Why do people think we'd be 4-0 if we threw all the time?

[InmanRoshi]

Just asking.

I'm looking at the league leaders in rushing attempts per game..

Atlanta 3-1
Washington 3-0
Tampa Bay 4-0
Cincinnati 4-0
Pittsburgh 2-1
Denver 3-1

Why do teams with the most conservative game plans win? Is it because they're winning, so they can afford to run the ball late in games? That doesn't make sense to me, because I was told that running the ball with the lead is "playing not to lose" and "not going for the throat" and that always gets you beat. I was told that repeatedly after the Washington game. So why are these teams getting away with "playing not to lose" and still winning?

Has it dawned on anyone crying about "conservative game plans" (which I find very little to no statistical evidence for, by the way), that we'd be 0-4 if we had it your way? Why do you want us to play a proven losing formula for football instead of a winning one?

 

[Rack]

Why do people think we'd be 4-0 if we threw all the time?

Cuz they're ignorant.


We've been throwing more then I like as it is. Then again, it's not like our running game has been good. I'm sure we'd get more rushing attempts if the running game were producing.

 

[Hiero]

No idea. Apparently because Bledsoe is playing good, everyone thinks he is Manning now. Theres a reason were keeping Bledsoe on a somewhat short leash, and it is because if he is allowed to sling it too much, he will force a lot of throws and get INT's.

 

[ddh33]

I've been saying the same sort of things. People act like Parcells is fundamentally against throwing the football. His past indicates that isn't true. In fact, if it gives him the best chance to win, that is precisely what he will do. The reason why he's not slinging it around here is because that is not this team's best chance for success.

 

[InmanRoshi]

No idea. Apparently because Bledsoe is playing good, everyone thinks he is Manning now. Theres a reason were keeping Bledsoe on a somewhat short leash, and it is because if he is allowed to sling it too much, he will force a lot of throws and get INT's.

But the funny thing is Bledsoe isn't on much, of any, leash. He leads the NFL in YPA. We currently have a balanced offense. The Cowboys are almost exactly at a 1:1 pass/run ration. When we throw its not watered down with a bunch of dink and dunk crap, its down the field for the big play. So our passing attack isn't conservative.

Honestly, I think people want us to throw it every single down, and anything less is "conservative" and "boring". This is why Arena Football owners think they have an up and coming league. They're giving the casual fans what they want.

 

[Da Hammer]

No we dont want Bledsoe to throw all the time but come on when your facing the 31st ranked defense against the pass and their pretty good against the run... I think you can figure it out
Be agressive, trust your players

 

[Rack]

Top 10 teams in passing attempts per game:


1 Philadelphia (3-1)
2 Arizona (1-3)
3 St. Louis (2-2)
4 Green Bay (0-4)
New England (2-2)
6 Tennessee (1-3)
7 Oakland (1-3)
8 Seattle (2-2)
9 Minnesota (1-3)
10 Cincinnati (4-0)


The only winning team on that list that mainly throws downfield is the Bengals. The Eagles throw downfield, but also do a lot of dinking, Dunking, screens, and shovel passes.


17-23 overall record, with only 2 teams with winning records.


And both those two teams have a better QB and better recievers then we do.


Yeah, let's throw more. That's smart.

 

[Rack]

No we dont want Bledsoe to throw all the time but come on when your facing the 31st ranked defense against the pass and their pretty good against the run... I think you can figure it out
Be agressive, trust your players

They were ranked 31st against the pass, but their rush was in Bledsoe's face all day. Not very smart to pass often when your QB is taking a beating and it's a close game.

 

[gbrittain]

Just asking.

I'm looking at the league leaders in rushing attempts per game..

Atlanta 3-1
Washington 3-0
Tampa Bay 4-0
Cincinnati 4-0
Pittsburgh 2-1
Denver 3-1

Why do teams with the most conservative game plans win? Is it because they're winning, so they can afford to run the ball late in games? That doesn't make sense to me, because I was told that running the ball with the lead is "playing not to lose" and "not going for the throat" and that always gets you beat. I was told that repeatedly after the Washington game. So why are these teams getting away with "playing not to lose" and still winning?

Has it dawned on anyone crying about "conservative game plans" (which I find very little to no statistical evidence for, by the way), that we'd be 0-4 if we had it your way? Why do you want us to play a proven losing formula for football instead of a winning one?

I dont think you would hear many complaints if Dallas was running the ball effectively. However, when you are averaging a paltry 3.3 yards per carry you will be criticized.

Only four teams have rushed more times than Dallas has, but Dallas has the 8th worst rushing average in the league.

Atlanta 5.8
Washington 3.9
Tampa Bay 4.2
Cincinnati 3.8
Pittsburgh 4.4
Denver 4.5
Dallas 3.3

 

[Portland Fanatic]

It's not about throwing it all the time...it's about mixing it up. It's about throwing more on 1st and 2nd down. Is not obvious JJ is hitting brick walls and we ontinue to run the same off tackle plays...over and over again.

It's about NOT being so predictable...

It's about not rolling Bledsoe out on 4th down on a naked boot leg with a stacked left side of two TE's and FB

It's about NOT calling a play where the receivers are not in the end zone on 4th down...i'd rather take JJ and try to ram it down their throats 4 times...but 180 lb Glenn short of goal line???

It's about being aggressive early in the game.

Pull the stats about how teams are not running the ball as well as last year...how many top runners have 100 yard games this year?

It's about getting the ball into our best players hands in the open field.

