Failure of the Running Game is Another Indictment of Pete

[Coveryourholes]

So, hmm, Pete was s'pose to pull a ground pounding RB out his a$$?

Actually, I think think the Pete bashers expected Pete to pad up and carry the ball himself. It’s Pete’s fault for not filling in when Carson became injured. Go Pete!!! :2thumbs:

 

[Sgt. Largent]

Middle Syndrome

It's a common term in baseball, and it applies here with the Hawks. You never want to be caught in the middle as far as scheme and identity.

And that's what Pete and John have created with the way they've tried to appease Russell. As soon as he signed his first extension, the entire offense's identity shifted from the nasty power run opening up play action and explosive plays. Which btw IS Russell's strength, as much as people like to argue that he's some amazing pocket passer capable of carrying an offense with his arm.

So that's how they drafted and acquired players. To fit Russell. Traded an all pro center for a TE that couldn't block, and just about every lineman and draft pick has been to help Russell pass better, and not to help establish Pete's preferred offensive scheme, power run.

The middle.

 

[TwistedHusky]

Do me a favor.

Go look up the top rushing teams in the league and then see if it has any correlation to winning - especially in the playoffs.

The absolute best-case scenario is the Browns, and that team has stud RBs through the whole roster.

There is a reason people don't run the ball as much... because the NFL rules favor passing offenses.

Because a flag on 2nd or 3rd down completely shuts down a drive for a rushing offense, even a 'mystery' flag where there is no holding.

Look up the top passing teams and you will see a list of teams that end up getting to the playoffs and making noise. That isn't a coincidence.

The reason you run the ball is because run blocking is cheap. So if you cheap out on the OL, you can keep your pass blockers rested and you can hope to wear down the opposing defense. But again, the rules are stacked against you.
Still...we LOVE to cheap out on the OL - even with the predictable results that accompany this.

You CAN be a mediocre team with a run game, and admittedly vs a 3 win season - mediocre looks pretty good. But you shouldn't be mediocre with a great QB. And for most of his professional career (but this season) Russ has been great. Focusing on a run game is then counterproductive.

The obsession with running the ball makes no sense in a league geared to the passing game.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

Do me a favor.

Go look up the top rushing teams in the league and then see if it has any correlation to winning - especially in the playoffs..

It's not so much just not being able to run, it's not having an identity to do either, run or pass.

We're just floating through this dysfunctional mess of a scheme that has no identity, and therefore hasn't been able to acquire or draft the right players to fit whatever it is we're trying to do on offense.

You wanna center your offense around Russell? Fine, then hit the draft and free agent O-line hard and get the best pass blocking line in the league, also draft and acquire 3-4 dynamic RB's, WR's and TE's in each position group that also fit that style.

We haven't done that, other than fire and hire coordinators that also don't fit what Pete wants to do.......in order to appease Russell's complaining about the offense.

So "failure of the run game" isn't a cause, it's a symptom of the inability to pick an identity, and stick to it over the course of the past 7-8 years.

 

[hoxrox]

Go look up the top rushing teams in the league and then see if it has any correlation to winning - especially in the playoffs.

So looking at the teams that made the conference championship games in the past 3 years:

2018 Conference Championship
Rams: Rushing offense 3rd | Passing offense 6th | Total offense 3rd - (Balanced)
Saints: Rushing offense 9th | Passing offense 10th | Total offense 8th - (Balanced)
Patriots: Rushing offense 5th | Passing offense 5th | Total offense 4th - (Balanced)
Chiefs: Rushing offense 15th | Passing offense 3rd | Total offense 1st - (Pass heavy)

2019 Conference Championship
Titans: Rushing offense 3rd | Passing offense 25th | Total offense 15th - (Rush heavy)
Chiefs: Rushing offense 22nd | Passing offense 4th | Total offense 4th - (Pass heavy)
Packers: Rushing offense 15th | Passing offense 14th | Total offense 17th - (Balanced)
49ers: Rushing offense 2nd | Passing offense 21st | Total offense 8th - (Rush heavy)

2020 Conference Championship
Bucs: Rushing offense 25th | Passing offense 3rd | Total 9th - (Pass heavy)
Packers: Rushing offense 8th | Passing offense 9th | Total 2nd - (Balanced)
Bills: Rushing offense 24th | Passing offense 4th | Total 4th - (Pass heavy)
Chiefs: Rushing offense 16th | Passing offense 1st | Total 1st - (Pass heavy)

So in the last 3 years, for teams that made it to the title games:

Balanced offense: 5
Pass heavy offense: 5
Rush heavy offense: 2

Of course, this doesn’t consider a team’s defense for that year. For example, the Bucs were pass heavy, but it was their defense that won them that SB. Pass-heavy Mahomes and that offense had no answers.

