Not gonna lie, the future looks bleak

[Brooklyn Bully]

08, I made a post like this after everyone said its a QB driven league. I showed that like 6 out of the top 8 teams in the NFL are led by great running games and defenses and only two (Manning and Brady) are led by throw first teams.

Your post reaffirms that. Without a strong running game Ryan is likely to struggle. Hell the Steelers won 3 games with QBs off the street because of their defense and their running game. More cases than not the running game sets up a good passing game, no matter how many times you are told that it's changing.

Look at our team, no run game this year, we look bad.

Hmm...I'm not so sure.

Giants (6-2) led by the passing, D, and running game

Packers (6-3) led by the passing game and D

Falcons (7-2) led by the passing game and running game

Saints (6-3) led by the passing game and D

Ravens (6-3) led by the passing game, D, and running game

Patriots (6-2) led by the passing game

All these teams have great QBs as well. Hell, the Steelers even have a great QB. The Colts run game sucks. You can maybe make a case for ONE team: The Chiefs. And you can argue til your face turns blue as to what sets up what with those teams I listed but face it...you need a rock solid passing game and a stud QB in this day and age.

[TheRealDeal]

Hmm...I'm not so sure.

Giants (6-2) led by the passing, D, and running game

Packers (6-3) led by the passing game and D

Falcons (7-2) led by the passing game and running game

Saints (6-3) led by the passing game and D

Ravens (6-3) led by the passing game, D, and running game

Patriots (6-2) led by the passing game

All these teams have great QBs as well. Hell, the Steelers even have a great QB. The Colts run game sucks. You can maybe make a case for ONE team: The Chiefs. And you can argue til your face turns blue as to what sets up what with those teams I listed but face it...you need a rock solid passing game and a stud QB in this day and age.

To be fair the Saints have struggled without the RBs this year. When they have them they are playing way better so it's fair to attribute their success to that as well as their passing game. Brees struggled without the run game and if you can't admit that you are a tough cookie.

Not sure why you listed Patriots because I listed them as well as being an exception. Packers weren't at the top of the league when I looked.

Jets are one I forgot.

There are more times when you can throw for a ton of yards and lose than times you can run for a ton of yards and lose. (Bills, Chargers, Bengals, etc)

Since we don't know how these teams look without an elite QB to compare them to how they look now. Compare our team this year and last. Same QB. It's only one example but it shows a clear difference. The league hasn't changed as much as people think.

It's just an opinion and a topic of discussion. The standings will change a lot before the end of the year and it'll be good to look back at which teams did what and how they ended up.

[Cat'sGrowl]

Me and Raging Bull had this debate awhile back.

It only reaffirmed what everyone knows.

Balance is oh so stupidly important.

[SorthNarolina]

Me and Raging Bull had this debate awhile back.

It only reaffirmed what everyone knows.

Balance is oh so stupidly important.

Yeah it basically boils down to that. If you have Peyton Manning or Fitz, Boldin, and Breaston you can afford to have a run game worth doo doo.

If you have a beastly run game you can afford to have a modest to crappy passing game.

Even when the NFL tried to make a statement with the 16-0 patriots assembling one of the greatest passing games ever they got destroyed in the Superbowl John Fox style.

[mav1234]

Honestly, you need balance in today's league, and not just in plays called... it's not just about having a strong running game or a probowl QB, but the threat from either aspect, imo.

I do think it is possible to succeed without a big name franchise QB, but it is much easier for a franchise QB to even out the highs and lows in a season I believe. The running teams in recent memory still require good QB play to succeed.

[Pox 08]

08, I made a post like this after everyone said its a QB driven league. I showed that like 6 out of the top 8 teams in the NFL are led by great running games and defenses and only two (Manning and Brady) are led by throw first teams.

Your post reaffirms that. Without a strong running game Ryan is likely to struggle. Hell the Steelers won 3 games with QBs off the street because of their defense and their running game. More cases than not the running game sets up a good passing game, no matter how many times you are told that it's changing.

Look at our team, no run game this year, we look bad.

Agreed. Especially in our case.