Excellent In-Depth NFL.com Article On Our Running Game

[rayzor]

defenses will be and are adjusting to changing rules.

here's a really good read from last year on what defenses are doing to catch up and fight the increase in passing game: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1189944/1/index.htm

excerpt:

The offense has been tricking us for years. Now it's our turn. It's the evolution of the game, how the defense is disguising everything. It's like the defense has gone on offense.

—DEMARCUS WARE, COWBOYS LINEBACKER

Football today's about one word," said Saints* coach Sean Payton. "Let's see if you can guess it."

Payton, in his office at training camp this summer, got up from his chair to walk off some energy. "Here's what happens in the game today," he said, ticking off the play clock. "Quarterback breaks the huddle at 17. He goes to the line. Sixteen, 15, 14, 13. He's probing the defense. 'Purple 57! Purple 57! SetHUT!!' That's not a snap count. It's information gathering. [The offense] knows he's not snapping on a dark color. For some teams it's a color, for others it might be ice cream flavors—just as long as the offense knows and the defense doesn't. On defense they're thinking, 'Hold it, hold it, hold it. Don't show the quarterback anything.' The offense is saying, 'Who's who? Who are we blocking? How do we attack it?'

"Twelve, 11, 10, 9. Quarterback sees some movement on the defense; he knows it might be phony. Eight, 7, 6. 'CHECKCHECK! Yellow 36! Yellow 36!' Now it's the real thing, an audible. Quarterback's guessing what he sees. For the defense it's still 'Hold it, hold it, hold it.' Five, 4, 3. 'SetHUTHUT!!' Now he takes the snap—and he has to read the defense while he's figuring where to go with the ball against guys trying to make sure he has no idea what they're playing."

On the video screen, Payton cued up a play from the Saints*' 2009 game with the Jets. New York had a left defensive end over New Orleans's right tackle, no one over the right guard, center or left guard, a defensive end over the left tackle and a standup linebacker on the end's right shoulder. Quarterback Drew Brees stood at the line figuring what to do. Linebackers and defensive backs moved around, showing nothing. "And here they come," said Payton. "They knock at the front door with one guy, then shove 10 through the back."

At the snap the Jets flooded the left side with four rushers. Traffic on the line stopped two of them. The others, linebacker Bart Scott and safety Jim Leonhard, steamed around left end. For the Saints*, left tackle Zach Strief had to pick up one, and tight end Jeremy Shockey, behind Strief, should have gotten the other. At the moment of truth Leonhard ducked low, taking a wide rush outside, and Strief and Shockey both blocked him. Scott, left free, smashed into Brees, forcing an incompletion. "Win for the defense," Payton said.

The strange 2-3-6 alignment, with no defenders over the three interior linemen, caused the Saints* to change their blocking scheme after this game from man to zone on blitzes around the corners. Their name for the new scheme: Jet Stream. Just one more move to try to keep ever-morphing defensive fronts—aren't the Jets supposed to play a straight 3--4?—from wrecking the offense's plans.

"That's a pretty big clue about the word," Payton said with a smile. "Got it yet?"

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"Confusion," said Payton. "That's the word. Football has become the battle of confusion."

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These days there may be a few games in which an offense runs on 60% of its plays, but far more frequently the ratio is 60% pass, 40% run. To contend with those pass-heavy attacks, defensive architects are changing up, becoming more and more unpredictable. Some of the ways they're doing so:

Varying the fronts to create mismatches. Many teams have started doing what Rex Ryan did as coordinator for the Ravens and now does as Jets coach—flood one gap or blocker with two, three or even four defensive linemen or linebackers. That challenges a quarterback to change his protection call to keep more blockers in. On one play in that 2009 Jets-Saints* game, New York showed a heavy rush on the left side; Brees kept a running back in to block ... and at the snap the Jets dropped a lineman and a linebacker from the group into coverage, negating Brees's protection call. "They rushed four but ate up six of our guys," Payton said. "They were able to double two of our receivers without leaving anyone open."

