Game #4: Seattle Seahawks @ New York Giants

[Danny Darko]

I'm suggesting that we had a game plan set for balance. Beyond the 17 carries Jones got compared about an avg of 25 for the two games he ran over 110 yards, there were a lack of carries as a team. We weren't running Weaver or Duckett at all, so the offensive plays towards the run was severely diminished. I can see arguing that they were containing the run, but honestly I think we didn't give it long enough.

We've been attempting about 45 runs a game in the last few weeks. vs the giants: 22.

Vs Giants we passed 27 times, and while that's only about 8 higher than the run based offense was avging I would argue that the passing was early, and horrible, and why we never got the running game dialed in. Drops caused long 3rd downs and we couldn't run those downs.

Now don't get me wrong... most of our lack of attempts period on O was due to having a poor day all around including horrible D.

[Danny Darko]

.... and here you go Holmgren and the media make my point:

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/football/382035_hawkbar07.html

"We got out of the game plan relatively early because we were behind rather quickly," Holmgren said. "That's a bad formula for us right now. We don't have the weapons necessarily to kind of go toe-to-toe and have a big, big scoring game."
Holmgren sees little reason to keep forcing the issue for an offense that ranks an uncharacteristic 22nd in total yards at 299.3 per game. The Seahawks averaged 348.9 yards last season and hadn't been below 300 yards per game since 2001.

"The huge emphasis has to be on getting better running the football," Holmgren said. "It appears as though that is going to have to be a big part of success for us this year."

We didn't have a lot of opportunities this weekend," Spencer said, "but if we don't get in a situation like we did there, we can run with the best of 'em. We can run with Dallas or San Francisco with Frank Gore and all those guys. We can pound the rock."

Jones ranks fourth in the NFL with his 93.3 yards per game, behind only Atlanta's Michael Turner, Washington's Clinton Portis and the Giants' Brandon Jacobs.

[Dick Tate]

"We got out of the game plan relatively early because we were behind rather quickly," Holmgren said.

I just don't think you can compare the percentage of run plays in this game based on what happened early. You're trying to compare the numbers of a close game and one in which the Hawks were well ahead, vs this abomination. It doesn't work, there's no point in comparing stats. Like Holmy says, the game plan changes. But also keep in mind that cupcakes SF & StL were ranked 23rd & 28th against the run. NYG is #6. Even if the game were close, the number of runs were bound to be fewer.