It's about not having Keys throw the ball to 5'9 JJ across the field (ok i've posted that one about 10 times now)

It's not about passing...keep 50% run and 50% pass...MIX IT UP!

What don't you get???

 

[dragon_mikal]

I've been saying the same sort of things. People act like Parcells is fundamentally against throwing the football. His past indicates that isn't true. In fact, if it gives him the best chance to win, that is precisely what he will do. The reason why he's not slinging it around here is because that is not this team's best chance for success.

Really?

Then please explain how our passing game is directly responsible for our two victories?

You guys are kidding yourselves by thinking we run the same offensive as the teams above.

They take shots downfield in the 1st quarter, the 2nd quarter and the 3rd quarter. They realize that you need to score freakin' points early in the game in order to win. They realize that you can't rely on coming from behind every game because sooner or later that luck will run out.

They try to create mismatches by gameplanning to attack the opposing team's weaknesses, not their strengths.

Simple as that, really. We run over and over and over again...up the middle...against a team strong against the run. Especially the inside run.

We refuse to attack a team that is horrible against the pass. And we lose.

Keep telling yourselves that we are going to win anything with this offense. It ain't going to happen. Our defense isn't experienced enough to play Parcells football...yet

 

[Da Hammer]

Well i would still rather pass it than running up the middle everyplay at Sapp and Washington. At least if they would of actually tried running to the outside i would of had no problem with that. But I guess Parcells had it limited to going inside or short yardage passing

 

[Portland Fanatic]

But the funny thing is Bledsoe isn't on much, of any, leash. He leads the NFL in YPA. We currently have a balanced offense. The Cowboys are almost exactly at a 1:1 pass/run ration. When we throw its not watered down with a bunch of dink and dunk crap, its down the field for the big play. So our passing attack isn't conservative.

Honestly, I think people want us to throw it every single down, and anything less is "conservative" and "boring". This is why Arena Football owners think they have an up and coming league. They're giving the casual fans what they want.

IR...you're stuck on the YPA. IF anything that proves we are moving the ball well, therefore open it up earlier in the game. It's not per catch...it's how often and when we throw down field.

The few passes to glenn late in a few games skews that stat alone...

 

[Rack]

One reason our running game hasn't been good...


San Diego is 12 best vs the run.

Washington is 10th vs the run.

San Francisco is 7th vs the run.

Oakland is 6th vs the run.


That said, we still have to run the ball more effectively. Especially with all that money on the OL. And we haven't even faced a large amount of 8 man fronts.

 

[InmanRoshi]

I dont think you would hear many complaints if Dallas was running the ball effectively. However, when you are averaging a paltry 3.3 yards per carry you will be criticized.

Only four teams have rushed more times than Dallas has, but Dallas has the 8th worst rushing average in the league.

Atlanta 5.8
Washington 3.9
Tampa Bay 4.2
Cincinnati 3.8
Pittsburgh 4.4
Denver 4.5
Dallas 3.3

And that's the reason as to why 2-2. We're not any more conservative or predictable than the winning teams in the NFL. If anything, we're taking more chances than the winning teams. Quite a bit more.

Parcells is giving the players the right way to play the game, the best chance to win, and the players are coming up short.

But I still don't see how abandoning a proven winning formula for football for a proven losing formula for football makes us 4-0.

 

[joseephuss]

To me it is not about being conservative. I just think they aren't mixing the play calling that well. That doesn't mean pass more. I like a strong running game, but when you run the same play out of the same formation for no success a few times, try a different formation. I thought they got away from an effective running game against San Francisco in the first half. The will get a few plays that do work and then won't come back to them. I have seen that in the last three games. They don't have to air it out to be more effective.

And of course, the team has to execute better. Especially the o-line.

 

[dragon_mikal]

Yeah, let's throw more. That's smart.

Yea, it is.

No one is saying to throw all the time.

We have one of the deepest WR corps in the league. Witten is pretty good, too.

We just want to see a few deep throws early in the game.

Yea...let's keep doing what we're doing while losing football games.

Now that's smart.

 

[InmanRoshi]

To me it is not about being conservative. I just think they aren't mixing the play calling that well. That doesn't mean pass more. I like a strong running game, but when you run the same play out of the same formation for no success a few times, try a different formation. I thought they got away from an effective running game against San Francisco in the first half. The will get a few plays that do work and then won't come back to them. I have seen that in the last three games. They don't have to air it out to be more effective.

And of course, the team has to execute better. Especially the o-line.

And the Steelers are running a wide array and assortment of running plays? That's the reason they're more successfull running the ball? Because of the variety?

 

[Rack]

Yea, it is.

No one is saying to throw all the time.

We have one of the deepest WR corps in the league. Witten is pretty good, too.

We just want to see a few deep throws early in the game.

Yea...let's keep doing what we're doing while losing football games.

Now that's smart.

Right... over... your... head.

And it doesn't surprise me at all.


We don't need to throw more. We need to run the ball BETTER. Just cuz we haven't been effective running the ball doesn't mean to throw it more. We have to be more effective running it, and running LESS doesn't make you more effective at it.

 

[Portland Fanatic]

And the Steelers are running a wide array and assortment of running plays? That's the reason they're more successfull running the ball? Because of the variety?

The play action ability of Rothlishamberger allows them to open up running lanes. He is freezing the LB's...the LB we face are in our kitchen.

There are two schools...run to open the pass...or pass to open the run, both can be good.

How many times are we going to run JJ into a brick wall before we decide to change it up for once???