Quote:
Originally Posted by SmootSmack
Well, I thought the stats showed that we didn't "run it down their throats" last week. Wasn't the pass/run ratio pretty high?
That said, I think we need to run more. For all the reasons I've mentioned in other threads-young QB, strong defense, hurt o-line, two great running backs.
Establish a strong running game will set up the passing game. And as Campbell gets better and learns to work better with his receivers, and vice versa we should be in good shape. It won't happen overnight. But I mean I look at what the Steelers have done with Roethlisberger. Isn't there some crazy stat about how he's undefeated when he attempts less 15 pass attempts per game? It doesn't need to be that extreme but I don't think, at this point in his career, we put the burden on Campbell and the passing game.
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The 'run it down their throats' wasn't just specific to last week, it's a general notion that 'Gibbs football' is a smashmouth, run it 30-40+ times a game philospohy..
Aikman said last week that they won 3 Super Bowls in Dallas running Gibbs offense.. Vermiel won a Super Bowl in St. Louis with it with the Greatest Show on Turf. Mike Martz runs concepts of it, Saunders has run it for years.. It's all the Coryell system. We know it works, but the difference is how he does it now..
One core concept of 'Gibbs football' is get an early lead and control the clock with the running game.. That's what all of the coaches above did, and Gibbs has tried to do also since he's been back, but the difference is 'getting the lead' today means you have to have a 3 TD cushion before running the ball repeatedly to control the clock.. We've seen too many leads pissed away by conservative, predictable play calling in close (less than 3 TD) games.. Remember 11 loses with a 2nd half lead, 12 loses with an 11 point or more lead, both worst in the NFL since 2004.. That's not coincidence, it's a trend that indicates a flawed philosophy..
Why we seem to collectively lose aggressiveness (on offense and defense mind you) in the 2nd half in games that we lead is beyond me.. The 'let's not take any chances' approach to football is a recipe for failure in the NFL..