billsfan89 Posted January 7, 2010 Posted January 7, 2010 Well, considering that the Colts and Chargers, who are and have been consistently the best offenses in the league,rank 32nd and 31st respectively in rushing offense....I suppose that not being able to stop the run matters all that much. However, not being able to stop the pass, when you look at who is always top 10 in passing = the perennial playoff teams, is much more devastating..... Look, I know most of us grew up listening to Bill Parcells, John Madden, and all the rest with the tired old "run and stop the run" mantra.... The simple fact is: this is not 1985. Deal with it. Every year the running game becomes less and less important. Use my link and tell me how many top 10 running teams are making the playoffs, and compare that to how many top 10 passing teams are....and thus ends the Bill Parcells argument. These days, at best, a good running game with a mediocre passing game only gets you to mediocre, just ask the 7-9 Miami Dolphins. Don't like that example? Then ask yourself: Why is it that with Adrian Peterson and that O line, the Vikings have finally gotten good, not mediocre, now that they have been throwing the ball more than they run it? This is the new reality....time to accept it and realize that we need to continue to be as good as we can be against the PASS, FIRST, before anything else. True passing is the new wave in the NFL and it looks like its here to stay. HOWEVER just because passing has become the dominant form of offense doesn't mean running the ball is not important or defending the run isn't that necessary. Now I agree you don't need to run the ball that well on offense to be successful BUT you better have a top 10 QB in order to do so. I think that defending the run is still important in the NFL now can you have an OK run defense and still make the playoffs yes (Colts ranked 24th against the run but it is inflated by the B-team efforts against the Jets and Buffalo and the Saints are ranked 21st but once again a weak ending to their season inflated that a bit). I think that running in the NFL is overrated BUT defending the run is not. Look at the Steelers in 2005 when they won the Super Bowl with Cowher they were a running team who was primarily built on stopping the run. The Steelers last year were also a team ranked highly in the run. Also the Pats* dynasty* was a team that was always in the top 10 in terms of defending the run. So don't completely discount running the ball and more importantly defending the run.
OCinBuffalo Posted January 7, 2010 Posted January 7, 2010 True passing is the new wave in the NFL and it looks like its here to stay. HOWEVER just because passing has become the dominant form of offense doesn't mean running the ball is not important or defending the run isn't that necessary. Now I agree you don't need to run the ball that well on offense to be successful BUT you better have a top 10 QB in order to do so. I think that defending the run is still important in the NFL now can you have an OK run defense and still make the playoffs yes (Colts ranked 24th against the run but it is inflated by the B-team efforts against the Jets and Buffalo and the Saints are ranked 21st but once again a weak ending to their season inflated that a bit). I think that running in the NFL is overrated BUT defending the run is not. Look at the Steelers in 2005 when they won the Super Bowl with Cowher they were a running team who was primarily built on stopping the run. The Steelers last year were also a team ranked highly in the run. Also the Pats* dynasty* was a team that was always in the top 10 in terms of defending the run. So don't completely discount running the ball and more importantly defending the run. I am not discounting it. Look you have to be good at it all, all three phases of the game, etc. What I am after here is the tired old mantra that the entire NFL has always and will always revolve around running and stopping the run. This mindset gets you beat today = Dolphins/Jets. WE, of all teams, were able to beat both of them because on those days, their passing games were generally worse than ours. The biggest reason the Jets made the playoffs, barely, is that they have an elite anti-pass defense. It's really that simple. Wait until draft time: and you will hear the same old tired arguments. ....ok....but, success in the NFL also depends on innovation. There may be some merit, if all teams are trying to get better at pass defense, to come out with some new form of the running game, that catches them with the wrong body types on the field = wildcat, etc. However, we also have to remember that this is not hockey, possession doesn't change that fast, and you have to be able to score quickly = pass. Again, the Dolphins/Titans have a great running game, but, the biggest reason they lost so many games is: they couldn't stage comebacks and they can't go punch for punch with a high-powered offense. Edit: The #1 ranked passing team = Texans, was able to stage a comeback against the Patriots the last game of the season.
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