RB by committee or RB by play?
 

It is a well-known fact that the Saints, and quite a few other NFL teams, utilize the RB by committee approach rather than the workhorse RB approach (the Vikes Adrian Peterson for example).

I did notice one glaring thing against the Colts. Payton or Carmichael, whichever one is actually calling the offensive plays, changed RBs on just about EVERY SNAP. No RB has a chance to get in a rhythm. As a result I think our overall run game suffers. I wish we would change RBs by series, rather than by play.

Re: RB by committee or RB by play?
 

Hell I wish we'd figure out who's gonna start and just stick with him.

Re: RB by committee or RB by play?
 

Next man up approach. Its best they are all getting reps in case one goes down for any part of the season. They each have their own qualities that I like. I also think they should be rotated in on every other play to be better utilized by those different qualities they bring to the table.

If you're a play maker then when your number is called make a play. I don't know if I buy into the whole getting into a rhythm ideology either. What it really is is that you wear down the D. I think rotating them in and out does wear the D out late in the game.

Re: RB by committee or RB by play?
 

They do get in a rhythm; running on and off the field. Very effective but more coordination, tougher to find jack of all RB's as well. It's not a system for the faint hearted that's for sure.

Re: RB by committee or RB by play?
 

I agree, it is more about fresh legs and using your RBs to their strengths.

If a 'rhythm' is required, why run at all on the first possession in a game? Doesn't that rhythm get interrupted between possessions, or at 1/2 time?
I never bought into the theory, and if pounding wears down the defense it would be logical to spread the ball to not wear your RB down with the Defense.

Re: RB by committee or RB by play?
 

Whatever it takes to win.

Not gonna lie though....sure would be nice to have a 1000 yard rusher in a Saints uniform again. Yes yes I know its a commodity!

Re: RB by committee or RB by play?
 

Saints rushed for 160 yards on 4.6 YPC on Saturday.

What ever they did, I hope they do it again and do it a lot.

Re: RB by committee or RB by play?
 

It honestly doesn't matter to me how they divy up the runs. I'm more concerned with making sure our backs get an opportunity to do a little bit of everything. Too often last year I saw us lining up in predictable run plays based on the personnel in the game. This year, let's give ingram more pass plays and protection responsibilities. Give krob more screen opportunities. Instead of screening PT all the time when he's in the game lets give him more opportunities to run in between the tackles or line him up out wide.

I don't want to see an automatic 8 man front this year just because ingram is in the game. I want defenses to think long and hard about what may be getting ready to happen.

Re: RB by committee or RB by play?
 

While I agree it breaks the rhythm for any single RB, it's the rhythm of the offense since 2006.

The Saints offense deliberately confuses defenses by sending in sub packages for virtually every play. It forces the defense to attempt to matchup to the subpackage every snap.

SFIAH

Re: RB by committee or RB by play?
 

This is not a new thing, been doing it for years. Player groupings are a major concept of the offense. Shuffling different groups on and off the field keeps the defense off-balance. I would agree that it does probably mess with the running backs' rhythm the most of anything, but I think the benefits are far more than the drawbacks.

I imagine it must be really difficult for, say a cornerback, having to line up against Colston one play and then somebody like Stills the next. You can't get a good read on their tendencies because they're constantly sending a different guy at you.

Re: RB by committee or RB by play?
 

How much of that yardage was on QB scrambles? I think that yardage would have to be subtracted as it is abnormal (not from RBs).

Re: RB by committee or RB by play?
 

until Ingram learns how to catch and run a screen play he makes the offense predictable

Pierre and Khiry on the screen plays
and whatever we come up with for Cooks

Re: RB by committee or RB by play?
 

He already knows how to run a screen, at least as well as Khiry Robinson does.

Comparing any NFL player's screen talents to Pierre Thomas is useless. He's the best in the entire NFL.

Re: RB by committee or RB by play?
 

