Running game struggles (1 Viewer)

[guidry23]

The saints have a total of 1044 rushing yards for the entire season, which is about 95yds per game... which is not that bad

Deuce averages about 60yds per game

Reggie only averages 30yds per game

While people might think that the running game struggles... it is not that bad

If you give all of the carries to one of these guys... we would have a 1000 yard rusher... but i like the splitting of the carries because it keeps both guys fresh down the stretch

The main reason the rushing stats are average.... is because the passing game is insane... Brees can throw the ball to anyone... and he is very very accurate... why would you run the ball if Bress can pick apart defenses

We could run if we want to, and this is how you help the run game... you line up in 2 WR sets... and put Karney in a fullback and use him as the lead blocker in front of Deuce or Reggie... a great deal of the running plays come out of singleback... but it looked like we went more two WR sets last week

If colston and Horn do not play this weekend... look for the two receiver sets and more pounding of the ball

Look for Reggie to end the year with over 1000 yds from scrimmage
Look for Deuce to end the year with over 1000 yds from scrimmage
Look for Brees to end the year with almost 5000 passing yards

 

[kfran]

The saints have a total of 1044 rushing yards for the entire season, which is about 95yds per game... which is not that bad

Deuce averages about 60yds per game

Reggie only averages 30yds per game

While people might think that the running game struggles... it is not that bad

If you give all of the carries to one of these guys... we would have a 1000 yard rusher... but i like the splitting of the carries because it keeps both guys fresh down the stretch

The main reason the rushing stats are average.... is because the passing game is insane... Brees can throw the ball to anyone... and he is very very accurate... why would you run the ball if Bress can pick apart defenses

We could run if we want to, and this is how you help the run game... you line up in 2 WR sets... and put Karney in a fullback and use him as the lead blocker in front of Deuce or Reggie... a great deal of the running plays come out of singleback... but it looked like we went more two WR sets last week

If colston and Horn do not play this weekend... look for the two receiver sets and more pounding of the ball

Look for Reggie to end the year with over 1000 yds from scrimmage
Look for Deuce to end the year with over 1000 yds from scrimmage
Look for Brees to end the year with almost 5000 passing yards

Sorry, guidry, but I have to disagree with you. The reason we'd want to run the ball more, and most importantly, run it more effectively, is because you don't go very far into the post season just on the arm of your QB, not matter how good he is.

Don't get me wrong. I am thrilled with Drew's numbers, but I also know that while it's great for highlight material, we have to get a little more balanced. 42% runs vs. 58% passing is not very balanced.

Conversely, SD is 49% run, 51% passing.

Granted, if teams are stacking the box with 8 man fronts, you take what they give you, but eventually, if your passing game is effective against those 8 man fronts, the D will have to drop a couple of those guys into coverage. That's where the run comes back into play, and that's where we were hurting.

The good news is, I think the days are behind us. As coach Peyton recently said, we got away from what was winning for us: Balance and minimal turnovers. He also said they were making a concerted effort to correct that. This is what you expect from a well coached team.

 

[Burtifus]

I think Peyton is playing to the strength of our team and away from our weaknesses which is what great coaches do. With a light (comparatively speaking) O-Line that struggles run blocking, one RB coming off an ACL, and one still adjusting to the league ... throwing the ball is the most effective and consistent way for us to move the ball down the field.

 

[guidry23]

Sorry, guidry, but I have to disagree with you. The reason we'd want to run the ball more, and most importantly, run it more effectively, is because you don't go very far into the post season just on the arm of your QB, not matter how good he is.

Don't get me wrong. I am thrilled with Drew's numbers, but I also know that while it's great for highlight material, we have to get a little more balanced. 42% runs vs. 58% passing is not very balanced.

Conversely, SD is 49% run, 51% passing.

Granted, if teams are stacking the box with 8 man fronts, you take what they give you, but eventually, if your passing game is effective against those 8 man fronts, the D will have to drop a couple of those guys into coverage. That's where the run comes back into play, and that's where we were hurting.

The good news is, I think the days are behind us. As coach Peyton recently said, we got away from what was winning for us: Balance and minimal turnovers. He also said they were making a concerted effort to correct that. This is what you expect from a well coached team.

Yeah i know we need balance... but you are not going to pound the ball against 8 man fronts... and the run game has been pretty good if the D is not stacking the box

you have to take what the D gives you

Did you see the monday night game when the Patriots came out in five wide the entire game and just shredded the Vikings D... I think that if the saints receivers get healthy we can do that to almost any defense with the way that our line is blocking

Payton is an excellent coach and he knows what works...
but pounding the ball for 2.0yds per carry against 8 man fronts will not get you anywhere

I think we were hurting running the ball early... but we played some tough defenses, i think that the run game is doing fine, but the numbers are not staggering because we only run the ball 30 times per game because defenses take away the run... i hope they keep doing this... because brees is awesome

 

[BoNcHiE]

Sorry, guidry, but I have to disagree with you. The reason we'd want to run the ball more, and most importantly, run it more effectively, is because you don't go very far into the post season just on the arm of your QB, not matter how good he is.

Don't get me wrong. I am thrilled with Drew's numbers, but I also know that while it's great for highlight material, we have to get a little more balanced. 42% runs vs. 58% passing is not very balanced.

