The running game thread

[darthseinfeld]

I'd like to know why the Steelrs can lose their franchise QB but yet they can still run the ball. I'm not buying the excuse of 8 men in the box. I know the Steelers are seeing a loaded box too and they are still having sucess running it.

Let's face it, Romo, Murray and Dez made this line look good.

The Falcons played 8 in the box the whole game including when Randle gashed them

 

[Floatyworm]

4 games in and it's safe to say that DMC isn't going to be a savior.

I'd like to see more CM.

Scary thought Mcfadden has less than 25 carries this season...and he looked completely washed up tonight. Wonder if he hit Bourbon St. last night? Because he sure looked hung over.

I don't know what the answer is now....

Randle can't handle more than 15 carries before he runs out of gas. Can't break arm tackles.
Dunbar...ACL/MCL....season over
McFadden washed up
CMike....Looked like a deer in headlights on his 1st carry.

Don't wanna hit the panic button .......but

Wouldn't shock me to see us cut DMC and bring in Steven Jackson to see if he has anything left in the tank.

Replacing Dunbar??? Maybe we go w/ a WR instead...like a Wes Welker? I know It hasn't been our MO to bring in older vets.....But @ this point...It might be the only way to save the season.

 

[darthseinfeld]

Im gonna say it and it may not be popular, I think we need to look at a trade for a legit HB. Seasons not over by a long shot, but we need a serious shot in the arm

 

[Tabascocat]

Scary thought Mcfadden has less than 25 carries this season...and he looked completely washed up tonight. Wonder if he hit Bourbon St. last night? Because he sure looked hung over.

I don't know what the answer is now....

Randle can't handle more than 15 carries before he runs out of gas. Can't break arm tackles.
Dunbar...ACL/MCL....season over
McFadden washed up
CMike....Looked like a deer in headlights on his 1st carry.

Don't wanna hit the panic button .......but

Wouldn't shock me to see us cut DMC and bring in Steven Jackson to see if he has anything left in the tank.

Replacing Dunbar??? Maybe we go w/ a WR instead...like a Wes Welker? I know It hasn't been our MO to bring in older vets.....But @ this point...It might be the only way to save the season.

I can see it now, bring in Jackson but it will take a month to learn the playbook before he sees the field!

 

[Idgit]

Don't think RB is anywhere near the top of the list of problems, and I have zero interest in adding or trading for anybody.

I will say that I don't understand the fascination with McFadden. And if Dunbar's gone and Randle's really yelling at his head coach, well, it looks like there's an open door for Christine Michael if he can actually get through it this time. Tonight's one run notwithstanding.

 

[Deep_South]

Randle was yelling at Garrett? When was this?

 

[Zman5]

He was very likely activated to be the short yardage back. If his reason for not converting a third and short is going to be that 'he was coming off the bench,' he might as well not be active at all as far as I'm concerned.

Time for people to just start doing their jobs and stop looking for excuses why they didn't instead. And I know Michael himself is not the one complaining, but you get the point.

Then why wasn't he used at the goal line? Randle's brainfart could have been disastrous. That's what doesn't make sense if what you say is true.

So you don't want to use a "short yardage/goal line guy" at the goal line but bring him in for one play near the end of the game for one of the most important carries in the game? That's not smart coaching and shows lack of situational game awareness.

 

[Amy50632]

Randle was yelling at Garrett? When was this?

 

[Idgit]

Then why wasn't he used at the goal line? Randle's brainfart could have been disastrous. That's what doesn't make sense if what you say is true.

So you don't want to use a "short yardage/goal line guy" at the goal line but bring him in for one play near the end of the game for one of the most important carries in the game? That's not smart coaching and shows lack of situational game awareness.

I think they were expecting to use him primarily in the 2nd half, to start with, and then primarily in a rotation with McFadden and as the short yardage and early down back. Had he converted that 3rd down, we'd probably have seen him a few more plays, and then pulled in DMC in obvious passing situations. But the way the game played out, it didn't make sense to have him in there as we were going more empty set and in more obvious passing situations.

It doesn't really matter, though. He wasn't going to change the outcome. They're working him into the lineup now, and that's what's most important.

 

[alohawg]

Since things are going so well in Philly, maybe Jerry can get a deal on Demarco? lol

 

[BAT]

Randle was yelling at Garrett? When was this?

Garrett called him selfish for exposing the ball on first down. Also TWilliams and Street were trying to keep Randle away from coaches and even DLaw after it looked like he fumbled on goal line. The guy was going a little nuts for a while there.

 

[Floatyworm]

Randle was yelling at Garrett? When was this?

Right after he scores his TD......Garrett was beyond pissed and gave Randle an earful and benched him. Then Randle pops off in the media about the score. Not a good way to endure yourself to the coaching staff. This could get ugly. Definately in the dog house.....

 

[rpntex]

The lack of running game and/or running game plan(aka abandoning run).. Leaves things up to Garrett just like prior to last season.

