Sez Me …
Running backs have been thrown for a loss.
The thinking is they no longer are necessary or important … until they are. Which is a lot, as in plenty. Mystifying.
When NFL drafts come around, tailbacks are shunned as if the football they’re carrying is Limburger with a skin made of animal scat. There are years, as in 2024, when not one is taken in the first round. But most of the runners working today aren’t taken high because the thinking is they’re OK to draft in later rounds.
And mostly, they are.
One issue is talent. Where are the monster backs, the all-timers? They simply aren’t being made the way they used to be made.
I can’t see one NFL back working today who rates as a certain Hall of Famer. And don’t say Zeke Elliott.
Christian McCaffrey? Terrific back. Too much time licking his wounds. Same for Saquon Barkley, probably the best pure runner and someone who actually was drafted second overall by the Giants. He did so much good in New York they let him walk. Barkley’s now with the Eagles. McCaffrey was drafted by Carolina, was traded to the 49ers, and is a wonderful weapon when he can be one.
The League’s GMs are always looking for quarterbacks who can run. But there is great danger. They are a bitch to defend, but they get hurt. It’s hard to find a good running quarterback who hasn’t been hurt. Defenders are after them, tougher than them, bigger than most of them, faster than most of them.
Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson is the greatest runner among all QBs. What has he won? The Ravens didn’t make it last year when they were better than the Chiefs.
Patrick Mahomes is not a running quarterback. He’s a mobile quarterback. Huge difference. K.C. coach Andy Reid probably wishes his star didn’t run it at all. His best back, Isiah Pacheco, fractured his fibula and is out for weeks.
Tell you what, when December comes, when Old Man Winter exposes his hideous head, if you can’t run it, you’re going to get your ass beat. Running it means toughness.
What wins championships? Defense and controlling the ball on the ground. It’s much more difficult to protect a lead throwing it continuously. If you successfully can it just enough, then you have play action, which, to me, is the best offensive play in the sport.
Maybe the long is more fun to some (for me, nothing can touch a great run), but with so many defenses now playing their safeties deep, we’re simply not seeing that many offenses blowing big chunks. However, if you can run, those safeties are forced to come up, and the linebackers freeze for a second or two.
There is a movement, led by Mel Kiper, to ban the two high safeties. It would be a bad rule change, although NFL’s bosses do everything they can to help offenses. I wouldn’t be surprised if they change it.
Defenders hate power offenses. A case in point is the current model of the NFL Team That Used To Be Here (you know, the Judases/L.A. Lodgers). New coach Jim Harbaugh isn’t a big believer in soft. So he brings in tailbacks J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards from Baltimore, and they’re 2-0 going into Pittsburgh today because the O-line is working and Dobbins is leading The League in rushing.
Justin Herbert hasn’t thrown for many yards. He’s shackled a bit with little experience at wide receiver, but his backs are running it and his defense and special teams are playing. Harbaugh has quickly developed a culture in Hollywood that isn’t Hollywood mush.
Call it Harball.
It’s worked for him in every port he’s sailed into. As Rex Ryan says: “We to score; we run to win.”
And that’s why Harbaugh, the old quarterback, does it.
The NFL’s decision to force head coaches to talk to sideline reporters during games is bringing a lot to the table. A whole lot of nothing. What The League cannot make coaches do is be clever while their minds are off on Space X’s & O’s Starship. …
It’s hard for many of them to be clever under relaxed conditions. …
Not John Harbaugh. If only the media and fans listened to the Ravens’ coach’s perfect answer when asked why he starts Daniel Faalele at right guard instead of Ben Cleveland: “If Ben had earned the job at starting right guard, he would be the starting right guard. If I see Ben is playing better than Daniel, he will be the starting right guard.” …
I’ve been around head coaches for a half-century. They don’t start players if they think backups are better. Job security is important to them. …
Voters have to stop handing out MVPs to Lamar Jackson if he remains incapable of winning games in the fourth quarter. …
Place-kicking has gone insane. Fifty-yarders are pitching wedges. I see a change in scoring for field goals. Up to 49 yards: 1 point. 50-59: 2 points. 60-69: 3 points. 70-79: 4 points. 80-plus: 9 points. No PATs. Only 2-point conversions. ,,,
Al Michaels makes football better. Genius. …
Aaron Rodgers damaged his Achilles. Not his arm, which is one of pigskin’s all-time vehicles. …
If Aztecs football gets penalized more than it has — which would seem possible — the Geneva Convention is going to look into it. They had 15 flags thrown on them last night, and they byed. …
They’re putting these rookie QBs in position to fail. The Texans pressured Caleb Williams on 37 of 38 dropbacks last week. He was sacked seven times and hit 10. And “experts” said no first-overall QB has gone to a team with more talent? The Bears’ O-line is pathetic. ..
And Bears coach Matt Eberflus? He is challenge challenged. I don’t know who advised him to make two of the worst challenges in the history of challenges (100-percent-plus no chance on either one), but I believe the culprit works for the White Sox. …
Fran Tarkenton: “Patrick Mahomes doesn’t do anything I couldn’t do.” Not so fast, Frantic. He wins Super Bowls. …
Know what the prevent defense is? You order a steak at a great restaurant. It’s cooked perfectly. Then, when you’re 90 percent finished, you send the rest back to be cooked into charcoal. …
How much longer can the Padres go with closer Robert Suarez struggling? Playoffs are coming. Your finisher can’t be a risk. …
That’s it. Jurickson Profar must go to Bunter’s Anonymous. No Step 9, so apologies, while OK, are not necessary. …
It’s scary. There’s no way of knowing if Shohei Ohtani is even the best player in Japan. …
If you caught Shohei’s historic home run in what had to be the greatest game a player has had, would you be magnanimous and just return it for an autographed bat? Hell no. This is a guy who didn’t miss millions when his interpreter allegedly gambled it away. As Bania would say, it’s gold, Jerry. Gold. …
There are 516 scripted TV shows. Hats off to Emmy voters for finding time to watch every single one before casting their ballots. The Emmys stink. The Emmys are frauds. …
Yes. It’s still Ok to despise the Patriots.
