What it takes to be a playoff team

[firstdown]

If you noticed that the teams that had good passing numbers had bad D's. I think the Cards success yesterday came from having homefield and fans going crazy and they will not win next week.

[Schneed10]

Originally Posted by Mattyk72

So... good teams run the ball well and stop the run.

I'm not trying to be a jerk but this school of thought is pretty much a no-brainer.

Each year teams and fans get caught up in the big passing games and all the pretty numbers, but in the end the teams that pound the rock and play good D are usually the last ones standing.

Don't you just love the phrase "pound the rock"? It sounds so bad ass. Like yo motherf*cker, step off or I'll pound the rock.

If somebody said that to me I'd be scared. Maybe a little confused too, but mostly scared.

[Jake2008]

Originally Posted by Mattyk72

So... good teams run the ball well and stop the run.

I'm not trying to be a jerk but this school of thought is pretty much a no-brainer.

Each year teams and fans get caught up in the big passing games and all the pretty numbers, but in the end the teams that pound the rock and play good D are usually the last ones standing.

Obviously our FO doesn't agree since we wasted our top 3 picks last year on receivers.

[MTK]

Originally Posted by Jake2008

Obviously our FO doesn't agree since we wasted our top 3 picks last year on receivers.

Regardless of that the strength of this team is still running the ball and playing good D. If our running game hadn't come unraveled in the 2nd half of this season this would have been a playoff team.

[Schneed10]

Originally Posted by Jake2008

Obviously our FO doesn't agree since we wasted our top 3 picks last year on receivers.

I would disagree with that, I think running the ball is still a major part of the team's philosophy (evidenced by Portis being #3 in the NFL in carries this year). It's just they overestimated how strong our offensive line was, and relied on the existing older starters to continue playing at their previous level.

[MTK]

Originally Posted by Schneed10

Don't you just love the phrase "pound the rock"? It sounds so bad ass. Like yo motherf*cker, step off or I'll pound the rock.

If somebody said that to me I'd be scared. Maybe a little confused too, but mostly scared.

lol it's a classic football phrase no doubt

[44ever]

Strong Defense seems to be the main factor. Ravens and Eagles drove that point home this weekend. A good running game doesn't hurt either. (isn't that right Sproles?)

[Jake2008]

Originally Posted by Schneed10

I would disagree with that, I think running the ball is still a major part of the team's philosophy (evidenced by Portis being #3 in the NFL in carries this year). It's just they overestimated how strong our offensive line was, and relied on the existing older starters to continue playing at their previous level.

Then our FO failed because they overestimated our own team's line even thou many people thought we needed help on the offensive and defensive lines. IMO our FO gets too excited and fixed on the next big offensive weapon and the 'sexy' picks and we need someone like Parcells to reel them in.

[GMScud]

Originally Posted by Mattyk72

So... good teams run the ball well and stop the run.

I'm not trying to be a jerk but this school of thought is pretty much a no-brainer.

Each year teams and fans get caught up in the big passing games and all the pretty numbers, but in the end the teams that pound the rock and play good D are usually the last ones standing.

No doubt. See the Indianapolis Colts. 9 game winning streak, league MVP, fancy passing game with Wayne, Harrison, Clark, etc...

Then they can't establish the run at all vs. San Diego, Sproles runs wild on them, and poof. Bye bye win streak, bye bye playoffs.

In the meantime, the Giants, Steelers, Ravens, Titans, and Panthers - all stud running teams with good defenses- are the class of the league.

We have to get bigger/more physical up front, especially on offense.

[44ever]

Originally Posted by GMScud

No doubt. See the Indianapolis Colts. 9 game winning streak, league MVP, fancy passing game with Wayne, Harrison, Clark, etc...

Then they can't establish the run at all vs. San Diego, Sproles runs wild on them, and poof. Bye bye win streak, bye bye playoffs.

In the meantime, the Giants, Steelers, Ravens, Titans, and Panthers - all stud running teams with good defenses- are the class of the league.

We have to get bigger/more physical up front, especially on offense.

