Meat and Potatoes Soccer
With Ohio State / Michigan and Thanksgiving upon us, this is the perfect time to watch ‘meat and potatoes’ football. Ohio State coach Woody Hayes liked to say, “There are three things that can happen when you throw the ball, and two of them are bad.” Hayes was old school, which meant he loved running football.
Being able to successfully run the ball with a powerful running game adds a lot to the dimensions of an offense. If you’re in a third-four situation, having a powerful backing gives the coach the option to play it safe and run the pig’s hide. Even if he recovers two yards, it is still a viable option to run him again at fourth and short, if he has that reliable bruise to his back. Offensive balance is so important. A good running game makes the passing game that much better, because defenses may have to bring more players to the line of scrimmage to score in the run. This makes the action of the game much more effective. Also, there is likely more unique coverage on the field, which makes the airstrike much easier to click.
Here’s a look at the top running backs in the NFL right now: Shaun Alexander (1,114 yards), Edgerrin James (1,027), Warrick Dunn, Willis McGahee, Tiki Barber, LaDainian Tomlinson, Rudi Johnson, Clinton Portis, and Thomas Jones. One thing that stands out is that all of those teams have winning records with the exception of one (Buffalo with McGahee). Seattle flees with the NFC West behind league leader Alexander, while James and the Colts are undefeated.
Another thing that stands out is that each of those teams has a winning spread record. The Colts and Seahawks are 12-6 against the number. One team absent from that list is Denver. Mike Shanahan’s teams continue to be excellent at handling football, although they are doing it this year with running depth, which is a trend that several teams are beginning to develop. This may be a wave of the future, but the bruised workhorse’s courage lives on and on.
Former Alabama coach Bear Bryant spent the last 15 years of his career using the fuze, a career-oriented offense. When asked about it once, he said: “The Wishbone is the greatest aerial offense in soccer history.” His point was that defenses were geared towards stopping the running game, but every now and then when you threw a pass, you often made a big profit because the defense wasn’t expecting it.
The top 5 running teams in the NFL are the Falcons, Broncos, Seahawks, Steelers, Bears and Colts. They are all leading their divisions or in the thick of the playoff race. Running the ball may not be as exciting as an open pass attack, but the basic element of soccer is still an important weapon, both direct and opposing. Good luck, as always … Al McMordie.