If Stewart has another Bad Game , Should McCaffrey Get The Nod To Start at Running Back?

[Hoenheim]

Through the last two games here are Jonathan Stewarts stats : 

18 carries 21 yards 1.2 avg
8 carries - 4 yards -0.5 avg
 

Here are McCaffrey's stats : 

3 carries 7 yards 2.3

4 carries 8 yards 2.0 avg

 

Jonathan Stewart got 5x more carries in game 5  and 2x more carries in game 6, and McCaffrey's still vastly outperforming him even with much lower attempts.  Stew is literally averaging less than 1 yard per carry collectively over the last 2 games. Sure our run blocking is terrible but something has to be done sooner rather than later in my opinion for us to get our running game back . 

I know the coaches seem to be dead set on Stew being the bruiser and taking 75% of the carries every game but I just want to see what would happen if they flip the roles. Someone mentioned in another thread the Patriots last year would sometimes run their smaller shiftier backs for most of the game and then run Blount more in the 4th quarter/late games to tire opposing defenses ot. I say we can at least try the same thing. Get McCaffrey 15-20 carries and 5 catches , maybe having a higher workload will result in him being much more productive than stewart has been. Also him being in the backfield more , makes us more flexible in play action , mccaffrey either blocking or running out the backfield . 

Also I'd play Armah at fullback. He's on the active roster but inexplicably isn't being used. We have 4 rookies drafted high and the coaches are hardly using them. Armah at FB, let Moton have some snaps at RT or LT to see if fhe improves the run blocking,  have Samuel more involved in runs and PLAY HIM OuT WIDE IN DEEP ROuTES , and give CMC much more carries and have Stewart spell him. 

[rayzor]

can anyone guess what kind of play it's going to be when stewart is in the game?

now answer the same question with cmc.

we aren't a power run team anymore. we just don't have the personnel for it. i mean if we decided to use our fullback, we might have a chance for it but just because we have a FB on the roster doesn't mean that one exists in shula's mind.

the only chance we have is to use misdirection and to make the most of the dual threat players we have. take advantage of the dual threat that cam is and the potential that is there in cmc and samuel.

we can't impose our will on anyone, but shula and rivera coach as if they were able to.

[rayzor]

btw....i'm answering CMC over stewart because he gives us more options and takes away a level of predictability.

 

[uncfan888]

CMC should be the starter. and CAP should start getting more carries too

[t96]

McC should see 15+ carries weekly at this point.

[Admiral Ackbar]

Our problem isnt our Running backs, our problem is no speed on the outside to force safties out of the box.

[AggieLean]

22 minutes ago, uncfan888 said:

CMC should be the starter. and CAP should start getting more carries too

I agree with this. It's time to get CAP off the shelf, and see if he can do better. He probably won't do any better, but you never know unless you try.

[rayzor]

2 minutes ago, uncfan888 said:

CMC should be the starter. and CAP should start getting more carries too

absolutely. we aren't using stewart more than the other two because he's the better option. we're using him because of his vet status.

both CMC and CAP bring more to the table and i think they would bring enough versatility and skill to take the run game up a few notches. incorporating samuel into the game plan more, taking advantage of the versatility that he brings would help a lot as well.

the biggest thing will be to use the passing game to set up the run game and work too have a less predictable run game. until we have stewart out there less and CMC and CAP out there more. btw, CAP is very underutilized as a receiver. he's only been thrown to 6 times in his career here and he's caught every one of them and turned 5 of them into first downs.

on the other hand...stewart is a pretty crappy option as a receiver on what should be very high percentage passes. since 2015 (CAP's rookie year) stewart has been thrown to 52 times but has only caught 30. he's scored twice on those opportunities, but he's only converted 8 of them for first downs. he's just not a viable and reliable option and i don't think any team considers him a threat in the passing game.

[uncfan888]

Just now, AggieLean said:

I agree with this. It's time to get CAP off the shelf, and see if he can do better. He probably won't do any better, but you never know unless you try.

That's all i want to see. What has he got? Cuz Stewart can't run the ball much longer and we need to find a replacement for him whether it be CAP or someone else

[Castavar]

Stewart should be relegated to change of pace and goal line back. The predictability with him in there really stalls this offense. Our offense flows better with CMC in the game. We can dump it off to him, run in out of shotgun, call a screen, or motion him out to a WR. It's not as predictable and Cam can do what he does best when CMC is in the game. LBs and safeties solely turn their attention to him, making everything else on our offense open up. At this point, Stew in the game on 1st down is just a waste a down. And I absolutely agree that it's time for CAP to get more action.

[xav8tor]

I'm all on board more carries for CMC, and more use of Samuel, but with our OL, at least in present form, not up the middle. PA, screens, sweeps, etc. would be nice, and might open things up. Two recent plays stick out in my mind. The one that drew four Pats defenders, and the CMC TD off of the pitch from Cam...beautiful! Those, and one bright spot I noticed live at the NO home debacle.

Focusing on CMC the entire game with the entire field in view, the primary reason I went to BoA that day, I was astounded by the fact that the kid was ALWAYS open. Always an option good for five yards or more. I still fail to understand why we can't use a slice em and dice em approach, peppered with intermediate routes, the occassional bomb, and more misdirection in the backfield to open up the run. It works elsewhere, but we don't have BB and his OC, or a guy like Peyton making the calls, so maybe that's why.

[AceBoogie]

I’d probably make changes to the offensive line before I made changes to the RB. Also funny how most here were screaming that CAP sucks and now y’all want him to be the starter lol. 

[rayzor]

2 minutes ago, Castavar said:

Stewart should be relegated to change of pace and goal line back. The predictability with him in there really stalls this offense. Our offense flows better with CMC in the game. We can dump it off to him, run in out of shotgun, call a screen, or motion him out to a WR. It's not as predictable and Cam can do what he does best when CMC is in the game. LBs and safeties solely turn their attention to him, making everything else on our offense open up. At this point, Stew in the game on 1st down is just a waste a down. And I absolutely agree that it's time for CAP to get more action.

considering the MO of this coaching staff is to build a lead through three quarters and then control the clock in the 4th quarter, let your big playmakers help build up the score, wearing out the defense physically and mentally and then bring stewart in on the 4th quarter to finish out the game using him to pound an already weakened D.

[NavyPF4L]

Right now it's not the running backs that are making our running attack look weak it's the o line. 

We all seem to like Larsen and he is serviceable no doubt but he isn't ryan. We were running the ball very well in the first 2 games that Cam was rusty as all hell and ever since Ryan went down you can see how badly our line has done in the run blocking compared to before.

 

Mat isn't super great but here's something else you guys aren't taking into account. Ryan knows and can get more out of his brother than anyone in this world and that's why I feel we brought him in. Not only we he not want to let down cam and the rest of the guys but you damn well be sure he's not going to let his big brother down. 

 

I predict that once Ryan is back we will become a monster of an offense and once that happens hopefully we get healthy on the defensive side and maybe just maybe Wilkes decides to utilize our nickel package more than setting us up for failure with the mismatches and we will become the best team in the nfl. 

 

We just need a little love from lady injury and I assure you this team will be fine.. 

 

Oh and please God Wilkes eno ugh with the 4-3 base all game. Brees will murder us if we try that pooh again against them and probably that pos Ryan. God I dislike that dude.