Correct me if I am wrong...

[TheRealDeal]

I don't know where you got your numbers but they are wrong.

Again, I'm not saying you have to be top 12 in both categories to make the playoffs but the really good teams are good at both of those things (with few exceptions).

You just pointed out that 50% of the teams are in the playoffs with top 10 run games and 80% are in contention. You also pointed out 50% of teams have clinched in the top 10 at run stopping and 60% are in contention (in reality SF and Houston shouldn't count because they only have good numbers due to terrible pass defenses 24 and 32 respectively).

For comparision, top 10 passing offenses:

1. Indy - In contention

2. NO - Clinched

3. SD - Eliminated

4. Dallas - Eliminated

5 GB - In contention

6. Houston - Eliminated

7. Denver - Eliminated

8. Philly - Clinched

9. NYG - In contention

10. Wash - Eliminated

Only 20% of the top 10 has clinched and only 50% is in contention.

What would you take, 50% clinched and 80% contention or 20% clinched and 50% contention?

[TheRealDeal]

You can look at those teams who have been eliminated and plainly see the reason they were eliminated. Granted, stopping the run/and running the football are key components to winning, but so are turnovers and quality QB and Special Teams play. Its just the way the game goes. Atlanta has come back to win 5 games this year... Buffalo has lost 6 games by 7 points or less. One play, thats all it is. Atlanta lost because they could not get the ball back from the Saints. I would not call what the saints did on the ground last night effective.

It wasn't very effective and Brees didn't play that well. Stopping the run of the Falcons won them the game. Holding Turner to 48 yards on 17 attempts is big time. Ryan then looked like he had a Clausen stat line of 148 yards, 1 TD and a 5.1 YPA. I thought he was the next Brady?

[The Saltman]

thats one year. give me stats for the last 5 years and then we can agree on something.

just trying to make u do more work.

[pantherj]

Not sure yet. I am waiting to see who our new HC is before I decide.

I think JR hires another defensive minded run out the clock coach. If so, trade down for Fairley, pick up a second rounder and pick up best available WR. I am not so certain Moore or Clausen are not good enough to be game managers.

We do that and I'll go into a deep dark football depression. ALT and NO will sweep us for many years to come with Moore or Clausen at QB.

[Cavscout]

Recent stats probably will show that you don't have to be top ten in just ONE category, but rather at least in the top half of the league at both running the ball and passing the ball on offense and likewise good at stoping both on defense, good at special teams, and have a low turnover ratio.

Therefore one can surmise that you would need both a good QB AND a good running game on offense. Since we have a good running game, it just makes sense to get a QB who can actually throw the ball farther than three yards like Clausen.

[TheRealDeal]

thats one year. give me stats for the last 5 years and then we can agree on something.

just trying to make u do more work.

Me?

I don't mind doing the work but like I've said before I'm not a big fan of stats because they don't show the whole picture, like SF and Houston having top 10 run defenses but in reality it's only because they can't stop the pass. Intelligent people know which teams can run and stop the run. I only posted the stats because other people live and die by them.

[Squirrel]

So if someone is speaking negatively about Luck they have to be trolling? Why? Id it because he is the second Peyton Manning? Zod brings up very good points. I think alot of people need to step back and stop slurping.

[Dpantherman]

Only thing is, this happens every year. Its not the first and won't be the last. What if we draft him and he busts? What if we don't draft him, and we miss out? What if we draft him, and he does well?

[pantherj]

Here is a pretty good look at Luck, and not just a highlgiht reel.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PiFkLbz2FUw

[Erik Stall]

I don't know where you got your numbers but they are wrong.

Again, I'm not saying you have to be top 12 in both categories to make the playoffs but the really good teams are good at both of those things (with few exceptions).

You just pointed out that 50% of the teams are in the playoffs with top 10 run games and 80% are in contention. You also pointed out 50% of teams have clinched in the top 10 at run stopping and 60% are in contention (in reality SF and Houston shouldn't count because they only have good numbers due to terrible pass defenses 24 and 32 respectively).

