04-13-2021, 10:37 PM
(04-13-2021, 04:33 PM)fredtoast Wrote: This is like the stat about how teams win because they run more often when in fact teams that are winning run the ball more often because they are ahead.
People are confusing "correlation" with "causation".
Burrow HAD to force more passes into tight targets because he had zero running game and was always behind. The playoff QBs are usually in much fewer "third-and-long" situations, and they are usually ahead more often so they can just play it safe and check-down or punt instead of forcing dangerous low-efficiency passes.
The run game is far more than just 5 O linement blocking, though, right?
A beat writer on a Bengals podcast discussed this. Defenses do NOT and have NOT respected tbe Bengals down field. So, they cheat everyone up. This clogs things for the run game a d with no explosive threat to take the top off or push the top of the defense back, they are able to contain the runners.
That doesn't mean the O line isn't culpable or a major culprit. Or that Mixon isn't, either. It is the sum of all of the parts that adds up to the run game.