Demarco Murray masked Garret's hc'ing warts.

Warts are spreading.... Again.

With all due respect, Dallas didn't "abandon" the running game in either of its two losses. Tonight they ran the ball 25 times, and passed 29 (including three sacks). What's more, 8 of those 29 pass plays were in that tying TD drive, when the game situation dictated the play calls.

AND...

Before anyone jumps up and down and points to last week, screaming "they only carried it 5 times in the second half", you need to consider these facts: outside of the last-ditch drive after falling behind by 11, Dallas only had 13 offensive snaps in that second half. Those five runs all came on first down, and yielded a 1-yard carry, and four NEGATIVE carries. The resulting down and distance situations after those runs dictated pass.

The running game was putrid...you'll get no disagreement from me there. But Dallas didn't abandon the run...they were forced out of it.

 

[ConstantReboot]

Romo has made this team what it is and no one else. He hides the deficiencies of others, including Garrett. You could take away Witten and Dez and Romo will keep this team competitive. Take away our head coach? They would not miss a beat, the offense might even be better.

Garrett and Linehan have no idea how to use a RB committee. I will admit that I agreed with taking out Randle after that almost fumble though. He wouldn't have come back in if that was me coaching, DMAC and Christine would get the bulk.

It really doesn't matter who runs the ball in the long run, if Romo is not back there anyways.

Good points and I agree.

The problem is RBBC. There is just no flow to ALL of them running the ball during different periods. Its forcing a square peg into a round hole.

We are best with a workhorse type of runningback. Something that the oline can get into sync with and know who blocks what during certain plays.

Lastly, I knew we were going to miss Callahan. Everyone here was so quick to kick him to the curb. He was one reason we had such a great running attack. Now it seems Linehan is lost and doesn't know how to use the RBBC effectively. Its time to can it and let Christine Michaels run with the ball. This Randle and MacFadden experiment is not working. I knew it was going to be a failure. And Im not proud to say that.

 

[ConstantReboot]

Right after he scores his TD......Garrett was beyond pissed and gave Randle an earful and benched him. Then Randle pops off in the media about the score. Not a good way to endure yourself to the coaching staff. This could get ugly. Definately in the dog house.....

I don't know why we put so much faith in Randle to be honest. His best runs were against defenses that were already softened by Murray last year. He got the starting role just because there was no competition in camp and that we didn't draft a runningback.

As what the Sith Lord told Luke Skywalker once " your overconfidence in your friends is your weakness". Well our overconfidence in our Oline was ours and its now coming back to bite us.

 

[mahoneybill]

With all due respect, Dallas didn't "abandon" the running game in either of its two losses. Tonight they ran the ball 25 times, and passed 29 (including three sacks). What's more, 8 of those 29 pass plays were in that tying TD drive, when the game situation dictated the play calls.

AND...

Before anyone jumps up and down and points to last week, screaming "they only carried it 5 times in the second half", you need to consider these facts: outside of the last-ditch drive after falling behind by 11, Dallas only had 13 offensive snaps in that second half. Those five runs all came on first down, and yielded a 1-yard carry, and four NEGATIVE carries. The resulting down and distance situations after those runs dictated pass.

The running game was putrid...you'll get no disagreement from me there. But Dallas didn't abandon the run...they were forced out of it.

Didn't get to see the game so really surprised that we only had 13 snaps... It's a wonder we were even in this game to send it to OT ...

 

[mattjames2010]

You know, I understand why we had to let Murray walk, but seeing this **** makes me wish he was still here.

Randle is a punk.

 

[TheCount]

Scary thought Mcfadden has less than 25 carries this season...and he looked completely washed up tonight. Wonder if he hit Bourbon St. last night? Because he sure looked hung over.

I don't know what the answer is now....

Randle can't handle more than 15 carries before he runs out of gas. Can't break arm tackles.
Dunbar...ACL/MCL....season over
McFadden washed up
CMike....Looked like a deer in headlights on his 1st carry.

Don't wanna hit the panic button .......but

Wouldn't shock me to see us cut DMC and bring in Steven Jackson to see if he has anything left in the tank.

Replacing Dunbar??? Maybe we go w/ a WR instead...like a Wes Welker? I know It hasn't been our MO to bring in older vets.....But @ this point...It might be the only way to save the season.

Maybe Kellen Moore can start at RB?

 

[Hardline]

The Cowboys are playing themselves into Ezekiel Elliott's draft range.

 

[AzorAhai]

Randle hit by 2 guys in the backfield- "He sucks! Why can't he break those tackles every play! Murray did it all the time!"

Michael hit by 2 guys in the backfield- "He was coming in cold. Everyone knew it was coming. It's the OLs fault. No wait, it's the coaches fault."

How about we universally agree that the OL isn't blocking very well or consistently and Linehan is doing them no favors with his predictably.