A rushing stat I've been tracking this year

[DthOn2Legs]

After the first two or three games, I got sick of the team continuing to run the ball on 2nd and Long without any success. Yes, it's usually considered a "good" running down, as most defenses, expecting a pass, will take a defender or two out of the box.

However, that obviously hasn't been the case with the Rams. In fact, running the ball on 2nd and Long has basically become a drive killer for the team.

The worst-rushing team in the league, Minnesota, has run the ball 214 times for a 2.7 average. The Giants are the next-worst but are averaging a half-yard better at 3.2.

However, on 2nd down with 8-12 yards to go, the Rams have run the ball 21 times for just 48 yards....a 2.3 average--nearly half a yard worse than the worst running team in the league. And, again, they're doing this on downs when defenses are expecting a pass, which makes it even more unbelievable. This dismal stat illustrates that the Rams' problems running the ball isn't due to Gurley, but the offensive line...something all non-fantasy owners should realize anyway..

Gains per rush: 1, 2, 5, -2, 4, 2, 0, 3, 3, 0, 3, 3, -4. 5, 3, 5, 3, 7, -1, 6, 0.
First downs achieved: 0.

 

[Dieter the Brock]

Argh
Do you have the average for the best tesms running on 2nd and long?

 

[Jacobarch]

Your stats are a bit misleading. Opposing teams are almost always leaving 8 in the box unless it's 3rd and long. So even tho the Rams are running on 2nd and long the opposing team is still playing the run. While I don't think the actual playcalling is an issue I do think execution is. Even the announcers last week called out the Oline calling it leaky and horribly inconsistent. It's not hard to see our Oline is terrible.

 

[Ramrasta]

Not really sure how this illustrates that the blame doesn't fall on Gurley if he is averaging 2.3 yards per carry against light boxes. We all know the O-line is terrible but pretending Gurley is the same player from last year is laughable.

 

[ramfan46]

Need to replace The interior of the line. Center should be a top priority and a quality G prospect. Bodreau should be on the hot seat as well as Fisher. A lot of resources to work with and a terrible product. No one has been hurt besides Brown and look how bad they are. They can't even blame injuries.

 

[Dieter the Brock]

Need to replace The interior of the line. Center should be a top priority and a quality G prospect. Bodreau should be on the hot seat as well as Fisher. A lot of resources to work with and a terrible product. No one has been hurt besides Brown and look how bad they are. They can't even blame injuries.

Yeah all we heard about was how we needed to give Coach Boudreau the young pieces to mold into greatness, well he got his players and we still suck

 

[LACHAMP46]

Need to replace The interior of the line. Center should be a top priority and a quality G prospect.

Not sure what's wrong with Wichman & Brown. They seem to have very little ability to push their men off the LOS. I thought the most improvement from rookies was from the 1st to the 2nd year?
Saffold just had a terrible game....I'll give him a couple more b4 I judge him too critically, but we should be able to average more than 4 yards per carry....

Your point about center is spot on. I actually think we find a truly dominant center in this draft, the line will show dramatic improvements....

 

[jrry32]

Not really sure how this illustrates that the blame doesn't fall on Gurley if he is averaging 2.3 yards per carry against light boxes. We all know the O-line is terrible but pretending Gurley is the same player from last year is laughable.

I'm not sure what has changed about Gurley in a year's time. Hell, look at Marshall Faulk's third year in the NFL. Did he suddenly become a worse player or were there other considerations?

Gurley looked like the same player as last year when he got a little day-light on that 18-yard run.

 

[DaveFan'51]

Not sure what's wrong with Wichman & Brown. They seem to have very little ability to push their men off the LOS. I thought the most improvement from rookies was from the 1st to the 2nd year?
Saffold just had a terrible game....I'll give him a couple more b4 I judge him too critically, but we should be able to average more than 4 yards per carry....

Your point about center is spot on. I actually think we find a truly dominant center in this draft, the line will show dramatic improvements....

We should have keep Kush on the Roster instead of letting him go!!

 

[LACHAMP46]

We should have kept Kush on the Roster instead of letting him go!!

