Yet you are willing to say McCarthey abandons the run using the playoff game against the 49ers when we didn't run for 2 drives as your example.
Which is a much smaller sample size.
My point isn't how talented Harris is. It is how bad Benson was and all the injured guys who couldn't play or were hampered by injury, like Green.
Benson sucked and we couldn't run very well with him. Green was hobbled. Which is all we had to run with for most of the season. Starks on PUP, Saine gone, and eventually even Benson gone.
They didn't decide not to run. It wasn't a choice. They couldn't run.
I would say that if they had any decent running backs all year, they would have had 1800-1900 yards rushing and a 4.2-4.3 ypc.
Originally Posted by: Dexter_Sinister
lol, I'm not basing any opinion off the one playoff game at all, but thanks for assuming. Sure, that one is most prominent because it means the most and was the last game they played, but I have noticed many times where McCarthy and/or Rodgers choose to pass rather than run in key situations that I didn't agree with throughout the past 3+ seasons, really. Again, that's my opinion, but I don't think I'm alone. Continually choosing to pass in key situations, even with an elite QB and good to great wide receivers, when the defense is absolutely expecting it, seems a little stubborn to me. I'll keep saying it, there's no reason this offense shouldn't always have a respectable running game given how talented they are at passing the ball. That applies almost regardless of who's running the ball (within reason of course); whether it be Benson, Harris, Grant, etc. It ultimately comes down to the offensive line and play calling. I'm not expecting an elite running game by any means, and would hope they continue to be a pass first team. But the product could have and should have been better over the past few seasons. You can attempt to explain it away all you want, but that's how I see it. I need to see it for an entire season at least, and in games when it matters the most to have any respect for the Packers running game, just like opposing defenses they will face, as well. So often, opposing defense are essentially begging the Packers to run more. They improved for a few games at the end of the season, but that's just not enough for me to think the problem is solved. I'm no advocate for a rushing first team. I just like taking advantage of what the defense is giving. The Packers need to do a better job of consistently doing this. I like the confidence, but it makes winning certain games much more difficult.
I like Lacy, Franklin, and Harris. But ultimately, it's going to come down to the offensive line play. I'm not so sure flipping the offensive line around is going to make much difference in the running game, but I certainly hope so. They have to find a way to force opposing defenses to adjust, and it's going to take a lot more than a few games with a decent yards-per-carry average. I think it's obvious to most defenses that the Packers only want to run
juuuust enough to pass. So give them some yards on the ground, just limit the passing game and the opposing teams chances are winning are pretty good. I'm sure most defensive coordinators don't believe the Packers have the patient to consistently run the ball to beat them, especially when they need it the most.