Did The Absence of Ryan Grant Hold The 2010 Offense Back?

wpr
Preferred Member Topic Starter

12 years ago

Matt Bowen knows a whole lot more about football than I'll ever know. His latest is on the value of RB Cedric Benson to the Bengals. I'd have to say Cedric Benson has little value, but Bowen mentions the Packers during the article. From the National Football Post:

I understand this is a passing league with the amount of multiple looks we see in Green Bay, New England, New Orleans, etc. But I will always believe that running the ball is the one mark of physical football team.

So are the Packers hurt by being a pass heavy team without a signature running back?

After RB Ryan Grant was lost for the season, and RB Brandon Jackson turned out to be inept at running the football, I was initially worried that it could hurt the offense. Forcing the defense to worry about the run is supposed to open up opportunities down the field for the passing game.

Just looking at the offense's rankings at NFL.com for the regular season, during which RB James Starks rarely played, the Packers dropped in the official rankings from No. 6 in 2009 (379.1 yards/game) to No. 9 in 2010 (358.1 yards/game). For comparison, they were in a similar situation back in 1998, after RB Dorsey Levens was injured, and the offense dropped from No. 4 in 1997 (350.9 yards/game) to No. 5 in 1998 (352.2 yards/game). Not really a drop at all by yardage, but the Packers turnover margin decreased as they relied more on the pass. Favre's INTs increased from 16 in 1997 to 23 in 1998.

That's a really simple analysis, but I didn't notice a specific problem with the absence of a signature running back to draw the defense's attention.

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PackerTraxx
Senior Member

12 years ago

It did until James Starks arrived.

Why is Jerry Kramer not in the Hall of Fame?

nerdmann
Premier Member

12 years ago

I think Bjack is on par with Grant. It's just that 1: Grant never had to split carries with Kuhn and 2: Part of Bjack's repetoire is catching the ball out of the backfield. If you add that on, I think they're about par.
Someone posted a stat about Bjack not being as good in the 2nd half of games. I think there might be something to that too.
I do think the running game suffered this year, at least until Starks got going in the playoffs. I think Starks and especially Alex Green are going to make this offense 50% better. Not only with their receiving ability, but with their speed. Can you image a guy who can not only catch the ball consistently, but can then make a guy miss AND has speed to get to the first down marker before the defense converges? Wow. LOL

“Winning is not a sometime thing, it is an all the time thing. You don't do things right once in a while…you do them right all the time.”

zombieslayer
Registered

12 years ago

But I will always believe that running the ball is the one mark of physical football team.

Physical football team? Whatever.

I proved over and over and over again that you don't need to run the ball well to win. I kind of stopped reading after this.

How about we play chess? You try to beat me by using physical moves. And I slaughter you with my brains. Belichick is the best coach in the NFL because he understands football is a chess game. Weird thing is he got beaten at his own game in 2007. Physical is soooo 1960s.

My man Donald Driver

(thanks to Pack93z for the pic)
2010 will be seen as the beginning of the new Packers dynasty. 🇹🇹 🇲🇲 🇦🇷

Wade
Veteran Member

12 years ago

Originally Posted by: zombieslayer

70s, too. (cue up Village People) o/~ "Macho, macho, macho mannnn." o/~

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Romans 12:2 (NKJV)

zombieslayer
Registered

12 years ago

70s, too. (cue up Village People) o/~ "Macho, macho, macho mannnn." o/~

Originally Posted by: Wade

Or we can sing Olivia's "Let's Get Physical," although I think that came out in the early 80s. Olivia must not have been very good at predicting football trends.

My man Donald Driver

(thanks to Pack93z for the pic)
2010 will be seen as the beginning of the new Packers dynasty. 🇹🇹 🇲🇲 🇦🇷

Zero2Cool
Elite Member

12 years ago

How about we play chess? You try to beat me by using physical moves. And I slaughter you with my brains. Belichick is the best coach in the NFL because he understands football is a chess game. Weird thing is he got beaten at his own game in 2007. Physical is soooo 1960s.

Originally Posted by: zombieslayer

From what I seen, it looked more like the Patriots lost to the Giants because the Patriots OL was manhandled by the Giants DL and rattled Tom Brady by getting in his face often. I'm not sure what chess move the Giants called by saying "Hey DL, kick the OL's ass and get to the QB!".

DakotaT
Select Member

12 years ago

Or we can sing Olivia's "Let's Get Physical," although I think that came out in the early 80s. Olivia must not have been very good at predicting football trends.

Originally Posted by: zombieslayer

The sad thing is I'm old enough to have watched both those videos. And thanks to both of you two for those awesome visuals.[-x

If only the stellar anouncers the networks keep throwing out there would quit using the cliches you have to run the ball and stop the run to win in this league.

We are living in the great quarterback era and I'm very happy to have been here to watch it. In our division - the Packers have been the only participant in this era.

Wade
Veteran Member

12 years ago

Originally Posted by: DakotaT

Come on, now. Olivia looked good in spandex.

Or just about anything else, come to think of it.

Hmm...gotta find that "Ginger/Mary Ann" thread again ... Olivia in spandex or Sheena Easton in spandex? 🙂

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Romans 12:2 (NKJV)

beast
Select Member

12 years ago

#10

After Grant went down there is no question the Packers missed their play action passing. They also missed Finley a lot and had to change up the offense after those two went down.

Also Mike McCarthy said play action passing was about 50% of his playbook... I don't know but that sounded way to high of a % to me...

Originally Posted by: nerdmann

1) There is a reason Grant never split carries with Kuhn... because Kuhn couldn't take his snaps away... he did how ever take some of Jackson snaps away in part because Jackson doesn't like being physical or lowering his shoulder and hitting someone when he has the ball. And he goes down pretty easily. Jackson with the ball is very quick, that's about it. He needs to learn to hit the hole and hit it very hard.

2) Your right blocking and pass catching Jackson is very good, he very well could be a great 3rd down back in the NFL. BUT he's not nether as good with the ball.

Originally Posted by: zombieslayer

Yeah that's wrong... there is no physical moves in chest... until you start fighting... and if someone starts to kick your ass I doubt you'll care to much about the chest game...

Belichick is GREAT at playing the mental part of football... but it's stupid to discount the physical part as well. The Patriots also have a pretty physical OL and DL.

The game is about BOTH physical and mental... you can come up with the best ideas in football, but if you can't physical do them that is a waste... and you can be physical as you want but if you can't figure out a way to stop something your team is in trouble... so it takes both physical and brains.

And as Zero said above the in 2007 the Giants physical DL kicked the Patriots OL ass and there was nothing Belicheat smarts could do about it... so not only are you wrong but you pointed out proof where you are wrong. Thanks for making that easy 👍

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