I'm sitting here watching the Cardinals-Falcons game and I can't help but think about new head coach Mike Singletary's offensive philosophy.
We know that teams who run the ball well do well during the regular season, and in the playoffs. This season alone the top 5 rushing teams (Giants, Falcons, Panthers, Ravens and Vikings) are all in the playoffs. While the top 5 passing offeneses (Saints, Cardinals, Broncos, Texans and Colts) are only sporting two playoff teams.
Yes, running the ball is an effective and proven way to win football games. But what happens when you rely on the run game and the run game fails to produce? THis is what we may be seeing in Arizona. Atlanta has relied on the run all season and now the Cardinals seem to be bottling up Turner.
Singletary stresses running the ball. One can only hope there is room there for an effective passing game because blind adherence to the running game will not always succeed.
I'm all for an offense than can impose it's will. We can only hope that an effective rushing attack is supported with an effective passing attack.
3:52 pm: Interesting that Arizona is heralded as a passing offense, but it isn't until they found success on the ground that the offense really started to take control of the game.
7 of the 14 plays on Arizona's last touchdown drive were running plays. Edgerrin James is playing inspired football and breathing life into the running game.
Even the NFL's passing offenses need the running game to find success in the playoffs.