Running influence.......

[Never say die]

Is it just me or does it seem that both Ricky and Ronnie are quick to go against the grain of the called play for extra yards and if so do you think that one of the backs has pointed this out to the other.
Take the Ricky TD run for example. The blocking was set-up for the right, all the flow was going that way, yet Ricky wasted no time in going against the flow to where there was less traffic in general.
I noticed Ronnie doing more of this as well and picking up more yardage, although IMO he's not as quick in making that decision as Ricky.
I also don't think it is the design call of the play.
If it was the zone-blocking schemes of Denver for example I would think it was by design, I tend to think it has more to do with Ricky studying film ....studying film of the Broncos running game that is! And deciding on his own to in effect take it upon himself to go against the grain, and because of the success he's been having its starting to rub off on Ronnie, the rest happens more by their individual strengths, Ricky's quickness and drive and Ronnie's nimble feet and strength. What do you guys think?.......Oh and to keep in line with all the other threads:
1.) Can Linehan
2.) Put Gus on the Bus
3.)Send Howard to the Showers (as in Seattle!)
and
4.) Less Bitchin' and less Blitzen'

 

[finfan54]

Is it just me or does it seem that both Ricky and Ronnie are quick to go against the grain of the called play for extra yards and if so do you think that one of the backs has pointed this out to the other.
Take the Ricky TD run for example. The blocking was set-up for the right, all the flow was going that way, yet Ricky wasted no time in going against the flow to where there was less traffic in general.
I noticed Ronnie doing more of this as well and picking up more yardage, although IMO he's not as quick in making that decision as Ricky.
I also don't think it is the design call of the play.
If it was the zone-blocking schemes of Denver for example I would think it was by design, I tend to think it has more to do with Ricky studying film ....studying film of the Broncos running game that is! And deciding on his own to in effect take it upon himself to go against the grain, and because of the success he's been having its starting to rub off on Ronnie, the rest happens more by their individual strengths, Ricky's quickness and drive and Ronnie's nimble feet and strength. What do you guys think?.......Oh and to keep in line with all the other threads:
1.) Can Linehan
2.) Put Gus on the Bus
3.)Send Howard to the Showers (as in Seattle!)
and
4.) Less Bitchin' and less Blitzen'

nicely put. I agree 100%. BTW, I would blitz every play, but just not with 7 and 8 guys.

 

[Never say die]

Yeah, I agree, but I do think a better game plan yesterday would have been to send only one and disguise the coverage more while dropping more into coverage against Vick. But noone seems to be complaining about our defensive playcalling to much today.

 

[AZfinfan]

I personally don't think that it is bye design or studying that the RBs cut back. I think that it is more to do with instict and vision. When the defense is moving one way and the RB notices that instict takes over and makes them cut back away from the flow. Running is all instict there isn't a guy out there that thinks back to film study when they recieve the hand off. They don't have time for anything but instictive running the game is just to fast.

 

[nando03]

Those runs are by design many times. It's the same type of run ricky was talking about in an article I read. It's a Counter. when you run a counter the o-line will block one way and create a whole for the runner to go oposite the blocking and if all is done correctly you'll find a big whole and the people to beat are the guys in the secondary.

 

[Never say die]

But the thing I saw was the Fullback going the way of the line blocking. I think even in a counter the fullback leads through the hole. I do believe a guard will sometimes pull to trap the defensive tackle with the fullback. In a few cases with both backs it seemed they went away from the called play. Now don't get me wrong I like the ability of both our backs to use their instinct and talent to either hit the hole hard (as they do) or take it another direction against the flow for extra yards. But in looking at the TD run from Ricky I suspect it was more than instinct and vision that made him commit to running against the flow almost from the snap.
I agree that instinct is the first thing a runner relies upon, but you can't tell me that a runner doesn't also plan ahead of the snap alternatives to running to the call if he sees something pre-snap that he doesn't like. The really good ones see the next player after the immediate one in front of him and are setting him up even to the point of assuming they'll make it pass the first guy.

 

[Never say die]

old thread revisted

It's sometimes fun to see our inquiries answered directly from the source!......albeit several weeks later.

This was quoted from a Miami herald interview of Ricky:

''In the past, I was so good that I didn't think about the little details that went into a play. I would just go and let my ability carry me,'' Williams said after Sunday's game. ``Now, I'm learning to pay attention to the details of how a play is really supposed to be run.''

Williams credited running backs coach Bobby Williams with teaching him to understand more about how plays can be run.

''I have a different understanding of the game now,'' said Williams, who gained 82 yards on 16 carries. Along with Ronnie Brown (15 carries, 58 yards), Williams helped lead the Dolphins to 145 yards on 32 carries.

``With the counter and the power runs, which are both gap plays, I know the place where they're supposed to go, but now I'm taking that little look to see what's on the backside of the play.''

On the 34-yard run, Williams' longest this season, he saw the Raiders were in a ''Bear'' defense, which is designed primarily to stop the run.

''In that defense, there's a good chance the backside would be open, and I glanced there and saw it,'' he said. ``In the past, I might not have read that and just continued going to the strong side.''

Williams said the play was similar to a 23-yard TD run he had against Atlanta.

Both are signs of mental progress.

While Williams might not have all the strength he once had to be a power back, he believes he has greater quickness.

Regardless, the results are starting to show up. In four of his past five games, Williams has combined to run for 299 yards and two touchdowns on 56 carries, averaging 5.3 yards per carry."


Thanks Ricky for confirming what I had noticed earlier this season.

 

[burger13]

Nice thread. Way to come back and back up your points.

On a somewhat similar note.....I read today of a play that Tennessee ran for a TD (but was called back because of penalty) where they put in Pacman Jones and ran a designed change of direction play......Jones heads right (not just a counter-step, but actuallly ran right) then stopped and reversed direction by design and went 19 yards for the TD.

It was a cool call.....because you see how broken plays where the runner changes direction often go for big yards.....why not do it by design where the blockers know it's coming. I guess it would look pretty damn ugly if it failed though.

 

[cnc66]

Nice thread. Way to come back and back up your points.

On a somewhat similar note.....I read today of a play that Tennessee ran for a TD (but was called back because of penalty) where they put in Pacman Jones and ran a designed change of direction play......Jones heads right (not just a counter-step, but actuallly ran right) then stopped and reversed direction by design and went 19 yards for the TD.

It was a cool call.....because you see how broken plays where the runner changes direction often go for big yards.....why not do it by design where the blockers know it's coming. I guess it would look pretty damn ugly if it failed though.

like a broken play?

 

[Canadianfishfan]

Cut back runs are designed.. But the one Ricky scored on, Ricky said because of coaching... he is a little patient and checks for backside holes... And he's helping Ronnie in that Aspect also.... so Ronnie says..

 

[Never say die]

Cut back runs are designed

But I think that is what we are discussing; that is that they are specifically not only by "design". But that they can be brought about by: 1.) design 2.) part of a pre-snap read (as Ricky indicated in his quote; and 3.) instinct.

So while you are right in that they are often by design, it is not always by design or as far as that goes by exclusively any one of the three.