Run The Ball!!! - DaBearz

**Jimmors** · #1 (**permalink**) 12-26-2007, 12:47 PM

RUN THE BALL!!!
by Jimmors

Well, this thread/rant/rambling is inspired by a quirky little stat from Bears.com:

Over the last 25 years, the Bears are 61-2 in games they run the ball 40 times or more.

And yes, this includes the 90s and the woeful Jauron/Wannstadt days, so this stat has nothing to do with era, players or coaches. So now the question is begged to be asked: Why not run the ball more? We've all heard the Lovie mantra of "we are a running team, we get off the bus running" but apparantly we have been unable to do so this year.

But, focusing soley on the Lovie years (the past 4 years to be exact), and using 100 yards as a benchmark, here's some indication of success or failure the Bears have had with the running game:

Bears record the past 4 years (incl. Playoffs) in games when they have had at least a combined 100 yards rushing: 28-12
When you take out the disastrous 2004 season, the record since then looks like this: 24-7

This means, since 2004, the Bears have only lost 12 of their games when they have reached 100 yards rushing, the Superbowl being one of them. The number is only 7 when you only include the last 3 years. Which is pretty damn good when you think about it. This stat is based SOLELY on the rushing game, so keep that in mind.

Number of WINS the Bears have gotten over the past 4 years when they have FAILED to get 100 yards in a game: 8

Number of LOSSES the Bears have gotten over the past 4 years when they have Failed to get 100 yards rushing in a game: 17

This is also another telling stat. While the Bears have only managed to rack up 8 wins without getting at least 100 yards rushing in those games, they have LOST 17 when they failed to get 100. (This season being a good example)

So, obviously we all know we should be running the ball more, but what does it mean? Well, look at the NFL...the 2 main powerhouses since 2000 have been the Colts and the Patriots. But they have 2 future Hall of Famers at QB, and rely on a high power offense. What about the rest of the league? Well, thats where running backs come into play. Sure, you still need a competent QB to compete in the NFL, but a solid running game can make even mediocre QBs seem better then they are.

Look at Seattle: Matt Hasselbeck is definitely a solid starting QB, but Canton wont be dusting off some space for his bust any time soon. Is it any coincidence that Seattle went to the Superbowl the year Shaun Alexander was setting NFL records, and have since struggled whenever he's been injured? Now take San Diego, Ladanian Tomlinson makes Rivers look ALOT better then he actually is. And down south you have Jacksonville, the team most people forget, but because they have such a potent running game, not only have they made David Garrard's job easier, they are also going to the playoffs.

I know its stating the obvious: the Bears need to run the ball more, or better. But here's why:

We do not have a future hall of famer at QB. But thats ok, because there's more to a team then a QB. A team can not run the ball when they are losing by multiple scores, they have to throw the ball in hopes of catching up. So why are the Bears always down by so much lately? Well now the attention switches over to the defense, they have let big plays turn into big scores, which forces us to abandon the run, in lieu of the pass, with limited success. But the blame could be spread around, by failing to get early leads with our offense, it puts more pressure on the defense, so this whole thing is circular and everything affects everything else. Now, if you take last year, a solid running game combined with a sturdy defense will get you leads, at which time the Bears could run the ball more, which in turn would open up the passing game more. Simple, right?

So...how do we fix this mess for 2008?

1.Personally, i think it starts with the D. A pickup like Bob Sanders, and a HEALTHY defense will be better at shutting down the opposition's offense. If the other team can't score much, then it will make our offense's job easier.

2.Next, we will HAVE to adress the OL. If our defense does their job, but the offense responds with a bunch of 3-and-outs, then it will get us nowhere, which is where we are now. So, with a revamped OL, we will be able to improve the Running game and block for the QB better.

3.And finally, we will need to utilize our RBs better. Alot of people blame Ron Turner for this, and justly so. I dont think the Bears will fire him this season, so we can only hope he will learn from his mistakes (i.e. plays that DONT work-like Wolfe up the gut). If we can utilize all 3 backs-Benson and Peterson sharing the workload, maybe 50/50, and Wolfe in for screens and outside rushes and the like, i think we can get our combined yardage per game back up to over 100 yards where it should be. And with a solid running game going, it only makes the QBs job easier (whoever that will be next year).

Well, there you have it. Probably information you already know, but important things to remember none-the-less. If you just skipped to the bottom, then this is what to remember: the Bears are more successful when the run the ball more, and when they get over 100 yards per game, and that just because we are struggling this year, doesnt mean we have struggled all the time during Lovie's tenure. Lovie will be the first to tell you that we are a running team, and seeing how we failed to do that successfully this year, you can bet this will be one problem addressed this offseason, one way or another.

JD67 · #2 (**permalink**) 12-26-2007, 01:13 PM

I think we are "running off the bus" to the tune of 42% of our plays.

2007 (thru 15 games) Pass plays - 540 Run plays 397

2006 Pass Plays 514, Run plays 503 - 49.46%

2005 Pass Plays 418, Run Plays 488 - 53.86%

2004 Pass Plays 471, Run Plays 430 - 47.72%

So, in short, we are running the ball less than we ever have under Lovie, and I dare say, less than we ever have as a franchise.

**Dagan81** · #3 (**permalink**) 12-26-2007, 07:48 PM

We must run the ball next more effectively lest we wind up in the same boat again as we were in this year.

Littleputz · #4 (**permalink**) 12-29-2007, 11:12 AM

Run the ball is the answer, without question... but why have we gone away from it lately..... simple, we are losing games and are usually playing catch up. I am sure Lovie would love to carry on the Bears tradition of pound the ground but first of all, who does he have in the backfield to do so with, and second if you cant get a lead because we have no pure tailback, what else can we do but pass, thus the situation we are in.... nobody to throw the damn ball, or get away from the rush because offensive line breaks down.......