The best way to build a football team is Balanced. And then create your game plan based on match ups. If a team sucks at run D, you run on them. If they suck at pass rush / pass D, you pass on them. Rams, for example, should have been run on in that playoff game. But they made the fatal error of using a pass heavy game plan that day, that was poorly executed.

So, it's not really about running OR passing more. It's about balance and match ups.

 

[LTH]

They aren't built to run through Russ. As some on here would have you believe.

The Shanny/McVay system is built on the outside zone running game as the centerpiece, with playaction and the QB booting off of that. They did this week 1, and for whatever reason creeped away from it. It still shows up in spurts, but mostly the offense from week 1 died an inglorious death. Wilson's numbers are phenomenal on playaction for the season, yet they run playaction below league avg. It makes no sense.

If you can't run the ball, it is a total failure from coaching, to front office, to personnel, all the way around. Shanny/McVay offenses struggle when they can't run the ball. Huge red flags should be waving, and sirens should be blaring when they can't produce a running game with this system. Because it produces results in this area where ever it goes.

To be built to run through Russ, you would need to construct the roster and system to something like a New Orleans.
Top 5 O-Line, very strong on the interior. Receiving RB, spread the field, attack the flat, when they overplay attack the seams. As an example of what it would look like if it were built around Wilson properly. But back to the running game.

Pete has failed to build a running game for 6 years, since Marshawn left. Despite making it a key emphasis of his season after season. And the running game right now is about as bad as it's ever been. They just signed old man Adrian Peterson, pathetic.

The running game is just another indictment of Pete Carroll. The team is an absolute mess, just about any area of the team you can point to problems, and these problems never seem to get addressed. They just linger like rotten fruit behind the fridge.

Pete has been systematically turning the Seahawks into the Lions. It's gotten so bad that they're now entering irreparable damage territory. Where the hole is being dug so deep that the new regime is going to need 3 years just to get to .500.

"Failed to build a running game for 6 years"

Fade, in his stupor caused by the trauma of the 2021 Seattle Seahawks, has now seemingly fully wiped the years of 2018 and 2019 from his memory to strengthen his own viewpoints. Excellent development.

2018. Led the league in rushing yards. Literally number 1. Think of it like this: they added up all the rushing yards they got that year, and it was more than any other team. Top 5 YPC.

2019. 4th in yards. 10th in yards per carry.

Again, you've got a point about the rushing game faltering, but why do you feel the need to lie about the past to make it seem like you're somehow more right? It just devalues your point.

Oh my... LOL

I guess that's worth thinking about.


LTH

While you're thinking about it, play the Curb Your Enthusiasm theme song in your head. It makes it even better.

LOL I Think I just got dogged LMAO!!


LTH

 

[LTH]

Go look up the top rushing teams in the league and then see if it has any correlation to winning - especially in the playoffs.

So looking at the teams that made the conference championship games in the past 3 years:

2018 Conference Championship
Rams: Rushing offense 3rd | Passing offense 6th | Total offense 3rd - (Balanced)
Saints: Rushing offense 9th | Passing offense 10th | Total offense 8th - (Balanced)
Patriots: Rushing offense 5th | Passing offense 5th | Total offense 4th - (Balanced)
Chiefs: Rushing offense 15th | Passing offense 3rd | Total offense 1st - (Pass heavy)

2019 Conference Championship
Titans: Rushing offense 3rd | Passing offense 25th | Total offense 15th - (Rush heavy)
Chiefs: Rushing offense 22nd | Passing offense 4th | Total offense 4th - (Pass heavy)
Packers: Rushing offense 15th | Passing offense 14th | Total offense 17th - (Balanced)
49ers: Rushing offense 2nd | Passing offense 21st | Total offense 8th - (Rush heavy)

