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Is The Lack of "Rhythm" in The New Improved NFL Changing Careers ?


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The NFL landscape is ever changing into something some of us in ways wish could go back to a better place & time, but as we all know that will not happen because time marches on & if you don't conform to change you can be left behind in the wake that takes over & good or bad change still takes place !

 

I have recently heard on a interview on 1 Bills live from a new NFL HC/old Bills QB that he even believes that in todays new & improved NFL that given the change in thought about RB's being a dime a dozen & the running game becoming a after thought that a good running game is a essential part of being a winning team come the play offs . That new coach of which i speak is Frank Reich .

 

I believe & have always believed not just because of being a Bills fan that in the later parts of the year needing a good running game due to the change in the weather is crucial to winning a championship or a deep run in the play offs . If you look at the last few Super bowl champs they have had some hammers in the back field & one of them winning 2 SB's in consecutive yrs being Lagarette Blount when he ran 1 yr for the Pats in 17 & the next for the Eagles in 18 .

 

Another part of the changes in the new NFL that i wonder about which I also read a article recently that contributed to the retirement of a really good player that was on both the Pats & the Eagles being Chris Long . In Long's situation he said players aren't given enough plays to get into a rhythm with in the game .

 

Long said in this interview that part of his decision to retire was based on being a older player that if he only played 10 to 15 snaps a game that he didn't feel he could get into a rhythm of a game & by sitting for long periods that by doing so it could give more of a cause for him to get injured .

 

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2019/05/20/chris-longs-decision-to-retire-was-complicated/

 

It use to be yrs back that some of us can remember (going back to the RB position) that a lot of RB's said they needed some 25 to 30 carries just to get into a rhythm of the game & some older running backs got better as the game went on . Can you imagine taking say a John Riggins or a Walter Peyton & only giving them half or less of the carries they use to get ?

 

I don't know if either of them & others like Czonka, OJ, Campbell, & Allen would have had the careers they did if not to get them into the rhythm of the game & get in that zone but in todays new & improved NFL are there players that could be cut from that mold of needing more plays just to get warmed up having great careers turned into mediocre careers due to the changes of having some 3 or more RB's in the back field ?

 

I for one am glad that there are some old time thinking coaches like a Frank Reich that realize just how important a good running game is even though he may use more backs to accomplish the task at hand ! I just hope some of the new up & coming coaches can incorporate some of the old school NFL thought into their new & improved NFL visions moving forward ...

 

Edited by T master
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I think the one thing interesting about the future of the running game is defense.  Today's defenses are geared to stop the pass.  Nickel is the most commonly run defense in the contemporary NFL.  In the old days, linebackers used to be thumpers.   Now many LBs have better  coverage than tacking skills.  

 

It seems the time is ripe for a creative OC to build an offense around a strong running game to take advantage of today's defensive tendencies.  

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6 minutes ago, hondo in seattle said:

I think the one thing interesting about the future of the running game is defense.  Today's defenses are geared to stop the pass.  Nickel is the most commonly run defense in the contemporary NFL.  In the old days, linebackers used to be thumpers.   Now many LBs have better  coverage than tacking skills.  

 

It seems the time is ripe for a creative OC to build an offense around a strong running game to take advantage of today's defensive tendencies.  

Belichick did that last season.

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I opened this not really knowing what this was about. Some RB examples were mentioned regarding rhythm. Simpson and Campbell were guys that wore defenders down, Csonka always had a sidekick so to speak, Kick and then Morris. Allen extended his career by becoming a role player. Not so sure about the rhythm thing.

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2 hours ago, hondo in seattle said:

I think the one thing interesting about the future of the running game is defense.  Today's defenses are geared to stop the pass.  Nickel is the most commonly run defense in the contemporary NFL.  In the old days, linebackers used to be thumpers.   Now many LBs have better  coverage than tacking skills.  

 

It seems the time is ripe for a creative OC to build an offense around a strong running game to take advantage of today's defensive tendencies.  

That's what Bill Belichick did last year.

