Our Running Game........

[CloakNNNdagger]

..........was scary. Foster fumbles twice and besides his 43 yd run, he averages 1 ypc for the other 21 carries. Tate has only 5 carries and logs 26 yds........and then disappears.

I can understand the hesitancy to let a rookie loose. Although it may also be somewhat scary to do so............if we don't show a better effective balance of pass plays, our running game is likely to continue looking a lot different than we have been used to..........and as effective as what we saw this week.

[Hervoyel]

We can't have an offense where the QB is almost never given the option to throw the ball much farther than the LOS. I understand that todays events took the Texans out of their plans but if they aren't ready to let Yates throw more next week and in the weeks that follow then they need to find someone they will throw with because if all we do is run then we aren't going to win again this year.

[otisbean]

Originally Posted by CloakNNNdagger

..........was scary. Foster fumbles twice and besides his 43 yd run, he averages 1 ypc for the other 21 carries. Tate has only 5 carries and logs 26 yds........and then disappears.

I can understand the hesitancy to let a rookie loose. Although it may also be somewhat scary to do so............if we don't show a better balance of pass plays, our running game is likely to continue looking a lot different than we have been used to..........and as effective as what we saw this week.

I think we were so conservative because we had a lead and Jax's is BAD and our D was playing well. I hope we open it up a bit more next week

[Pantherstang84]

Originally Posted by Hervoyel

We can't have an offense where the QB is almost never given the option to throw the ball much farther than the LOS. I understand that todays events took the Texans out of their plans but if they aren't ready to let Yates throw more next week and in the weeks that follow then they need to find someone they will throw with because if all we do is run then we aren't going to win again this year.

This. Can not just go into turtle mode like they did today.

[cdastros]

I think we miss lawrence vickers a lot. James casey didn't look all that great today.

[TexanFan881]

I had been saying this for the past two weeks...with no passing game why not stack the box???

[EllisUnit]

Originally Posted by otisbean

I think we were so conservative because we had a lead and Jax's is BAD and our D was playing well. I hope we open it up a bit more next week

Look at New England man, every game whether they are up by 14-30 they continue to throw it and try to score points.

[mariowillshine15]

Originally Posted by EllisUnit

Look at New England man, every game whether they are up by 14-30 they continue to throw it and try to score points.

They have one of the greatest QBs ever pulling the trigger. Easier decision.

[HJam72]

Look at Green Bay, everyone keeps throwing on them and they have 22 Ints.--part of why they are 11-0.

[otisbean]

Originally Posted by mariowillshine15

They have one of the greatest QBs ever pulling the trigger. Easier decision.

This^^^. TOs were the only way Jax were going to get back in the game. With a rookie 3rd stringer in, I understand the logic of going conservative to preserve the win TODAY.

I do agree though that we have to open it up starting next week. TJ looked good on his first series in the game, hopefully it's a sign of things to come.

[HJam72]

I think it really just comes down to the fact hat Kubiak knew a 10 point lead would do it against Jax. Their O can't score on us, but their D can...

There are 2 times when you can just almost always run on 1st and 2nd down:

1. A D that can't stop it, like Indy.

2. An opposing O that can't score, like Jax right now, provided you already have a lead.

Obviously, this game met one of those scenarios. We really don't know how much rope Kubiak will or won't give Yuts (hehe) in a different situation, we just have to hope that Yetties doesn't hang himself with it.

Here's to Yotes!

[CloakNNNdagger]

Originally Posted by otisbean

This^^^. TOs were the only way Jax were going to get back in the game. With a rookie 3rd stringer in, I understand the logic of going conservative to preserve the win TODAY.

I do agree though that we have to open it up starting next week. TJ looked good on his first series in the game, hopefully it's a sign of things to come.

If we try the same game plan against Atlanta, or any decent team for that matter, they will stack 8 or 9 in the box........and effectively tear us a new one.

