Run game vs. passing game - a study

Everything is cyclical. Right now, passing is the soup du jour. It won't be that way forever. Teams will gear up defensively to counter the trend, and then guess what? Offenses will counter with a shift to a more physical ground attack.

There are also caveats to leaning on the pass, however. Larger chunks of yardage and lower time of possession can wear out a defense. And even though the turf in modern stadiums can handle the elements better than old, natural grass, there is just as much rain, snow, wind, and cold as there ever has been. Inclement weather was the underlying source for "deflate-gate." Why was it an issue? Because the team/QB/coach relied on the passing game for success.

And lastly...

The ability to score more points results from passing the ball. I'd like to see some evidence of this. Real evidence, not opinion. Otherwise, I call BS.

More big plays are generated from the passing game. See "Soup du jour" above. But yes, since a pass play effectively starts downfield, at the point the catch is made, it will generate more big plays than a run that begins behind the line of scrimmage. I'd like one of the stat-hounds to dig up average YAC compared to average distance of throws to get an idea of how much is being done after the catch as opposed the overall distance gained by the play. Just curious.

Teams need to have the ability to pass to sustain drives. They do? Watch the Browns run all over us last season if you can stomach it, and then get back to me.

RB's have a difficult time remaining healthy. And so do WR's and QB's. I think that's a weak argument.

Franchise QBs are generally the key to winning in the NFL. Well, yeah. But Tom Brady makes the running game dangerous because of the threat of the pass. Defenses have to play franchise QB's honest because of the threat. It doesn't mean that Brady MUST run an unbalanced offense to be successful.

 

I'm going to cling hopefully to the theory that Ben's knee was wonky after the Dallas game, and that's what reigned in the passing game, and subsequently all of the box defenders.

 

My point is that it's easy to understand why teams lean more heavily on passing the ball than running the ball. If I were a coach I'd lean more towards passing the ball philosophy with a franchise QB. That doesn't mean there isn't a place for running the ball. The Steelers are attempting to get back to having a consistently competent run game. Especially in situational football. Make no mistakes though. The Steelers offensive fortunes are with Ben and the offenses ability to pass the ball.

 

Doesn't that scare the crap out of you, though? I think something happened during the Dallas game as well. But his age/health isn't going to get better. How can it?

 

You definitely have an opinion there. Hang on to that with every fiber of your being. Don't let fact or fiction change what you believe to be true.

 

You refuse to recognize the facts that are present. You can hang onto your opinion regardless of what the analytics and facts suggest.

 

I would not argue that, but still feel the scheme, lack of talent in the running game, aging line, and lack of a real deep threat passing game was going to eventually collapse the O. We got away with some wins in spite of ourselves (and that happens to every team), but the mounting injuries, ever changing covid problems, among other things just curtailed this team ast he season progressed.

 

If it was an injury it hopefully has healed, but yeah, he's not exactly following the TB12 routine in the offseason, is he.

But it doesn't scare me. I'm expecting a big dropoff and no playoffs this year, so if Ben stinks, it just means an even higher draft pick.

 

I'm still waiting on those facts and analytics.

Saying that passing leads to more scoring, that passing makes it more exciting, and that fans want more passing aren't facts. Here are some other whoppers you're trying to pass off as "analytics"...

Teams need to have the ability to pass the ball to maintain time of possession, score, drive down the field ect on a consistent basis.

QBs earn a good % of their money on 3rd down.

Just look at QB passing TDs numbers for the season. That is all the evidence you should need.

It's difficult for offenses to move down the field without "chunk" plays.

That's opinion, brother. Doesn't mean you're wrong. It just means it is what you believe. You've not provided facts. That's the only thing I recognize.

 

Passing the ball leads to more scoring. It cannot be disputed.

Keep living in the 70's bro. Let me know when you catch up to what's actually happening in the NFL in 2021.

 

You young whippersnappers and your crazy ideas.

GET OFF MY LAWN!!!

 

If the Steelers run on first and second down. I guarantee they punt.

 

Why would they punt on third down?