The Near Extinct Position and Why It's Needed
by Steel34D on Aug 11, 2011 4:20 PM EDT
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For the longest time i the NFL the Fullback position was considered a necessity. The fullback was the teams power runner and best blocking back. These were guys like Franco Harris and Larry Csonka. Gradually as there became more athletes at the Running-back position the full back became a pure short yardage back and blocker. Today however the fullback position is all but extinct. However the fullback position is still very important in the rushing game that is why teams like the 2010 Jets and 2010 Houston Texans rank 4th and 7th respectively and averaged per rush much higher than the Steelers where the fullback position is extinct in Bruce Arian's offense. To further show this I have took a look at two of the best at the position and how there teams fair with and without them.
When adding the carries and the yardage without here is what I got;
2296 attempts for 8939 yards averaging 3.89 yards per attempt, there were 4 Pro Bow appearances and 0 All Pro selection
With Lorenzo Neal the rushers had 3201 attempts for 13071 yards averaging 4.08 yards per carry. A statistical improvement but the bigger improvement is in the Pro Bowl and All Pro selections. With Lorenzo Neal the runners behind him had 8 Pro Bowl selections and 4 All Pro selections.Further analyzing his blocking we will look how just LaDanian Tomlinson did.
Without Neal L.T. had 887 attempts for 3523 yards averaging 3.97 yards per attempt. and 1 Pro Bowl selection.
With Neal L.T. had 1654 attempts for 7731 yards averaging 4.67 yards per attempt, with 4 Pro Bowls and 3 All Pro selections a significant improvement.
The next analysis will be on the best FB of the day of Vonta Leach. Leach has been with the Texans as a contributor since '07 and the improvement has been noticeable.
Without Leach in 05 and 06 the running backs of the Texans had 649 attempts for 2606 yards averaging 4.01 yards per attempt with no Pro Bowls or All Pro Selections
With Leach since the running backs had 1277 attempts for 5573 yards for 4.3 yards per attempt with 1 Pro Bowl and 1 All Pro selection. This is a big improvement.
The point of this article is that a Fullback is a Running-backs best friend and significantly helps out the rushing attack. I am a true believer one reason Fast Willie Parker's numbers went down in '08 after two Pro Bowl season is because we let go of Dan Kreider. This is why I believed in 2010 we should have drafted John Conner and why I believe we need a true FB on the roster. It is also why I have a bad feeling about playing the Ravens rushing attack this year after they signed Leach. Look for Rice if healthy to put up career numbers this season.
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Fullback = Smashmouth = Steelers
I miss the formula as well.
"We use WhipAss by the case, not the can" - RickVa
How many Super Bowl Trophies?
I miss the smashmouth football. But we are not collecting rushing titles.
by Steeler Nation VA on Aug 11, 2011 4:58 PM EDT reply actions
How many without playing smash-mouth?
1 and 1 SB loss
How many with playing smash-mouth football?
5 and 1 SB loss
I like the smash mouth numbers better.
by Steel34D on Aug 11, 2011 5:03 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
2 SBs (1 win) in 5 years without a fullback
and 6 SBs (5 wins) in about 40 years with one. Quite a different sample size.
I'll put it this way
the smash-mouth style of play got Neil O’Donnell to a Super Bowl.
by Steel34D on Aug 13, 2011 2:09 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Champ Kind: “What in the hell’s a fullback?”
Ron Burgundy: “Well, I could be wrong, but I believe a fullback is an old, old wooden ship that was used during the Civil War era.”
Back on the Sweed train. Choo Choo!
"It’s easy to lie with statistics, but it’s easier to lie without them." -Fred Mosteller
by John Stephens on Aug 11, 2011 5:01 PM EDT reply actions 5 recs
That could actually be true, ya know?
Pittsburgh Steelers fan - nuff said.
Miami Hurricanes fan - nuff said.
Georgetown Hoyas fan - nuff said.
Cleveland Cavaliers fan - um yeah, about that...
by StoneColdSteel on Aug 11, 2011 6:36 PM EDT up reply actions
It's like a doughnut
The hole in the middle is not exactly pleasing, but you still love the doughnut.