Of course...and it sends a terrible message...look at the play of the guards AFTER releasing probably the best interior lineman of this pre-season. Hell, I wanted Kush to start at center...Guys relax...think they've done enough...

and if Coach Boo made that decision...more reason to question what the hell is he doing? Did you see the story of the Seahawks o-line? Both tackles..un-drafted...hell, the LT was a basketball player in college. played ONE SEASON as a TE in college...not that their line is great, or even good...but if he (Tom Cable) can do that with players not even drafted? Just imagine....

 

[Ramrasta]

I'm not sure what has changed about Gurley in a year's time. Hell, look at Marshall Faulk's third year in the NFL. Did he suddenly become a worse player or were there other considerations?

Gurley looked like the same player as last year when he got a little day-light on that 18-yard run.

It's just hard to see how the circumstances are much different from last season. Same OC, largely the same O-line, the same QB as the second half of last year, and teams still stacked the box in preparation for him in the second half of last year as well. Why his his production so drastically different?
I'm not saying he is a bad runner because he still can break plays but the game-changer we saw last season doesn't seem to be here this time around.

 

[jrry32]

It's just hard to see how the circumstances are much different from last season. Same OC, largely the same O-line, the same QB as the second half of last year, and teams still stacked the box in preparation for him in the second half of last year as well. Why his his production so drastically different?
I'm not saying he is a bad runner because he still can break plays but the game-changer we saw last season doesn't seem to be here this time around.

His production isn't that different from where it was last year after teams adjusted to him. If you look at his final 8 games, his numbers were:
135 carries
531 yards
3.9 yards per carry
7 rushing TDs

His numbers this year are:
146 carries
451 yards
3.1 yards per carry
3 rushing TDs

They're inferior but not that inferior. I'd say they're inferior because he's not getting the room to break long runs this year. He's not lacking any of the explosion he had last year. We simply aren't giving him lanes.

Gurley is an incredible talent. Unfortunately, our terrible run blocking is holding him back. Faulk ran into the same issues in Indianapolis early in his career.

 

[JIMERAMS]

I agree our line is not doing a great job run blocking but I also think Gurley is not seeing well this year. he puts his head down and runs straight ahead a lot more than he did last year and he is getting tackled a lot easier. I think its a combination of both but that's my opinion from what I have seen. also I don't think our play calls are that good seems to me we are just running basic run plays nothing to really help gurley or our line out.

 

[Dxmissile]

I'm not sure what has changed about Gurley in a year's time. Hell, look at Marshall Faulk's third year in the NFL. Did he suddenly become a worse player or were there other considerations?

Gurley looked like the same player as last year when he got a little day-light on that 18-yard run.

Exactly what people dont seem to understand or dont want to understand is thats its very hard to run when you are constantly getting hit in the backfield. On ALMOST every run. Gurley is the same player the OLINE are the ones that are not.

 

[Dxmissile]

It's just hard to see how the circumstances are much different from last season. Same OC, largely the same O-line, the same QB as the second half of last year, and teams still stacked the box in preparation for him in the second half of last year as well. Why his his production so drastically different?
I'm not saying he is a bad runner because he still can break plays but the game-changer we saw last season doesn't seem to be here this time around.

So are you saying that the oline run blocking is the same as last year??? Because I dont see it in fact to me its no where near the same its a lot worse.

 

[Ballhawk]

And they let Reynolds go, Why?

 

[JoeBo21]

the Bills did this last night late in the 4th quarter too.. tried to catch Seattle off guard with a couple draws on second and long and went backwards every time

 

[Dxmissile]

And they let Reynolds go, Why?

This is the biggest reason our run game is suffering.

 

[DthOn2Legs]

Argh
Do you have the average for the best tesms running on 2nd and long?

No, I sure don't. Rams might very well be better than the worst in these situations, but it took long enough to go through all of one team's play charts...much less all 32 teams'.

 

[Ramrasta]

So are you saying that the oline run blocking is the same as last year??? Because I dont see it in fact to me its no where near the same its a lot worse.

It's hard for me to see how the same players in the same scheme would be dramatically worse at run blocking. I think it just appears that way since Gurley isn't breaking many long runs this year. Our run blocking was never any good last year, he just showed more vision and burst.