Interesting article on 1 vs 2 RB sets

**ctulb** · 06-26-2012, 04:19 AM

http://www.footballoutsiders.com/sta...ber-rbs-part-i

We were in a 2+ back set for 80% of our runs last season, highest in the league by a significant margin (the NFL average was 47% of runs from multiple backs, 53% from single back sets).

Guess that was always going to be the case after spending so much on Leach, but we were one of only three teams to run from multiple backs over 65% of the time.

Two questions spring to mind - is the commitment to a two-back system holding back our development of WRs, and do you think we will we see a change in philosophy once Leach is done (bearing in mind FB has traditionally been an important position for us)?

76 days....

**GOTA** · 06-26-2012, 09:20 AM

I honestly feel that it is holding Flacco back and I have been posting that for a while now. If the Ravens are in a 2 back set 80% of the time and Rice is 25% of all completions defenses are going to know who to take away. The Ravens need to get the ball to the wide receivers a lot more. What I really would like to see is an offense similar to the Giants where the QB is given a ton of options. We'll never see that with Cam.

**leachisabeast** · 06-26-2012, 09:30 AM

It's all very well saying we should just get rid of our star FB and stop running the ball with one of the best backs in the game, and just give the ball to Flacco and let him pass the ball around to our top flight NFL receivers as much as Matthew Stafford does... oh wait we don't have a top flight WR on the team.

Until we draft and develop someone who can be good enough to be the feature of our offense, then we need to run the ball with Ray Rice and Vonta Leach. Torrey Smith has potential to be as good as a guy like Mike Wallace, but until he works on his consistency and chemistry with Flacco we just don't know if we can just simply get away from running the ball much as we do and win as many games as we do at the same time.

**Ravenswintitle** · 06-26-2012, 09:39 AM

Giants use a two back set 58% of the time according to that list and NO, SF and GB also have high percentages. It's kind of tough to read when you can't sort the list.

Obviously a one back set gives you more options at receiver but if the Oline can't protect against some of the defenses they face, they have to add some help. I think another part of it is playing with a lead where they just line up and run it over and over (think Jets game) which skews the stats

**JimZipCode** · 06-26-2012, 10:13 AM

Originally Posted by ctulb

is the commitment to a two-back system holding back our development of WRs

Totally. And it's putting the brakes on our passing game. Leach is an awesome run-blocker, but he is a liability in the passing game. Not quite Lee Evans 2011, but bad.

We are a little one-dimensional either way, with Leach on the field or off. One-dimensional run with Leach on the field, one-dimensional pass with him off.

**wickedsolo** · 06-26-2012, 10:21 AM

Originally Posted by GOTA

I honestly feel that it is holding Flacco back and I have been posting that for a while now. If the Ravens are in a 2 back set 80% of the time and Rice is 25% of all completions defenses are going to know who to take away. The Ravens need to get the ball to the wide receivers a lot more. What I really would like to see is an offense similar to the Giants where the QB is given a ton of options. We'll never see that with Cam.

Me too. And honestly, I think Flacco's game compares heavily to Eli's game.

**Carey** · 06-26-2012, 10:23 AM

It's two ways to look at it...

Leach has helped our redzone offense tremendously, as well as our run game as a whole.

He also offers nothing in the pass game from a receiving standpoint. I think for the passing game to get where it needs to go we have to 1. become more versatile 2. put more on Joe's plate 3. Our young pass catchers have to take another step

I think this offseason will be very pivotal in that. If Joe and those young WR's and TE's can show they can be productive on downs that are traditional running downs and situations it would make Cam less hesitant to be more flexible and show different things. That is a reason im hoping for Doss to win that 3rd WR job. Jones has never been know to be reliable as a pass catcher, good returning, can make plays downfield but if a 3 wide set is gonna be more of a staple in early downs in this offense then you want to stay on course. You dont want a dropped pass on 1st and 10 or 2nd and 7 to put you in a situation where you have to become more predictable on 3rd down.

I think the biggest thing for the offense is to become more vesatile and less predictable.

**Ravens44** · 06-26-2012, 10:30 AM

Originally Posted by wickedsolo

Me too. And honestly, I think Flacco's game compares heavily to Eli's game.

I agree. I believe the Ravens have everything but a massive WR that no one can stop.
So, Cam needs to mix it up.
One thing is for sure, in our division, we must be able to run the ball.
To win through the playoffs and the trophy, we must be able to pass.
We have a playoff defense.
Cam needs to get his head out of his arse or someone needs to pull it out for him...or give the keys to Caldwell.

It's way past time.

**GOTA** · 06-26-2012, 11:00 AM

Originally Posted by leachisabeast

It's all very well saying we should just get rid of our star FB and stop running the ball with one of the best backs in the game, and just give the ball to Flacco and let him pass the ball around to our top flight NFL receivers as much as Matthew Stafford does... oh wait we don't have a top flight WR on the team.

Until we draft and develop someone who can be good enough to be the feature of our offense, then we need to run the ball with Ray Rice and Vonta Leach. Torrey Smith has potential to be as good as a guy like Mike Wallace, but until he works on his consistency and chemistry with Flacco we just don't know if we can just simply get away from running the ball much as we do and win as many games as we do at the same time.

You don't have to stop running Rice. Just use him more out of a single back set. He easily has the speed and quickness to do that.

**ctulb** · 06-26-2012, 11:15 AM

Originally Posted by JimZipCode

We are a little one-dimensional either way, with Leach on the field or off. One-dimensional run with Leach on the field, one-dimensional pass with him off.

Agree completely here. Not much they can do with Leach directly in these situations, but I think they could be a little more creative with Rice. The 4th down play against Pittsburgh where he motioned to the slot springs to mind.

**leachisabeast** · 06-26-2012, 07:32 PM

The Giants use their FB quite a bit actually.

**GOTA** · 06-26-2012, 07:51 PM

Originally Posted by leachisabeast

The Giants use their FB quite a bit actually.

Yes they do but it's still significantly less than the Ravens do. You don't have to give up the fullback to have a dynamic passing offense. Just look at what the Packers do. Kuhn is a huge part of that offense. Use the fullback like a team of this century does instead of how they do 20 years ago.