2020 Conference Championship
Bucs: Rushing offense 25th | Passing offense 3rd | Total 9th - (Pass heavy)
Packers: Rushing offense 8th | Passing offense 9th | Total 2nd - (Balanced)
Bills: Rushing offense 24th | Passing offense 4th | Total 4th - (Pass heavy)
Chiefs: Rushing offense 16th | Passing offense 1st | Total 1st - (Pass heavy)

So in the last 3 years, for teams that made it to the title games:

Balanced offense: 5
Pass heavy offense: 5
Rush heavy offense: 2

Of course, this doesn’t consider a team’s defense for that year. For example, the Bucs were pass heavy, but it was their defense that won them that SB. Pass-heavy Mahomes and that offense had no answers.

The best way to build a football team is Balanced. And then create your game plan based on match ups. If a team sucks at run D, you run on them. If they suck at pass rush / pass D, you pass on them. Rams, for example, should have been run on in that playoff game. But they made the fatal error of using a pass heavy game plan that day, that was poorly executed.

So, it's not really about running OR passing more. It's about balance and match ups.

Nice post man!!

LTH

 

[keasley45]

Go look up the top rushing teams in the league and then see if it has any correlation to winning - especially in the playoffs.

So looking at the teams that made the conference championship games in the past 3 years:

2018 Conference Championship
Rams: Rushing offense 3rd | Passing offense 6th | Total offense 3rd - (Balanced)
Saints: Rushing offense 9th | Passing offense 10th | Total offense 8th - (Balanced)
Patriots: Rushing offense 5th | Passing offense 5th | Total offense 4th - (Balanced)
Chiefs: Rushing offense 15th | Passing offense 3rd | Total offense 1st - (Pass heavy)

2019 Conference Championship
Titans: Rushing offense 3rd | Passing offense 25th | Total offense 15th - (Rush heavy)
Chiefs: Rushing offense 22nd | Passing offense 4th | Total offense 4th - (Pass heavy)
Packers: Rushing offense 15th | Passing offense 14th | Total offense 17th - (Balanced)
49ers: Rushing offense 2nd | Passing offense 21st | Total offense 8th - (Rush heavy)

2020 Conference Championship
Bucs: Rushing offense 25th | Passing offense 3rd | Total 9th - (Pass heavy)
Packers: Rushing offense 8th | Passing offense 9th | Total 2nd - (Balanced)
Bills: Rushing offense 24th | Passing offense 4th | Total 4th - (Pass heavy)
Chiefs: Rushing offense 16th | Passing offense 1st | Total 1st - (Pass heavy)

So in the last 3 years, for teams that made it to the title games:

Balanced offense: 5
Pass heavy offense: 5
Rush heavy offense: 2

Of course, this doesn’t consider a team’s defense for that year. For example, the Bucs were pass heavy, but it was their defense that won them that SB. Pass-heavy Mahomes and that offense had no answers.

The best way to build a football team is Balanced. And then create your game plan based on match ups. If a team sucks at run D, you run on them. If they suck at pass rush / pass D, you pass on them. Rams, for example, should have been run on in that playoff game. But they made the fatal error of using a pass heavy game plan that day, that was poorly executed.

So, it's not really about running OR passing more. It's about balance and match ups.

Brilliant post. Which is why all the calls that Pete should be fired on the spot last year for dialing the offense back in line were so misguided. He was right then and he's right today. The pass happy stats game looks good but is never sustainable. And the irony is that WE WERE THE ONES THAT REMINDED THE WORLD OF THAT IN 2013. And then got drunk on dreams of having a KC styled offense. One, we dont have Mahomes, and two, it all ultimately gets figured out. So rather than turning over your roster every year trying to incorporate the newest fad offense from the college ranks, you stick to your guns, play balanced, intimidating ball. That's the formula that consistently wins.

 

[LTH]

Do me a favor.

Go look up the top rushing teams in the league and then see if it has any correlation to winning - especially in the playoffs..

It's not so much just not being able to run, it's not having an identity to do either, run or pass.

We're just floating through this dysfunctional mess of a scheme that has no identity, and therefore hasn't been able to acquire or draft the right players to fit whatever it is we're trying to do on offense.

