Running game — "imposing their will on the defense"

This topic has 9 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 9 years, 8 months ago by zn.

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March 24, 2015 at 6:47 pm #21379

wv
Participant

I was reading RFL’s post about the ‘running game’ and he mentioned
his view that a ‘power running game’ implies the ability to
‘impose one’s will on a stacked defense’ or words to that effect.

And i commenced-to-thinkin about the last time i saw
a Ram offense do that at crunch time. And i got
to thinking about the most ‘memorable’ times that
I’ve seen that.

When’s the last time we saw that from a ram offense,
and what are some of the most memorable instances
of the Rams offense doing that against a ‘good‘ defense
at ‘crunch‘ time ?

You know the game that most stands out in my mind? — The Faulk game.
The one against that mighty Haslett Defense in New Orleans.
The Saints had won the first game i believe and the Rams
desperately needed to win the next game to make the playoffs —
and Faulk and the OLine just blasted the Saints on the ground.
Tough, tough running. Faulk and the Oline really
“imposed their will” on the Saints that day.

I also think of the Steven Jackson game against the 49ers
during Fisher’s term.

Can we say the Rams Offense ever “imposed its will”
against a “good” defense at crunch time, last year?
I cant remember.

w
v

March 24, 2015 at 6:53 pm #21381

Agamemnon
Participant

I want the Rams to get the ball on the 20, in the 4th quarter, drive the length of the field, using 10 or 12 plays, 8 – 10 minutes of clock, and score. Fisher would kick a field goal, but 😉 a FG is a win.

Agamemnon

March 24, 2015 at 7:16 pm #21384
wv
Participant
Agamemnon wrote:

I want the Rams to get the ball on the 20, in the 4th quarter, drive the length of the field, using 10 or 12 plays, 8 – 10 minutes of clock, and score. Fisher would kick a field goal, but a FG is a win.

Well, when’s the last time they did that:
Using a significant amount of RUNNING,
against a GOOD defense,
to win or ice a game in CRUNCH time ?

If we really want to see that
strange phenomenon
Snisher needs to find some…
…uh…hmmmm….what would they need for that?
….hmmmm…what position do they need to upgrade
so that Ag can see that vision of his play out…
hmmmm….

…as good as Boudreau is, maybe
they need to stop leaning on him for miracles
and just bring in some STUDS.

w
v
- This reply was modified 9 years, 8 months ago by wv.
March 24, 2015 at 7:19 pm #21386

Agamemnon
Participant

wv wrote:

Well, when’s the last time they did that:
Using a significant amount of RUNNING,
against a GOOD defense,
to win or ice a game in CRUNCH time ?

w
v

I remember the Cardiac Cards doing it all the time. Does that count?

Agamemnon

March 24, 2015 at 7:24 pm #21389

wv
Participant

Agamemnon wrote:

wv wrote:

Well, when’s the last time they did that:
Using a significant amount of RUNNING,
against a GOOD defense,
to win or ice a game in CRUNCH time ?
w
v

I remember the Cardiac Cards doing it all the time.
Does that count?

Well, everybody did it in the 70’s.
It was a ‘thing’. Like Disco.

Who ran the ball at crunch time for the Cardiac Cards?
Metcalf was not exactly Mr Ball-security.

w
v

March 24, 2015 at 7:31 pm #21390

zn
Moderator

wv wrote:

Well, when’s the last time they did that:
Using a significant amount of RUNNING,
against a GOOD defense,
to win or ice a game in CRUNCH time ?

Well how many teams DO do that running against GOOD defenses? To just pick 2 examples, New England didn’t do that to win the superbowl. Seattle didn’t do that to ALMOST win the superbowl–they got down to the goal line on a big pass play.

March 24, 2015 at 7:39 pm #21391

wv
Participant

zn wrote:

wv wrote:

Well, when’s the last time they did that:
Using a significant amount of RUNNING,
against a GOOD defense,
to win or ice a game in CRUNCH time ?

Well how many teams DO do that running against GOOD defenses? To just pick 2 examples, New England didn’t do that to win the superbowl. Seattle didn’t do that to ALMOST win the superbowl–they got down to the goal line on a big pass play.

Well I can remember SJax being a part of ‘that’ from time to time.
And i remember Faulk doing it against New Orleans.
I can remember John Robinson teams doing it,
and Knox teams doing it.

I dunno, maybe its rare nowadays.
I dont really watch other teams anymore,
so I dunno whats going on in the NFL.

I know the Rams are a few peices
away from being a damn good team.

w
v

March 25, 2015 at 1:38 pm #21423

Dak
Participant

I remember the Rams closing out the NFC championship game against a tough Eagles defense by just running Faulk nonstop. It was a thing of beauty.

March 25, 2015 at 2:10 pm #21431
rfl
Participant
A word of clarification in my use of the term.

For me, the term “power running game” may refer to a running style, but MUST include the ability to shove the ball down the throat of good and well-deployed defenses.

Of course, that doesn’t mean that an O can do this at all times and places. The NFL is too competitive to ever allow any unit to achieve absolute dominance. Hell, the GSOT was slowed considerably at times.

But, to be a power running team, one MUST be able to power through the chains often enough to create a sense of dread among opponents and force defenses to scheme to deal it. SEA has a true power running game, even though it is at times contained, as even we do at times. But SEA breaks the opposition defense down running the football often enough to command the game most of the time, and distort defenses trying to stop them.

All of this is true of any unit. For a decade, we’ve suffered from not having a perimeter passing game good enough to stress the medium yardages that force DBs off the LOS. You can apply the concept to team any strength.

In the NFL, even the worst units are talented enough to have good games. As we did against Indy 2 years ago. But FLASHES of effectiveness are not enough to stress the opposition or, using the phrase WV has isolated, “impose one’s will” on them.

You cannot have a power running game that only very rarely overpowers anyone.
- This reply was modified 9 years, 8 months ago by rfl.
By virtue of the absurd ...
March 27, 2015 at 12:35 am #21600

zn
Moderator

rfl wrote:

You cannot have a power running game that only very rarely overpowers anyone.

I return to this cause it’s an interesting topic.

My rejoinder is, the Rams have OFTEN run on people. And that’s with 3 different backs—Jackson, Stacy, Mason.

I just don’t think they are as far off as you seem to think they are.

But then it’s a contrast in 2 different ways of thinking.

I tend to see what they do well already and imagine they can become more consistent at it.

I don’t want to put words in your mouth, but to me anyway, you tend to look at the problems and imagine they are not easy to eliminate.

Is that fair?

.
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