OT: Official Patriots vs. Colts Thread...

[Red13JoePa]

There's probably exceptions to every rule, but what you did there, Enigma, was name those teams' leading rushers.
That doesn't mean those teams couldn't run the ball. Unless those cases represented every rushing yard that team gained that year.
Plenty of teams have good, serviceable running games divided up amongst a few different ballcarriers.

[Enigma869]

The 1982 Skins only played 9 games (strike year) and finished with the 10th best rushing offense. That is more telling than just picking one RB and acting like he was the entire rushing offense. The Skins actually ended up with 1140 yards in 9 games. Not bad.

Sorry...forgot about the strike year! It still doesn't change the fact that 30% of all Super Bowl teams have won Super Bowls without a dominant running back! Joseph Addai had a very solid rookie season for the Colts this season with 1081 yards and 7 touchdowns (although, 4 of them came in one game). That said, this guy is FAR from a dominant running back, and the Colts are a passing team. There are still far too many people who think 1000 yards rushing is impressive. In a 16 game season, it's a VERY mediocre number. I will never be convinced that 62 yards a game is anything, remotely impressive!

John from Boston

[Red13JoePa]

Oh, i thought we were arguing if Super bowl winners had potent running games, not merely dominant backs.

[conversationpc]

Well, for starters, the 1970's Baltimore Colts team had a running back by the name of Norm Bulaich, who led the team in rushing during the season, with a whopping 426 yards rushing! The 1971 Dallas Cowboys were led by Duane Thomas and 793 yards rushing. The 1980 Oakland Raiders were led by Mark VanEeghen with 800 yards and a whopping 5 touchdowns. The 1981 49ers were led by the immortal Ricky Patton who had 540 yards and 4 touchdowns. The 1982 Washington Redskins were led by John Riggins who had 550 yards and 3 touchdowns! The 1987 Washington Redskins were led by George Rogers who had 600 yards. The 1990 New York Giants were led by Ottis Anderson who had 700 yards rushing. The 1994 San Francisco 49ers were led by Ricky Watters who had 800 yards. The 1996 Green Bay Packers were led by Edgar Bennett who had 800 yards and a whopping 2 touchdowns! The 2002 Tampa Bay Buccanneers were led by the immortal Michael Pittman with 700 yards and a whole ONE touchdown! The 2003 New England Patriots were led by that stiff Antowain Smith, who had 600 yards and three touchdowns! That enough for you?

The 1971 Dallas Cowboys actually had a great running attack. They had nearly 2250 yards, which in a 14 game season, comes out to about 160 yards per game. That's pretty good.

Also, you never answered my rebuttal about Edgerrin James' numbers...

[conversationpc]

The 1982 Skins only played 9 games (strike year) and finished with the 10th best rushing offense. That is more telling than just picking one RB and acting like he was the entire rushing offense. The Skins actually ended up with 1140 yards in 9 games. Not bad.

Sorry...forgot about the strike year! It still doesn't change the fact that 30% of all Super Bowl teams have won Super Bowls without a dominant running back!

Now you're changing the argument to dominant running back instead of running game.

[NealIsGod]

Now you're changing the argument to dominant running back instead of running game.

You can't trust those shifty Patriots fans.

[Red13JoePa]

I mean, I'm not saying you have to be '44 Navy and run the wish/flex/Tbone all year without a forward pass but there is a reason why a Marino didn't get a ring. You have to have a running game wether your yards come from a Walter Payton dominant back or a platoon.

[Enigma869]

In spite of Joseph Addai's reasonable season at running back, the Colts are not and never will be a "running team"...and this includes when Edgerrin James was there!!!! The fact of the matter is that James usually had almost as many receiving yards as he had rushing yards. Smart teams and smart coaches exploit their strengths, which is why as long as Manning is the QB of the Colts, running will be an afterthought!

Edgerrin James has NEVER had anywhere near the amount of receiving yards as he has rushing...

+--------------------------+-------------------------+
| Rushing | Receiving |
+----------+-----+--------------------------+-------------------------+
| Year TM | G | Att Yards Y/A TD | Rec Yards Y/R TD |
+----------+-----+--------------------------+-------------------------+
| 1999 ind | 16 | 369 1553 4.2 13 | 62 586 9.5 4 |
| 2000 ind | 16 | 387 1709 4.4 13 | 63 594 9.4 5 |
| 2001 ind | 6 | 151 662 4.4 3 | 24 193 8.0 0 |
| 2002 ind | 14 | 277 989 3.6 2 | 61 354 5.8 1 |
| 2003 ind | 13 | 310 1259 4.1 11 | 51 292 5.7 0 |
| 2004 ind | 16 | 334 1548 4.6 9 | 51 483 9.5 0 |
| 2005 ind | 15 | 360 1506 4.2 13 | 44 337 7.7 1 |
| 2006 ari | 16 | 337 1159 3.4 6 | 38 217 5.7 0 |
+----------+-----+--------------------------+-------------------------+
| TOTAL | 112 | 2525 10385 4.1 70 | 394 3056 7.8 11 |
+----------+-----+--------------------------+-------------------------+

The Colts were near the middle of the pack as far as rushing offense this year but they've proven in the playoffs that their running game can pick up the slack when Peyton isn't playing so well.

Edgerrin James had some great seasons in Indy, and it won him NOTHING! I stand corrected on his receiving numbers. They are what they are! In terms of this season...The Colts won't win the Super Bowl because of Joseph Addai...Not against Chicago's defense! They will win because their defense will make some plays it needs to make and Manning will have to show up and make plays. If those two things don't happen, The Colts won't win!

John from Boston