Run game?

[thecore762]

Run game?

I know we played the Jets today but we cannot abandon the run game! We need to run more, we cannot have Brady throw 90% of the times...we need to bring back balance to our offense. If we run then the pass rush would slow down.

I am hoping to get Marcus Cannon back, he would help our run game greatly!

 

[Concussion Protocol]

You know what slows a pass rush down even more? Being forced to rush the passer every play for 40+ plays. The Jets had "balance" in terms of run/pass attempts and all it got them were a million 3rd & longs.

 

[Deflatemyballs]

I know we played the Jets today but we cannot abandon the run game! We need to run more, we cannot have Brady throw 90% of the times...we need to bring back balance to our offense. If we run then the pass rush would slow down.

I am hoping to get Marcus Cannon back, he would help our run game greatly!

Running just to be able to say we have a "balanced" offense is the most overrated, useless football cliche out there. When you know you have a very tough matchup(run blocking vs jets d line) you do your best to avoid that matchup as much as possible. beating your head against the wall repeatedly does nothing positive.

 

[moejr]

Running really wasn't an option against this Jets D

 

[Bobsyouruncle]

Running just to be able to say we have a "balanced" offense is the most overrated, useless football cliche out there. When you know you have a very tough matchup(run blocking vs jets d line) you do your best to avoid that matchup as much as possible. beating your head against the wall repeatedly does nothing positive.

Bowles tried it to the tune of 2.5ypc. And I don't think it helped.

 

[rochrist]

I know we played the Jets today but we cannot abandon the run game! We need to run more, we cannot have Brady throw 90% of the times...we need to bring back balance to our offense. If we run then the pass rush would slow down.

I am hoping to get Marcus Cannon back, he would help our run game greatly!

No RBs, the only vet on the OL playing out of position, a line playing two rookies, one of whom was an UDFA, and you want them to run.

I'm glad Bill runs things and they gameplan according to who their playing and who they have available to play rather than a kneejerk (and likely futile) attempt to have 'balance'.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

It takes a lot of a D when you pass for 50

 

[Double TE]

I think once the OL is healthier and the backs are healthy you will see more of a run game and I do think it helps a lot in cold weather. Stork and Cannons returns will boost it. Same with Lewis.

The Jets DL looked fat to me and not super athletic.

 

[BobDigital]

Running games always have been and always will be overrated. If you can win running then you are flat out embarrassing a team.

The reason running is usually important is to protect your QB and to not let the offense become too predictable. If you have a good QB though it does not matter.

The fact is running is inherently a less efficient play than passing. It really only makes sense in certain situations and to mix it up. A team with a half decent QB (by this i mean not a complete suck bag) should always be a 2:1 passing team.

Edit: Just to be clear I like running when clearly up or when facing a far inferior team just to save your QBs arm but against any decent team you should always be pass first.

 

[gitgronked82]

don't agree. sometimes abandoning the run game is the right move. see baltimore game and super bowl last year

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

Running just to be able to say we have a "balanced" offense is the most overrated, useless football cliche out there. When you know you have a very tough matchup(run blocking vs jets d line) you do your best to avoid that matchup as much as possible. beating your head against the wall repeatedly does nothing positive.

I agree with the sentiment. I'm not a believer in 'balanced' from an individual game perspective. If a team is weak in pass D but strong in run D, why would you not heavily attack the pass D?
However, I still think we have to try a handful of runs to see if it may just be productive after all as well as keep the D from being to certain they can play pass D only. Were JM/BB that convinced the Jets would so completely shut down the run that trying even a handful was out of the question?

 

[Deflatemyballs]

I agree with the sentiment. I'm not a believer in 'balanced' from an individual game perspective. If a team is weak in pass D but strong in run D, why would you not heavily attack the pass D?
However, I still think we have to try a handful of runs to see if it may just be productive after all as well as keep the D from being to certain they can play pass D only. Were JM/BB that convinced the Jets would so completely shut down the run that trying even a handful was out of the question?

