When is it best to run the ball.

All game long.

Originally posted by valrod33:

Originally posted by RYPTOUT:
Best time to run the ball is when the Defense least expects it... Like the play that Raye called to get Gore in the endzone.

They ran out of a gun formation... after Smith threw every play before hand to get there! LOL.

I don't think in a professional football game that fatigue is really issue as they rotate guys to keep them just fresh enough to not make a lazy play.

This.

The Chiefs are better against the run than the pass this year. Everybody knows we wanna establish the run, this is the perfect opportunity to catch these guys off guard

I would love to see us come out passing and trying to get a big lead right away. Take the crowd out of the game then once we are up then start running the ball


Now i dont think this should be the plan every game but should be the game plan against the chiefs

It would be even better if we come out running with success in turn sending their confidence to the ground because their strength isn't working on us.

It is more tiring to play the run than rush the passer, unless the passer is a Michael Vick or Steve Young. The best way to play the run is to stand up the blocker until you read which way the ball carrier is heading, then shove him aside and make the tackle.
On rushing the passer you are just trying to get straight to the QB as fast as possible, if he is a pocket passer you know exactly where you need to be.

Originally posted by Joecool:

Originally posted by loyal9er:

Originally posted by Joecool:
I'm actually asking this question to folks on here who have experience coaching and/or experience playing on the defensive line.

This thought came up due to how easy that rushing TD was by Gore on our last drive.

Wouldn't it be better to run the ball later in the drive after the offense has thrown a few passes rather than running the ball early in the drive? I mean, I know you can mentally drain them by overpowering them but would that be the best strategy?

I mean, don't defensive linemen get more tired from rushing the passer than from playing the run? When they rush the passer, they must not only explode off the line but force a lot of open movement in trying to get to the QB, especially on screen passes. Therefore, if you get them breathing hard with some consecutive passes and get them running around even more with some screen passes, won't it be easier to control them on the LOS on a run play?

Now let's say they are fresh and it's first down and we run. They have much more energy and power to stop the run but if you pass, then you are immediately forcing them to use energy when they may not even get to the QB.

Or I could be completely off with this strategy and the run tires defensive linemen more than the pass.

Funny as I have thought about this for some time as well. I have not played the Dline and have no coaching experience but from the outset of a game it just makes sense to soften a defense up a bit by throwing and maybe get them playing on their heels a bit. They will also tire for the reasons you mention and will get guys out of the box. Get Dlinemen guessing on gaps and thinking pass pressure and then you get a Iupati or Rachal to pull with Byham behind them for massive holes and large gains. As soon as we Smith started to open up the field a bit during the Saints game, the running game looked entirely different and more effective. During the old school 49er days we always opened up with passes (even short ones) to get the run game going. You can still be smash mouth this way..... just a slightly different strategy.

Exactly! It seems as though running the ball against a fresh defense no matter how strong the offensive line is only makes it slightly more difficult to get success. Not only are you running on obvious rushing downs, but you are running when the defense has more energy to exert whereas if you pass, they can't exert maximum energy and still not affect a passing play. The defense does have a direct affect on a running play with more energy.

yes.... and I don't understand why we don't use this philosophy more. Making a defense run sideline to sideline will tire them the f*ck out and then we pound it up the middle or off tackle. Screens can accomplish this since defenses are usually very agressive at the start of a game or 2nd half..... any type of pass..... just not run up the middle, run up the middle and now we are in 3rd and long as usual. We look so predictable teams like the Pats and Saints use the pass to set up the run. I'm sure for the same reason your mentioning..... wear down an aggressive defense. Now they are tired and guessing.

This is a trick question.

We built out team to honor the '85 Bears therefore we are a smash mouth football team. Best time run the ball is 1st, then 2nd, follow by 3rd. Praying we average 3.4ypr all the time.