Bradshaw worried about dropoff in our running game (2 Viewers)

[Caleb462]

if you have a bad defense then you dont want that defense on the field

the best way to keep the defense off the field is to control the ball

the best way to control the ball is to run it.......im just doing basic logical math

a=b and b=c so therefore running the ball keeps the defense off the field

What you are implying (unintentionally I'm sure) is that its better to have possesion of the ball than to score, and that's just silly.

Fact is Time of Possesion was skewed rather heavily in our favor yesterday, despite a lot more passing, so I'm not sure why you are complaining about TOP.

Look, the Saints have been very balanced offensively all year, but there are varying situations and some games you are not going to see balance. That's perfectly okay.

 

[st.randy]

the bye is going to be monumental in the team gettingf their legs back......but I am telling you now....keep watching #30, he could get a lot of play in the next three weeks. He has the ability (depending on his knowledge of the playbook) to make the running game very dangerous.

 

[Caleb462]

games were we didn't win TOP and blew teams out. The whole "TOP, run the ball, keep the D off the field" cliche is something I don't buy into.

Completely agreed. It's traditional football thinking that is rarely ever questioned... its just "accepted knowledge," but how much basis it has in reality is questionable. Decades ago there may have been a lot more truth to it, but it's a passing league these days and the most succesful teams currently are generally the teams with great passing attacks and top-tier QBs.

 

[blue4saints]

Whatever the stats might say I feel like we haven't been as effective on the grounbd since Heath Evans went down.

He was blowing open some big creases and we were getting through the line untouched sometimes.

Seems like I've seen less of that since he's been out.

We were really a machine when Evans was in and the defense was fully healthy.

We can still move the ball and score on anyone but if feels like that little drop off in the run game combined with the injuries on defense has made us a little more vulnerable.

But between Drew AND Sean Payton I have faith that one way or another the offense will be productive. It's down to getting the D tightened up again.

spot on

 

[CantonLegend]

What you are implying (unintentionally I'm sure) is that its better to have possesion of the ball than to score, and that's just silly.

Fact is Time of Possesion was skewed rather heavily in our favor yesterday, despite a lot more passing, so I'm not sure why you are complaining about TOP.

Look, the Saints have been very balanced offensively all year, but there are varying situations and some games you are not going to see balance. That's perfectly okay.

really thats not what i was saying at all but what ive said has been misinterpreted so badly in this thread that its almost useless for me to try and explain it again.....so carry on

 

[st.randy]

really thats not what i was saying at all but what ive said has been misinterpreted so badly in this thread that its almost useless for me to try and explain it again.....so carry on

I got what you were saying. but the running game isn't the only thing that protects your defense. It was obvious vs the falcons that the team was using the short passing game with the running game to close out the clock. the 0-8 yard passes accomplish the same goal as a handoff. The team is utilizing it more (remember we went through the majority of the season with perfect balance in playcalling) because of the nagging injuries to the tailbacks. So when you see the short passes....think of them as handoffs....the saints do. That plan provided the saints with thier longest (clock wise) drive of the season.

Still nothing is more important than third down (run or pass) and it was a fe plays in that area that made the game closer than it should be.