Zac Taylor Changed the Culture of Cincinnati Football

[*ochocincos*]

(12-22-2021, 05:14 PM)KillerGoose Wrote: You can, but I'm not. All I am doing is gathering rush data for 2020 playoff games and using a binary indicator to signify whether the team won or lost. That's it, it isn't some magic. Out of the below list, who do you think won their games?

A - 163 yards @ 5.43 yards per carry

B - 129 yards @ 7.16 yards per carry

C - 107 yards @ 6.29 yards per carry

D -  123 yards @ 5.12 yards per carry

E - 112 yards @ 5.09 yards per carry

F - 136 yards @ 5.44 yards per carry

A strong run game will be defeated by a strong passing game the vast majority of the time - there is a reason why nearly every single team in the NFL throws more than they run. One, it is more effective and two, a strong passing game better correlates to success. Now, to be clear, I'm not saying that a running game is completely worthless. What I am saying is that you don't need a strong running game to have playoff success, and the data so far (a very limited dataset) suggests that a strong running game doesn't do much for your chances of victory - a strong passing game and defense, however, does. 

When was the last time a true rushing team won the SB?
The 2013 Seahawks with Marshawn Lynch?
I don't know if I'd consider the 2017 Eagles as a true rushing team. They'd be the closest to a rushing team though since the 2013 Seahawks though.