You wanna center your offense around Russell? Fine, then hit the draft and free agent O-line hard and get the best pass blocking line in the league, also draft and acquire 3-4 dynamic RB's, WR's and TE's in each position group that also fit that style.

We haven't done that, other than fire and hire coordinators that also don't fit what Pete wants to do.......in order to appease Russell's complaining about the offense.

So "failure of the run game" isn't a cause, it's a symptom of the inability to pick an identity, and stick to it over the course of the past 7-8 years.

I think you guys are over thinking it. What IS the identity of this team? Pete wants it to be balanced O and great D.

Why don't they have a run game? because Carson is hurt, and they don't have that physical back to jam it in there on 3rd and short... saw that all day against WFT. you could blame the o line but look at the stats average per carry is 4.2 yards per carry for the season, that's good enough, they are just not getting enough opportunity to run the ball because of 3rd down conversion... usually when they run the are successful. It's not about scheme it's about execution.

You could make the argument they didn't draft the right running back. Ok... Carson is getting hurt all the time, so they drafted Penny. Penny had NO injury history in college and was doing just fine before that knee injury. Hasn't been the same since... I don't see that as a poor pick I see that as bad luck.


LTH

 

[Sgt. Largent]

I think you guys are over thinking it. What IS the identity of this team? Pete wants it to be balanced O and great D.

LTH

Pete's done neither for a very long time........and we weren't a good run team when Carson was healthy. Which hasn't been often the past two years.

Balance is important, but so is identity. On both sides of the ball.

Again, I will never not concede that Pete lost his way with all of this as soon as he kicked all the old Hawk's to the curb and decided that he was hitching his wagon to the Russell Wilson train.

Which worked, until now........and now it's REALLY not working because Russell's broken, physically and mentally.

Hard to blame Pete, we'd be in year 6 or 7 of losing records instead of just one if he traded Russell and decided to stick with his antiquated schemes.

It's why IMO they both need to go. Blow it all up.

 

[chris98251]

Do me a favor.

Go look up the top rushing teams in the league and then see if it has any correlation to winning - especially in the playoffs..

It's not so much just not being able to run, it's not having an identity to do either, run or pass.

We're just floating through this dysfunctional mess of a scheme that has no identity, and therefore hasn't been able to acquire or draft the right players to fit whatever it is we're trying to do on offense.

You wanna center your offense around Russell? Fine, then hit the draft and free agent O-line hard and get the best pass blocking line in the league, also draft and acquire 3-4 dynamic RB's, WR's and TE's in each position group that also fit that style.

We haven't done that, other than fire and hire coordinators that also don't fit what Pete wants to do.......in order to appease Russell's complaining about the offense.

So "failure of the run game" isn't a cause, it's a symptom of the inability to pick an identity, and stick to it over the course of the past 7-8 years.

I think you guys are over thinking it. What IS the identity of this team? Pete wants it to be balanced O and great D.

Why don't they have a run game? because Carson is hurt, and they don't have that physical back to jam it in there on 3rd and short... saw that all day against WFT. you could blame the o line but look at the stats average per carry is 4.2 yards per carry for the season, that's good enough, they are just not getting enough opportunity to run the ball because of 3rd down conversion... usually when they run the are successful. It's not about scheme it's about execution.

You could make the argument they didn't draft the right running back. Ok... Carson is getting hurt all the time, so they drafted Penny. Penny had NO injury history in college and was doing just fine before that knee injury. Hasn't been the same since... I don't see that as a poor pick I see that as bad luck.


LTH

Carson is physical, he is however not a Power back, he does not have the anchor and lower leg structure for the drive to move piles. They try to use him that way, but that is also why he is hurt in my mind. Lynch was built differently, look at the body type of a Riggins, Cullen Bryant, Bettis, more a square butt and large thighs and calf's for their size, usually a thicker torso also.

 

[LTH]

I think you guys are over thinking it. What IS the identity of this team? Pete wants it to be balanced O and great D.

LTH

Pete's done neither for a very long time........and we weren't a good run team when Carson was healthy. Which hasn't been often the past two years.

Balance is important, but so is identity. On both sides of the ball.

Again, I will never not concede that Pete lost his way with all of this as soon as he kicked all the old Hawk's to the curb and decided that he was hitching his wagon to the Russell Wilson train.

Which worked, until now........and now it's REALLY not working because Russell's broken, physically and mentally.

