We've had a lot of good, analytics-driven Offensive Line conversation lately. So this has inspired me to go back and take a look at the 2019 tape of 3rd and Short and Goal to Go to confirm what is happening situationally to drive our struggles in this area in particular.
Football is all about Situational Play and the running game's role in winning football is absolutely the nexus for the importance of Situational Play. In the modern NFL, its not about gross yardage or big plays when it pertains to the running game...its "if you can run the football well in key situations, you're going to be a better football team."
There are a few causal factors that will create a poor running game:
1) Play-call losses against fronts that are set up to win against your call.
2) iOL (LG C RG) losses.
3) Edge (OT TE possibly 2nd TE or WR) losses.
4) Poor RB vision/decision-making in the Zone running game.
5) Poor RB balance through trash contact at the 1st level.
My quick hypothesis before I start breaking this down is going to be that the majority of our struggles are (3) with a smattering of (1) and (4). We were really bad blocking on the edge in the run game this year; sometimes losses or sometimes penalties (that were either legit losses turned into penalties or just bad calls).
Finally, we have a schematic disadvantage with respect to the modern NFL successful Rushing paradigm; we just don't feature the Shotgun/Pistol Zone Read Option running game with a threat at QB or with a fantastic backside Smoke/Bubble Screen game (both of which hold the backside Edge player to prevent/stall back-side chasedowns). Overwhelmingly, the good running teams in the NFL weaponize one or both of these.
