Running Game

[denverYooper]

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.

As would I.

[Smidgeon]

I wouldn't. I doubt teams worried about him taking it the entire length of the field everytime he touched the ball. It wasn't often that he'd break a long one.

His long in 2007 was 66 with a TD and he had 11 runs longer than 10 yards, the only year he ranked in the Top 10.
His long in 2008 was 57 and he only had 6 runs longer than 20 yards.
His long in 2009 was 62 with a TD and he only had 8 runs longer than 20 yards.

In short, he was a homerun threat in 2007 when Favre was playing lights out in his best statistical season post MVP, pre Vikings career. But Grant hasn't been a homerun threat with Rodgers, even though the passing attack is just as lethal (if not more).

Grant is a very good RB, but let's not get carried away here.

[Patler]

I wouldn't. I doubt teams worried about him taking it the entire length of the field everytime he touched the ball. It wasn't often that he'd break a long one.

His long in 2007 was 66 with a TD and he had 11 runs longer than 10 yards, the only year he ranked in the Top 10.
His long in 2008 was 57 and he only had 6 runs longer than 20 yards.
His long in 2009 was 62 with a TD and he only had 8 runs longer than 20 yards.

In short, he was a homerun threat in 2007 when Favre was playing lights out in his best statistical season post MVP, pre Vikings career. But Grant hasn't been a homerun threat with Rodgers, even though the passing attack is just as lethal (if not more).

Grant is a very good RB, but let's not get carried away here.

I guess it depends on what your criteria is for a homerun threat. In 2009, he was #11 (tied) in the league in 20+ yard runs with 8. Adrian Peterson was #2, with just 4 more. In 2008, his 6 with a bad hamstring was still good for #14 in the league, three short of #7. In 2007 his 11 were good for #3 behind Tomlinson with 13 and Willie Parker with 12.

[Patler]

I wouldn't. I doubt teams worried about him taking it the entire length of the field everytime he touched the ball. It wasn't often that he'd break a long one.

His long in 2007 was 66 with a TD and he had 11 runs longer than 10 yards, the only year he ranked in the Top 10.
His long in 2008 was 57 and he only had 6 runs longer than 20 yards.
His long in 2009 was 62 with a TD and he only had 8 runs longer than 20 yards.

In short, he was a homerun threat in 2007 when Favre was playing lights out in his best statistical season post MVP, pre Vikings career. But Grant hasn't been a homerun threat with Rodgers, even though the passing attack is just as lethal (if not more).

Grant is a very good RB, but let's not get carried away here.

I guess it depends on what your criteria is for a homerun threat. In 2009, he was #11 (tied) in the league in 20+ yard runs with 8. Adrian Peterson was #2, with just 4 more. In 2008, his 6 with a bad hamstring was still good for #14 in the league, three short of #7. In 2007 his 11 were good for #3 behind Tomlinson with 13 and Willie Parker with 12.

Looking at it another way, in his career Grant has 25 carries of 20+ yards in 790 attempts, or one every 31.6 carries. That compares favorably with guys like LT who has 85 in 2,936 carries or one every 34.5 carries.

[Smidgeon]

I wouldn't. I doubt teams worried about him taking it the entire length of the field everytime he touched the ball. It wasn't often that he'd break a long one.

His long in 2007 was 66 with a TD and he had 11 runs longer than 10 yards, the only year he ranked in the Top 10.
His long in 2008 was 57 and he only had 6 runs longer than 20 yards.
His long in 2009 was 62 with a TD and he only had 8 runs longer than 20 yards.

In short, he was a homerun threat in 2007 when Favre was playing lights out in his best statistical season post MVP, pre Vikings career. But Grant hasn't been a homerun threat with Rodgers, even though the passing attack is just as lethal (if not more).

Grant is a very good RB, but let's not get carried away here.

I guess it depends on what your criteria is for a homerun threat. In 2009, he was #11 (tied) in the league in 20+ yard runs with 8. Adrian Peterson was #2, with just 4 more. In 2008, his 6 with a bad hamstring was still good for #14 in the league, three short of #7. In 2007 his 11 were good for #3 behind Tomlinson with 13 and Willie Parker with 12.

Looking at it another way, in his career Grant has 25 carries of 20+ yards in 790 attempts, or one every 31.6 carries. That compares favorably with guys like LT who has 85 in 2,936 carries or one every 34.5 carries.

How about in LT's first 790 attempts? Or CJ's first 790 attempts? Or AD's first 790 attempts?

All I'm saying is that in 2008 and 2009, he wasn't the "he could take it to the house anytime he touched the ball" RB. He was the "goes down on first contact" RB. Now, I know that last one is an exaggeration of some magnitude.

[mission]

I wouldn't. I doubt teams worried about him taking it the entire length of the field everytime he touched the ball. It wasn't often that he'd break a long one.

His long in 2007 was 66 with a TD and he had 11 runs longer than 10 yards, the only year he ranked in the Top 10.
His long in 2008 was 57 and he only had 6 runs longer than 20 yards.
His long in 2009 was 62 with a TD and he only had 8 runs longer than 20 yards.

