Ladies and Gentlemen, we have a rb problem!

[slanidrac16]

Yeah, I know. Not really blockbuster news, but this is a big problem that, at this point, does not appear to be something we can fix.

1. Emmitt Smith. You got to love the guy. He's and "old man" playing a young mans game. He's a scat back that has lost most of his scat. Most of the yards he gains is because of his experience and not the God given talent he once had. He can't run over you. At times he can make the first guy miss but he can no longer run away from the 2nd guy. I'll bet he will not have 1 run over 20 yds this year. He does not strike fear in any defensive coordinators heart.

2. Damian Anderson. Seems very smart. He picks up the blitz very well. Overall, he's not big enough to break tackles in the NFL and he doesn't seem quick, sudden, shifty or fast enough to be called a scatback. Will never be able to "carry the load" over a 16 game season. And he, like Emmitt, does not strike fear in any defensive coordinators heart.

3. Josh Scobey. You know the guy is fast enough. You know he isn't going to bowl anybody over. He hasn't showed us that he knows "how' to run in the NFL. Sadly, he may be ( let me repeat, MAY be) the only RB on this team that has game breaking potential. Scobey is the only back on this team that would have scored on his sweep against the Raiders. At this point, a defensive coordinators would have to consult with the special team coach to find out anything on Scobey.

3. Larry Croom. Could very well develop into a fine running back, but he is nowhere near ready.

4. Marcel Shipp. Doesn't have the speed to run wide but sure knows how to run between the tackles. He has the ability to make 1 guy miss and the power to run thru the second guy. He was never a threat to break a 75 yd run, but at times could get get you 8,12, 4, 2 ,then 11 yds, as opposed to Emmitts, 2,4,6,4, and 2 yds. He was the only back on this roster that commanded any kind of respect from opposing defenses. Matters not. He's gone and probably is gone for the year.

I will not second guess whatever Green decides to do. I will not hold it against him if he refuses to part with draft choices to pick up another rb.
I will be surprised if we do nothing else at this position.

McCown will not reach his potential with the current stable of rbs. It's sad to think that Josh may end up being our leading rusher.

 

[Crimson Warrior]

I thought the run blocking was pretty bad last night.

Emmitt was the only one who was able to juke and jive his way to a few yards.

 

[Tangodnzr]

I thought the run blocking was pretty bad last night.

Emmitt was the only one who was able to juke and jive his way to a few yards.

I agree, Before going back and reviewing the tape for sure, my impression was the run blocking generally stunck to high heaven.

The pass blocking was inconsistant, decent sometimes, like a sieve the next.

I simply can't believe Green is happy with their performance.

 

[DBACH1]

Who needs a running backs anyway? McCown will be our running back and leading rusher!

 

[slanidrac16]

Who needs a running backs anyway? McCown will be our running back and leading rusher!

Thats scary.

 

[Stout]

I agree, Before going back and reviewing the tape for sure, my impression was the run blocking generally stunck to high heaven.

The pass blocking was inconsistant, decent sometimes, like a sieve the next.

I simply can't believe Green is happy with their performance.

Exactly right on the analysis.

I don't think Green is really happy, but I think he does realize he needs to start getting a little positive for the guys he's going to have to start. To continually pound them into the ground would be a bad idea.

 

[Tangodnzr]

Remember, "It all starts up front".

A good O-line can make a pedestrian RB look good.

Poor blocking by the O-line can make even the best running backs look terrible.

I think people are pointing fingers in entirely the wrong direction here.

 

[Tangodnzr]

To continually pound them into the ground would be a bad idea.

I can agree with that, but.....

What I noticed that made me wonder was:

Green didn't seem to even try to utilize the running game much with the first unit O-line.

Once he finally brought the 2nd unit in, then he seemed to go to the other extreme....more run than pass....

.......why?

 

[PJ1]

I agree with the analysis as Anderson and Scobey really don't have that natural running ability you see in a good back. Shipp has it and I see it in Croom but as stated he needs to develop.

Smith would be OK but I believe he will get hurt in the first 3 weeks and then we will be in trouble.

 

[Skkorpion]

The Raiders play a 3-4 with Ted Washington at the nose and Warren Sapp at tackle. And they blitzed half the night. They have fast LBs and will stuff the run on damn near everybody.

Green smartly tried to thwart the run overplay by throwing.

Breathe. Relax.