If our o line wasn't so thin at the moment and if dion was also healthy you probably would have seen a few more handoffs. Still would have been a heavy pass day no matter what though.

 

[supafly]

Were JM/BB that convinced the Jets would so completely shut down the run that trying even a handful was out of the question?

I think guys not named Tom Brady had 5 rushing attempts for a total of one yard, so it's possible that they felt that they had seen enough, even though it was a relatively small sample size.

 

[patchick]

No RBs, the only vet on the OL playing out of position, a line playing two rookies, one of whom was an UDFA

...and Mason, the best run blocker on the team, out injured. All against a team with an excellent run-stopping defensive line.

Yep, if there's ever a time to abandon the running game, that's it.

 

[MassPats38]

The Pats had two actual running backs active and some 3rd choices on the offensive line. It was enough to ask the linemen to keep this very good defensive line off Brady. Asking those guys to drive the defensive line back to make space on the run, especially for the bigger back who needs some space to get going, would be seriously pushing it and very likely unproductive.

This concept of 'balance' is not the key to winning against every team. The key to winning is figuring out what works against a particular defense. This plan worked, and would have been outstanding but for the plague of drops.

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

I think guys not named Tom Brady had 5 rushing attempts for a total of one yard, so it's possible that they felt that they had seen enough, even though it was a relatively small sample size.

5 could be considered a handful but for me I would ask for a few more to qualify. I just don't think 5 is enough of a sample to so conclusively decide 'no running whatsoever. We can be certain it will not be productive'. White had a run of 1 and of 3 yards. Blount had a run of 1, 3 and -7 yards. Not good but not enough, IMHO, to all but abandon the run.

 

[meatface]

I've been upset at them for not running more but today was one where they needed the passing game to win

 

[supafly]

5 could be considered a handful but for me I would ask for a few more to qualify. I just don't think 5 is enough of a sample to so conclusively decide 'no running whatsoever. We can be certain it will not be productive'. White had a run of 1 and of 3 yards. Blount had a run of 1, 3 and -7 yards. Not good but not enough, IMHO, to all but abandon the run.

I tend to agree with you. I'd have to think that if Lewis were healthy, we'd have used that shiftiness a bit more. I don't think that Blount matches up very well against teams with tough defensive fronts like that, and that's where we saw Vereen shine last year (DET, SEA, MIA).

Today's game reminded me of the postseason game vs. BAL when we totally abandoned the run after only 7 attempts (not including Brady's, much like today). That night saw Blount carry 3x for a total of one yard, and Bolden carry 3x for a total of seven yards.

 

[TommyD4207]

5 could be considered a handful but for me I would ask for a few more to qualify. I just don't think 5 is enough of a sample to so conclusively decide 'no running whatsoever. We can be certain it will not be productive'. White had a run of 1 and of 3 yards. Blount had a run of 1, 3 and -7 yards. Not good but not enough, IMHO, to all but abandon the run.

"Abandon" would imply that the Patriots tried to do it in the first place.

They didn't.

There's no point. The Jets, (like the Bills, like Miami) have a terrific front 4 and are excellent against the run.

Throwing the football is what you do best.

Why in the blue **** would you bang your head against the wall trying to run the football? Why?

I'm going to let you in on a little secret. They're going to do the EXACT same thing on Thursday, so get your fist ready to shake at passing clouds.

It's not 1965. Hell, even the Jets, who would be considered a running time, threw more than they ran today. Know why? Every time they did it, it would kill their drive. They had better success throwing, and that kept them in it. Then in the 4th, with a lead, they for some reason tried to run, couldn't do it, and they Patriots came back on them.

"Run the ball, stop the run" became useless the day the Colts had the rules changed.

Hell, look how many times Brady made a play-action fake, and the RB wasn't looking, running the right direction for a plausible fake, or there was NO RUNNING BACK AT ALL.

The Jets, being trained to "stop the run" bit every time. The Dolphins will do the same.

 

[thecore762]

Well we will see how things playout in the next few weeks, but Brady is no young buck anymore, so the running game will benefit your QB and their longevity throughout the season.