For the last 2.5 years, Grant is the second most productive back in the league. That is not mediocre.

Jackson had and incredible 60% conversion rate on third down receptions. Better than the team's average. He is not the best runner, but he is pretty solid receiving out of the backfield. And he knocks defenders out with sledge hammer blocks.

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I believe I was the first person on this site to point out a couple of years ago that almost all of Grant's long runs come off the right. My observation initially met with some skepticism, but gradually people started to realize I was right (no pun intended). Ever since, I grumble under my breath when I see Grant get stuffed up the middle, but I don't bitch too loud because I know the majority of his yards come up the middle. However, I pitch a fit whenever I see him clobbered to the left for a loss, because it's brutally obvious our team can't get anything done off the left, and I don't understand why McCarthy can't seem to see it.

The reality is, though, Grant is about as likely to get stuffed for little to no gain as he is to make positive yardage. Though it's purely an intuitive judgment (not backed with statistics as my above conclusion is), it seems to me that when the offense simply must get that last inch or two up the middle, they're almost better off sending Rodgers on a sneak as they are running Grant behind this line. I wish it weren't so.

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http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/splits?playerId=9475 

Statistics seem to disagree, non. Though I would have agreed with you based upon my observations. Seems like our best is off the left tackle, though the right sideline plays are pretty good, and certainly better than running it up the middle. Here's his 2009 statistics:


First 5 columns are rushing stats, next 5 are passing.

Taking out his best runs, averages are 4.05, 4.48, 3.53, 2.6 and 3.98

Just remember that for short yardage situations we're more likely to pound it right up the middle for a short gain, and the defenders will probably expect it which in part explains the worser stats up the middle. It does surprise me that we don't really run it up the middle all that often.

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True, though that one 62-yarder (Pittsburgh game, if I remember correctly) does skew those statistics. When one actually watches the game, it's fairly obvious runs to the right are more productive, though runs to the middle seem to be the meat and potatoes of our running game.

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We seem to run outside the tackles about 30% of the time. Not sure what the league average is on this.

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