 

[LVCARDFREAK]

I can agree with that, but.....

What I noticed that made me wonder was:

Green didn't seem to even try to utilize the running game much with the first unit O-line.

Once he finally brought the 2nd unit in, then he seemed to go to the other extreme....more run than pass....

.......why?

Because the raiders-with Sapp and Washington plug up the middle. They also have some fast LB's. Green and Woods actually made the smart move and adjusted by coming out in the shotgun formation (unlike McGinnis last year against the Steelers when everyone knew the Cards werent going to be able to run the ball yet, what does Mac do? Try and pound the ball! )

They seemd to actually game plan a little bit-imagine that!

 

[40yearfan]

Look guys. It's pre-season. No trick plays (except for an ocassional end around) and 90% of our running plays going straight up the middle. The only sweep I remember is Scoobeys' outside run for a TD last night and that looked liked it was improvised. Watching the game last night, I got the feeling that both first units (offense and defense) are like a bunch of horses chomping at the bit ready to take off running.

The game last night has gone a long way toward making me believe that in spite of all our injuries, we have guys who can step up and contribute and at least make us respectable until we are at full strength again.

 

[Crimson Warrior]

Look guys. It's pre-season. No trick plays (except for an ocassional end around) and 90% of our running plays going straight up the middle. The only sweep I remember is Scoobeys' outside run for a TD last night and that looked liked it was improvised. Watching the game last night, I got the feeling that both first units (offense and defense) are like a bunch of horses chomping at the bit ready to take off running.

The game last night has gone a long way toward making me believe that in spite of all our injuries, we have guys who can step up and contribute and at least make us respectable until we are at full strength again.

That seems reasonable.

But the injuries!

Johnson is going to miss all of training camp. That is exactly what he did NOT need.

what about Jackson? and starks? If we don't have those two guys...

and Boldin?

I mean, everybody loses key players, but with NO injuries we would have had a tough time making the playoffs.

 

[AZCARDINALS4EVA]

No Running Game!

Unless the Raiders have the best run defense in the league then our running game was good enough! But i do not think this is the case! No one can run the ball! Except Emmit Smith, he put some unbelieavble moves last night and that O-line werent the ones making holes , he was the one making him self look decent! If we do not install a running game, teams will figure us out easily going into the 2nd half with our passing game,after they shut down the running game. WE SHOULD BE WORRIED!

 

[CardinalChris]

It is by committe, and that is because of Shipp's injury and every other guy out there has his strengths and his warts. Will we run for 150 yards every week? No, but we may not have to in this offense. Just enough to keep them honest. This offense, right now, is built on the WRs, not the RBs

 

[Russ Smith]

The Raiders play a 3-4 with Ted Washington at the nose and Warren Sapp at tackle. And they blitzed half the night. They have fast LBs and will stuff the run on damn near everybody.

Green smartly tried to thwart the run overplay by throwing.

Breathe. Relax.

true, but missing DeLawrence Grant and Napoleon Harris and Charles Woodson had as much to do with it as anything. That's 3 key parts of their defense that were gone.

 

[JeffGollin]

Running Attack

Skkorp's right. Sapp and Ted Washington are pretty formidable up front. And, while our O-Line wasn't particularly dominating, it didn't look horrible when we ran the ball (just somewhat ineffective vs. those 2 big dudes who, incidently, made their companions at DE look good).

Having said that - the style that seems best suited for Denny's offense depends on a RB who can make the first tackler miss in the absence of a lead blocker. Emmitt has that knack. So does Croom. To a lesser extent so does Anderson.

Scobey is more of a straight ahead guy, and we need one of those for short yardage situations. But we need more of a Shipp, Bettis, Crockett type guy and I don't think Scobey is big enough or strong enough to fill that role.

Scobey did look good picking his way through the trash to score from the 2 on that off tackle slant to the left. If he can find his way into the end zone, that in itself, represents a useful knack.

 

[WildBB]

Remember, "It all starts up front".

A good O-line can make a pedestrian RB look good.

Poor blocking by the O-line can make even the best running backs look terrible.

I think people are pointing fingers in entirely the wrong direction here.

Oh so true. That was my assessment from the first pre season game. Focus on the O- line play. It's been spotty at BEST. Davis is adjusting, but everyone else -- Oh God! It's a good thing we don't have a sitting duck QB this year. The run blocking needs to improve too, all around.