Running game - Najee and Jaylen

This....also ...for some reason people are blind(I actually wonder if they are watching before commenting) to how many times fakes to Najee has set up big plays for other players in the run, and pass game. Hell We seen the game before... one of Warren's biggest runs come off of a fake to Najee, and yesterday a huge play to Heyward came off off a misdirection to Najee.....this in its self should show people how the D of other teams respect, and fear Najee....even though His own team fans don't. I repeat no teams DC is sitting up at nights thinking of ways of stopping Warren right now....like they are Najee....just watching the D from when one is on the field... to the other should tell people this.

 

Not downing on Warren because I like Him, and We need Him, but He has about one a game....including this week.

 

I remember only seeing one time where it was glaringly obvious that Najee missed the hole. On the run where he bounced to the outside for a 3 or 4 yard loss. There may have been others but I thought he did well running the ball yesterday. As did Warren.
I'm not sure why some feel the need to make this a Harris vs Warren for carries kind of thing. Yesterday was a perfect example of what can happen when they commit to the run and Canada calls plays that go with the flow of the game.
I commented in the game day thread that they needed to start running the ball on first down because they had success in the run game earlier on. Towards the end of the 3rd quarter they started doing that and we all witnessed the affect that had. That mind set needs to happen much earlier in the game.

 

Because they can't be happy about anything, and if they ran one way way more than the other .....they would complain about running the wheels off of one. LoL. You know whats funny. The Cowboys had this same thought with Tony Pollard in Cryboys....so they let Zeke go, and now that TP has to carry the load....magically his run per carry has dropped to below 3.9, and they are one of the worst goal line scoring teams....after being the best last year. Proving many fans don't know what they are looking at.

 

Harris had a couple of them, but that one was damaging. Overall, my primary issue with Harris yesterday is that he was having trouble holding on to the ball. He fumbled once and bobbled the ball two other times.

 

Canada is running a watered down version of what we ran in HS so if he wants it to work he has to expand it and put the attacking counter plays in the playbook.. Plus we are near the bottom in 3rd. down conversions actually we are 21st and most of those Teams ahead of us run multiple RB'S or RB capable concepts with Scat game concepts ..

In HS 30 years ago lots of RB/WR's lots of QB/RB'S lots of WR'S with running back capabilities lots of TE/WR's as such the game plans changed and the designs became those to fit that talent thus the Zone Read the RPO'S the Scat game ,Jet Sweep and the tunnel and Bubble screen concepts where invented..

The Teams with the most explosive Offenses are running this 30 year old HS stuff ... Is why the FB is all but gone the true TE spot is not so much and the value of a pure RB is lower than it has ever been.. As those positions are needed to run the old style Offenses not so much anymore ..

Canada could use a HS coach from 30 years ago his scheme looks much more simple than the HS ones did.. Similar concepts just vey vanilla ..

 

I wish they would get Najee involved in the pass game, on the plus side of the line of scrimmage

 

I like Najee, but someone needs to tell the guy that he's supposed to be avoiding tacklers, not always trying to run them over. Sometimes the guy looks like he's running for revenge more than for yards. He made an incredible play to set up Kenny's sneak TD though.

 

He keeps trying to get to the outside. I don't know if he is just blindly following 'the plan' or if that is his desire. Either way, Najee is not fast enough to do it. Other than very rare occasions, he is followed down the line by 3 to 5 defenders who meet him at the edge. Often it is a fight to get to the line or maybe grab a yard. It seems like the normal is a small loss. He needs to plant a foot and turn upfield. He is a bruiser of a back. Reminds me of Derek Henry. He either needs better vision to see those gaps in the defense, or he needs to use his strength to plant a foot and make his own hole.

 

I don't think anyone is thinking of ways to stop Najee either. The way to stop him is pretty apparent. Just hit him before he gets a head of steam. Najee's biggest issues are that he lacks explosion and he has poor vision. The lacking explosion part can be negated by clogging up his holes and causing him to improvise east and west prior to getting to top speed. If they do that, he is relatively easy to bring down for little gain. If they allow Najee a clear hole (and he actually hits it) Najee deals out some punishment and starts needing a gang tackle to prevent a few extra yards of dragging defenders. This is where Najee is at his best. He needs to be more decisive and once he starts going north and south to commit to the lane and get what he can.

