If you look at those stats, the teams that run the ball 7- 15 % more than us are the ones with better records, such as Tennessee, Giants, Ravens, Panthers, Falcons, Vikings, etc. and I think running the ball 10 % more is huge- it makes the difference between whether you are a team that relies on the pass for almost everything or you are making the defenses play honest against you because you could go either way. It makes the difference between whether your safeties play back and look to take chances for a pick when you do play action. Remember, this is a game of inches and feet and we have lost 4 games by very small margins- these factors such as running the ball 10 or 12 percent more can be huge.

And you might say, what about the Cardinals who pass 62 % like us or the Broncos or the Colts?. Well, the Broncos have mile high stadium and can do whatever they want at home especially early in the season and win and passing there is more feasible because of the altitude.The Cardinals suck and are lucky to be in a bad division, and the Colts are having their worst season in a long while. When they had a better rushing game, they were better.

Pierre should get the carries, he is consistent and that is what this team needs- a consistent running game like we had when Deuce was young.

The chicken or the egg?

Are these teams with better records better due to their run:pass ratio or their defenses.
Oh yeah, you left the Steelers out.

I’m not saying I don’t want to see more running. I think being able to run means your Defense is able to stop people on a consistent basis.
We were up on the Redskins, but we were UNABLE to run the ball on them to finish the game, and we were UNABLE to stop them on defense. I think that sticks in a coach’s mind.

I know College and NFL are a lot different, but look at LSU this year. Their run:pass ratio is high, but their Defense couldn’t stop anyone this year, and look at where they are.

“We’re going to — and I’m going to, certainly, as a play caller — strive for more balance”

I’ve heard that before. I think that Payton lost his running play sheet in the 3rd quarter of the Bears playoff game and hasn’t it found it yet. I can picture the exact drive when it happened. Remember the drive I’m thinking of?

Let me remind you. We trailed 16-7 at halftime. Bears got the ball, but had to punt. Then Brees threw the long pass to Bush for the TD – we’re back in it baby! 16-14

We again force the Bears to punt and start to drive. Things are looking good on the drive, we’re pounding the bears a little bit (if memory serves me, Karney had a solid 6-7 yard run to take us deep into Bear territory. I’m sure we’re going to go in to take the lead and not look back. Payton then calls 3 straight passes, we bog down, Billy Condiff misses a FG and the wheels came off from there. We haven’t been balanced since. A couple of days later, Payton admits the mistake of going away from the run on that drive and vows to learn from his mistakes. Think he did?

Pukenbowl, I think that in those games such as the Redskins game, we tried to hold a lead by giving the ball on the ground to Reggie. That just doesn’t seem to work and that is my point. If you want to establish consistency, go the guy (/PT) who will get you 4.6 yards per carry which means after 2 rushes it will be 3rd and 1. With Reggie he will get you 3.4 yards per carry- and it will be this way- ( no gain on first down, 9 yards on 2nd down and a loss of 2 on 3rd down) so it will be 3rd and 3 and then maybe we convert, maybe we don’t maybe SP gets antsy and passes, maybe we run a reverse or an option pass with Lance Moore, whatever. Two different ways to go about it but clearly a consistent positive yards gained approach is better even if it is a little boring.

I just disagree with a few things you are saying.

1) Every running back depends on those 10 -15 yard runs to up there ypc, even Pierre Thomas. He doesn’t get you 4.6 ypc every time.

2) During the Redskins game, Pierre Thomas was getting stuffed at the line as well, not just Reggie. Everyone, not saying you were, but a lot of people were getting turned off to Pierre and wishing for Deuce to see some action. Hell, there were people calling to see Bush on the those 3rd and 1’s.
Pierre was not doing that good at the beginning of the season. He was getting stuffed at the line like everyone else. I personally don’t think he is a short yardage back.

3) As far as the defense helping the running game, or the running game helping the defense, you cannot prove either philosophy right or wrong.

I will agree with you that someone needs to see 15-20 carries a game. I don’t care if it’s Pierre or Reggie. If you look at Reggie’s stats when he sees 15-20, his ypc goes up tremendously.

It seems like everyone has the herd mentality right now.
“you got to run more”, “why doesn’t Passton run the ball more”
Everyone has the same opinion, but they don’t think past there nose.

Come on people, there has only been 2 games where we were just manhandled (Carolina and Atlanta) and those were away games (not an excuse, just a factor)
We were on the road for a complete month or so.
The refs had their hands in 2 games (I’m sorry but I’m going to use that excuse, Minni and Denver) If you don’t know which plays I’m talking about, then fuck you (just kidding)
Grammatica had an effect on a few games as well.
Not to mention the injuries, this team has gone through.
All of this and we still have a shot at the playoffs.

Payton is not perfect, but he is not nearly as bad as everyone is making him out to be.

he cannot run from behind the tackles so we have to have creative ways to hand the ball off to him, lol.