Do the Bears have an elite running game?

[Guest]

bet's off if there are any devastating injuries, though.

[Sammy Sofa]

Damn, Tim playing fast and loose with the donations.

[Guest]

Damn, Tim playing fast and loose with the donations.

 

eh, they'd be #2 without the Tampa Bay game.

 

Not using that as an argument, just a predictor of future success.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Damn, Tim playing fast and loose with the donations.

we'll be back on the old server in no time

[Tim]

 

You were the first one to bring up individual games, you mook. when someone busts you for it, you throw up your hands. lol

 

if you're going to argue total results, you can't do it, yet. You want to look at small sample sizes, so I'm looking at small sample sizes.

 

In 3 of their 5 games, they've rushed for the most single game yards and ypc than any of those teams have allowed to the other teams on their schedule. the other two games were blowouts and over in the first quarter.

 

I'm confident that the Bears will be a top 5 rushing offense at the end of the season.

I'll still bet you that $20. How confident are you?

 

Sure

Just to be clear - the bet is top five in both yards per game and yards per carry. basically top 16% in each category. Should be easy to clear for an elite team.

[Guest]

I have no words for your hangup on that word, spaz

[toonsterwu]

Since I'm being trolled in the game thread again, I'm going to respond here.

 

The rush numbers have improved. But this is hardly "elite": 27 runs, 108 yards. Exactly 4.0 ypc

 

It really comes down to what the All-22 shows, though. At a glance at that game, and I was out so wasn't paying huge attention, it did seem like the boxes were stacked and they were selling out against the run a lot. If a defense is doing that, I don't care how talented you are as a runner ... it's just going to be tough sledding. One of the more under-rated runners in recent history was Maurice Jones-Drew, and I remember a lot of his games with crappy QB's ... he'd get the hand-off and it'd seem like the defense was in the backfield already as they sold out on the run (obviously, wasn't always like that, exaggerating for effect). Add in a simplified offense with a rookie QB ... and it'd be tough sledding, and that's before we get to questions on the quality of the opposing defense.

 

All that said, there's a fair argument that a really elite running game might've been able to do more to balance things out and create a bit more space. Again ... how one defines elite, and it is subjective, makes the determination here.

[Guest]

Bears averaging 137 ypg. Most in the NFC.

 

JUST FYI.

[UK]

Navy also leads the NCAA in rushing every year, they're also towards the btm in passing every year because they run every possession.

 

If you throw for a 100 yards passing each game, the yards have to come from somewhere else.

[Sammy Sofa]

They are, however, by their own admission only a shufflin' crew, so, who knows?

[Sammy Sofa]

[jersey cubs fan]

I kind of feel an elite running game puts the game away with a lead in the 4th quarter.

[Guest]

I kind of feel an elite running game puts the game away with a lead in the 4th quarter.

 

Yeah, because everything is always individual plays. Especially the running game. And, of course, special teams.

 

But feel whichever way you want, the Bears piled up 220 or more rushing yards in a second game this season.

[Guest]

Navy also leads the NCAA in rushing every year, they're also towards the btm in passing every year because they run every possession.

 

If you throw for a 100 yards passing each game, the yards have to come from somewhere else.

 

It doesn't mean they are going to come from somewhere else.

 

Let's not be intellectually dishonest here. The Bears wouldn't have been able to run so often if they weren't getting first downs. In addition, 9 man fronts regularly.

[Guest]

I mean, elite, elite, elite.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

The yard *don't* have to come from somewhere. They can not come at all. Being able to run effectively when your passing game is barely any threat at all is even more impressive.

[Tim]

I'm glad they had a good game running the ball. After six weeks, they almost meet my very lax definition of "elite". Woo!

 

If they manage to keep up this pace, I'll win $40.

[Guest]

I'm glad they had a good game running the ball. After six weeks, they almost meet my very lax definition of "elite". Woo!

 

If they manage to keep up this pace, I'll win $40.

 

Twice is in six weeks they've stacked 220+ on some fool.

[Tim]

I'm glad they had a good game running the ball. After six weeks, they almost meet my very lax definition of "elite". Woo!

 

If they manage to keep up this pace, I'll win $40.

 

Twice is in six weeks they've stacked 220+ on some fool.

And both required overtime. The stats for this game look a hell of a lot worse if either team had finished the game in regulation. But hey, it did happen. Let's hope it keeps happening and I lose the bet. That would actually be awesome and totally worth the $.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

You're placing way, way, way too much value on superficial football stats.

[Tim]

You're placing way, way, way too much value on superficial football stats.

meh

 

The more advanced stats actually back me up more than the superficial ones.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

I'm not sure I trust them, either. Football is way too context dependent for stats to be reliable.

 

I've seen this team literally run over two defenses in overtime to produce game-winning drives made entirely of runs when everyone in the stadium knew that was all they could do. I'm not getting bogged down into "what does elite mean precisely?" but I'm pretty impressed with the running game.

[Guest]

I'm glad they had a good game running the ball. After six weeks, they almost meet my very lax definition of "elite". Woo!

 

If they manage to keep up this pace, I'll win $40.

 

Twice is in six weeks they've stacked 220+ on some fool.

And both required overtime. The stats for this game look a hell of a lot worse if either team had finished the game in regulation. But hey, it did happen. Let's hope it keeps happening and I lose the bet. That would actually be awesome and totally worth the $.

 

They tenderized teams up front and broke them later. Big runs will happen late.

[jersey cubs fan]

Hey sparky why don't you leave this stupid conversation for a bit and start the next game thread.

[Guest]

Hey sparky why don't you leave this stupid conversation for a bit and start the next game thread.

 

Lol my bad