in stone who you'll be blocking.

[denverYooper]

I think we all know the go-to play this year will be the fullback dive.

[ThunderDan]

It's true that the Lombardi-era Packers were able to have a phenomenal running game with a very limited playbook. The defenses are so much more sophisticated now than they were then, though.
"We get a seal HERE and a seal HERE and we run this play in the ALLEY"--V.L.

make it as complex as you want - it's 11 on 11. If the offense executes the play, it will work every time.

Really....who blocks the free defensive player? Who blocks the player assigned to the QB or does the QB have to hustle down the field on a play to make a block? If the D knew what play the O was running it would be shut down 98% of the time. Execution be damned.

Which is exactly why its important to have a go to play, so that the defense has to cheat on it and open up other opportunities. Being able to just take yards on a bread and butter play or group of plays is just as common now as it was in VL's era. I'd argue that a vast amount of reps are even more important in mastering a zbs play since there are so many added variables. As a lineman its not even in stone who you'll be blocking.

The ability of the offense to run multiple plays out of the same set is what gives the offense the advantage. Like the PA pass to Lee at the end of the game.

Being able to execute is extremely important but a D that knows what is coming has a huge advantage over the O.

[superfan]

I think we all know the go-to play this year will be the fullback dive.

And in long yardage situations, i.e. 3rd and 18, there is always the tried and true RB dumpoff pass. Always good for a 6-8 yard gain, bank on it.

Between those two plays we've got short and long yardage covered. We should be offensive coordinators.

[rbaloha1]

Lack of homerun threat is hurting the running game.

[Smidgeon]

Lack of homerun threat is hurting the running game.

So was Grant a homerun threat?

[denverYooper]

Lack of homerun threat is hurting the running game.

So was Grant a homerun threat?

Not until he got injured .

[Freak Out]

Lack of homerun threat is hurting the running game.

So was Grant a homerun threat?

Not until he got injured .

Grant has had some long runs in his time in GB.....I'd call him a HR threat.