Wait... You want us to tell Payton how to run the offense?

Re: RB by committee or RB by play?
 

What?

Re: RB by committee or RB by play?
 

43 yards by the QBs. That is a lot. But that's still 117 from the RBs which is very good.

80 yards were gained by Ingram, Robinson and PT. Just my opinion but I think they would've gained a lot more if they'd stayed in for 4 quarters behind the starting Oline. Cadet also had 31 more yards. I think one of the other backs would've gotten those yards in a regular season game. (assuming Cadet wasn't activated)

By comparison, we've averaged...
92.1 yards last season
98.6 in 2012
132.9 in 2011
94.9 in 2010
131.6 in 2009
99.6 in 2008
91.6 in 2007
110.1 in 2006

Re: RB by committee or RB by play?
 

HUH?

Re: RB by committee or RB by play?
 

If we get 117 rushing yards a game this year, we'll be in really nice shape.

Re: RB by committee or RB by play?
 

I am a big believer in a primary back, and then roll backs. Part of the issue with the Saints is they currently do not have a proven primary back. Lets be honest, Deuce has never been replaced, he could do it all, with Reggie Bush being that change of pace and home run guy. Ingram was drafted with the intention of being that primary back, but for whatever reason that hasn't panned out, so thus we see the committee.

Re: RB by committee or RB by play?
 

While I'm the first to admit I've never been an ingram fan, I do believe he has decent hands. He actually caught a lot of passes at bama when he was given a chance. If he's going to be in the game he needs to be somewhat of a threat to catch. At the very least, he's as capable as anyone at catching a pass out in the flat or catching a short screen pass.

Re: RB by committee or RB by play?
 

nah it is RB by play call

for the past few years the saints have been stuck to this ideology and might just might have some back develop their all around play were SP might stick with hot back. not getting my hopes up on that last one just yet.

PT is still shoulder and head above all the other backs in the passing game and protection. that gap needs to narrow even more.

Re: RB by committee or RB by play?
 

Two first round draft picks for a role player is kind of expensive. Just sayin'.

Re: RB by committee or RB by play?
 

At this point you write it off as a sunk cost. Do you add insult to injury and try and make something of the situation that it is not? Personally I do not, I use it for what it is actually good for or I get rid of it.... which applies to everything in my garage.

Re: RB by committee or RB by play?
 

I am on record many times as not being a fan of the 1 play per RB rotation. Replace them situationally or when Ingram or Robinson raises their hand to come out.

Re: RB by committee or RB by play?
 

The problem with this assessment is that we have the last 7 years of Sean Payton's offense that is contrary to this. Deuce was the last back to gain over 1000 yards and to have over 200 carries. If having a primary back was really Payton's priority, he's had multiple opportunities to create that role (Thomas, Bell, Ivory, Ingram, Robinson, even Bush). In the last 7 years the distribution of carries over multiple backs has been deliberate.

It may change this year, but I doubt it. Payton will likely split carries among Ingram, Robinson, Thomas, and Cadet. Not because none of them are capable of being the primary back, but because it is specifically how he has designed his offense to function.

SFIAH

Re: RB by committee or RB by play?
 

I get it that many people feel that way. Which way is optimal to give each play its own independent chance to succeed?

If you make it situational then you tip your hand and after watching a few games on tape, and Defenses know who does what.

If you make it bulk rotation then you end up with a limited possession based on personnel on the field. You also don't want to have PT grind out a bunch of short yardage and when he gets tired you see an opportunity for a screen but he is worn out. Yes you can get a screen out of Ingram or Khiry.. But it is not going to be a PT screen.

Rotating them as Payton does keeps everyone guessing, while keeping all of them as fresh as possible, and still gives some diversity to the possession.

Sean Payton has proven to me that he generally has a method to his madness.

Re: RB by committee or RB by play?
 

Plus it's preseason. I really believe the coaches are trying out as many people in as many formations as they can.