Warren is a smaller build than Najee, so he is easier to swallow up in the interior. However, he is far more explosive and gets to top speed a heck of a lot faster. That 13 yard TD run in the 4th is a TD 0% of the time if its a pitch to Najee. He just brings a different element. They are both good at what they specialize in, I just think Warren is a better fit for our offense and today's game in general. Najee isn't a special back. He is a fine player, but I don't think we'd uniquely miss him if he was replaced with an NFL average guy.

 

Henry actually gets some Gap , Power and trap type plays .. There was a article a few weeks back about not many of those style of blocking plays for the Steelers .. IMO this is the only style that should be called for him as well as the QB being under Center and him moving to the hole and getting the handoff at the point of attack even on the counters it should be a pony and fake to one side then Najee hitting the other.. Let the QB do the crossbuck action ..

Another point is Henry had like a 6.53 3 cone drill compared to Harris 7.52 ... So while they have similar size and speed Henry has the better burst and cutting ability .. It also appears Henry has the better vision as well ..

So again Najee should be a bit deeper at about 7 yards and squaring to the hole and hitting it square at full speed..

 

He is only special if the play design makes him so as I just stated... So what I described should be his run plays and all the pass plays should be PA off those runs...We have a NFL OC who is not good at designing concepts and plays that fit his players .. Having a power runner in the gun running zone crap is just dumb...

 

All I can say to this then is....it appears You watch the ball, and not the field. If You can't see how the D reacts when they think He's getting the ball, or when He goes a certain way, or what they bring on downs they believe are his....I'm wasting My time....the fakes to him for Connor this week, and for Warren last week specifically show this.

 

Jaylen is athletic and Najee is not. Jaylen has speed and Najee does not. Jaylen should start and Najee should not. Najee is basically a glorified fullback being paraded around as a starting running back.

 

Why do fans keep acting like it needs to be one or the other? Warren has his role as the third down RB, I don't see him doing much better on first and second down against stacked boxes.

 

If teams aren't thinking of ways to stop Najee, why are the boxes stacked on first and second down?

 

All of this 100%

 

Because if they do, we punish them by throwing for 93 yards through 3 quarters. They stack the box because they are daring us to beat them through the air. We haven't made teams pay hard enough yet (consistently) to stop that from happening.

 

So then the D is practicing to stop the Run...which would be primarily Najee. also when both are on the field....why does the D flow towards Najee, and not Warren....if they aren't practicing , and working to stop Najee??? We haven't see it much , but when they are both out there that's how they flow.

 

I’m perfectly okay with it being both. I think both have a role to play. But I also think it’s pretty obvious that Warren seems to have an explosiveness that Najee doesn’t have and also seems to be a more instinctive runner with better vision. He’s also faster so the opportunity for chunk yardage is greater with him running the ball. I’d just like to see what Warren could do if given an opportunity to get into a rhythm. That doesn’t mean Najee doesn’t get his touches. I liked what the Steelers did with Najee yesterday. He still seems to think he’s FWP at times trying to outrun 4.4 DBs and LBs to the edge. He needs to pound the ball between the tackles and run north to south. That’s his greatest strength.

 

A football player that's not athletic? Makes perfect sense......

 

Well they don't stop loading the box when Warren is in there... they are game planning to stop the run, because they feel like if they do we wont be able to efficiently move the ball with our passing game. I don't think there is any extra preparation for what Najee brings to the table, especially when he is just another guy at the RB position. He doesn't bring anything specifically unique or successful that other teams have to do things differently for. He's started 41 games (including playoffs) and has exactly 4 100 yard games. I think he is probably better than his stats, but he still isn't someone that should strike fear into any defense.

I think looking at a LB biting a bit on a fake to Najee and assuming it is because they fear Najee is a stretch. I am cool with both backs getting carries and looks, I just like Warren's game better. I think he is a better fit for the modern game even if he isn't a true 3 down RB and would be better in a tandem. I just think he should lead the tandem. I wouldn't lose any sleep if Warren got 60%+ of the RB touches.

 

To be fair, you typically watch the game multiple times. Most of us watch it once, so it’s tough to see what every player is doing.

 

When he leaps over a defender and stays on his feet, they use his stunt double.

 

This is correct. So I say I'm sorry for How I said it. I apologize