Pompei predicts problems for Patriots

[DrAstroZoom]

Check it out:

Dolphins running game thrives on versatility

 

[P4E]

Great stuff, Doc.

Williams has averaged 6.1 yards per carry in four December games. So much for wearing down. Williams is running better than ever for a number of reasons.

Part of it is his weight, which is down 20 pounds from last season, and better conditioning. Part of it is his development as a runner. And part of it is the way he is being used by the Miami coaching staff.

What the Dolphins do as well as any rushing offense is stretch the field horizontally, which prevents defenders from ganging up on Williams. In one-on-one situations, Williams is capable of running through defenders, like a sledgehammer through rotted wood. And he is capable of making potential tacklers miss, like a rabbit eluding gardeners. Rare is the back who can do both as well as Williams.

Williams' 63-yard touchdown run against Chicago is a good example of the counter trey. The strongside tackle, guard and center block down. The weakside tackle seals the end. Weakside guard Jamie Nails pulls to block strongside linebacker Rosevelt Colvin. Randy McMichael, one of two tight ends Miami uses in this formation, comes from the weak side and follows Nails across the line to clean up on middle linebacker Brian Urlacher. The ensuing hole and his jet pack are all Williams needs. The power O differs only in that the fullback throws the lead block while the guard cleans up.

The past two weeks, the Raiders and Vikings effectively eliminated the counters and power O's by filling the correct gaps. But that's OK with the Dolphins, because there is always another way to run the ball. Williams has been tremendously effective on cutback runs. The Dolphins pounded the Vikings with two tight ends and then gave Williams the option to bounce the run to a different hole. He rushed for only 67 yards, but then he had only 15 carries in a game in which the Vikings had the ball 12 minutes longer than the Dolphins. The cutbacks work because of Williams' patience and vision, which he attributes to experience.

 

[VanDolPhan]

This year Williams has 50 runs of 10 yards or more, second highest in the NFL to Kansas City's Priest Holmes, who has three more.

I'd like to see where they get that stat from. Been looking all over for the 10+ yard runs stat.