The Running Game

[monstercat]

As much as some want to complain about the passing game and the QB, it's the running game that sets up the big passing plays for this team, but the running game didn't look so great last night.

I'm not too worried because it is preseason, but that O-line (along with the TE's and RB's) needs to pick it up a little bit, because D-Will has been getting hit too many times at the LOS for my taste. A lot of the time, it's because they're running into blitzers, but that's where those TE's and backs come in...they have to make their blocks for this to work.

[beastson]

Stewart woulda been more useful against Tenn than D.Will if it was the regular season

[SorthNarolina]

we ran right into obvious run blitzes a few times. Moore should have audibled out but maybe that's a regular season thing.

[natty]

The running game has been slow out of the gates for the past 2 seasons now. It's a trend that needs to stop.

[monstercat]

Stewart woulda been more useful against Tenn than D.Will if it was the regular season

IDK, as good as Stewart and Williams both are, they still need a hole to run through 90% of the time. You can't count on either one of them to make something out of nothing on most downs.

Again though, I'm not that worried about this in the preseason, but it does need to get cleaned up. On the positive side though, they did do a better job in pass protection this time. Now they just need to put it all together and build some consistency for the regular season.

[tvandenberg]

Good thing they had no false starts. Oh, wait.

[Wither]

Good thing they had no false starts. Oh, wait.

It was fine until the starters started coming out of the game (including Moore). Perhaps it was Clausen's fault, who knows.

[beastson]

IDK, as good as Stewart and Williams both are, they still need a hole to run through 90% of the time. You can't count on either one of them to make something out of nothing on most downs.

Again though, I'm not that worried about this in the preseason, but it does need to get cleaned up. On the positive side though, they did do a better job in pass protection this time. Now they just need to put it all together and build some consistency for the regular season.

I think yesterday the D speed was all over D.Will, I think a bruiser big back who takes more out of you to bring down woulda been more useful. Remind me of when we played Chi

[pantherj]

We're not running that ball a lot to set up the pass because we already know we can run the ball. There is no way in hell we pass the ball this much in the regular season, and we'll never see some of these crappy run plays again until next preseason. Regular season starts, we run like hell, with our best run plays.

[tvandenberg]

It was fine until the starters started coming out of the game (including Moore). Perhaps it was Clausen's fault, who knows.

Perhaps. It was good that those weren't the starters, but it's still a bit upsetting.

And holds, the refs need to get together and discuss not calling everyone they see (works on both sides of the ball). A holding call crushes a drive, and having that extra guy in the backfield is hurting all offenses -- or so it appears. I wish they'd show us some of these holds, because most look BS (this is an unbaised view, not citing anything specifically against the Panthers).

[nosuchthingasapanther]

IDK, as good as Stewart and Williams both are, they still need a hole to run through 90% of the time. You can't count on either one of them to make something out of nothing on most downs.

not when you're trying to bounce everything to the outside.

it was quite aggravating watching johnson and williams take the handoff and immediately go east or west.

tennesssee's run defense isn't any better than the jets or ravens. williams had no business bouncing everything to the outside. running up the gut for minimal or even no gain is 10x better than getting stuffed behind the los.

[monstercat]

not when you're trying to bounce everything to the outside.

it was quite aggravating watching johnson and williams take the handoff and immediately go east or west.

tennesssee's run defense isn't any better than the jets or ravens. williams had no business bouncing everything to the outside. running up the gut for minimal or even no gain is 10x better than getting stuffed behind the los.

Actually, that's part of my point. They had to bounce it outside, because there was nothing inside.

[nosuchthingasapanther]

Actually, that's part of my point. They had to bounce it outside, because there was nothing inside.

against defenses like last night, you run downhill...no matter how ugly it looks.

[monstercat]

against defenses like last night, you run downhill...no matter how ugly it looks.

After re-watching this game, D-Will's best runs were when he bounced it outside, so your argument doesn't really hold any water.