According to PFF, Colts have the worst backfield in the league

[Malakai432]

19 hours ago, TheRustonRifle#7 said:

PFFTtttt...

 

Pfftttttt indeed, I'll go ahead and disregard their analysis!

[A8bil]

4 minutes ago, Superman said:

 

How relevant is Frank Gore's 40 times from 2005?

 

I'm not saying we should never block down field. I'm saying that faster and more elusive backs are better able to make defenders miss, and they're better able to run away from defenders in the second level. 

 

This play isn't about downfield blocking. It's about Gore's ability to make a defender miss in the second level, and then having the speed to outrun everyone to the end zone. 

 

On this play, he got downfield blocking, but it only mattered after he broke three tackles. 

 

 

He'll still break a few tackles a game, but he's not making defenders miss, and he doesn't have that top gear to run away from defenders. He's still an effective back, but he doesn't threaten defenses with speed. You're arguing that elusiveness and speed won't matter, and I don't get that. 

 

Also, we've only really discussed long runs, but speed and elusiveness will matter on shorter runs as well, especially outside the tackles. 

I haven't spoken about Gore's speed in 2005?  But, if you look at the 50+ pass play last year against the Titans, Gore showed he's faster than #54 Avery Williamson (4.66) and sufficiently fast to keep #25 Rashad Johnson (4.53) from making a play over 50+ yards.

 

I've never said a fast runner cannot make big plays.  In fact, my last post points to McCoy and Elliott both making those plays, but slower guys make big plays too which highlights the importance of downfield blocking.  For guys like Jeremy Hill there are typically 7 defensive players as fast or faster than him on the field.  He needs blocking to get big runs.

 

BTW, that last video is all about Gore's power running and blocking.  He showed no elusiveness...just a refusal to go down.

[jet1968]

I guess the season has started and I missed it.  How can you have the worst anything and haven't done anything yet?

[Chrisaaron1023]

I can't disagree.. I can't wait to watch many 3rd and 8's this year.. because we haven't run the ball well since super bowl 41

[Gabriel Alexander Morillo]

It was pretty evident that Frank the Tank was more like Frank the Tricycle back there last year.

It's pathetic the way we ran the football these past few years 

[Myles]

On 7/28/2017 at 6:15 PM, Superman said:

 

How relevant is Frank Gore's 40 times from 2005?

 

I'm not saying we should never block down field. I'm saying that faster and more elusive backs are better able to make defenders miss, and they're better able to run away from defenders in the second level. 

 

This play isn't about downfield blocking. It's about Gore's ability to make a defender miss in the second level, and then having the speed to outrun everyone to the end zone. 

 

On this play, he got downfield blocking, but it only mattered after he broke three tackles. 

 

 

He'll still break a few tackles a game, but he's not making defenders miss, and he doesn't have that top gear to run away from defenders. He's still an effective back, but he doesn't threaten defenses with speed. You're arguing that elusiveness and speed won't matter, and I don't get that. 

 

Also, we've only really discussed long runs, but speed and elusiveness will matter on shorter runs as well, especially outside the tackles. 

Seems you 2 are going around in circles.   You are both right and both wrong.   Speed and elusiveness IS important, but works even better with down field blocking.  

[a06cc]

Watch when the week we are glorified by PFF some of you will be right back on the train.  As for the RB’s. I’m for the one that gives this team the best chance to win. 

[A8bil]

3 hours ago, Myles said:

Seems you 2 are going around in circles.   You are both right and both wrong.   Speed and elusiveness IS important, but works even better with down field blocking.  

I've never said speed or elusiveness is not valuable, but when 4 of your top 7 big play RBs last year are neither "fast" nor elusive, you have to question why the Colts RBs did not have any big running plays last year. The convenient, non-insightful response is something like, "last year it was more like Frank the Tricycle than Frank the Tank," or "Frank's lost it" or "Turbin is a short yardage back."  Those types of trite posts ignore that guys like Jeremy Hill (who is a near 4.7 40) had 3 40+ yard runs last year, and only 4.6 40 Ajayi had more.  Lots of pedestrian backs are racking up long runs, so why haven't the Colts?  IMO, it's a lack of downfield blocking which is painfully obvious when you look at video.  Sure, it would be great to have a fast back AND great downfield blocking--yould get years like DeMarco Murray had with Dallas in 2014, but even with guys like Gore and Turbin in the backfield, the Colts should be able to get a few big runs if they provide blocking.

[Superman]

5 hours ago, Myles said:

Seems you 2 are going around in circles.   You are both right and both wrong.   Speed and elusiveness IS important, but works even better with down field blocking.  

 

1 hour ago, A8bil said:

I've never said speed or elusiveness is not valuable, but when 4 of your top 7 big play RBs last year are neither "fast" nor elusive, you have to question why the Colts RBs did not have any big running plays last year. The convenient, non-insightful response is something like, "last year it was more like Frank the Tricycle than Frank the Tank," or "Frank's lost it" or "Turbin is a short yardage back."  Those types of trite posts ignore that guys like Jeremy Hill (who is a near 4.7 40) had 3 40+ yard runs last year, and only 4.6 40 Ajayi had more.  Lots of pedestrian backs are racking up long runs, so why haven't the Colts?  IMO, it's a lack of downfield blocking which is painfully obvious when you look at video.  Sure, it would be great to have a fast back AND great downfield blocking--yould get years like DeMarco Murray had with Dallas in 2014, but even with guys like Gore and Turbin in the backfield, the Colts should be able to get a few big runs if they provide blocking.

 

I've never said that downfield blocking isn't important.

 

A8bil is choosing to focus on downfield blocking as the primary reason we don't have more big carries, and I disagree. I think the primary reason is the lack of speed from the backs -- particularly having burst in the open field and being able to turn the corner. Every big running play doesn't require downfield blocking, as the gif above shows.

 

And here's Jeremy Hill's 62 yarder from last year, which wasn't about downfield blocking at all. https://cdn2.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/4FdY_nttRo5c77AerO2O_di5Hbc=/cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/2463294/hill-62-yard.0.gif (Again, this doesn't mean downfield blocking isn't important.)

 

Also, I really disagree with the focus on 40 times to determine whether or not a back is 'fast enough' to break a big play. I've never said any of that garbage in bold up above.

 

I think we'd all agree that better downfield blocking combined with more speed in the open field would produce more explosive running plays. 

[MackAttack]

I think this article missed the mark as well but honestly I see where they're coming from this time.. its easy to bash our backfield its been pretty awful in years past. We all know that will change though give it time.

[A8bil]

9 hours ago, Superman said:

 

Also, I really disagree with the focus on 40 times to determine whether or not a back is 'fast enough' to break a big play. I've never said any of that garbage in bold up above.

 

I think we'd all agree that better downfield blocking combined with more speed in the open field would produce more explosive running plays. 

To be clear...I never attributed those quotes to you...you've been very measured in this discussion and you've done a good job of making your point.

[bleevit]

Two things:

1. Nobody ever gives Gore enough respect. He's already talking about playing in 2018. When he loses it, he'll quit. He hasn't yet!

2. Even with a great blocking, touchdown producing Turbin along with some youngsters the critics just don't see it.

With an improved line they'll be fine.

[Myles]

The difference for this season is that down field blocking can be coached and speed cannot be as much.