Hard to blame Pete, we'd be in year 6 or 7 of losing records instead of just one if he traded Russell and decided to stick with his antiquated schemes.

It's why IMO they both need to go. Blow it all up.

I don't agree that the run game wasn't good with Carson when he is healthy...

However, I do agree that things are broken and yeah blowing it up is one way to deal with it.

That being said I'm very curious to see what happens in the remainder of the season. Greatness is defined by how one deals with adversity. If Wilson wants to be great, then this is his chance to prove to the world he is GREAT. Pete is going to try to put him in that position. the rest is up to Wilson.

LTH

 

[pittpnthrs]

But Mcvay isnt some running game guru. His team isnt any better at running the ball than ours this year. Schotty is better at building the run game than Mcvay. For some reason he is on a pedastal around here when his teams under perform their talent every year.

Probably because he outcoaches Carroll on a regular basis.

 

[toffee]

Go look up the top rushing teams in the league and then see if it has any correlation to winning - especially in the playoffs.

So looking at the teams that made the conference championship games in the past 3 years:

2018 Conference Championship
Rams: Rushing offense 3rd | Passing offense 6th | Total offense 3rd - (Balanced)
Saints: Rushing offense 9th | Passing offense 10th | Total offense 8th - (Balanced)
Patriots: Rushing offense 5th | Passing offense 5th | Total offense 4th - (Balanced)
Chiefs: Rushing offense 15th | Passing offense 3rd | Total offense 1st - (Pass heavy)

2019 Conference Championship
Titans: Rushing offense 3rd | Passing offense 25th | Total offense 15th - (Rush heavy)
Chiefs: Rushing offense 22nd | Passing offense 4th | Total offense 4th - (Pass heavy)
Packers: Rushing offense 15th | Passing offense 14th | Total offense 17th - (Balanced)
49ers: Rushing offense 2nd | Passing offense 21st | Total offense 8th - (Rush heavy)

2020 Conference Championship
Bucs: Rushing offense 25th | Passing offense 3rd | Total 9th - (Pass heavy)
Packers: Rushing offense 8th | Passing offense 9th | Total 2nd - (Balanced)
Bills: Rushing offense 24th | Passing offense 4th | Total 4th - (Pass heavy)
Chiefs: Rushing offense 16th | Passing offense 1st | Total 1st - (Pass heavy)

So in the last 3 years, for teams that made it to the title games:

Balanced offense: 5
Pass heavy offense: 5
Rush heavy offense: 2

Of course, this doesn’t consider a team’s defense for that year. For example, the Bucs were pass heavy, but it was their defense that won them that SB. Pass-heavy Mahomes and that offense had no answers.

The best way to build a football team is Balanced. And then create your game plan based on match ups. If a team sucks at run D, you run on them. If they suck at pass rush / pass D, you pass on them. Rams, for example, should have been run on in that playoff game. But they made the fatal error of using a pass heavy game plan that day, that was poorly executed.

So, it's not really about running OR passing more. It's about balance and match ups.

You sir sorry need like Pete Carroll

Sent from my IN2017 using Tapatalk

 

[Spin Doctor]

Most NFL defense strive to make NFL offenses one dimensional. You want to be able to both run and pass. Too often it seems Pete Carroll has gotten caught up in running for the sake of running, or passing for the sake of appeasing his QB, regardless of the defenses we're facing.

Our running game is bad and has been bad for two years because our running backs are washed. Our line also hasn't gotten much push from our center and whichever guard happens to be playing opposite of Lewis. This season, Duane Brown is looking his age and is also struggling in the run game. Gabe Jackson is playing out of position right now and I'm wondering if that is part of his struggles.

As far as our running back position goes, we've struggled for a long time to keep healthy backs. I love Carson but I think it's time we completely overhaul our RB stable. I think we should also look at our strength and conditioning coaches. We've had a lot of issues with weird injuries and such. It's been like that for years here in Seattle.

We also need to overhaul our line. Brown likely needs to go and from there we need to ascertain whether or not Gabe Jackson is worth keeping. Procic has been a decent backup, but he gets absolutely no push in the run game. Shell can hold the RT spot down for awhile. Really Lewis is our only young talent we can work off of on the line. I hate to say this but skipping out on Creed Humphrey was a huge mistake. I wish Carroll would prioritize the O-line more, it's really been his greatest failing here.

