Is the Long Run the New Deep Pass?

[links18]

Its seems RBs are busting off a lot of long runs these days. I don't have any stats to back it up, but impressionistically it seems like a lot of big plays these days are coming off of long runs from speedy backs: AP, Felix, C. Johnson, Maurice Jones-Drew, Darrin Sproles, etc. So, is this some type of trend in the NFL these days? Did defenses adjust too much to the pass happy trend of recent years that they are now vulnerable to the long run from the speedy RB?

Seems like that was the case in the Giants game where they were so keyed on stopping a pass happy Romo/Garrett that they were vulnerable to the long run from Felix and Barber.

Any thoughts?

 

[ThreeSportStar80]

Well... With Felix Jones out for at least a couple of weeks, you'll have to put those long runs on hold because neither MBIII or the People's Choice are home run hitters.

 

[rkell87]

Well... With Felix Jones out for at least a couple of weeks, you'll have to put those long runs on hold because neither MBIII or the People's Choice are home run hitters.

barber breaks off long runs all the time

 

[RS12]

Nop, this offense is lacking what Austin is supposed to be. Deep threat.

 

[zrinkill]

barber breaks off long runs all the time

Yea ..... if he had not pulled that muscle he would have had our longest of the year.

 

[rkell87]

Yea ..... if he had not pulled that muscle he would have had our longest of the year.

yeah it was just a wierd injury. i think it happened cause he missed that backwards stiff arm

 

[goliadmike]

Its seems RBs are busting off a lot of long runs these days. I don't have any stats to back it up, but impressionistically it seems like a lot of big plays these days are coming off of long runs from speedy backs: AP, Felix, C. Johnson, Maurice Jones-Drew, Darrin Sproles, etc. So, is this some type of trend in the NFL these days? Did defenses adjust too much to the pass happy trend of recent years that they are now vulnerable to the long run from the speedy RB?

Seems like that was the case in the Giants game where they were so keyed on stopping a pass happy Romo/Garrett that they were vulnerable to the long run from Felix and Barber.

Any thoughts?

It depends on the defense. If the safeties stay back in cover 2,3, or 4 look for us to keep busting nice runs until they bring the safeties up to help in run support. For example during the Tampa Bay game I noticed the Bucs brought one of their safeties up to cover witten and not necessarily to help stop the run. when they did that Romo had some opportunities to go deep and he connected several times. In the NY game they mixed their defenses using man and deep zone. Romo caught NY several times using the zone and the cowboys made them pay on the ground. In the Carolina game they played a lot of cover 2 and again the Boys made them pay on the ground and Romo found Witten a lot of times in the soft spot of the zone.

Until the opponents commit to stopping the run we will probably see nice chunks of yards from all of our backs. Maybe not the big 30-40 yd gainers, but we will see a lot of 7-12 yd gashes with our OL and tight ends leading the way. If we play a defense that brings the heat and plays safeties over the tight ends we will see a lot of production out of our WR. Be patient those big gains from the WRs will come eventually.

 

[casmith07]

I love that cliche, talking-point, buzz word "deep threat."

 

[ABQcowboyJR]

No

You need the deep pass threat to break those runs.

 

[GimmeTheBall!]

No. No.