Is our I-formation broken?

[Scottemojo]

By my count, we ran 17 plays from the I vs the Texans.
2 were penalties on TE Davis.
Of the remaining 15, 7 were pass attempts, 8 were called runs.

The 7 drop backs resulted in one defensive PI, one completion for 4 yards, one scramble for 25 yards, 3 sacks for -20 yards, and one incompletion on the deep attempt to Golden Tate.

The 8 runs included the 43 yard run by Lynch. The other 7 gained 9 yards. 2 were for gains of 6 and 4, the rest were 3, -4, -1, -2, and 3 yards.

This is not a Texans game thing, this is all 4 games struggling with the fullback formation. I formation, the bread and butter of our play action game, has been a hot mess. They have been big play or nothing. Mostly nothing.

 

[DavidSeven]

I guess I'll ask the obvious question. How much of that is attributed to the drop in talent at fullback?

 

[Scottemojo]

I guess I'll ask the obvious question. How much of that is attributed to the drop in talent at fullback?

Safe to say a big part of it.

 

[bestfightstory]

Sounds broken to me, dammit.

 

[SirTed]

I'd say that FB play is the biggest reason, followed shortly there after by less production across the board from the O-line, and that was true before the injuries as well (but to a lesser degree). Unger hasn't played as well this season (and an injury could be a reason why) and the guard play has been inconsistent at best. We're better suited to spread a team out and attack via the run that way. I've been surprised by how often we've gone back to the I considering how badly it has worked. My only guess is that it creates matchups we like in other areas (TE's?) and generally puts the defense in "run" packages.

 

[Sarlacc83]

I guess I'll ask the obvious question. How much of that is attributed to the drop in talent at fullback?

Everyone who reads Scotte's post is probably going to have that same first thought.

Coleman needs to get a lot better a lot faster. Or Mike Rob needs to get well a lot quicker.

 

[SomersetHawk]

By my count, we ran 17 plays from the I vs the Texans.
2 were penalties on TE Davis.
Of the remaining 15, 7 were pass attempts, 8 were called runs.

The 7 drop backs resulted in one defensive PI, one completion for 4 yards, one scramble for 25 yards, 3 sacks for -20 yards, and one incompletion on the deep attempt to Golden Tate.

The 8 runs included the 43 yard run by Lynch. The other 7 gained 9 yards. 2 were for gains of 6 and 4, the rest were 3, -4, -1, -2, and 3 yards.

This is not a Texans game thing, this is all 4 games struggling with the fullback formation. I formation, the bread and butter of our play action game, has been a hot mess. They have been big play or nothing. Mostly nothing.

Wow, thanks for pointing that out Scottie. I wonder how much our O would prosper with Robinson back in there!? Trying to get him to take a cut looks real silly right now, and I'm sure Pete and John wouldn't have missed this. Plus it looks even more stupid whilst Coleman's not being utilized as a receiver of late.

 

[ImTheScientist]

We go with a FB 20% of the time. Not sure its really a major part of the offense at this point. When Harvin returns I expect to see it even less.

 

[Sarlacc83]

We go with a FB 20% of the time. Not sure its really a major part of the offense at this point. When Harvin returns I expect to see it even less.

Is that because it's by design or because it's not working right now? It's a question none of us can reasonably answer, but's not cut and dry right now, either.

 

[Tical21]

I think a bit part is a lack of creativity out of the I. How many of our runs out of the I were the same lead play? If I have a good idea what is coming, I'm pretty sure the opposition does also. I'd like to see a bit of a counter game to the weakside, but I'm really not sure if that is even in our playbook. Maybe an outside toss.

Another thing to consider is that I'm sure a handful of those opportunities were in short yardage situations. You're not typically going to hit big yards on those plays anyways, but they really got blown up with our personnel across the line.

I don't know that we were necessarily good out of any personnel groupings. I would lean more to the side that our offense is broken than I would singling out the I formation. When the only play that seems to be working is the "Russell run for your life with your hair on fire" play, you've got more issues than just one formation.

 

[ImTheScientist]

We go with a FB 20% of the time. Not sure its really a major part of the offense at this point. When Harvin returns I expect to see it even less.

Is that because it's by design or because it's not working right now? It's a question none of us can reasonably answer, but's not cut and dry right now, either.

Its by design, the FB is being phased out around the NFL.

 

[lukerguy]

I guess I'll ask the obvious question. How much of that is attributed to the drop in talent at fullback?

Safe to say a big part of it.

Respectfully disagree. This is more a reflection of our #2/3 TE than our FB. DC was destroying dudes last game. I made a point to watch all of his blocks. He looked good.
Davis is terrible, and Willson is a below average blocker.

 

[Largent80]

We have played 3 pretty good defenses, I have to give those defenses credit as well as us starting Coleman.

 

[ivotuk]

I lay the 'blame' directly on the Oline. Defensive players have been busting through with regularity and there seems to be a lack if cohesion along the line. I wonder if part is because of that Cable trains his guys for multiple positions and with the new rules there isn't enough practice time to begin with. We have a serious lack of continuity on our line.

 

[Tech Worlds]

3/5ths of our starting offensive line is hurt.

 

[Scottemojo]

We go with a FB 20% of the time. Not sure its really a major part of the offense at this point. When Harvin returns I expect to see it even less.

We go with I on first down a lot. that makes it a pretty big deal.

Also, we run read option on an even lower percentage than I formation, but I kind of doubt you would say it hasn't been important.

 

[RolandDeschain]

What are our I-formation running stats?