I think if Carroll sticks around, the theme for the next offseason needs to be offensive line and runningback rebuild.

 

[LTH]

Most NFL defense strive to make NFL offenses one dimensional. You want to be able to both run and pass. Too often it seems Pete Carroll has gotten caught up in running for the sake of running, or passing for the sake of appeasing his QB, regardless of the defenses we're facing.

Our running game is bad and has been bad for two years because our running backs are washed. Our line also hasn't gotten much push from our center and whichever guard happens to be playing opposite of Lewis. This season, Duane Brown is looking his age and is also struggling in the run game. Gabe Jackson is playing out of position right now and I'm wondering if that is part of his struggles.

As far as our running back position goes, we've struggled for a long time to keep healthy backs. I love Carson but I think it's time we completely overhaul our RB stable. I think we should also look at our strength and conditioning coaches. We've had a lot of issues with weird injuries and such. It's been like that for years here in Seattle.

We also need to overhaul our line. Brown likely needs to go and from there we need to ascertain whether or not Gabe Jackson is worth keeping. Procise has been a decent backup, but he gets absolutely no push in the run game. Shell can hold the RT spot down for awhile. Really Lewis is our only young talent we can work off of on the line. I hate to say this but skipping out on Creed Humphrey was a huge mistake. I wish Carroll would prioritize the O-line more, it's really been his greatest failing here.

I think if Carroll sticks around, the theme for the next offseason needs to be offensive line and runningback rebuild.

I agree with the statement that the Hawks need to make the O line more of a pryority not only the O line but the D line as well... football games are won and lost in the trenches.


LTH

 

[OrangeGravy]

Go look up the top rushing teams in the league and then see if it has any correlation to winning - especially in the playoffs.

So looking at the teams that made the conference championship games in the past 3 years:

2018 Conference Championship
Rams: Rushing offense 3rd | Passing offense 6th | Total offense 3rd - (Balanced)
Saints: Rushing offense 9th | Passing offense 10th | Total offense 8th - (Balanced)
Patriots: Rushing offense 5th | Passing offense 5th | Total offense 4th - (Balanced)
Chiefs: Rushing offense 15th | Passing offense 3rd | Total offense 1st - (Pass heavy)

2019 Conference Championship
Titans: Rushing offense 3rd | Passing offense 25th | Total offense 15th - (Rush heavy)
Chiefs: Rushing offense 22nd | Passing offense 4th | Total offense 4th - (Pass heavy)
Packers: Rushing offense 15th | Passing offense 14th | Total offense 17th - (Balanced)
49ers: Rushing offense 2nd | Passing offense 21st | Total offense 8th - (Rush heavy)

2020 Conference Championship
Bucs: Rushing offense 25th | Passing offense 3rd | Total 9th - (Pass heavy)
Packers: Rushing offense 8th | Passing offense 9th | Total 2nd - (Balanced)
Bills: Rushing offense 24th | Passing offense 4th | Total 4th - (Pass heavy)
Chiefs: Rushing offense 16th | Passing offense 1st | Total 1st - (Pass heavy)

So in the last 3 years, for teams that made it to the title games:

Balanced offense: 5
Pass heavy offense: 5
Rush heavy offense: 2

Of course, this doesn’t consider a team’s defense for that year. For example, the Bucs were pass heavy, but it was their defense that won them that SB. Pass-heavy Mahomes and that offense had no answers.

The best way to build a football team is Balanced. And then create your game plan based on match ups. If a team sucks at run D, you run on them. If they suck at pass rush / pass D, you pass on them. Rams, for example, should have been run on in that playoff game. But they made the fatal error of using a pass heavy game plan that day, that was poorly executed.

So, it's not really about running OR passing more. It's about balance and match ups.

So, 6 of the 12 teams were top 10 in rushing for the year, in the most pass friendly era of football ever?

Color me shocked that running the ball well still wins and wins in the playoffs. I'd be interested to see that breakdown for all teams that made it past the WC round

 

[OrangeGravy]

Go look up the top rushing teams in the league and then see if it has any correlation to winning - especially in the playoffs.