In short, he was a homerun threat in 2007 when Favre was playing lights out in his best statistical season post MVP, pre Vikings career. But Grant hasn't been a homerun threat with Rodgers, even though the passing attack is just as lethal (if not more).

Grant is a very good RB, but let's not get carried away here.

I guess it depends on what your criteria is for a homerun threat. In 2009, he was #11 (tied) in the league in 20+ yard runs with 8. Adrian Peterson was #2, with just 4 more. In 2008, his 6 with a bad hamstring was still good for #14 in the league, three short of #7. In 2007 his 11 were good for #3 behind Tomlinson with 13 and Willie Parker with 12.

Looking at it another way, in his career Grant has 25 carries of 20+ yards in 790 attempts, or one every 31.6 carries. That compares favorably with guys like LT who has 85 in 2,936 carries or one every 34.5 carries.

How about in LT's first 790 attempts? Or CJ's first 790 attempts? Or AD's first 790 attempts?

All I'm saying is that in 2008 and 2009, he wasn't the "he could take it to the house anytime he touched the ball" RB. He was the "goes down on first contact" RB. Now, I know that last one is an exaggeration of some magnitude.

I don't need stats to know Ryan Grant is not the best RB in the league. Don't think anyone's trying to argue that. When the seams are there, however, RG can take it to the house.

[Patler]

How about in LT's first 790 attempts? Or CJ's first 790 attempts? Or AD's first 790 attempts?

All I'm saying is that in 2008 and 2009, he wasn't the "he could take it to the house anytime he touched the ball" RB. He was the "goes down on first contact" RB. Now, I know that last one is an exaggeration of some magnitude.

I didn't make a qualitative judgement as to individuals, just wanted to show how he compares to the rest of the league. I'm not suggesting he is the threat of guys like Peterson or Johnson. But are they the only ones who qualify as "homerun threats"? I don't know what your standard is, but Grant is just as much of a homerun threat as all but just a few others.

By the way, LT had 19 in his first 711 carries and 31 in his first 1024 carries. Both behind Grant percentage wise.

[Smidgeon]

How about in LT's first 790 attempts? Or CJ's first 790 attempts? Or AD's first 790 attempts?

All I'm saying is that in 2008 and 2009, he wasn't the "he could take it to the house anytime he touched the ball" RB. He was the "goes down on first contact" RB. Now, I know that last one is an exaggeration of some magnitude.

I didn't make a qualitative judgement as to individuals, just wanted to show how he compares to the rest of the league. I'm not suggesting he is the threat of guys like Peterson or Johnson. But are they the only ones who qualify as "homerun threats"? I don't know what your standard is, but Grant is just as much of a homerun threat as all but just a few others.

By the way, LT had 19 in his first 711 carries and 31 in his first 1024 carries. Both behind Grant percentage wise.

I guess we'll just chalk it up to our differing definitions of "homerun threat".

[Patler]

I guess we'll just chalk it up to our differing definitions of "homerun threat".

The thing I found quite interesting when looking into it is that 20+ yard runs aren't really all that common. Johnson went nuts last year with 22 of them, and Peterson had 20 the year before, but having about a dozen will put you right near the top. Leaders often have 12-15, and eight or more will usually put you well into the top 10, although for Grant last year it was good for #11 on the list.

It kind of always seemed to me that other teams have backs the rip off 20 yard carries all the time, and the Packers never do. Maybe it's just that other teams do it against the Packers, whether they do at other times or not!

[Smidgeon]

I guess we'll just chalk it up to our differing definitions of "homerun threat".

The thing I found quite interesting when looking into it is that 20+ yard runs aren't really all that common. Johnson went nuts last year with 22 of them, and Peterson had 20 the year before, but having about a dozen will put you right near the top. Leaders often have 12-15, and eight or more will usually put you well into the top 10, although for Grant last year it was good for #11 on the list.

It kind of always seemed to me that other teams have backs the rip off 20 yard carries all the time, and the Packers never do. Maybe it's just that other teams do it against the Packers, whether they do at other times or not!

Yeah, I was thinking about that too. But thankfully, last year and this year RBs haven't been doing much damage to the Packers' defense. Running QBs on the other foot...

Do you have numbers for 20+ yard runs combined with 20+ yards on catches? I was surprised when I found out that Grant's career long reception is less than 30 yards (unless I blanked on something, I think it was 27 yards). I would think a "threat" would be pretty balanced running behind a line vs. running behind a screen. Oh well. Just a curiosity.

[Patler]

Do you have numbers for 20+ yard runs combined with 20+ yards on catches? I was surprised when I found out that Grant's career long reception is less than 30 yards (unless I blanked on something, I think it was 27 yards). I would think a "threat" would be pretty balanced running behind a line vs. running behind a screen. Oh well. Just a curiosity.

The numbers are available if anyone cares to look into it. I'm not sure that it will mean much. This isn't the Packers of Mike Sherman, where screens were a staple of the offense. MM doesn't really use his backs all that much as receivers. How often does he run screens where a back has blockers with him? Besides, Grant is much of a receiver anyway.