I just have one question. Where's our run game?

[SorthNarolina]

Looks like he's searching for gaps that arent there to me. Why are we talking about this anyways? We have less than zero depth on our O-line and teams constantly stack the box and throw run blitz's at us. Looked like it paid off for Moore today.

this is exactly how I feel I've been saying this to myself for a long time. He's being patient waiting for holes that aren't there. He can't really get anything going if he doesn't have a hole to run through. Williams can move laterally well enough to make something out of nothing. Stewart needs some room to be the beast that he is. Meet him at the LOS, he'll fall forward but it's a 2 yard gain at best.

I thought I said this on a previous post but I didn't see it. Pretty much I'm starting to feel like Stewart is Reggie Bush. Not in the way you think though.

Reggie Bush makes a good team a great team, but he can't make a bad team even mediocre. He needs good players around him to be effective. If you have good wideouts to stretch out defenses, running backs who can run between the tackles, and a solid O-line Reggie Bush is a weapon. If the teams sucks he's an overpriced piece of doody.

Stewart looks to be the same kind of player. He needs the O-line to open a hole for him to get to the secondary where he will look like the best RB in the league. With 8 men in the box and a crappy O-line he's not going to help the team at all. He needs help.

[RonnieDobbs]

Yeah pretty much. This is not the o-line from last year. Last year they were beastin' everyone but this year (whether injury or doucheyness) they have not been the same.....just watching Schwartz getting put on his ass is a concern....I like the guy but what the hell? Maybe it was because he was used to playing right tackle with a "4-3" end but still......an o-line guy should never be on his ass. He was way too vertical....but anyway I think they will find their niche. Well, hopefully...

[Baschski]

The running game is missing Otah badly, but there's nothing "wrong" with Stewart. The fact is he just hasn't had much opportunity to succeed this year. Before this game our offense has been completely pathetic. His touches have been limited. He just needs to be more involved and get into a rhythm. He'll be fine.

[Udogg]

We have only had, 1 good passing game this year. Once teams actually believe we can pass consistently, then the running game will open up. Having Otah back would help immensely since we would actually be able to run to the right.

[PantherFanForLife]

We have only had, 1 good passing game this year. Once teams actually believe we can pass consistently, then the running game will open up. Having Otah back would help immensely since we would actually be able to run to the right.

True but I remember the days when the running game was independent of the passing game. We have always been just average at passing even during our best seasons. And it was usually the run that helped the pass.

Didn't matter if the defenses KNEW we were going to run. We were STILL going to run on them. I miss those days.

And the credit for those days goes to the O-line of those days. I wonder if we will ever have balance on this team.

[SorthNarolina]

The running game is missing Otah badly, but there's nothing "wrong" with Stewart. The fact is he just hasn't had much opportunity to succeed this year. Before this game our offense has been completely pathetic. His touches have been limited. He just needs to be more involved and get into a rhythm. He'll be fine.

I don't think more snaps will help at all. The O-line is playing horrible. He'll get into a rhythm of 1-2 yard gains. Williams is getting more carries because he's simply the better choice. Stewart can't run behind a crappy O-line. Williams at least has a chance to.

[Davis83]

One problem we have was actually mentioned as a + for SF running game.

They mentioned that SF was running out of a passing formation - wow, what a concept! Maybe if we didn't line up in an obvious running formation - and then motion another player into the set (which brings another guy in the box) - then maybe we could find an opening.

Its simple math - you need equal or more blockers than defenders. Until our OC designs some plays that don't pull more players into the box, we will continue to have a mediocre run game. You don't always need a FB lead blocker - you can run very successfully out of a single back set as long as you're not double TE set.

Ever notice that other teams do it to us? Why can't we learn to do it too?

[nosuchthingasapanther]

Williams is getting more carries because he's simply the better choice.

williams is getting more carries because he's the starter.

[Guild]

Ever notice that other teams do it to us? Why can't we learn to do it too?

Jeff Davidson is not a great play caller and I think he lacks the ability to accurately read the results of his plays against defenses.

[rayzor]

lots of complaining about stewart but how did williams do yesterday? was it significantly better than stewart? williams got 2.3 ypc while stewart got 2.0. both had miserable performances.

the reason they both did so poorly is that the 49ers used the same strategy against our offense as the other teams have done. only thing is that the passing game finally made the defense pay for focusing so much of it's attention on the run game. hopefully now the passing game will start to get a little respect in the game planning of opposing defenses. they now know that we have two rookies that can get the job done and david gettis may very well be the real deal. also, it may be that moore pulled his head out of his arse finally.

once defenses start to divert attention from stopping the run to stopping the pass then both guys will take off.

there is still some huge problem with play calling and design, though. it's still predictable and still tries to force too much up the middle and congests everything. the oline still needs to gel and find it's groove but that always takes a few games anyway. if teams start to respect and hold more safeties back to handle smith, gettis, and lafell and if we keep running 3 WR sets, the run game will improve. teams won't be able to allocate so much to getting behind the LoS to stuff the run before 34&28 can build up momentum. both guys need to build up a little steam before they can do their damage. they haven't had the time or space to do it. it doesn't take much but it does take more than defenses have been giving them.

[rayzor]

One problem we have was actually mentioned as a + for SF running game.

They mentioned that SF was running out of a passing formation - wow, what a concept! Maybe if we didn't line up in an obvious running formation - and then motion another player into the set (which brings another guy in the box) - then maybe we could find an opening.

Its simple math - you need equal or more blockers than defenders. Until our OC designs some plays that don't pull more players into the box, we will continue to have a mediocre run game. You don't always need a FB lead blocker - you can run very successfully out of a single back set as long as you're not double TE set.

Ever notice that other teams do it to us? Why can't we learn to do it too?

this is a huge deal, imo. it is painfully obvious by the personnel on the field and the formation that we are going to run. we suck at misdirects and play fakes. no one buys it and we don't even try to sell it.

we need to have passing plays and run plays that come from the same personnel and formations and we need to be doing more passing than running in those packages just to pull guys out of the box.

[rayzor]

williams is getting more carries because he's the starter.

which is exactly the way it should be, esp. based on production this year.

[DaveThePanther2008]

The game plan was to stop the run and make our WR beat them. When our WR can consistently make teams pay then the running game will improve. Gettis and LaFell took huge steps in doing just that. Making teams pay. Even when Smitty went out our young WR made plays.

I give 2 more weeks. If they make consistent plays teams will have to figure out what other ways to beat us. Right now we have had ONE good game against a below average team. While it only takes one game to start building confidence. I wouldn't get too excited just yet.

Though I loved it...

Go Panthers

[Jhyler12]

O-Line