For comparision, top 10 passing offenses:

1. Indy - In contention

2. NO - Clinched

3. SD - Eliminated

4. Dallas - Eliminated

5 GB - In contention

6. Houston - Eliminated

7. Denver - Eliminated

8. Philly - Clinched

9. NYG - In contention

10. Wash - Eliminated

Only 20% of the top 10 has clinched and only 50% is in contention.

What would you take, 50% clinched and 80% contention or 20% clinched and 50% contention?

I got my numbers from NFL.com. I clicked on "stats" and sorted by team total rushing yards. That doesn't include the Philadelphia/Minnesota game, but that will just further my point. Minnesota is sitting 85 yards behind Atlanta for #10 in rushing offense. Neither team should fall out in rush defense.

And why shouldn't SF and Houston not count just because they can't stop the pass? SF is #2 in yards per attempt and Houston is #7. You don't get to cherry pick stats just because they don't fit your argument.

And you totally missed my point about the QBs. Like I said, they may not put up numbers but they know how to not screw up. Guys like Kyle Orton can put up numbers but no one will ever accuse him of being a good QB.

Recent stats probably will show that you don't have to be top ten in just ONE category, but rather at least in the top half of the league at both running the ball and passing the ball on offense and likewise good at stoping both on defense, good at special teams, and have a low turnover ratio.

Therefore one can surmise that you would need both a good QB AND a good running game on offense. Since we have a good running game, it just makes sense to get a QB who can actually throw the ball farther than three yards like Clausen.

But I think you hit the nail on the head here.

[Montsta]

So if Luck stinks it up January 3rd and Newton destroys Oregon January 10th, do the Huddle servers explode?

[TheRealDeal]

I got my numbers from NFL.com. I clicked on "stats" and sorted by team total rushing yards. That doesn't include the Philadelphia/Minnesota game, but that will just further my point. Minnesota is sitting 85 yards behind Atlanta for #10 in rushing offense. Neither team should fall out in rush defense.

And why shouldn't SF and Houston not count just because they can't stop the pass? SF is #2 in yards per attempt and Houston is #7. You don't get to cherry pick stats just because they don't fit your argument.

And you totally missed my point about the QBs. Like I said, they may not put up numbers but they know how to not screw up. Guys like Kyle Orton can put up numbers but no one will ever accuse him of being a good QB.

But I think you hit the nail on the head here.

I said if you looked closely at SF and Hou you would see why they are in there, not that they don't count, which is why I left them in there when calculating my percentages.

But you didn't answer my one question for you (probably because the answer didn't fit my argument)

What would you take, 50% clinched and 80% contention or 20% clinched and 50% contention?

Again, if this is a passing league and it's all about QBs and all the rule changes favor passing the ball and running the ball is dead and blah blah blah...

What would you choose? What odds would you take if you were building a playoff team year in and year out?

[Erik Stall]

I said if you looked closely at SF and Hou you would see why they are in there, not that they don't count, which is why I left them in there when calculating my percentages.

But you didn't answer my one question for you (probably because the answer didn't fit my argument)

Again, if this is a passing league and it's all about QBs and all the rule changes favor passing the ball and running the ball is dead and blah blah blah...

What would you choose? What odds would you take if you were building a playoff team year in and year out?

That's the 2nd time you missed the point. It's not about accumulating stats considering the fact that Kyle Orton of all people is up there in YPG. It's about those guys I named being good QBs, winning games and giving their teams the best chance to win.

In any case, I never ever said running the ball is dead. In fact:

Yeah, you need to be able to run the ball but most of these teams don't have an elite runner, but they almost all have top QBs.

That was my point. Not that passing is more important than rushing or anything like that. You're just putting way too much stock into a correlation that doesn't exist between running the ball well and success. The key to winning, now, is having a good QB. He doesn't have to put up mindblowing stats, because that's not the be all end all of being a good QB, but he can't just be a "game manager" anymore.

[CLTPanther]

So if Luck stinks it up January 3rd and Newton destroys Oregon January 10th, do the Huddle servers explode?

No, Zod will create a Cam Newton News and Updates thread stickied