Here is the first attempt to prove this line of thinking other than to say "I say so". But the explanation of the reduced yardage being totaly atributed to Crump is unrealistic. How about Chris Johnsons own explanation for the reduced yardage :
Trying to figure out what's wrong with the Titans running game
Posted by NBC Sports on October 7, 2010, 10:50 AM EDT
The goal for Chris Johnson was 2,500 rushing yards. The Tennessean even built a nifty application to track his progress.
So far, he’s on pace for 1,416 rushing yards. That’s not shabby, but his 3.8 yards-per-carry average is 34th in the league, and he’s only recorded 38 receiving yards in four games.
Watch the Titans play, and you constantly see defenders in the backfield. Johnson is often breaking tackles just to get back to the line of scrimmage.
“I’m running the same,” Johnson said when asked if he’s been as decisive this year.
That may sound like Johnson is redirecting blame, but that’s not the case.
“One time the offensive linemen miss a block or one time (I) might
miss a read or not be in the right place, so it is the whole offense,”
Johnson told Jim Wyatt Wednesday. “It’s a long season and we know we’re going to get better. That is
the wrong thing to do, to start pointing fingers, you start separating
the locker room.”
Vince Young needs to start going deep more, and Kenny Britt’s role looks set to increase. Johnson was hoping for another deep threat though.
“Moss would of been a great move for us,” Johnson wrote Wednesday.
"Still, Johnson is having a hard time adjusting to defenses geared up to stop him. Johnson told his fantasy owners and fans that he’d have a great October, and that
"it was just taking him a little time to adjust to eight or nine defenders in the box."
Johnsons own explanation is holding more weight than speculation that Crumpler was the reason for Johnsons success. also looking back I see a reference to:
FOOTBALL OUTSIDERS: Innovative Statistics, Intelligent Analysis | TIGHT ENDS 2010
showing TE stats, which if you follow Crumps career back to 01 shows a spuratic rise for his first 4 years then a slow than rapid decline in productivity in every catigory. his overall rankings follow: 01-21st,02-5th,03-16th,04-8th,05-20th,06-19th,07-22nd,08-29th,09-32nd,10-53rd. It doesen't take much thought to see he is at the end of his career, and even at the top of his game he was spuratic. Also even at the top of his game he never put up the stats and rankings that Gronkowski and Hernandez have in their rookie years(overall 2nd. and 5th.). I can't understand the disrespect you posters have for your new star TE's by insisting they need Crumpler to be successful when Crumpler never reached the point that our New TE's have started at. Crumpler did serve a valuble contribution to the team helping breakin the rookies but the coaching staf had a lot to do with it to. Now the team needs contributors, not cheerleaders. He should retire befors becomeing dead weight and give way to the future.
