Nonstopdrivel
15 years ago

Packers' running game tough to judge
 

Only small sample size available from No. 1 unit
By Tom Silverstein of the Journal Sentinel
Aug. 22, 2010

Green Bay If Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy was making a list of things he has accomplished during training camp, it might look something like this:

Get Aaron Rodgers clicking.

Elevate Jermichael Finley's impact.

Establish a static offensive line.

Involve James Jones and Jordy Nelson more.

Put Bryan Bulaga on a fast track.

Establish the running game. (Will get to later)

Roughly three weeks before the Packers open the regular season, McCarthy and his offensive staff probably know about as much about their running attack as they did the day training camp opened.

In two exhibition games, starting running back Ryan Grant has carried the ball eight times, two fewer than the team's three quarterbacks.

Quinn Porter, Brandon Jackson and Kregg Lumpkin all have more carries than Grant, who, to be fair, was very limited in the first game because he suffered a concussion.

But still, this is a team whose offense started on fire in the opener, played all summer with a stable offensive line and features a running back itching to get some work.

Saturday's game against Seattle would have been a good opportunity to find out about the running game.

But other than some second-half success with a number of offensive linemen who won't be around after roster cuts, there were no clues to where the running attack stands.

"I'm not overly concerned about the running game right now, but I'm not sure I have a ton of information yet either," offensive coordinator Joe Philbin said. "We've gotten a good amount of work in practice."

Part of the problem with testing out the running game this summer is that the passing game has been so effective it has made the handoff a second thought.

Rodgers has the option many times of checking out of running plays when he sees a good matchup, and these days with Finley and the receiving corps on top of their game, there are mismatches all over the field.

In the 27-24 victory over the Seahawks, Jackson, Porter and even fullback John Kuhn were a bigger part of the running game than Grant.

And while they combined for 137 yards on 26 carries, did it really mean all that much given it came against Seahawks second- and third-teamers?

"No matter with anything you never really know until the first game," Grant said. "We feel like what we're doing is pretty good work. We need to clean things up here and there and keep going. . . . I have to make sure that the carries I do have I take advantage of."

Grant played all but one of the 17 snaps the No. 1 offense played against the Seahawks and touched the ball six times. He had good runs - an 8-yard off-tackle play that was run confidently and with power - and there were bad ones. He let 197-pound cornerback Marcus Trufant take him down in the open field for a 2-yard gain.

Maybe his best play was an 8-yard gain on a screen pass on which he allowed his blockers to catch up to him and lead him down field.

Going into the game, Grant mostly wanted to re-establish himself after fumbling on his first carry against Cleveland and then getting hit in the head on the third carry and calling it a night. He had to sit out two practices and took part in just one pads practice before the Seahawks game.

"I wanted to get back into it, have live snaps, get into the physical part of the game," Grant said. "Just banging guys and getting hit. That was the emphasis for me."

"I felt good. Got hit. It felt good, when I hit. I came out OK. I wanted to play sound football. Now, we move forward. I think we're doing pretty well."

Running the ball has always been more of a plan than a reality under McCarthy and there's no reason to think it will change this year. The 2009 offense became only the third in team history to top 6,000 yards and it did it by throwing 58% of the time.

Given the development of Finley and the advancement of Jones and Nelson, there's no reason to believe 2010 will be much different.

But if McCarthy wants a team that can finish games in the fourth quarter and win games in December and January, he will have to at least take the running game out for a spin once in awhile.

"In most NFL games, it seems the second half is when the run takes over anyway," Philbin said of the lack of work this summer for Grant. With the first string, Philbin said, "we had two series in there. I think we had a couple more when we played Cleveland.

"It's hard to tell (where you're at). You're never really sure. We use the analogy that last year was in the seven years I've been here by far the best offensive production we've ever had in the preseason and it didn't translate early on. And we've had some pretty good offenses in the past that didn't function well in the preseason."

From the No. 1 offensive line's standpoint, it would be nice to get some more work running the ball, especially if Philadelphia's blitz on opening day becomes so maddening that the ground game is the best option. But at this point, it has to settle for what it can get.

