A pass 1st offense weekly lament

You have to go with what works. Gibbs believed that. The running game was averaging around 2.7 yards a carry for most of the game. Get the O-line to open up the running lanes, and you'll see more running plays called.It depends on how you define 'not working'.
The running game is about more then just YPC, especially for a play-action team.
Against the Giants we we're running the ball for a lower YPC then yesterday yet we ran the ball 6 more times.
Could those 6 carries made the difference in the last couple of drives? Who knows?

I think the OL was close to opening some big running lanes and the backs were close to making some big gains.
But you have to keep running to get the chance to make those big gains.
Also, the running game lacked variety, e.g. if you look at the Cards game we ran some inside trap with Lichtensteiger pulling and Helu made some big runs down the stretch.
But, this game there IIRC very few/no inside trap runs.

My opinion is that everyhthing about an effective running game requires attempts and I pass 1st offense won't be able to have more success unless they run the ball more.

The irony for me is that the person that is most hurt by the pass 1st nature of this offense is Rex.

Really. We ran the ball I think 10 times in the first half and had only 25 yards so i'd say the running game was not working.
This was the passing game in the 1st half:
R.Grossman 19 attempts/11 comp 127 yards 1/6 sack 1 INT 56.2 RTG

One our TD drive Hightower had 5 carries for 20 yards...and then he didn't get another carry. That ain't right

IDK what kyle is thinking sometimes, 1st drive was fantastic then the TD drive was great other than that BLEH

While I see a conscious effort to run the ball more now this year, I too will stick a sword in Kyle and tell him that you either start Riggo-drilling or busting out the quick old-fashion WCO routes if you want to milk the ****ing clock.

I think its a big mistake to let Torain sit. I predict when we do finally see him, if we do, we will wish we had been using him more. I hope the only reason they are holding him back is to be sure he's 100%

Kyle simply isn't committed to the running game. I don't have a problem with it if we had better wr's, QB and O-line. But we don't have the personel to be a pass first team. He's gotta realize his personel better and call more run plays.

Well when your team is a run first or has a really good run game what do you think the opponent is going to try and take away? The run. If we were a really good passing team what would opponents try to take away? The pass. MS has always been a run first HC. KS I believe was a pass first OC in Houston and now here. As others have said the team has gotten better with it's ratio of run/pass but as you see Dallas chose to try and stop the run and force Grossman to pass with the hopes of taking the ball away. They did a good job of game planning. The Skins should have made better adjustments seeing the Cowboys stacking the line. Perhaps more screens which got the ball beyond the DL and seemed to work when used late in the game. I'll say again I don't recall seeing any slantsto anyone Moss, Cooley, Davis, or Hightower. The plan was either run or pick a 15 to 20 yrs pass play. What happened to dink and dunk it that's all they will give you?

They did a good job of game planning. The Skins should have made better adjustments seeing the Cowboys stacking the line.Even if the Cowboys were selling out to stop the run (i don't think they were) it doesn't mean you stop running.

Maybe I'll download the game and post some screen caps but some of those runs were very close to breaking for good yardage.
You can also mix up the running game to keep them off balance.
There are more runs then the outside zone stretch, we used the inside trap against the Cards and that was effective.

You cannot allow the defense to dictate what they want you to do; because it will force the offense to play left-handed.

Dallas did a great job stopping the run. I just wish we had not completely abandoned it, but he did try to adapt on the fly.

I just hope we reset and go back to trying the run first in the next game. We have a potent running game which can really make Rex's job easier. When he has to carry the load, that's when "Bad Rex" comes out...like that fumble at the end.

The running game looked great in Weeks 1 and 2, and Rex made fewer errors. As long as he's under center, we need to try to be a run-first team to set up the play-action for Rex, which he excels at.

Have to credit the Dallas D on stopping the run. That was the key to the win for them. (along with Rocca's blunder on the FG)