What is hindering the running game?

[Castavar]

I'm still pissed we did not give Brockel's roster spot to Ward. That was the only roster decision I really hated. WTF has Brockel EVER done since he has gotten here? Not a godamn thing. I honestly think Ward would solve half our problems with the run game. Going against 8 man boxes without a true FB really kills us.

[carpanfan96]

Combination of a few different things. Stacked box, run design, oline blocking, subpar lead blocking. Honestly this oline really doesn't fit with what the Panthers want to do as far as running the ball and is better in pass protection which is allowing for bigger chunk plays in the passing game. Which if that continues will eventually start to open up running lanes naturally for the offense.

[KB_fan]

Stupid run play design

 

But even if that's true... was run play design at the end of last season different? 

[usmcpanthers]

Only thing I remember Brockel doing was the annexation of puerto rico play.

[KB_fan]

I've just spent awhile compiling rushing data per game for last season.  (Yards, carries, yards/carry for each player per game).   It will work better if I turn the data into graphs, not tables, but it's late in my time zone, so I'll post more on this tomorrow....

But for now, here are a couple of brief stats:

2014 season, including playoffs:

yards  attempts  yards/carry

2356

540

4.4

 

	yards	attempts	yards/att
W	1251	272	4.6
per game	156	34	4.6
L	1105	268	4.1
per game	111	27	4.1

 

A really bizarre stat, however, is that J. Stewart's yard/carry average stats were better in the games he played when we lost, than when we won.  So, yards/carry is not necessarily a key stat.

Jonathan Stewart 2014  (he played in 15 games total:  7 wins / 8 losses)

	attempts	yards	yards/att
W	127	581	4.6
per game	18	83	4.6
L	85	421	5.0
per game	11	53	5.0

[Chaos]

The lanes aren't there like we would want them to be, but we aren't being helped by Fred Es-tew tap dancing behind the line of scrimmage. 

Moar CAP

[beckersteen]

I'm a nobody in football, so this is probably a bunch of poo, but from what I see the option is hurting Stew. I feel like he runs great out of the traditional packages like the I formations. Seems like NFL backs just don't do well in the option, gives the NFL defenses with their speed a moment longer to close in. It is great for Cam obviously so take it for what it is.

[Mother Grabber]

Stupid run play design

 

do you have actual examples to support this, or just more blind Shula hate?

[rodeo]

All of our running backs except Stewart produced very well in the preseason. Stewart did nothing in the preseason but everyone assumed he'd start being great during the season. He hasn't. Give the young guys a shot.

[KB_fan]

Here's one other fun stat I'd TOTALLY forgotten / overlooked re: our run game last season:

Quick, who had the best yards / carry average on the team in terms of rushing in 2014? 

I promise you that it was not someone who had just 1 run or one of the temp guys we brought in last year when all our RBs were injured....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Give up?

PHILLY BROWN!

Corey Brown

attempts: 8

yards:  95

avg/carry: 11.9

I'm reminded of the nice run he had at the start of the New Orleans game this season.  Maybe we should use him more in the run game?!?!

Here are his rushing stats from last year (regular season)

WK	Game Date	Opp	Score	Att	Yds	Avg	Lng	TD
2	14-Sep	DET	W 24-7	1	11	11	11	0
5	05-Oct	CHI	W 31-24	2	22	11	14	0
13	30-Nov	MIN	L 13-31	1	4	4	4	0
14	07-Dec	NO	W 41-10	--	--	--	--	--
15	14-Dec	TB	W 19-17	1	17	17	17	0
16	21-Dec	Cle	W 17-13	1	0	0	0	0
17	28-Dec	ATL	W 34-3	2	41	20.5	28	0
				8	95	11.9	28	0

[KB_fan]

So, here are Stew's stats for 2015 so far, in case it's helpful:

WK	Game Date	Opp	Result	G	GS	Att	Yds	Avg	Lng	TD
1	13-Sep	@ JAC	W   20-9	1	1	18	56	3.1	22	0
2	20-Sep	HOU	W   24-17	1	1	17	62	3.6	11	0
3	27-Sep	NO	W   27-22	1	1	14	52	3.7	14	0
4	04-Oct	@ TB	W   37-23	1	1	10	50	5	13	0
			TOTAL	4	4	59	220	3.7	22	0

 

[KB_fan]

Here's Stew's stats from 2014:

Week	Opponent	Result	Stew - attempts	Stew - Yds	Stew - Yds/Carry
1	Tampa	W	9	20	2.2
2	Detroit	W	15	37	2.5
3	Pittsburgh	L	5	31	6.2
4	Baltimore	L
5	Chicago	W
6	Cincinnati	Tie
7	Green Bay	L	13	50	3.8
8	Seattle	L	16	79	4.9
9	New Orleans	L	8	46	5.8
10	Philadelphia	L	11	36	3.3
11	Atlanta	L	7	24	3.4
12	Bye
13	Minnesota	L	12	85	7.1
14	Nw Orleans	W	20	155	7.8
15	Tampa	W	22	75	3.4
16	Cleveland	W	24	122	5.1
17	Atlanta	W	13	49	3.8
P/O	Arizona	W	24	123	5.1
DIV	Seattle	L	13	70	5.4
			212	1002	4.7

[Match.com]

Could it be that stew is not Good???? we should have put him on the block. Welcome to free agency...not here next year for sure. wish we could have gotten a draft pick

[KB_fan]

Could it be that stew is not Good???? we should have put him on the block. Welcome to free agency...not here next year for sure. wish we could have gotten a draft pick

I'm not quite sure why the concern and griping about Stew?  He may not be the flashiest RB in the league, but we've won 4, and we lead the league in Rushing Big Plays:  http://www.sportingcharts.com/nfl/stats/team-rushing-big-plays/2015/

(I don't know how many of those are Stew vs. Cam... stay tuned tomorrow for more on that).

We're moving the ball fairly decently.  Not too high a 3 & out percentage....

Seems to me our rushing game is working alright, though definitely there is room to improve, and the OP has posted an interesting question...  Why were we able to rush for nearly 200 yards per game in the final weeks of 2014?  Most of our offensive personnel are the same. What was different?  It's fun to think about, but I don't think our current run game is as shabby as some make it out to be.  Yes, Cam is a big part of it.  But that's who he is, and it's one of our strengths.  I'm glad we're capitalizing on that uniqueness.