RB Poll Question - post Giants

[FritzDontBlitz]

i picked wynn on draft day to be tt's genius pick.

not pattin myself on the back, though...

i'll wait until he makes the all-rookie team.

[MJZiggy]

i picked wynn on draft day to be tt's genius pick.

not pattin myself on the back, though...

i'll wait until he makes the all-rookie team.

So next week then...

[Freak Out]

I agree with what you're saying about Jackson. He's not nifty. He's not strong. He's not fast.


He's got a little something about him that makes you think he can be a runner, but he seems more like a career #2. Maybe a really good #2 but I don't like him as a 1st down back.

TT drafted a career #2 in the second round? TT would never do such a thing. We have seen him play a few games with a line that has under performed...it's not like anyone else is tearing it up like the next coming of....? Levens?

[Noodle]

I like the potential tandem of Jackson and Wynn, but no way can you really crack on Jackson. The run blocking was just pathetic. No drive, no sealing the back side, no creases, nothing.

We can't expect any human, even Favre, to keep repeating the kind of accuracy and precision short passing that No. 4 displayed today. Favre was critical in maintaining ball control, but he's going to need some help. At this point, I really don't think it's the backs. Maybe we should have burned a No. 1 pick on a stud OL.

[Harlan Huckleby]

I like the potential tandem of Jackson and Wynn, but no way can you really crack on Jackson.

It will take until midseason to sort-out the top 2 backs. The only guy we've seen enough of to make an evaluation on is Jackson.

My guess is the top two will be Wynn & Morrency. But Grant could be the best of the bunch for all we know.

I think it adds a bit of drama and interest to the beginning of the season to have this ongoing horse race among the four contenders. I suppose McCarthy could live without the drama.

[Carolina_Packer]

So, help refresh my memory. The late season surge (hey, we've won 6 in a row, come to think of it) of last year; how did the O-line do then? Did they look like they were gelling (and I'm not trying to do the Dr. Scholl's ad on you)?

If so, how could they have regressed so badly? Is it scheme or is it the talent/inexperience?

[HarveyWallbangers]

Not really. We struggled in the run game, and had solid pass protection--albeit with an extra blocker more times than usual. I'm disappointed in the run blocking. I expected better. The defense has been about what I expected--maybe better considering the opposition. Special teams have been better. The passing game is about what I expected. However, the run blocking has been horrible.

I keep thinking back to how much we struggled early last season. I hope this isn't a case of our OL working into form with the ZBS every year. For this year, I hope that's the case, but if it's going to take weeks before we are hitting on all cylinders every year, then it may have to go.

[Badgepack]

Our best running game is the short passing attack, if that makes any sense.

[Noodle]

Short passing = running game does make sense, but it will be harder to pull off against a team with quicker LBs and safeties than the Giants.

The Pack's 3rd down efficiency was something around 55% today (wow!), and the vast majority of those (maybe every one) came on throws. We were throwing on 3rd and 3, 3rd and 2. It worked, but you can't expect anybody, even Favre, to be as consistently accurate as he was today.

But that's another day. Today was just a great game by Favre and a great win for the team.

[MadtownPacker]

As long as they keep calling rushing plays around 30 times a game, the running game will improve every Sunday.

M3 sticking to the run seems to be the key. Even when the run game is stalling he has stuck with it and kept a good balance.

[The Leaper]

M3 sticking to the run seems to be the key. Even when the run game is stalling he has stuck with it and kept a good balance.

It would prove costly to maintain balance next week. As the Patriots clearly showed last night, the way to beat SD is to take to the air early and often and build a lead...because SD is a tough team to play from behind against.

Pats first drive...all pass plays, no runs...seven easy points.

If McCarthy tries to run at all against SD, the Packers will lose.

[Carolina_Packer]

Since this is the one of the running back threads going that's getting a lot of play, I was wondering if anyone knew Morency's status? Some had him coming back against the G-men, but obviously he didn't play. When do you think we'll see him take the field, and beyond that, how many weeks (if at all) do you think it will take for him to contribute in an impactful way to the offense?

[Harlan Huckleby]

I'm gonna take a wild guess and say he will return this week but not play much. and won't be back in form for three more weeks.

[RashanGary]

I just watched the 1st half of the game again and I'm going to watch the 2nd half tonight probably.

Anyway, upon further examination, Jackson wasn't that bad. I think he was met in the backfield twice for -5 each. That would bring his average down a little. I do think he ran worse in the 2nd half though. He seemed pretty decisive in the 1st half. It was the 2nd half that he pussy footed up to the line.

The thing that impressed me about Jackson was his knack for picking up extra yards in the open field. He had the ball a couple times in the flat and he would get 3 yards with a clever jive step and lunge. Wynn looked OK in the open field, but Jackson seemed a little better in that department.

Overall, when holes where there, Jackson hit them. He had a couiple nice 5 yd and 8 yd runs.

The line improved from last weeks pathetic showing, but they need to continue to get better. Hopefully we can be an average running team by the bye week.


A good STs, a really good defense, a good passing game and an average running game gets you in the NFC playoffs handily and might win the North. I don't see the running game ever being a strength this year, but you can see them being a missed block here or a bad cut there away from being average.

[Noodle]

Interesting analysis, JH, and I agree. I think those early stuffs you identified were a big reason Jackson was a little more indecisive as the game went on. And that's my biggest worry with the run game.

The OL is so damn bad, our young 'uns aren't going to develop the confidence to cut and go. They're going to get bad habits, hesitate to hit creases because they close so quickly, and "sense" a breakdown even if the backside is clean. An experienced back would know how to weather the storm, but these kids are just getting started. I want them to get some swagger, but instead they're going to get shell-shocked.