Changing the defensive game plan every week, sometimes radically. This is a Belichick trademark. The Pats' boss has long designed his defensive fronts—and what he does on offense too—specifically for each game depending on an opponent's strengths and weaknesses. And the men who've coached under him have adopted that approach.

In practices before the Browns' game at New Orleans last October, Eric Mangini, then Cleveland's coach and now an ESPN analyst, preached disguises more than defensive schemes. For 60 or 70 minutes of each practice, Mangini (who was an assistant under Belichick in New England) had his defenders holding phony positions before the snap. "Spin the dial," he told his players. "Spin it. Different looks every time. No pattern." On half the snaps against the Saints*, Mangini says, Cleveland had no defensive linemen or just one on the field—showing Brees an 0--5 or 1--5 or 1--4. Brees hadn't seen those looks in game tape, and while he hit Cleveland for a couple of big plays—"the cost of doing business," Mangini says—the final score was Browns 30, Saints* 17.

Dissecting offenses like never before. When the NFL Network was at Saints* camp this summer, Payton sternly told the sound technician that he didn't want Brees's snap counts to be audible. "It's not just the words people could steal," Payton says. "It's the cadence and the speed." A defensive coordinator for another NFC team says his video crew reviews telecasts and transcribes the presnap calls of opposing quarterbacks, and pairs those with the play. The information is analyzed to see what patterns can be discerned. Intonation and the difference between how a quarterback makes a dummy call versus a real one, the coach says, provide clues that can give his edge rushers a split-second head start. It's perilously close to what got the Patriots in hot water during Spygate, but because the audio is available over public airwaves, there's no NFL rule against the practice. And it's not foolproof. "You get a little something out of it," the NFC coordinator says, "but so many teams change their indicator words week to week that you can't trust what you're hearing."

"It's a more advanced game than anyone would think," notes Cardinals quarterback Kevin Kolb. "I tell my friends about five percent of what we do, and they're blown away. They can't believe it's this complicated."

point of all that is, defenses are going to be catching up to the offense. that always happens. sure, the rules have made it easier to pass, but parity will return as defenses get more creative....but they are going to do it knowing that offenses are going to be focusing more on the pass so they will be built more to stop it. the only problem with that is that it will end up making them more susceptible to the run...at least power run games. also, you are going to have to be doing a whole lot more on offense than passing. the players coming out of college are more prepared for pass heavy spread offense type attacks because that is what they grew up doing. the thing that has put defenses so far behind is that OCs have been more progressive lately while defenses have been slow to change and adapt, but it's happening and will more.

that doesn't mean that we will go back to a 60% run, 40% passing game. it does mean that there will be an increase in the near future where teams will be closer to a 50/50 balance between passing and rushing. the panthers are going to be ahead of that curve. while other offenses are coming late to the passing party, the panthers are just jumping ahead and are set up to take advantage of teams trying to emulate the pats and packers.

[Tarheels23]

.....and our RBs rushed the ball less than anytime in franchise history most likely last year (would have to double check it).

We need to continue to run. We don't need to line up in power run formations and pound the rock more making the overall offense less dangerous.

I am just amazed that Newton came in and did his thing.....and the first thing people want to do is reduce his role and emphasize going back to old school football.

You're the only one making this about our running backs, when in fact this thread is more about our running game, Cam included. Which is what Bucky talked about in the article.

[Floppin]

How we run is relevant...was relevant last year. Which is why our RBs could rush for fewer times in franchise history yet we had arguably the greatest rushing season in Panther history.

We need to score points. Unless something changes w/ our D....we don't need to fix what ain't broke on O.

You want Cam to have a sophomore slump.....reduce his role. Only way Cam should take a backseat is if we have a comfortable lead late. Otherwise, his legs and role on the ground is part of his game(and confidence)...reducing that at this early stage would be bad news for the O.

