Danno

Dumbest thing I've heard in days.

Euphoria

Just an observation...

Only time I saw him run worth a damn is when Ivory was splitting carries with him.

SaintsBro

I agree with the "beat up" or "pounding" philosophy and not so much with the mystical "rhythm" myth.

One part of it is, there is a substantial physical and psychological difference between, constantly knowing what is going to happen next (offensive player) and constantly NOT knowing what is going to happen next (defensive player) and reacting to it. Over time, that wears on you. The psychological impact of a Steven Jackson or Frank Gore type dude, ripping through a defense, again and again, is very demoralizing to the defense and their coaches. In fact, the psychological part is almost as important as the physical in wearing out a defense. It's more than just tiring defensive people out or gassing them, it's a defensive player knowing you're failing and that you have to line up and do it all over, again and again. "All day."

If I were to think of a running back getting into a "rhythm" that's kind of what I would mean, that it's automatic or repetitive, or the other team just can't seem to stop it.

Rugby Saint II

Nailed It!

JKool

Outstanding entry!

I haven't had a chance to read all the fine articles you added here (though I commend you for digging them up). The idea of a need for a "game rhythm" is nonsense, I take it.

Is there anything to this idea: teams that have bruiser backs create a kind of "intimidation" over the course of a game? (Likely, as has been pointed out, this depends on more than just the RB, but it is certainly more likely to be a feature of a guy like Ingram than one like Sproles.)

If yes, then the rhythm theory is really just a poor way of talking about a kind of physical intimidation.

(For the record, I'm disinclined to the intimidation theory (and that name for it), but it seems like a possible avenue for understanding the idea the rhythm people are expressing.)

[I see now that SaintsBro above is offering a similar suggestion.]

"... I was beating them with my eyes the whole game..." - Aaron Brooks

TheOak

The theory is as I understand it is that the rhythm is gained by repetitive carries, a momentum for lack of a better term is built. "If" a player has that requirement then the first problem I see is that he is fairly useless in the 1st Qtr.

PT needs nothing but a little blocking and a screen play to effect a game.


It's all productivity.... YPC. A 100 yard game means nothing if the RB needs 40 carries to get there.