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Is our running game good enough?

Discussion in 'Miami Dolphins Forum' started by Trowa, Sep 27, 2010.

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  1. Trowa

    Trowa A world of pain

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    Let me preface this by saying, I'm not trying to be THAT guy and this isn't a knee jerk reaction thread.

    Ronnie 37 attempts, 199 yards, 1 TD, 1 Fumble
    Ricky 35 attempts, 120 yards, 0 TD, 2 Fumbles

    That's our back's stats through the first three games. Ronnie's stat line is decent. Ricky's is abysmal. They are averaging 5.3 and 3.4 ypc respectively. While Ronnie's 5.3 is nice, if you take out his 51 yard run in the Vikings game you get a clearer look at his average at 4.1 ypc. That, plus the fact these two backs have put the ball on the ground 3 times in 3 games has me on the fence about our running game.

    There are good things to point out about our running game so far this season. We did run effectively against the Vikings which is a team you're told you can't run against. And that is something you can hang your hat on. But, then we come out and can't move it against the Jets who are missing Kris Jenkins and Calvin Pace. Are we really good enough to be this power running team that we're "supposed" to be? I'm just not sure.

    So, where do we begin the process of fixing it? Not having John Jerry obviously wasn't a help. Neither was falling behind 14 points early. But, at least to me, Ricky is looking old this season. He looks like he's lost a step, maybe even two. He doesn't look as strong or as explosive as he looked even last year. The wildcat is killing our drives. We're getting greater success running out of base formations, but we continue to use the formation.

    As it stands, there are a few avenues I think we can go down to solve this problem. First of all, give the ball to Ronnie more. A back who is averaging nearly 2 ypc more than the other should not only have 2 more carries. Ronnie SHOULD be a much bigger part of this offense. It's his explosiveness that gives us a chance to win. Secondly, find an O-Line and stick to it. The constant shuffling of the interior O-Line over the past 3 years and the different blocking styles of each player has to be in part detrimental to the running game. Another option we have is to work Cobbs or Hilliard more in the place of Ricky and hope for better results. We haven't seen either of them to this point. If Hilliard really is supposed to be our next starter, we need to see something out of him now before we're forced to put him in for trial by fire. And the last option is to bring in another RB who's more explosive, but the problem with that is that it would most likely have to happen after this season is over, which is not an option right now.

    So what's the thoughts of the community? Are you comfortable with our running game? Do you share my concerns? I'd like to get everyone's comments here. And please remember, I'm not saying our running game isn't good enough, I'm asking if it is. I don't want this to turn into a bashing thread.
     
    DePhinistr8 likes this.
  2. MikeHoncho

    MikeHoncho -=| Censored |=-

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    At the moment: Meh. A good chunk of that yardage came Week 1 against a horrid Buffalo team. The first half of the Minny game was starting to look good, but they buckled down in the second half (probably because we stopped throwing and became predictable).

    Last night, I'm not sure who they started at RG, but Jerry wasn't out there to push some Jets back.
     
  3. Desides

    Desides Well-Known Member

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    Our running game is average to below average.

    But it’s not the reason why we’re 2-1.
     
  4. Trowa

    Trowa A world of pain

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    But it's our identity. Yes, we have Henne and we have Marshall but we ARE a running team. And that means that currently we are an average to below average team, by your own estimation. We're not going to win games consistently if we have to throw 50 times. This team isn't built for that. We MUST get more solid production out of Ronnie and Ricky or Ronnie and whomever or even just Ronnie if we're going to have a hope.
     
  5. Desides

    Desides Well-Known Member

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    Other way around.
     
  6. DePhinistr8

    DePhinistr8 Season Ticket Holder

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    Take out his 51 yard run? Are we gonna go back and take out all of Chris Johnson's long runs? They all count.

    The running game is fine, just underutilized.
     
  7. Trowa

    Trowa A world of pain

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    Wow, I write all that and you focus on half of a sentence? Of course it counts. That's not the point. The point is that it skews the numbers. You can't count on a big play every play, or even every game. Therefore, taking that run out gives you a better view of what he's making out of his other carries, the runs that you can count on getting every game. And if a big play breaks off here or there then that's great. And how do you figure it's underutilized? Prior to tonight when we were down most of the game and had to pass to come back, we haven't done much else besides run the ball.
     
