interesting stat: 2nd straight year the team with the worst rushing offense...

[E CaT PanTHer]

Have fun with this one guys. I'm not getting involved.

[AussiePanth3r]

Just run the ball, yeh so what 2nd straight year the team with the worst rushing offense, but both of these teams have hall of fame qb's the cards had two great wide outs and Manning he is just a freak. Do what we do best run the ball, and then run it again, 2 of the best backs in the NFL and they are on the same team use it. Then play action Moore to Smith TD, can see it already, a good pick up in the draft at wide-out and we are set.

[faultlessjoint]

It should be noted that just because a team has the fewest rushing yards or TDs it doesn't mean they have the worst rushing game. It very well could mean that they just happen to have such a good pass game that they don't need to use the running game.

To illustrate: The Jets had the league's "best" rushing attack (most yards). But I think anyone who watches football would agree that both Carolina and Tennessee had much better rushing attacks. Total yards can be a very misleading stat.

[Yaboychris28]

it is still very well possible to win a super bowl with a better rushing attack then pass but like rocknrolla said i would also like the panthers to become a little more balanced in the play calls. but that wont ever happen unless we can improve our passing attack

[RockyTopVol]

I think that the Panthers will never contribute to this stat...as long as DWill and JStew are here.

[panthers55]

it is still very well possible to win a super bowl with a better rushing attack then pass but like rocknrolla said i would also like the panthers to become a little more balanced in the play calls. but that wont ever happen unless we can improve our passing attack

In the end you need to do both because different opponents will try and take different parts of your game away. In addition other team defenses may be better at limited the run or the pass. For example you aren't typically going to run for 150 yards against Minnesota so your passing game is going to have to work particularly early so you might run late. Other teams with a good pass defense but poor run defense will be susceptible to the run all day. Being one dimensional will cause significant problems particularly in the playoffs unless you have a Peyton Manning at quarterback. The problem is he is one of a kind.

I liked our balance at the end of the season with Moore. Plus having a dominating defense that produces turnovers will make any offense look good. Just ask the Jets.

[bababoey]

Took at quick look at some historical stats.

I looked at the regular season rushing and passing rank of the 16 super bowl teams since 2002, including this year. I also looked at the average defensive rating (0.0 is the league average)

Average passing rank: 10.06

(only 3 out of 16 teams were in the bottom half of the league)

Average rushing rank: 16.31

(only 3 out of 16 teams were in the top 5 in rushing)

Average defensive rating: 3.12 - would have ranked 7th this year

(only four teams were below the league average rating of 0.0. best was 9.1, worst was -6.0)

Then I looked at the Panthers performance between 2002 and 2009...

Average passing rank: 20.5

Average rushing rank: 15.4

Average defensive rating: 1.8 (would have ranked 10th this year)

This year was the only year we had a defensive rating that exceeded the average for Super Bowl participants since 2002.

Since 2002, Super Bowl particpants, on average, have great defenses (7th) good passing games (10th), and average rushing games (16th). So in very simple terms, that's been the recipe.

Take from that what you will, and with a grain of salt. This definitely isn't the best way to look at this stuff, but it's interesting I think.

So basically a top tier quarterback is more improtant than having anything else. Really:p

But seriously to get to the super bowl today you can be below average in one aspect of the game( run D, pass D, run O) except the passing offense and get to the super bowl. If a team has a below average passing offense then they have to be really good in ever other offense and defensive catagory to have a chance. Just look at the jets. That is why when a team finds a good quarterback they hold on them like their life depends on it.

I mean who is the best defensive player in the NFL? Allen? Willis? Polamalu? If you were the GM of a team would trade Peyton Manning or Breese for any of them? I would not trade Manning for all of them, together. What about Phillip Rivers, or Tom Brady? What about Matt Schaub? Just shows you how improtant a good quarterback has become in todays game.

[pstall]

Took at quick look at some historical stats.

I looked at the regular season rushing and passing rank of the 16 super bowl teams since 2002, including this year. I also looked at the average defensive rating (0.0 is the league average)

Average passing rank: 10.06

(only 3 out of 16 teams were in the bottom half of the league)

Average rushing rank: 16.31

(only 3 out of 16 teams were in the top 5 in rushing)

Average defensive rating: 3.12 - would have ranked 7th this year

(only four teams were below the league average rating of 0.0. best was 9.1, worst was -6.0)

Then I looked at the Panthers performance between 2002 and 2009...

Average passing rank: 20.5

Average rushing rank: 15.4

Average defensive rating: 1.8 (would have ranked 10th this year)

This year was the only year we had a defensive rating that exceeded the average for Super Bowl participants since 2002.

Since 2002, Super Bowl particpants, on average, have great defenses (7th) good passing games (10th), and average rushing games (16th). So in very simple terms, that's been the recipe.

Take from that what you will, and with a grain of salt. This definitely isn't the best way to look at this stuff, but it's interesting I think.

Nice work.

Now add in 3rd down conversions and stops, maybe red zone conversions and stops and I think we have the best picture.

[weyco2000]

The best way to beat a passing team is to limit their touches on offense, by ball control. Not only running the ball but having a QB that can make a play, especially on third downs. I think you nailed it "pstall" when you mentioned third down conversion and stops.

[Snake]

yeah, if one game is different then it's all about running and having multiple backs.

You can't do just one thing well. Look at the 2008 Saints v/s the 2009 saints.

Balance is def Key but if you have a great QB your always in the hunt for a SB. Not many great QBs come around though.

With that said I would like to take this time out to thank the OCs. There the ones that sit in the flim room all day and there they ones picking apart the other teams Defense from the side line. Payton Manning is only as good as his OC. Look at the Jets game if you think not. So is Warrner with his HC calling good plays to take advantage of the D

[panthers55]

Balance is def Key but if you have a great QB your always in the hunt for a SB. Not many great QBs come around though.

With that said I would like to take this time out to thank the OCs. There the ones that sit in the flim room all day and there they ones picking apart the other teams Defense from the side line. Payton Manning is only as good as his OC. Look at the Jets game if you think not. So is Warrner with his HC calling good plays to take advantage of the D

Manning and Brees have been to a combined 3 Super bowls between them with this year counting for 2 of them. The primarily reason Brees is there this year is a better running game and defense. Manning has been a top quarterback for years but only goes to the Super bowl when his defense plays well. The top passing team this year was Houston and they finished barely over 500. If is was all about a great passing game then a top five passing team would have won the Super bowl more than 3 times this decade. Sure it helps but without a defense you don't make the playoffs let alone win the Super Bowl.

[weyco2000]

The first half of the season I would agree. (The Saints running game or defense sure as hell didn't show up last week.) The Colts defense is built to stop this type of offense, with speed and pressure. Peyton Manning will chew their defense apart, if they don't defend the middle of the field like last game, Dallas Clark will kill'em. A defense that relies on turnovers to win a game, is not going to get them against the MVP of the league. The Saints safeties fall for double moves and don't like contact and they don't have depth at CB to cover all of the weapons the Colts have. I see a "blowout", although I would like a good game!

[Guild]

The primarily reason Brees is there this year is a better running game and defense.

I thought the primary reason was the refs gave them the NFCCG.

[panthers55]

I thought the primary reason was the refs gave them the NFCCG.

There is that.