Our Running Game last night.
 

I think I heard Bobby H say that we only averaged 2.8 yards per run last night - not a good stat if SP is looking to balance out our offense a little more w a stronger ground attack. I have to say though that Ingram, Robinson, Murphy and Hightower all looked good and ran w high energy. Ingram also looked great coming out of the backfield as a receiver. So that leads to the question of what's up w our O-Line when it comes to running the ball? Unger looked good getting to the 2nd level of blocks, and I didnt see anything glaringly wrong w any of the other starters. Bryce Harris by the way is a holding machine. Hope he doesnt see the field much this year.

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Re: Our Running Game last night.
 

Yep, I was a bit surprised at the final rushing stats. It seemed like we did a lot better than that. I wonder if there are some outliers that skew those stats or if we ran a bunch of short yardage stuff that resulted in minimal gains.

Was New England stacking the line? Did we try an inordinate amount of 3rd and short and 4th and short and 2-point conversion attempts?

I plan to re-watch it again tonight (yes I'm old and have no social life anymore).

But that stat on its own is a bit concerning.

Re: Our Running Game last night.
 

Over the years we've normally done things the opposite way;

Used the passing game to set up the run

From my view the patriots stacked the line quite often, I'd think that if we kept scoring at the rate we did then that would have led to Ingram and Khiry getting more running lanes.

Re: Our Running Game last night.
 

I'm not sure why Payton kept going for two. I didn't see the game, but I read that. I know the PAT is longer now, but that was just weird. It doesn't matter in a game like this, but you just don't ever see teams do that, even in preseason. I haven't seen it before, anyway.

Re: Our Running Game last night.
 

I think the PAT is basically a known in his mind. I think he just wanted to see how we'd do going for two.

You don't learn a whole lot about your team with a successful PAT, but you learn a lot going for two.

If I was a coach I'd go for two every single time in pre-season.

Re: Our Running Game last night.
 

With PAT no longer guarantees, we gotta compensate missed extra points or game tying situations and they're no better place to work on it than preseason

Re: Our Running Game last night.
 

Yes I like ALL our backs and we must keep Murphy as a returner at least. He can help us. Do we keep Ingram, Robinson, Hightower and Murphy though?

Re: Our Running Game last night.
 

I'm not sure why we would kick a PAT at all this preseason. Get all the 2 points conversion attempts you can now. PAT is almost 100%.

Re: Our Running Game last night.
 

Oh yeah, in preseason I'd do a lot of things differently... Absolutely. I just thought it was weird to see that, because coaches never seem to think outside of the box very often. Instead of working on specific things coaches tend act like they're giving something away if they try it in the preseason. Hence the boring nature of these games.

Re: Our Running Game last night.
 

The only problem I would have with that is the fact we have a kicker competition going on, and the PAT's are 13 yards longer now. These guys need to be tested, too. But I don't have a problem with them going for two more often.

Re: Our Running Game last night.
 

Coaches all over the league is trying different things for the 2-point conversions right now. I am actually starting to believe that there will be an interesting play after most TDs instead of the usual ZZZZZZZZzzz...

The running game looked a bit stale but I'm not really worried. Most of our backs are the type of player that gets better the more carries they get and neither did get very many. I am not sold on Hightower thou.

Re: Our Running Game last night.
 

I've been pulling for Hightower because I love his story of not giving up. But he looks like the odd man out behind Murphy.
K Robinson could be our best back.

Re: Our Running Game last night.
 

Marcus Murphy has some serious speed, at least we have a clone of CJ Spiller if he doesn't stay healthy.

Re: Our Running Game last night.
 

I don't think the longer field goals are in stone yet. I think its just for preseason.

Re: Our Running Game last night.
 

Save the 2 PT plays for the regular season. Nobody will have any tape on them. More importantly, the kickers need the kicks. As far as the running game goes, I would prefer less hits on Ingram and Robinson. Maybe give Murphy some 1st team reps if you want to work on the blocking and see what he's got. He's clearly the return guy. But, the WR's need ALL the reps they can get in the passing game outside of Colston and Cooks. Snead has been the most impressive and he's looked at as the 5th WR. Coleman, Joe Morgan, Snead, and Jones need all the work they can get. The less mystery when the games that matter start, the better.

Re: Our Running Game last night.
 

Its for the regular season too. I hate it.

Re: Our Running Game last night.
 

I've only watched the first two drives but Ingram took the wrong read at least twice in those two drives.

Re: Our Running Game last night.
 

I have actually noticed it being done a couple of times by other teams, in various other preseason games so far this year. In fact, teams already have attempted more two-point plays so far this year, than they did during all 65 games of the 2014 preseason. It's something to do with the rule change, but nobody is sure what it means.

Most teams are not quite as extreme about it as Payton, going EVERY time, but that's why he's Sean Payton.

Here's an article about it.

Inside Slant: Two-point attempts are way up -- will it continue? - NFL Nation - ESPN

Re: Our Running Game last night.
 

Here's my take.

The NFL avg success rate for 2pt conversions is around 50%.

The Chicago Bears are an amazing 11 for 13 on 2pt conversions over the last three years!
Team Two Point Conversion Statistics: 2014 NFL Season


Moving the kick back will lower the success rate and depending on the weather could dramatically affect the success rate.

So in the end, one team goes for 1. The other for 2. After two TD's by each team you could be tied at 14 anyway.

Why not pressure the other team, especially if you feel there's an advantage?

Re: Our Running Game last night.
 

Agreed, but you also have to factor in 2 points the other way.

Its interesting, but I still don't like it. It makes kickers more important than they should be. Its football, not soccer.:p

Re: Our Running Game last night.
 

+1, exactly.

Re: Our Running Game last night.
 

Well,I guess we'll start to see kickers hold out for bigger contracts now. Why is the NFL so hell-bent on changing the game?

Re: Our Running Game last night.
 

I get it, but let's not act like kickers don't feel the pressure. No matter who plays poorly during the game, if a kicker misses the 45yd kick to win a game - the loss on his shoulders and it's his picture in the papers.

There's a reason Andersens and Janikowskis and Vinatieris only come around so often.

Re: Our Running Game last night.
 

I really liked the fact Ingram and Robinson catching the ball out of the backfield more than anything. They will be a very nice 1-2 punch running the ball. Watching both so far I think Robinson has played a little better of the 2 so far. I also like the fact that both could be feature backs if need be. Not a bad situation to be in. Bold predition but I see 150+yards a game this season easy.

Re: Our Running Game last night.
 

hmmm....