Mothman wrote: He led the NFL in rushing last season. Yes, that has merit. I'm not reaching back 5 years and suggesting we should ignore the last 4. He was literally the most productive runner in the NFL last year. It's absurd to suggest that doesn't have merit.
He beat Doug by 83 yards on 40 more carries, literally an entire game and a half worth and he dramatically faded in the second half. I don't understand why nuance leaves the discussion for
this point. "Rushing title, nuff said" doesn't have merit when you look at his advantage in carries and his fade at the end and the fact that he is 31 going on 32 and is at the outer edge of the decline for a running back.
It's not a moot point. it's a very pertinent point.
In what way? Heck, we should watch the game three tape then, who knows how many "credited" yards Asiata would have had if we account for any whiffed blocks or other issues.
Yet you've continually argued that the line is "improving". Which is it? Also: if circumstances don't matter, why are you bringing up the line at all?
Actually what I say
very consistently is that the pass blocking is holding up pretty average to top 15 by the numbers and that technically the run game is trending in the right direction based strictly on numbers. We agree the blocking is pretty terrible. But this point to me is worth highlighting because it does highlight the issue, you say that the run blocking is terrible but our running game has improved nearly 100% in YPC and 250% in YPG without AP in (I am using the percentages to make the point more clear, obviously 1.6 to 2.4 is still bad) So,
is the run blocking getting better or
are our 2nd and 3rd string backs out performing AP? I bring it up because if circumstance didn't matter in any way (not what I was implying) then AP would have been cut and Mckinnon would be getting paid double what AP was based on production this season but clearly it does. My point is that; IF the line is terrible and the injuries are hurting us then our running game is doing more with less now.
You're looking at a very small sample size to make your "McKinnon is out-producing Peterson" argument and ignoring extenuating circumstances when they inconveniently undermine your argument. McKinnon has 174 yards on 57 carries this season. In his last outing, he averaged 1.8 ypc on 20 carries, not much different than the 1.6 ypc Peterson averaged in the first week and a half of the season. Maybe those circumstances matter, after all, eh?
I think you are reading way to much into my "extenuating circumstance" statement.
I really just meant that as a catch all for the run blocking as a whole. And while I keep using Mckinnon its mostly just because I don't want to write Asiata as well because I am usually on my phone haha. Essentially Mckinnon (read running game) is what I mean.
The end result is the product of the efforts of 11 players at a time, not one. Blocking matters. Quality of opponent matters. Playcalling matters. Players don't perform in a vacuum.
I agree but at some point the end result is what matters. If something, however legitimate,
always happens that makes Player A gain 20 fewer yards than Player B eventually you just need to start playing player B to get those extra yards. Which is why I ignore "extenuating circumstances" IE, whiffed block that would have gone for big yards, terrible handoff, poor play selection, slippery turf, etc, etc, etc. If for some reason the Line blocks better whenever Asiata is in the backfield fine, it gets us more yards. It sucks for AP and McK and I would definitely NOT buy my Linemen gift that Christmas but the point of the game is win
... and therefore he's not worth playing anymore, eh?
I mean, yes?
IF the run game continues to improve this year then it does become a real question in my mind. IF they work up to 3.5-4YPC and 100ish yards a game... Do you plug AP in rusty AF for a late season push or the playoffs? And if you do. How many TFLs, do you tolerate? If he has 25 yards at the Half do you sit him? Honestly if the running game starts clicking to a certain degree I wouldn't be surprised to either see AP come in back on the depth chart or his rehab to be pushed back to "make sure he is ready for next season."
Obviously that's a lot of ifs and such and I will be the first to say that it could very well be that AP isn't done or washed up. But he hasn't looked good for a decent clip of games now. It just seems weird for it to be considered a forgone conclusion that the team is suffering either mentally or on the field without him there, given the body of work he has provided to his team recently.