Two factors come in to play on what type of offense we run. One is how effective we are running the ball. If we are gaining 5, 6 or more per run, then that’s how we should handle the offensive calls, while mixing in play action, especially on first down to keep defenses on their heels. I know this seems obvious, but some teams just don’t follow this formula. The other is the score of the game itself, any deficit we find ourselves in and how well we are defending the opposing offense. If we are effective in this respect, then the offense will most likely stay conservative. Again this seems obvious but have seen many teams outsmart themselves, like Atlanta and Seattle in their Super Bowl losses.