Sometimes BA is not exactly pleasing, but you still love the Steelers.
"They timed it perfectly, they just went too soon." - Darrell Waltrip commenting on an illegal restart.
What was the last Super Bowl featuring a true blocking FB? It’s an extinct position because the better teams realize they are useless for success.
I tend to think LT’s drop in play correlates much more to a guy that was overused and getting older than a guy who lost his lead blocker. LT had two fullbacks last season and averaged 4.2 yards a carry (in spot/situational duty even, which usually means a higher YPA than a full time back). LT didn’t decline because he lost Neal, LT declined because that’s what backs do at his age and with his amount of carries.
For comparison’s sake, Joseph Addai had a 4.3 average playing injured, in a pass first offense, and without a traditional FB.
by BluegrassSteeler on Aug 11, 2011 7:34 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
LT had multiple reason for decline...
But with the same offensive line there were no holes after Neal left. I his last two years with the Chargers he averaged 3.8 and 3.3 yards per carry so the fact that he had two good fullbacks with the Jets did seem to help.
And “the without” included his 2002 season without Neal as well as his two year after. Counting all four years without Neal ’01, 02, ’08 and ’09 he averaged 3.95 a carry. As mentioned prior he averaged 4.67 with Neal and with the Jets ( a year older and 30 years old which is ancient to RBs) you mentioned 4.2 on nearly the same amount of carries as his ’09 Charger season, so having a good FB does correlate to increased production. The better question would be is that increase production enough to justify a roster spot for a one position player?
Your Joseph Addai comparison is not close
His attempts (116) were 103 attempts lower than Tomlinson with the Jets creating a smaller sample size which would weaken the evidence in your argument that you do not need a FB.
Well, its more the play calls than the position
David Johnson has been pretty solid as a lead blocker in the rare occasions he lines up in the fullback/lead back position.
I would like to see more lead back formations, and as long as whoever is lined up in that slot can block well, could care less if it was a “fullback” or a “tight end”
A long way from Pittsburgh PA, in fact, 8653.2 miles to be precise. My blood still bleeds black and gold like the rest of Steeler Nation, proud fan since 2002.
BTSC's token Kiwi fan. That means I'm a New Zealander. Yes, that small country next to Australia....no we are not part of Australia
by Michael Hewitt on Aug 12, 2011 12:14 AM EDT reply actions
The FB position is not extinct for Arians
a true fullback is, yes, but last season alone I saw Johnson line up there, Redman, and Doug Legursky in goal line situations. Johnson is a good lead blocker, and not just any backup tight end – he was kept on the roster specifically as a lead blocker first and backup tight end second last year, hence the search for a back up to Heath this year instead of just moving up Johnson. Would I like to see more formations with someone lined up between QB and RB in there? Sure – but we don’t need a so-called ‘true fullback’ to do the job.
The game has changed,
as has the Steelers offense. Unlike past years/decades, we have a game-changing QB and a raft of gifted receivers. I have no problem going without a “true” FB, whose value in a primarily passing offense is limited except as an outlet.
When an opposing team is expecting the run, the FB is valuable. Very few teams expect the Steelers to run except in short yardage, and even then the substitute FB (TE or whatever) can be used to disguise the play.
My heros have always been Steelers...
But we still have the unchanging Arians offense.
I voted “yes” because of our offense’s continuing lack of imagination inside the Red Zone. If nothing else, a Bettis-like bruiser who can block would give us a better chance to convert opportunities into TDs.
Remember Kreider leading Bettis in 2005?
No imagination needed. Bring back the I formation with a truck of a running back going full bore head first
A long way from Pittsburgh PA, in fact, 8653.2 miles to be precise. My blood still bleeds black and gold like the rest of Steeler Nation, proud fan since 2002.
BTSC's token Kiwi fan. That means I'm a New Zealander. Yes, that small country next to Australia....no we are not part of Australia
by Michael Hewitt on Aug 12, 2011 5:28 PM EDT up reply actions
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