DWill

[4Corners]

he has started slow in past seasons, no reason to think the run game wont eventually develop into a constant homerun threat.

He is a notoriously slow start to the season player. I was laughing when fans were upset about his play early on because this is about the time he gets going.

[bleys]

yeah, it should be widely known by now our running game doesn't truly kick off until late into the season.. been that way since 2008..

[jramsey4]

It takes a couple weeks every year to get us going on the ground. I said this earlier. My beef is now that its starting to work we still barely run it. We have traded one extreme (running too damn much) to the other (passing too much). I like more of a focus on the Pass but it should be at least 60-40.

[panthers55]

if you look at our backfield from top to bottom....it is arguably the best in the NFL.

If Steve Smith the #1 WR goes down....Carolina's passing attack would rank in the bottom half of the NFL.

You can't say those things about teams BUILT to pass.

I got no complaints about what we are doing. Very happy with it. but Rivera and company don't have the roster a passing team would want yet.....more talent needs to be invested into the WRs......and less at the RB spot.

I mean GB would have no interest in keeping 2 RBs like we have on there roster if it meant they had weaker WRs.......you can find RBs anywhere. WRs you cant

And lastly....look at how many touches per game DeAngelo gets compared to other RBs in the NFL.....then look at what they cost vs.him......just seems like Hurney wasn't aware of what the new guys were about IMO.

You seem to forget that we are not a west coast 4 and 5 wide receiver set offense. Green Bay does not run the same system that we do so using them to discuss our situation is not an apple to apples comparison. Secondly they do have 2 good running backs- Starks and Grant who have 57 and 39 carries respectively. Compare that to Williams and Stewart who have 47 and 37 carries respectively.

Green Bay is built on 3 and 4 wide looks and frequent use of a tight end like Finley. They stretch the field largely horizontally with some deep passing. We on the other hand stretch the field vertically with more deep passing and some working to the edges. We run a 12 or 22 personnel and only on third down or the 2 minute offense do we run an empty backfield. All passing attacks don't require 4 or 5 wide receivers. We do have 4 receivers on the field much of the time but that includes 2 wides and 2 tight ends.

Chud does not run a Green Bay style offense and instead typically uses tight ends as primary receivers. So we are really configured just as our offense is supposed to run. We don't need 5 wide receivers because we don't run those sets. Even in 5 wide sets we typically put Olsen out wide and often put a running back in the slot along with 3 wide receivers.

Again we are 5 games into the season and are still installing the offense and developing chemistry. Compare us to teams in the same boat not ones like Green Bay who are running the same scheme for years and have had no turnover in coaching or personnel.

Lastly I don't know how you can decide what our offense will look like after 5 games or whether we are running too much or too little. Even within that time span our offense has changed quite a bit. In the first 2 games the defense put 9 guys in the box and running was difficult at best. In the last 2, the defenses have played more cover 2 and kept 7 in the box after they decided that Newton would burn them. Consequently we have run more with better success. Right now we are ranked in the top half in rushing yards at 116 yards a game which is 13th.

[panthers55]

YPC doesn't mean poo if they're not getting multiple carries

The number of rushing attempts between the team that rushes the most (Houston-32) and the the team that rushes the least (your own Bears 21) averages only 11 carries a game or typically 2-3 attempts per quarter.

The Panthers are ranked 22nd in carries but 13th in yards and second in percentage of first downs as a function of attempts (29%). Why the difference?? YPC.

The Eagles are ranked 6th in attempts but first in rushing yards and first in percentage of first downs as a function of atttempts. Why?? YPC

And both have a running quarterback......

Who is last in rushing yards per game- Tennessee at 66 yards a game. They also have the lowest YPA in the league. Where do they rank in attempts- 25th. Why so low?? When you first down percentages rushing the ball is 16%, you don't have a lot of extended drives.

Truth is YPC and first downs are as important as number of carries.

[panthers55]

It takes a couple weeks every year to get us going on the ground. I said this earlier. My beef is now that its starting to work we still barely run it. We have traded one extreme (running too damn much) to the other (passing too much). I like more of a focus on the Pass but it should be at least 60-40.

Right now our passing to rushing ratio is 62% to 38%. Why all the angst over 2%. To be 60-40 we would need to run the ball 1 more time a game.

I think perception seems to be the problem here, not reality.

[bleys]

It takes a couple weeks every year to get us going on the ground. I said this earlier. My beef is now that its starting to work we still barely run it. We have traded one extreme (running too damn much) to the other (passing too much). I like more of a focus on the Pass but it should be at least 60-40.

here's the thing, our running game doesn't take just a couple weeks every year.. it takes 10 weeks before it blows up..

IIRC, it was week 11 before any one of our RBs got over 100 yards.. same goes for previous years, but I'd have to look it up to verify.. not far from that though.

[dimbee]

I think A LOT of it is based off of the whopper contract given to D-Will and the inherent expectation that he would be featured.

[bleys]

sounds about right.. that money could have been spent better and so far DWill has been absent from games, minus this past week.

[ed bell]

From a fan's standpoint, I like the fact that he and Stewart share the load. Always have. Different skill sets and no drop off in talent.

The new contract changed nothing in respect to the shared work load.

[dimbee]

In fairness, I think D-Will's contract was a Big Cat call made unilaterally partially as a gesture to the beleaguered fanbase.

[weymouthst]

About these built to pass, built to run things. A good team should be balanced, both run and pass, and use each when the situation calls for it.

Teams don't run the ball just because. Same with passing. Depending on your game plan, defensive personnel, match-ups, etc...Run the ball when it is an advantage and the situation calls for it.

I trust that our coaching staff knows when to run the ball. And to have double trouble to call on when the situation presents itself is damn good to have. You can't blame DWill for not getting carries when the coaches determine the time to run. Just let him do his thing when he is called upon, and settle for the fact that he is helping out the offense.

[Jangler]

this offense is going to be the tits.

*thinking*

[Kevin Greene]

I think A LOT of it is based off of the whopper contract given to D-Will and the inherent expectation that he would be featured.

Tempered by the fact no one knew Cam would be this freakin' good.

Last week vs the Taints moved towards a better balance, our offense is a WIP. Rivera and Chud will get it dialed in and God help th rest of the NFL, especially once we secure another quality WR.