Agree. And great first point on the Colts. It clearly demonstrates the fact that a QB even a MVP Qb can't do it all. I wanted to start a thread about "what if we had Manning" while all that JC crap was going on but I didn't want to open the discussion back up. For obvious reasons. But it would have been interesting.

[redskinsrob]

That's why Marino never won a SB. No defense or a running game.

[Valleyranchgirl]

Originally Posted by GMScud

No doubt. See the Indianapolis Colts. 9 game winning streak, league MVP, fancy passing game with Wayne, Harrison, Clark, etc...

Then they can't establish the run at all vs. San Diego, Sproles runs wild on them, and poof. Bye bye win streak, bye bye playoffs.

In the meantime, the Giants, Steelers, Ravens, Titans, and Panthers - all stud running teams with good defenses- are the class of the league.

We have to get bigger/more physical up front, especially on offense.

The colts have not been good at the run all year so it was no shock to see it happen on the road in the playoffs.

Dallas has a very good running game but can not stay healthy and the QB turns the ball over way toooo much so that kills them. The defense is decent but gives up big plays to running backs catching or running the ball.

[44Deezel]

Originally Posted by Mattyk72

So... good teams run the ball well and stop the run.

I'm not trying to be a jerk but this school of thought is pretty much a no-brainer.

Each year teams and fans get caught up in the big passing games and all the pretty numbers, but in the end the teams that pound the rock and play good D are usually the last ones standing.

Unless your offense is off the charts like the Kurt Warner led Rams or the Skins of yesteryear (although the Skins were rock solid on both sides of the ball). I like that some years a team like the Ravens and Bears of 86 can win and some years the Rams and Colts can win. Irrestible Force meets Immovable Object!

[sportscurmudgeon]

Someone pointed out that Bill Parcells drafted six lineman in last year's draft as his way of rebuilding the franchise. True 'dat.

More importantly, some of those rookie linemen actually - you know - put on their pads and played in games on Sunday afternoons. He didn't just accumulate large bodies with the hope that someday a few of them might be taught how to play. He drafted guys who could actually play as rookies.

Perhaps the scouts and the FO for the Redskins could take notes here...

[44Deezel]

Originally Posted by Defensewins

This morning I was watching NFL network and they were running stats. I have never been a stats guy but I was surprised at what it showed.

In the 2008 regular season stats

The top passing teams:
1) N. O. Saints - did not make the playoffs
2) Arizona Cardinals - made it but I am not impressed. They will get beat soon.
3) Denver Broncos - Did not make the playoffs
4) Houston Texans - Did not make the playoffs
5) Philly - Good team

The Top Running Teams:
1) NY Giants- Solid playoff team
2) Atlanta Falcons- average playoff team
3) Carolina Panthers- Solid playoff team
4) Baltimore Ravens- Solid playoff team
5) Minn. Vikings-ok team

The Top Defense fewest points allowed:
1) Pittsburgh Steelers
2) Tenn. Titans
3) Baltimore Ravens
4) Philadelphia Eagles
5) NY Giants

You have run the ball and play defense.
The passing game while important enough to be balanced on offense, is clearly overrated. The teams that can run the ball effectively a dn play good defense usually win.

The top running teams also spread the ball around, while Zorn decided to run Portis into the ground and all but ignored the RBs in the passing game(Turner and Peterson had more carries, but they don't have near the wear and tear Portis does):

Carries
Giants - Jacobs 219, Ward 182, Bradshaw 67
Falcons - Turner 376, Norwood 95 (and 36 receptions), Ryan 55
Panthers - Williams 273, Stewart 184
Ravens - McClain 232, McGahee 170, Rice 107, Flacco 52
Vikings - Peterson 363, Taylor 101 (and 45 receptions)

Redskins - Portis 342, Betts 61 (only 6 more than Flacco), Campbell 47

With our receiving corps, you would think the running backs would be a bigger part of the passing game. I'd love to see Rock get a few passes each game. We've seen what he can do in open space. Look how the Chargers utilized Sproles and the Eagles utilized Westbrook (71 yard screen pass for a TD yesterday). Even the Dolphins got some big plays from a dude named Cobbs... their third RB.

I'm just sayin'.