Hammock Parties |
11-03-2010 10:33 AM |
Raiders running game is overrated, ours is legit.
http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/39970275/ns/sports-nfl/
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Yes, good teams usually run well. They do a lot of things well; otherwise, they wouldn’t be good teams. But rushing totals are often inflated by clock-killing drives late in games, when the winning team hands off up the middle seven times just to get everybody home in time for dinner. Our Big Four rushing teams might not be smashmouth teams at all: they may just be teams that spend a lot of fourth quarters nursing a lead.
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Kansas City Chiefs
190.4 yards per game, 5.2 yards per carry, 6 TD
Fluff factor: Low. The Chiefs have generated just 101 "Ice the Win" yards.
Fast fact: The Chiefs average an extraordinary 6.8 yards per rush on first down. First-down runs of 56 and 70 yards inflate that figure, but even without the big gains, the Chiefs are an excellent first-down rushing team. Against the Bills alone, they ran for 18, 11, 13, 18, 12, 10, and 13 yards on first down. With production like that, the Chiefs can hammer second-rate defenses without taking to the air.
Getting it done: The Chiefs use two- and three-tight end formations to stretch the line of scrimmage, then send Jamaal Charles (quick, shifty) and Thomas Jones (patient, powerful) to exploit the cutback lanes that result when defenders have eight or more gaps to worry about. The Chiefs have been able to grind out wins against some good defenses: the 49ers control the line of scrimmage well, but Jones and Charles hammered out 192 yards against them.
Bottom line: The Chiefs have the easiest schedule this side of the Sun Belt Conference and face defense-challenged opponents like the Broncos and Cardinals in upcoming weeks. They can rush right into the postseason with only the slightest assist from their passing game.
Oakland Raiders
168.5 yards per game, 4.9 yards per carry, 9 TD
Fluff factor: High. 144 "Ice the Win" yards may not seem like a high total, but see below.
Fast fact: Raiders rushing totals include 117 yards of quarterback scrambles and 121 yards of reverses and end-arounds by wide receivers. The Raiders have also played eight games, while most of the league has only played seven because of bye weeks; that’s why the Raiders lead the league in rushing while the Chiefs top them in yards per game. Add it all up, and the fluff factor in their rushing total is pretty high.
Getting it done: The Raiders are creative about hiding the deficiencies in their passing game. Receivers Lou Murphy, Jacoby Ford, and Darrius Heyward-Bey have all produced big plays on end-arounds, and fullback Marcel Reece (91 yards) gets into the act at times. The end-arounds and fullback bellies keep defenses from loading up on Darren McFadden (fast and strong with limited moves) and Michael Bush (slow and powerful), so the Raiders don’t have to worry about a stacked box, even when their passing game isn’t clicking. When facing an opponent like the Broncos, it’s best to just keep handing off and wait for surrender anyway.
Bottom line: Both McFadden and Bush are injury prone, and the Raiders are still the Raiders — hot streak or not. They may be running well, but there’s a lot of air in their statistics. The Raiders will hang around the wild-card race all season, but if you want to back an AFC West surprise team, back the Chiefs.
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