Who said anything about Cam taking a backseat? Now you're just making poo up that doesn't make sense. I never said anything about not letting Cam run.

[CRA]

defenses will be and are adjusting to changing rules.

here's a really good read from last year on what defenses are doing to catch up and fight the increase in passing game: http://sportsillustr...944/1/index.htm

excerpt:

point of all that is, defenses are going to be catching up to the offense. that always happens. sure, the rules have made it easier to pass, but parity will return as defenses get more creative....but they are going to do it knowing that offenses are going to be focusing more on the pass so they will be built more to stop it. the only problem with that is that it will end up making them more susceptible to the run...at least power run games. also, you are going to have to be doing a whole lot more on offense than passing. the players coming out of college are more prepared for pass heavy spread offense type attacks because that is what they grew up doing. the thing that has put defenses so far behind is that OCs have been more progressive lately while defenses have been slow to change and adapt, but it's happening and will more.

that doesn't mean that we will go back to a 60% run, 40% passing game. it does mean that there will be an increase in the near future where teams will be closer to a 50/50 balance between passing and rushing. the panthers are going to be ahead of that curve. while other offenses are coming late to the passing party, the panthers are just jumping ahead and are set up to take advantage of teams trying to emulate the pats and packers.

Teams are figuring out the Peyton Manning offenses. They are building themselves to stop it (or deal with it I should say)......which is why the Newton/Spread option look is going to eat people for lunch for a couple years. Defenses got small. These big spread option QBs have an advantage over the Ds.

but defenses aren't catching up to the spread option looks. Case in point, The Golden Calf of Bristol and an old sucky McGahee abused teams with the spread option......and even won a postseason game. They just got their first taste of these new athletic running QBs using it.

There is a nice article on NFL.com about why QBs will run more (and spread option looks will work) thanks to teams geared up to stop the Brady/Manning type offenses.

[Floppin]

I'm beginning to think that CRA agrees with us on this but for some reason he's not including Cam as a literal part of our "rushing attack" like we are. Either that or he's backtracking like a motherfuger.

[rayzor]

.....and our RBs rushed the ball less than anytime in franchise history most likely last year (would have to double check it).

We need to continue to run. We don't need to line up in power run formations and pound the rock more making the overall offense less dangerous.

I am just amazed that Newton came in and did his thing.....and the first thing people want to do is reduce his role and emphasize going back to old school football.

the problem is that you incorrectly think that people want to go back to old school football. it's balanced football using all the weapons in their arsenal...and it isn't reducing the role newton has. it's building up the pieces around it and being able to make the team even more diverse and dynamic than it would be with newton and just one or two joe schmoes back there getting the once in a while hand off.

it's just crazy to have all of that talent on the team and not use all of it to it's fullest.

again, newton isn't the only talented performer...we shouldn't act like he is. get as many people involved as possible. make as many people as possible the focus so that defenses can be better taken advantage of. use what you've got.

[CRA]

You're the only one making this about our running backs, when in fact this thread is more about our running game, Cam included. Which is what Bucky talked about in the article.

I have no issue w/ our run ratio.

I only have an issue w/ people thinking Newton's role in it should be reduced and the overall ratio increased a noteworthy amount.

[Tarheels23]

Last week Rivera defined "balanced" as being able to successfully run when we need to, and being able to successfully pass when we need to. He never mentioned "ratio" when speaking on being balanced.

[CRA]

the problem is that you incorrectly think that people want to go back to old school football. it's balanced football using all the weapons in their arsenal...and it isn't reducing the role newton has. it's building up the pieces around it and being able to make the team even more diverse and dynamic than it would be with newton and just one or two joe schmoes back there getting the once in a while hand off.

it's just crazy to have all of that talent on the team and not use all of it to it's fullest.

again, newton isn't the only talented performer...we shouldn't act like he is. get as many people involved as possible. make as many people as possible the focus so that defenses can be better taken advantage of. use what you've got.

Newton isn't the only talented performer.....I get it.