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Even though big chunk pass plays are what peaks the fan's enthusiasm.  It is the ability to run the ball that allows teams to protect a lead and burn up the clock.  Atlanta would have won a Super Bowl, if they had been able to run the ball to churn out a first down late in the fourth quarter.  Good teams are balanced and can take advantage of what the defense is conceding.  Sometimes that means being able to run the ball.

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3 hours ago, T master said:

The NFL landscape is ever changing into something some of us in ways wish could go back to a better place & time, but as we all know that will not happen because time marches on & if you don't conform to change you can be left behind in the wake that takes over & good or bad change still takes place !

 

I have recently heard on a interview on 1 Bills live from a new NFL HC/old Bills QB that he even believes that in todays new & improved NFL that given the change in thought about RB's being a dime a dozen & the running game becoming a after thought that a good running game is a essential part of being a winning team come the play offs . That new coach of which i speak is Frank Reich .

 

I believe & have always believed not just because of being a Bills fan that in the later parts of the year needing a good running game due to the change in the weather is crucial to winning a championship or a deep run in the play offs . If you look at the last few Super bowl champs they have had some hammers in the back field & one of them winning 2 SB's in consecutive yrs being Lagarette Blount when he ran 1 yr for the Pats in 17 & the next for the Eagles in 18 .

 

Another part of the changes in the new NFL that i wonder about which I also read a article recently that contributed to the retirement of a really good player that was on both the Pats & the Eagles being Chris Long . In Long's situation he said players aren't given enough plays to get into a rhythm with in the game .

 

Long said in this interview that part of his decision to retire was based on being a older player that if he only played 10 to 15 snaps a game that he didn't feel he could get into a rhythm of a game & by sitting for long periods that by doing so it could give more of a cause for him to get injured .

 

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2019/05/20/chris-longs-decision-to-retire-was-complicated/

 

It use to be yrs back that some of us can remember (going back to the RB position) that a lot of RB's said they needed some 25 to 30 carries just to get into a rhythm of the game & some older running backs got better as the game went on . Can you imagine taking say a John Riggins or a Walter Peyton & only giving them half or less of the carries they use to get ?

 

I don't know if either of them & others like Czonka, OJ, Campbell, & Allen would have had the careers they did if not to get them into the rhythm of the game & get in that zone but in todays new & improved NFL are there players that could be cut from that mold of needing more plays just to get warmed up having great careers turned into mediocre careers due to the changes of having some 3 or more RB's in the back field ?

 

I for one am glad that there are some old time thinking coaches like a Frank Reich that realize just how important a good running game is even though he may use more backs to accomplish the task at hand ! I just hope some of the new up & coming coaches can incorporate some of the old school NFL thought into their new & improved NFL visions moving forward ...

 

Some teams dont even run the ball 25 times total in games anymore let alone 25 times with the same player

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2 hours ago, chris heff said:

I opened this not really knowing what this was about. Some RB examples were mentioned regarding rhythm. Simpson and Campbell were guys that wore defenders down, Csonka always had a sidekick so to speak, Kick and then Morris. Allen extended his career by becoming a role player. Not so sure about the rhythm thing.

 

Okay you got me i checked it out & of the backs i mentioned which really surprised me Peyton had the highest average carries per game over his career around 20 Campbell was next around the 19 mark & OJ was 3rd with around 17 .

 

As you said the others were more dependent on their counterparts to give them a breather i guess .

 

Of all the top backs Barry is 1st with 26 per game Walter 2nd with 20, Emmit & J. Brown at 19 all of these are average of attempts to games played which if you went even farther there would be some seasons with a higher average per yr than others but this is over all or a guesstimate if you would call it that nothing official !

Edited by T master
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Honest question. Is there any empirical evidence that particular RB's had a significant increase in YPC as games progress? Even if it were the case, you could partially attribute that to a defense that's been worn down by their battles with the OL. 

 

The NFL, like all sports, is adapting and creating more specialty roles. MLB now has OPENERS.

 

I guess I feel like players should be ready to go when their number is called. If you're a standout, you're gonna get plenty of opportunities to get into a rhythm. If not, maybe it's time to create some kind of ritual to prepare yourself when you get your shot.

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