Packer running game: stinks

[gbgary]

ran very effectively today. loved the straight ahead bull-rush type plays.

[pbmax]

Stars last six carries: 55 yards and two first downs. And that includes a -1 yard run where Newhouse fell down while blocking no one.

[Harlan Huckleby]

The line blocked well for running game, at least they sealed off pretty well for Starks to run outside. Starks is pretty good if he can get out of backfield. Grant is quicker getting to hole, but goes down easily.

[woodbuck27]

Since the team is undefeated, you can stand by this conclusion if you don't want to look any deeper. If you are a football fan that watches the games closely, you'll notice the run blocking is shoddy. The best sports writers, such as McGinn & Chrystl, have made this observation. The coaches are perfectly aware that the run game needs work.

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/undefeated-packers-have-imperfections-to-fix-132028948.html

In describing one of those areas - the running game - McCarthy stated that it's not exactly the way it's supposed to look right now.

The running game has been the soft spot in an offense that throws the ball as efficiently as any in the NFL, protects its star quarterback, is tied for the league lead in receptions of 40 or more yards and ranks first in scoring.
The victory over the Rams begged for the Packers to come out in the second half and dominate the game with their running attack. Ahead, 24-3, at halftime, the Packers should have been able to pound away on first and second down against a defense ranked dead last in the NFL in rushing yards allowed.

Instead, their backs gained just 43 yards and three first downs on 14 carries. From his standpoint, offensive coordinator Joe Philbin didn't see his offensive line sustaining blocks and giving Ryan Grant and James Starks much room to run.

"You have to block and break tackles," offensive coordinator Joe Philbin said. "I don't want to say it's all on the offensive linemen and that they're not blocking worth a lick. It's certainly more than that. The run game productivity overall has to get better."
Saying the cause was right tackle Bryan Bulaga playing in his first game back from a knee injury or Marshall Newhouse starting his first game at left tackle would be an excuse because there were breakdowns all over the line.

No kidding? The run game still needs work, the shortcomings have been masked (to the casual or idiot fan) by the success of the pass game.

edit: to be clear, you strike me as a very casual sort of guy. the idiots are other people.

"You have to block and break tackles," offensive coordinator Joe Philbin said.


"I don't want to say it's all on the offensive linemen and that they're not blocking worth a lick. It's certainly more than that. The run game productivity overall has to get better." offensive coordinator Joe Philbin

[woodbuck27]

Then there's this:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/nfl/gameflash/2011/10/23/4496_recap.html#ixzz1bfLCCesI

Rodgers helps Pack stay unbeaten, top Vikes 33-27MINNEAPOLIS (AP) --

Rodgers kept Green Bay unbeaten with three touchdowns and 335 yards passing, holding off Minnesota 33-27 on Sunday.

"There's not a lot of panic in this team. We've been down a couple times at halftime. Just a lot of focus," said Rodgers, who completed his first 13 passes and finished 24 for 30 on another near-unstoppable afternoon against a depleted secondary.

"We expect nothing less," said Greg Jennings , who had seven catches for 147 yards. He jogged in for a 79-yard score on the second play of the second half after an egregiously blown coverage, giving the Packers their first lead at 20-17.


Adrian Peterson helped him out by rushing 24 times for 175 yards and a touchdown for the Vikings (1-6)

but James Starks put the game away with two big gains for first downs before the 2-minute warning and another one right after. He had 75 yards on 13 carries for the Packers (7-0).

"It's frustrating to come out against the defending champs and be that close and not to come up with the win," Peterson said. "Give credit to those guys. They made plays when they needed to, and we ended up on the wrong side of it."

Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/foo...#ixzz1bhJb3rpz

THE PACKERS RE NOW 7 and 0.

"We're the only team in the league that's got that goose egg behind us. We've just got to stay humble and don't get complacent." Jay Fin

NEXT week The Carolina PANTHERS. They should sound SCARY.

[mmmdk]

I expect better running from now on; especially at Lambeau. With that said...passing is the ONLY force that can bring the 5th Lombardi trophy to Green Bay this season.

[Harlan Huckleby]

"Pack can't run to close out a game." Nyah Nyah Nyah!

The Pack finally ran well yesterday, demonstrating that the run game needed to improve. Don't be so hard on the people who said everything is fine, they are still learning.

[ThunderDan]

The Pack finally ran well yesterday, demonstrating that the run game needed to improve. Don't be so hard on the people who said everything is fine, they are still learning.

Really??? The Packers ran well and we won????

Before the last drive we put up 33 points and had 19 rushes for 60 yards or 3.16 ypc. Which is significantly lower than our 3.8 ypc average for the year. Those 19 carries, which were fine, allowed our offensive to be balanced enough to open up our dominant passing attack.

Obviously you don't pay attention to the game. One series does not make your running game, "ran well yesterday."

[Harlan Huckleby]

Starks ran well, Grant had a load in his pants. I thought the line blocked better than in past games.

[Upnorth]

We ran efficently, that is all. Fortunatly that is all we need as well with our passing attack. I would love to see a consistent 4 ypc. If we hit that I dont see how anyone could stop our O short of torential downpour.

[Harlan Huckleby]

I find it kind of boring. Rodgers is so damn good, it doesn't matter if the D or running game are excellent.

Face it, the games last year were more fun when the team was struggling a bit.

[mraynrand]

I find it kind of boring. Rodgers is so damn good, it doesn't matter if the D or running game are excellent.

Face it, the games last year were more fun when the team was struggling a bit.

The game would be much more interesting if the announcers were better than dog excrement. It would have been interesting to see why Finley wasn't getting the ball. Was he being doubled? Were the LBs just that good in coverage? Can you show us some secondary tape? Or, did you notice that AP racked up 175 yards while your were describing the beautiful bouquet of Ponder's anal effluvia? The game was exciting. Aikman made it boring.

[Harlan Huckleby]

The TV presentations are often annoying. They are too busy promoting other network events, or showing scores from other games.

I like the Sunday and Monday night broadcasts because at least it is the only game on, and they take more times for replays and discussions of what's going on in the game at hand.

[Gunakor]

I find it kind of boring. Rodgers is so damn good, it doesn't matter if the D or running game are excellent.

Face it, the games last year were more fun when the team was struggling a bit.

Sorry you aren't entertained. I'm ecstatic. I've never seen a Green Bay team start 7-0 before in my lifetime. Winning is entertaining.

I'd rather watch a boring win than an exciting loss 19 Sundays a year. 19-0 guarantees a ring. 200 rushing yards per game does not. The means to win are not important. Winning itself is the only thing that matters.

[MJZiggy]

Sorry you aren't entertained. I'm ecstatic. I've never seen a Green Bay team start 7-0 before in my lifetime. Winning is entertaining.

I'd rather watch a boring win than an exciting loss 19 Sundays a year. 19-0 guarantees a ring. 200 rushing yards per game does not. The means to win are not important. Winning itself is the only thing that matters.

The means become important when factoring them into deciding the probability of the next win. I want a stronger running game and am happy that Capers is not happy with the defense because it means they will work to improve them by the next game, thus decreasing our chances of getting steamrolled when a team on its own winning tear comes to town.