Evolution or devolution the real numbers on how the nfl has changed..

Discussion in 'Tennessee Titans and NFL Talk' started by RollTide, May 9, 2012.

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  1. nickmsmith

    nickmsmith Most poverty RB core.

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    Definitely not obsolete. The idea of having a star 1st round RB (like CJ) take you to the promised land is, however.
     
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  2. JCBRAVE

    JCBRAVE goTitans 2019 Survivor Champion

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    Both the Saints and Packers won their recent Super Bowls running for only 50 yards each. So that right there is enough for people to feel like running teams don't win Super Bowls.
    Great RB's seem to almost strangle offenses. That or it's simply easier to run when the offense sucks.

    To me the RB position is 2nd in command. If you let them run the show, you're asking for limited success.
     
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  3. memphis_raven

    memphis_raven Starter

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    Good info. I think what skews the stats a bit is when teams get a lead and therefore run the ball to chew up clock. So some of the better teams may have multiple rushing attempts late in their games while losing teams would obviously abandon the run in an effort to get back into the game
     
  4. TitanJeff

    TitanJeff Kahuna Grande Staff

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    Take Tebow's rushing stats away from the Broncos and you have a very average rushing team.
     
  5. TorontoTitanFan

    TorontoTitanFan Pro Bowler

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    I'm not sure if the lesson to be learned is that an elite running game can't win the Super Bowl. I think the lesson is that you need an elite quarterback to win the Super Bowl, and it just happens that teams with elite quarterbacks pass the ball a lot (because it works).

    Adding an elite running back to an offense with an elite quarterback would make you more likely to win a Super Bowl, not less likely. The sample size is just so small that we haven't really seen a team with elite players at both positions in the last decade.

    I'm sure this sounds very obvious to most of you, but I am sick of people suggesting that having a good running game somehow makes your team less likely to win.

    Now, let's all hope that Jake Locker becomes elite.
     
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  6. JCBRAVE

    JCBRAVE goTitans 2019 Survivor Champion

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    If Jake develops how many think he will, we're golden.

    Let's just hope C.J. doesn't burn out.
     
  7. GoT

    GoT Strength and Honor

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    according too recent data samples CJ is done, but at least the little guy got payed
     
  8. Thaddeus43

    Thaddeus43 Sunshiner President

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    According to what data sets? The average career length of an NFL RB? Yeah its only a couple years, but you can't really make a generalization about the group as a whole and assume the same for the individual. If you looked at the average career for ANY NFL player it is only 3-4 years. Does that mean Jake Locker will be done in a few years because he is an NFL player? No.

    Most NFL RBs don't last more than a couple years because most RBs suck, and there are A LOT of RBs out there. If you're an average RB, your career will be short bc it is easy for teams to find someone better and replace you. That will skew the statistics quite a bit.

    There are plenty of RBs out there that have played a long time with sustained success, but they were good RBs. You really need to look at the life span of the top RBs in the league over the past few years if you want to tailor the stats toward CJ, and make a more accurate comparison about him as an individual.

    I'm not saying that the good/ great RBs generally stay in the league as long as other good/great players at other postions because they don't. A RB will never be able to play for 15-20yrs like some QBs or WRs do. But just because the average career of the average RB is 3 yrs, that has little to no bearing on how long CJ can play.
     
  9. Thaddeus43

    Thaddeus43 Sunshiner President

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    I agree with you here that having a great QB is much better than having a great RB, but I don't think you can really compare the 2 positions. The QB is supposed to be the leader, and he has much more responsiblity than the RB does. QB's touch the ball every single play, the are responsible for getting the ball into the hands of the right player every play whether its the RB,WR,TE,FB, or keep it himself, and they have the ability to change the plays at the line based on what they see. Not only does a QB have to be good at his postition, but he basically delgates the work out to all the other positions as well. A great QB will have a hand in the success of a lot of other players which affects the team a lot more.

    An RB is more comparable to a WR. He can be a great player at his position, but that is about it. But, unlike WRs, teams don't keep many RBs on the roster, and when you spend a high 1st on a RB he will most likely touch the ball on at least 70% of the running plays. No WR will ever touch the ball that many times, but teams still take plenty of WRs with high 1st round picks. An RB should have a much greater impact on the offense than any 1 WR will.

    You do have a point about being able to find good running backs anywhere in the draft though. Maybe its because the RB position is so dependent on the OL that a good OL can make any RB look good.

    Also, since a lot of teams split the load between multiple backs now; you can still get good production from the running game w/o having any 1 back be viewed as 'elite' because he won't have the yards/touches he needs to break into that category. That doesn't mean the running game is any less important to a team that runs like that, its just a different approach to the running game.


    Then again, what has drafting Philip Rivers and Ryan Leaf done for the Chargers :ha:
     
  10. Clark

    Clark #ShoutboxAlley4Life

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    The saints can't be held in the passing category like the patriots. They "run" the ball unconventionally.

    Bush and now Sproles are their main rushing attacks. They don't run between the tackles but they get the ball to Sproles on the outside and run him passed the tackles. Screens and quick option passes to their rb was their favorite and most consistent play.

    The brees "passing attack" is short yardage high percentage throws to players that can get yac. Sproles was a monster in the system... To me, that's still a "rushing" attack. Maybe not hard nose, power running, but that sorta back is the future. Pitches, screens, short catches with a lot of yards afterward.

    Ingram was supposed to be their between the tackle power back... Member that game where dude got straight stuffed at the line with the game on the line against I think it was the 9ers? I almost guarentee they coulda done multiple Sproles type plays and made it in.
     
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