Conversely, SD is 49% run, 51% passing.

Granted, if teams are stacking the box with 8 man fronts, you take what they give you, but eventually, if your passing game is effective against those 8 man fronts, the D will have to drop a couple of those guys into coverage. That's where the run comes back into play, and that's where we were hurting.

The good news is, I think the days are behind us. As coach Peyton recently said, we got away from what was winning for us: Balance and minimal turnovers. He also said they were making a concerted effort to correct that. This is what you expect from a well coached team.

Have you ever heard of Tom Brady? You can go deep in the playoffs without a dominant running game. Just have to have the right QB at the helm. They won two superbowls with sub 1000 yard rusher (or just barely over) Antwoine Smith.

 

[kfran]

Yeah i know we need balance... but you are not going to pound the ball against 8 man fronts... and the run game has been pretty good if the D is not stacking the box

you have to take what the D gives you

Did you see the monday night game when the Patriots came out in five wide the entire game and just shredded the Vikings D... I think that if the saints receivers get healthy we can do that to almost any defense with the way that our line is blocking

Payton is an excellent coach and he knows what works...
but pounding the ball for 2.0yds per carry against 8 man fronts will not get you anywhere

I think we were hurting running the ball early... but we played some tough defenses, i think that the run game is doing fine, but the numbers are not staggering because we only run the ball 30 times per game because defenses take away the run... i hope they keep doing this... because brees is awesome

All points well taken, but here's a question for you? Name just one team in the last ten years that has won a SB just having a prolific pasing game?

 

[kfran]

Have you ever heard of Tom Brady? You can go deep in the playoffs without a dominant running game. Just have to have the right QB at the helm. They won two superbowls with sub 1000 yard rusher (or just barely over) Antwoine Smith.

They also had some pretty solid defenses (much better than ours) to go along with Brady, and their O was still more balanced than ours.

By the way, in their first SB victory season (2001), they had a very balanced attack:

482 passing plays, and 473 running. I'd say that's balanced.

Finally, and contrary to what you wrote, in their 2001 SB season, A Smith was an 1157 yd rusher for the season, not a sub 1000 yd rusher as you indicated...

 

[CJL]

why run? just let brees destroy them in the passsing game no one has stopped him yet

 

[Utah Saints]

Man I just have this feeling that Reggie is going to blow up for us at the end of the year and into the playoffs. Wouldnt that be nice

 

[Domeination]

They also had some pretty solid defenses (much better than ours) to go along with Brady, and their O was still more balanced than ours.

By the way, in their first SB victory season (2001), they had a very balanced attack:

482 passing plays, and 473 running. I'd say that's balanced.

Finally, and contrary to what you wrote, in their 2001 SB season, A Smith was an 1157 yd rusher for the season, not a sub 1000 yd rusher as you indicated...

Thank you for providing real facts rather than uninformed opinion.

 

[MamaRoux]

Man I just have this feeling that Reggie is going to blow up for us at the end of the year and into the playoffs. Wouldnt that be nice

What we're seeing is an explosive RB who was used to creating his own yardage getting used to allowing his "O"-Line develop their blocks and THEN! THEN hitting those holes like an F-14 Tomcat with the afterburners all aglow, leaving would be tacklers wondering where their angle went!!!!!


So, if you were to ask me, I'd say, a rehabing RB who is looking as strong as ever and then a "rocket" ready to launch getting his groove on late in the season as pluses all the way around! Talk about take what is given! If Defenses are worried about DEUCE and Reggie and have been stacking against the run, Drew has blown them up and at some point has just GOT to get those 8man stacks to start backing up and trying to force us to RUN!!!!! HaHa! Can you IMAGINE? The SAINTS "FORCED" to RUN the ball?

If that's the case, I can't wait to see the kind of yardage those two finish the season with! If we were weak at the RB position I could see Defensive stategies taking away Drew's WR's working HOWEVER, we've got #26 & #25 !!!!!!!! Look out League! "The SAINTS ARE COMNG"!!!!!!!!!!

 

[MJ in Calif]

I think the Saints are developing an identity on offense and that identity is the pass. They are becoming, or already are a passing team. There's nothing really wrong with that as many teams have won it that way; the Rams in 1999 did it as well as the Raiders in 2002 (of course they didn't win the super bowl). Of course you'd like to have balance with the run but I don't think it's a prerequisite especially if opposing defenses are stacking the box and daring you to throw. There will be a game when the running game breaks out. I'm not worried about that. I just hope they keep the turnovers and mistakes to a minimum. Running or passing, whatever it takes to win is all I care about. And I agree, 95 yard/game is not that bad of an average.

 

[tdbush25]

I don't think ithe running game was struggling in the games before the Falcon one, but I think we just had to abandon the run because we were behind most of the game. I have a strong feeling we will see more of Deuce in these upcoming weeks...

 

[kfran]

Thank you for providing real facts rather than uninformed opinion.

I try to be accurate when I'm arguing a point, Joseph. There is a time for opinion based answers, and a time where an answer should be backed up with documentation.

 

[guidry23]

1157yds for the entire season... is subpar that is not that good at all... that is an average of 72.3yds per game... that is not a dynamite run game... if you think that 72 yds rushing per game is makes the team balanced... then the saints are very balanced