Originally posted by cciowa:
Originally posted by barrymartin:i think you underestimate gore. the word defaulted makes it seem like its tragic we have to do that . in case you did not know after a 1-2 start that is exactly how we got back on track. and if roman had chosen to stay with the "defaulted" power run game vs the colts we would have won that game. we are not a pass first team, never have been and under JH never will be. sorry but you are incorrect in your analysis about the state of our team in my opinion
Yes..I think what we are seeing is the need for so much diversity in scheme that we are limited to power running as our mainstay. The more multi-dimensional an O can be the harder it is to stop. This is what Bill Walsh did. His offenses could do it all. The D couldn't settle into a focus on stopping one thing and beat us. If they focused on stopping the run they'd beat them with the pass. If they tried to shut down the passing game they would run them off the field.
Frank doesn't seem to like running out of spread formations. Looking back to week 1, we used an O that blew the Pack away on the pass. The run wasn't working at all in the game so Kap through for 400+. The next two weeks we tanked trying to pass so we defaulted to the power running game with Frank the Tank. It was sort of like a pendulum swing that we're now just trying to work ourselves out of not that Crabs is back.
Frank is coming to the end, and lately we are seeing that he can't be the ongoing focus of the O. It will have to change, but it will take the offseason to make this shift. We'll see it all unfold in free agency and the draft. This is where they show their hand. If they extend Crabs and not iupati that is a sign.
I think the poster is trying to say we could stand the use a little balance. Much like how the Detroit Lions could've used a little balance in previous years. We do have the players to have a nice passing game. We are capable of having more of a 50-50 balance. We can lean more on one aspect of the offense or the other depending on the type of defense we are playing and the strength/weakness of that defense. I don't want us to be a pass first team. I want us to pass more WITHOUT abandoning the run. I want to see more balance. And it would be great if we used the skill position players that were active on offense. Instead of simply trying to keep defenses on their heels with how we line up, we can also do the same with our personnel.
I don't know about you, but I see lots of yards left on the field in each game (mostly the short to intermediate, keep the chains moving type of passes). Defenses should be fearful of going 8 in the box against us and right now, they are not.