Coach55 Posted August 18, 2009 Author Share Posted August 18, 2009 Nice original thought but I have to disagree. The whole reason you want to control TOP is so that you fatigue the other team's defense while yours rests - and I'm not just talking about cardio-respiratory endurance either. The violent nature of the game exacts a toll on the body over the course of the game, and by running the ball consistently, you ensure that the other team is getting beat on consistently. Passing is much more about skill and finesse, and doesn't not exact nearly the same cost in terms of physical punishment on defenders' bodies. This is why, especially in the case of power runners, running games tend to open up in the second halves of games, and also why TOP is highly valuable. I'll agree that run blocking is a lot more damaging than pass blocking. But power running doesn't necessarily win football games. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JESSEFEFFER Posted August 19, 2009 Share Posted August 19, 2009 I think TOP is too simplistic and misleading if one team is running a no huddle offense. A better stat is to look at offensive snaps in relation to turnovers. If you have more snaps and are not negative on turnover differential then you controlled play. Scenario 1: Run 50 20 yard sprints with 40 seconds in between each. Scenario 2: Run 50 20 yard sprints with 20 seconds in between each. Under which scenario is your time to run the 50th sprint faster? Under which scenario do you throw up sooner? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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