"We still had a handful of reps running the rock," guard Josh Sitton said. "You evaluate what you can. We still practice every day. Really, you just keep practicing it.

"If the game plan goes to throwing the ball a lot, if that's the look they give us, you take what you get."


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Dexter_Sinister
15 years ago
Grant had a 4.4 per average. In the 4th quarter, with the game within a score either way, his average went up to 4.8 per.

The only other segment of the game where he ran better was the second quarter at 5.0.

He is a clutch player that steps up when the game is on the line.
I want to go out like my Grandpa did. Peacefully in his sleep.
Not screaming in terror like his passengers.
zombieslayer
15 years ago
As a team, we were 14th in yards last year and 5th in TDs. I don't see what the problem is.

Grant is a solid RB. He consistently gets yards and he doesn't fumble. Love the guy for that.

The NFL has become a pass first league. For Grant to consistently get as many yards as he's getting shows that the running game is established already.
My man Donald Driver
UserPostedImage
(thanks to Pack93z for the pic)
2010 will be seen as the beginning of the new Packers dynasty. 🇹🇹 🇲🇲 🇦🇷
Tezzy
15 years ago
The biggest factor for me with a running game is what does it make the defense do. Whether people think Grant's top 10 stats across all the important categories are flashy enough doesn't matter. Our running game is truely a threat, otherwise you wouldn't see the sweet success of play action that we get.
On top of every beard grows a man.
"The Bears are shell-shocked... and it's breaking my heart."
loosenut
15 years ago
I used to never really like Grant and always wished we had big time running backs that other successful teams always seemed to have. However, over the course of the second half of 09 and the offseason I have done a complete 180 on Grant.

His stats are more then solid, he runs hard and he gives every play 100% He may not be as flashy as other running backs in the league, but I more then happy with his performance and his work ethic. I have no issues with the running game while he is around.

One thing I am really excited to see this year is short yardage... especially on the goal line. I'm drooling over the thought of having Finley lined up at TE with Johnson at FB and Grant at RB... I think that would be almost unstoppable!
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dfosterf (27-Aug) : tell her I reckon
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Zero2Cool (27-Aug) : New site so much better. Might make switch and deal with it.
dfosterf (27-Aug) : Mecole Hardman to our practice squad
dfosterf (27-Aug) : Nick Nieman from Texans our 5th linebacker. Special teams signing
TheKanataThrilla (27-Aug) : Looks like we signed Clayton Tune as QB3
wpr (27-Aug) : TKT people lose their minds over QB3. Point is almost none of them are ready that's why they are on the PS and other teams don't take them.
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dfosterf (27-Aug) : I bet a lot of us will follow the Taylor Elgersma journey with interest. Personally, got a Kurt Warner vibe goin' on. I like him
TheKanataThrilla (27-Aug) : Not sure if either will be claimed though.
TheKanataThrilla (27-Aug) : Tune or Hooker would make sense
dfosterf (27-Aug) : Clayton Tune cut by the Cards? Don't know if that's the guy, we shall see
TheKanataThrilla (27-Aug) : Per Bill Huber, the Packers will not be bringing back Taylor Elgersma or Sean Clifford on the practice squad, so a new third quarterback
Mucky Tundra (27-Aug) : Schefter must have deleted his tweet
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dfosterf (27-Aug) : 19 players in a contract year. Jones called loss to us worst loss in Cowboy history. Forget Parsons trade. Not happenin' Cap'n
packerfanoutwest (27-Aug) : The Packers, meanwhile, are the youngest team in the league for the third consecutive year.
dfosterf (27-Aug) : That it was darkest before the dawn in Bengals and Commanders before they got deals done
Zero2Cool (27-Aug) : what is Schefter saying?
dfosterf (27-Aug) : He was getting Dorito infusion therapy
dfosterf (27-Aug) : He's outta shape. Why, just the other day I saw him splayed out on the trainers table
Mucky Tundra (27-Aug) : Parsons has followed Rasheed Walker on Twitter. Quite the choice
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