So looking at the teams that made the conference championship games in the past 3 years:

2018 Conference Championship
Rams: Rushing offense 3rd | Passing offense 6th | Total offense 3rd - (Balanced)
Saints: Rushing offense 9th | Passing offense 10th | Total offense 8th - (Balanced)
Patriots: Rushing offense 5th | Passing offense 5th | Total offense 4th - (Balanced)
Chiefs: Rushing offense 15th | Passing offense 3rd | Total offense 1st - (Pass heavy)

2019 Conference Championship
Titans: Rushing offense 3rd | Passing offense 25th | Total offense 15th - (Rush heavy)
Chiefs: Rushing offense 22nd | Passing offense 4th | Total offense 4th - (Pass heavy)
Packers: Rushing offense 15th | Passing offense 14th | Total offense 17th - (Balanced)
49ers: Rushing offense 2nd | Passing offense 21st | Total offense 8th - (Rush heavy)

2020 Conference Championship
Bucs: Rushing offense 25th | Passing offense 3rd | Total 9th - (Pass heavy)
Packers: Rushing offense 8th | Passing offense 9th | Total 2nd - (Balanced)
Bills: Rushing offense 24th | Passing offense 4th | Total 4th - (Pass heavy)
Chiefs: Rushing offense 16th | Passing offense 1st | Total 1st - (Pass heavy)

So in the last 3 years, for teams that made it to the title games:

Balanced offense: 5
Pass heavy offense: 5
Rush heavy offense: 2

Of course, this doesn’t consider a team’s defense for that year. For example, the Bucs were pass heavy, but it was their defense that won them that SB. Pass-heavy Mahomes and that offense had no answers.

The best way to build a football team is Balanced. And then create your game plan based on match ups. If a team sucks at run D, you run on them. If they suck at pass rush / pass D, you pass on them. Rams, for example, should have been run on in that playoff game. But they made the fatal error of using a pass heavy game plan that day, that was poorly executed.

So, it's not really about running OR passing more. It's about balance and match ups.

Brilliant post. Which is why all the calls that Pete should be fired on the spot last year for dialing the offense back in line were so misguided. He was right then and he's right today. The pass happy stats game looks good but is never sustainable. And the irony is that WE WERE THE ONES THAT REMINDED THE WORLD OF THAT IN 2013. And then got drunk on dreams of having a KC styled offense. One, we dont have Mahomes, and two, it all ultimately gets figured out. So rather than turning over your roster every year trying to incorporate the newest fad offense from the college ranks, you stick to your guns, play balanced, intimidating ball. That's the formula that consistently wins.

That is a great point about the state of the league in 2010-2014. People like say Pete's philosophy is outdated now, but the league was already well into favoring the Passing game since late 90s. He was 'outdated' when he got here in that respect. The rules have increasingly changed to favor offense every time they add a new rule, but running well is still valuable. Balanced teams are still gonna have an advantage over unbalanced teams. By balance I mean having the ability to run or pass as needed effectively.

 

[OrangeGravy]

I think you guys are over thinking it. What IS the identity of this team? Pete wants it to be balanced O and great D.

LTH

Pete's done neither for a very long time........and we weren't a good run team when Carson was healthy. Which hasn't been often the past two years.

Balance is important, but so is identity. On both sides of the ball.

Again, I will never not concede that Pete lost his way with all of this as soon as he kicked all the old Hawk's to the curb and decided that he was hitching his wagon to the Russell Wilson train.

Which worked, until now........and now it's REALLY not working because Russell's broken, physically and mentally.

Hard to blame Pete, we'd be in year 6 or 7 of losing records instead of just one if he traded Russell and decided to stick with his antiquated schemes.

It's why IMO they both need to go. Blow it all up.

It worked until now in the regular season, but it's been bad in the playoffs. Russell has been BAD in the playoffs and every time I mention it or ask someone to look up his playoff performances, crickets. I have no clue what the numbers look like, it's probably a lot like Monday night. Numbers look decent, but if you watch the game, he played like shit. We've often gone into the post season limping in the running game as well over these years with Carson out or everyone out.

 

[Tical21]

I thought we were supposed to build the team around Russ and the passing game. Now you're blaming Pete because he did what you wanted and the fan base pined heavily for for years, and it isn't working, and instead of blaming the LRC flock, you're blaming....Pete. Shocking.