But the kid's ceiling is higher than anyone we have seen come into this league. Rookie season confirmed the thoughts and possiblity.

So given how high Newton's ceiling really is.....I don't really care about making sure everyone gets their touches. I think Newton is the type player we will only see once in our franchises history. If our talented backfield doesn't get the touches they deserve running as they would with a traditional QB.....I don't see what the big deal is.

[rayzor]

Teams are figuring out the Peyton Manning offenses. They are building themselves to stop it (or deal with it I should say)......which is why the Newton/Spread option look is going to eat people for lunch for a couple years. Defenses got small. These big spread option QBs have an advantage over the Ds.

but defenses aren't catching up to the spread option looks. Case in point, The Golden Calf of Bristol and an old sucky McGahee abused teams with the spread option......and even won a postseason game. They just got their first taste of these new athletic running QBs using it.

There is a nice article on NFL.com about why QBs will run more (and spread option looks will work) thanks to teams geared up to stop the Brady/Manning type offenses.

we all understand that.

using williams and stewart and tolbert just takes it a step beyond that and makes what is great even greater.

as crazy as it might sound, focusing too much on newton limits the panthers and doesn't allow the team to make the most of all the talents nor does it allow the offense to be used to it's fullest potential.

[Floppin]

Newton isn't the only talented performer.....I get it.

But the kid's ceiling is higher than anyone we have seen come into this league. Rookie season confirmed the thoughts and possiblity.

So given how high Newton's ceiling really is.....I don't really care about making sure everyone gets their touches. I think Newton is the type player we will only see once in our franchises history. If our talented backfield doesn't get the touches they deserve running as they would with a traditional QB.....I don't see what the big deal is.

By being able to NOT lean to much on Newton this team is able to keep opposing defenses off balance. If you make Newton, and his running ability, too much of a focus than you take away this advantage. Teams will set up to stop Newton, because you aren't allowing for the offense to be used to it's full potential. If, and only if, the offense is maintained at a balance will Newton's abilities be able to be used to their full ability.

[CRA]

we all understand that.

using williams and stewart and tolbert just takes it a step beyond that and makes what is great even greater.

as crazy as it might sound, focusing too much on newton limits the panthers and doesn't allow the team to make the most of all the talents nor does it allow the offense to be used to it's fullest potential.

Well I guess that is where we disagree. I don't think Carolina focused too much on him last year. He just wasn't ready for everything though. He will get better - and that means the Panthers get better.

I think if you get the most and best out of Cam. It means certain highly talented players you simply won't tap into their full potential.

[CRA]

I think a certain percentage of people think Double Trouble should be able to both rush 1000 yards. They want to argue a scheme that achieves it.

A healthy Newton ended that dream IMO

[rayzor]

Well I guess that is where we disagree. I don't think Carolina focused too much on him last year. He just wasn't ready for everything though. He will get better - and that means the Panthers get better.

I think if you get the most and best out of Cam. It means certain highly talented players you simply won't tap into their full potential.

i don't think it focused too much on him last year, either. last year went the way it should have offensively for his rookie season, but doesn't and shouldn't necessarily be considered the standard for how this offense with cam should be run.

yes, he will get better and so will the panthers with him. they will grow together and will be a force for years not just because of cam, but because of how this offense uses the weapons it has at it's disposal creating a well rounded and dynamic force that utilizes all of it's strengths, not just the strength of one. it is, after all, a team sport and the most you can get out of all components is what will bring success.

I think a certain percentage of people think Double Trouble should be able to both rush 1000 yards. They want to argue a scheme that achieves it.

A healthy Newton ended that dream IMO

i think it's a small percentage of the people that are arguing for that. most are arguing/pointing out chud keeping them and tolbert a key part of the offense and keeping the load shared between all of them rather than make it heavier on newton's side. there isn't the expectation of having a couple 1000 yarders...it's in having a truly balanced offense that spreads defenses apart and uses all of it's strengths, not just focusing on one.