"Run Game Never Hits Ground"

[Harlan Huckleby]

we can start grading Morency after the bye week, he will be as healthy as he's going to be then.

[pack4to84]

the thing i don't like about Morency is he seems to go down too easy. On a few of his runs he got 3 yards and went down with minimal contact. I was upset he had a hole for a change and went down with a bump not even arm contact just a bump from a DL.

[Harlan Huckleby]

the thing i don't like about Morency is he seems to go down too easy.

ya, he's a third down back. Same as Jackson.

It will be interesting to see whether Jackson can pass-up Morency on the depth chart next year. Players often make a big jump after their first year, but nothing is for certain.

[RashanGary]

In any order:

Coaching instability with losing Jags and maybe not replacing him adiquately

Players who are more finesse than nasty

RB's who are below average


It all comes together to equal the worste running team in the NFL.

[LEWCWA]

I really don't think McCarthy gave this team a chance to run the ball yesterday. You don't have to force the run, but damn you gotta call more than 12 or 13 run plays. I'm not counting the run plays at the end of the game, as they were clock management calls!

[Carolina_Packer]

I really don't think McCarthy gave this team a chance to run the ball yesterday. You don't have to force the run, but damn you gotta call more than 12 or 13 run plays. I'm not counting the run plays at the end of the game, as they were clock management calls!

Combine this comment with JH's comment about nastiness (can we extrapolate and say toughness?), I think DeShawn Wynn can become that. We're just in a hurry for him to grow up. Not fair to him, he's learning as fast as he can. Still, I put this predicament on TT for not trying to get some kind of veteran stop-gap measure at RB, even if our current crop of RB's out-performed whoever they brought in, that's the hope anyway. If not, at least you have a guy who can help get the job done in the short term. We are asking a lot of the relative level of experience we have, and the stature of our current backs like Morency and Jackson.

[Bossman641]

I really don't think McCarthy gave this team a chance to run the ball yesterday. You don't have to force the run, but damn you gotta call more than 12 or 13 run plays. I'm not counting the run plays at the end of the game, as they were clock management calls!

Agreed.

When the other team sits their safeties 20 yards off the line and you come out passing on 8 outta 9 first down plays the RB's are never really given a chance. It's one thing to be stubborn with the run, it's another thing to not even try.

IMO, MM gives up on the run way too early. Unless there is early success (CHI game) the running game becomes an afterthought. I'm not saying we need to bang our heads against a brick wall trying to run, but there needs to be more first down runs. The big pass to Lee came off play action on first down. We need more first down runs to set those up.

[RashanGary]

I really don't think McCarthy gave this team a chance to run the ball yesterday. You don't have to force the run, but damn you gotta call more than 12 or 13 run plays. I'm not counting the run plays at the end of the game, as they were clock management calls!

Guess what? They suck at running the ball. If he had called more, he would have failed and there would be a huge thread about MM banging his head against the wall with something that doesn't work.

They really are that bad. It's not just not calling enough plays. It's a complete failure and MM Doing what he has to do in spite of it.

[Partial]

Collins I think you are jumping the gun. I don't think they're as bad as you think.

[Bretsky]

I really don't think McCarthy gave this team a chance to run the ball yesterday. You don't have to force the run, but damn you gotta call more than 12 or 13 run plays. I'm not counting the run plays at the end of the game, as they were clock management calls!

Guess what? They suck at running the ball. If he had called more, he would have failed and there would be a huge thread about MM banging his head against the wall with something that doesn't work.

They really are that bad. It's not just not calling enough plays. It's a complete failure and MM Doing what he has to do in spite of it.

Exactly. We suck at running the ball. It takes a strong coach to game plan around that and MM is that. Passing, good specials, and a strong defense. That is how we will win games.

I use to think Minnesota running game was quite strong because people game played around Moss. Even if GB had signed Moss, I still don't think our running game would be competent. Minnesota at least had Robert Smith at the time.

Our OL is weak at the points of attack. The young guys are not strong enough to get a push, and the older veterans strengths do not conincide with the type of offense we are running.

And IMO we still don't have a RB who can carry the load on our roster.

[Bretsky]

Collins I think you are jumping the gun. I don't think they're as bad as you think.

I'd like to point out that I completely agree with Justin Harrell

[b bulldog]

How can anyone not agree with the obvious

[Partial]

I think it will continue to be serviceable by virtue of the passing game being good. By keeping people back to cover the receivers, it will open up the running game. Now the question is will MM run the ball often? The key is commitment.

[Joemailman]

What will happen at Denver? Denver has the #32 run defense, giving up 187 YPG, and 5.2 YPC. Packers have the #32 rushing offense, averaging 67 YPG and 3.3 YPC. Should be a classic struggle.

[4and12to12and4]

I cannot believe we are second guessing MM's playcalling. I am estatic that we have a coach that isn't stubborn running the ball every 1st down (like Sherman) and I love that he does mix it up enough that I can never say for sure what play is coming. I swear, every time I think they are gonna run they pass and many times I figure they are for sure gonna pass, he'll sneak a run in there. The key to this offense is getting 5 to 7 yards on 1st down so that we can either run or pass on second down. We are good enough to do that against most teams with the pass game. It just so happens, we've played the Eagles, Chargers, Bears, and Redskins. Give me a break. The fact that we even won 3 of those 4 games is a miracle and is BECAUSE MM is smart enough to use the strengths we have on offense. If he would've been more conventional and ran 35 times, we would be 1-5 right now. His innovative playcalling is why we have a winning team. My god, people, we had a make-shift offensive line yesterday, as if it wasn't bad enough with Wells and Coston in there. This line still hasn't figured out this damn scheme we're running, and I'm starting to wonder if we should switch back to a more conventional scheme. Maybe our guys just aren't fit for it. I know our tackles who used to be so good have been less than average in the run since this system has been put in place. But to try to run yesterday with Morency just back still not 100%, and a rookie as your other back, and a backup center and guard, give me a break. MM isn't an idiot. We would have failed. Yes, we went 1,2,3, out at least 6 times anyways, so looking back we might as well tried it, but, if not for officiating, we win this game 31-14.

I look at us kind of like Indy last year. Everyone said they couldn't win the Superbowl because they couldn't stop the run. Then, when the playoffs started, they stopped the run and their defense came together with an attitude and did it. So, get our o-line and rb's healthy and by the end of the year, we could get this ONE issue taken care of. If we do, we will truly be a team to be reckoned with. But for now, Jackson was just getting his feet wet and he got injured, Morency hasn't been healthy, and now Wells and Coston are injured. Guess what? MM is still playcalling winning games, and if our RB's get healthy and get some games in with the SAME o-line in there, we should start running much better. The good thing is this. If we end up in the playoffs against a team that has a great run defense, at least we are gaining experience in how to win without the run. This could actually be a good thing.