  8. DePhinistr8

    DePhinistr8 Season Ticket Holder

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    By underutilized I mean we don't run out of the conventional set enough...the wildcat numbers game/trickery isn't getting it done through the first 3 weeks. I think with no real threat of a pass defenses just collapse onto the running game out of the WC.

    And it doesn't skew the numbers. You can't take out 1 play here and there to support a point. If that's the case take out Brandon Marshall's 40 and 46 yards catches and his average dips by 3 ypc...

    Yes, I do think our running game is good enough. I just think it needs to be used in better situations, like 2nd and goal from the 2.

    And Ricky should probably be used less, and hopefully we see more Ronnie.
     
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  9. Trowa

    Trowa A world of pain

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    I agree with you on the idea that we're not running enough out of base formations. We have a quarterback now. We have a passing threat. We have no real reason to run the wildcat. I hope that as we move further into the season, and Ronnie establishes himself as healthy, we can give him an increased work load. No disrespect to Ricky, but he's putting the ball on the ground and he looks slow so far this year.
     
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  10. DePhinistr8

    DePhinistr8 Season Ticket Holder

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    I don't think I've seen Ricky make 1 guy miss this season. If he's going to do the role of battering ram, he needs to hold on to the rock.
     
  11. gafinfan

    gafinfan gunner Club Member

    Why is our running game bad? Cause we don't run, thats why! We have a stud thats on the way to an under 200 carry season at the rate he is touching the ball. While I'm sure everyone is all gaga over Henne's 300+ yds. passing game last night the Jets were much more balanced on offense, so they won!

    Their coaching staff put together a much better plan than ours, we got beat, straight up!
     
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  12. DePhinistr8

    DePhinistr8 Season Ticket Holder

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    Yup...the Jets OC really did a hell of a job....
    There's something to be said for common sense playcalling...and he did it.
    Henning on the other hand...play action on 3rd and 15, then empty backfield on 3rd and 2, 2nd and goal..pass/pass..ugh
     
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  13. RickyNeverInhaled

    RickyNeverInhaled Well-Known Member

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    we need to go back to a 1 rb system. i would much rather have Ronnie and Polite in there every play. The only problem is when Ronnie gets hurt in the middle of the season; at that point we have a pretty decent rb in ricky even though he hasn't shown us much this season. i'm confident in either one of our rb's as long as they get a full load every game. That's why Ronnie getting hurt again doesn't really scare me that much. sure i would like him to stay healthy all year but we can't count on that.
     
  14. FinsAreLife

    FinsAreLife Well-Known Member

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    Theyre both averaging only slightly over 10 attempts per game. Do you see something wrong there? They both(especially ronnie) need to be getting the ball more.
     
  15. brandon27

    brandon27 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    I'm not so sure the run blocking has been the greatest at times either. Mind you we've gone up against Minny's good run D, and the Jets' good run D last night. I don't think its time to panic yet.

    That being said however, I would like to see Ronnie getting the bulk of the carries out there. He looks like the better back right now. I don't know if its Ricky showing his age, but he just doesn't look like the same guy he was at the end of last year. Ronnie on the other hand is lookin good out there when given the opportunities.
     
  16. Larryfinfan

    Larryfinfan 17-0...Priceless Club Member

    In a word, Trowa....NO !!
     
  17. the 23rd

    the 23rd a.k.a. Rio

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    our offense isn't good enough to contend for a SuperBowl beginning with the offensive line, including the coordinator
     
  18. RickyNeverInhaled

    RickyNeverInhaled Well-Known Member

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    if they're worried about injuries they should at least let ronnie be the only rb for a game then let ricky do it for the next game and so on and so on. that might give us a healthy ronnie all year and we'll see what both of them can do as the game goes on and they get more and more carries under their belt.
     
  19. Zod

    Zod Ruler of the Universe

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    Trust me dude. EVERY coach stands on the sidelines waiting on the big run to break. It is the very reason why a team chooses to run that much. It's the safest avenue to the big one.

    It's the same as taking the underneath routes in the passing game. You take it until they give you the game breaker deep.
     
  20. Zod

    Zod Ruler of the Universe

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    eerrrrrr....uuhhhhhhhhhh....

    The team that just beat us - their two backs are averaging just over 10 carries per game. :shifty:
     

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