[Texn4life]

The Jaguars had a very good defensive game plan against us. They never over-pursued and allowed any cutback lanes. They're used to our zone blocking scheme and played disciplined football today. Every time Arian tried to put a foot in the ground to cut back he was cutting back right into a defender. They did a good job on us today.

[Nawzer]

This is going to be something the Texans are going to have to deal with the rest of the season. Even if Leinart was healthy, teams were going to stack the LOS against us and make the QB beat them. Kubiak and crew have to come up with creative ways to loosen up the defense. That may mean more short dump passes to Foster and Tate. It could also mean more 4 receiver sets running crossing patterns and such, which will allow the playmakers to get their hands on the ball and make something happen. It's tough and I don't envy Kubiak's position, but they have to come up with solutions to ease the pressure off of Yates or whoever is the QB next week.

[eriadoc]

Originally Posted by Texn4life

The Jaguars had a very good defensive game plan against us. They never over-pursued and allowed any cutback lanes. They're used to our zone blocking scheme and played disciplined football today. Every time Arian tried to put a foot in the ground to cut back he was cutting back right into a defender. They did a good job on us today.

This is exactly why they needed to play Tate more today, and I'm mystified as to why Kubiak doesn't see this. Tate has a tendency to keep his runs front side, while Foster is much more likely to look for a cutback lane. Mix it up and wear out the Jags D.

[Hervoyel]

Originally Posted by eriadoc

This is exactly why they needed to play Tate more today, and I'm mystified as to why Kubiak doesn't see this. Tate has a tendency to keep his runs front side, while Foster is much more likely to look for a cutback lane. Mix it up and wear out the Jags D.

Agreed. I was surprised to find them not running Tate & Foster in and out all day. Sometimes you can shred them with Foster cutting back and juking people out of their cleats, other times Tate does better smacking them in the face with a shoulder pad and busting through to daylight. Today Tate could have had a hundred yards I suspect if he'd had the carries.

_____
Edit: Meant Tate could have had a hundred yards if he'd had the carries.

[gwallaia]

Also, Derrick Ward never stepped on the field today that I can remember.

[Texn4life]

Originally Posted by eriadoc

This is exactly why they needed to play Tate more today, and I'm mystified as to why Kubiak doesn't see this. Tate has a tendency to keep his runs front side, while Foster is much more likely to look for a cutback lane. Mix it up and wear out the Jags D.

I had a thread about running back balance weeks ago against Jacksonville when Foster had 33 and Tate only had 5. Trust me I saw it way back then. You have 2 dynamic backs for a reason. Use them you dummy!

[Scooter]

i liked dang near every playcall kubiak made today, he appeared to make it fairly easy on his quarterbacks. the one flaw (and a major one) was playing foster over tate. foster was just plain off today, while tate obviously matched up better. it happens more often than i like that kubiak forces foster when it's seemingly obvious that tate has the hot hand.

[GP]

I remember playing the Redskins last year, early in the season.

Kyle Shanahan had Donovan McNabb doing 3-step drops on every pass play the entire first half. The result was quick slants, quick outs, little crossing patterns, and it got the ball into the hands of the Redskins WRs and TEs and RBs.

That's what you do, to get a QB some confidence and to slow down a pass rush, and you mix in the run. The Redskins got away from that formula in the second half...trying to run the ball with Portis...and it cost them the win.

This is a time to use 4 WR and even motion out the RB and use 5 WR sets, like someone mentioned. 3-step drop, which prevents the pass rush from effectively getting to the QB. An excellent plan for a guy like Yaits, IMO.

There is a way to overcome problems, but I fear Kubiak's solutions have always been to rely on playmakers to make plays rather than crafting a solid, exploitive game plan that actually works.

It took us the Raiders game to figure out how to play without Andre Johnson. It will likely take us this game, and maybe the Atlanta game, to figure out how to play without Schaub. We sure as hell were not ready to put Yaytes into the game in place of Leinart.