DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Lewis Needs More Carries

I think that Lewis was a very important part of our improvement but who thinks we are using him to our best advantage? We were supposed to have a more athletic quick Oline that would be able to move downfield and allow Lewis to cut back by clearing the LBs. The Cinn game showed he is still faster that the DBs and able to run 30 times.

I think that without running at least 20 times we are not going to get the benefits from a dominate runner. We also should be throwing more to our RB to allow more isolation against the DBs. I clearly remember Balt beating us almost every time with runs by Lewis. This has to be better than allowing Anderson to throw 40 times.

Lewis is avaerging less than 20 carries a game 77 carries 382 yards 2 TDs...removing his last game we are still not using him enough to take pressure off of Anderson. Lewis is averaging 5 yards a carry and is still healthy. I am not saying wear him out but he should get more than 15-20 carries a game and especially more pass receptions.

As long as we don't get behind in the score then he will get his carries.

We always get behind...why not use half of our offense? I think that Lewis adds just what we had been wanting...a runner that can really make a difference, break away and get tough yards. There aren't many who have the combination of strength, speed and size. He also makes a good reciever and that will reduce injuries and get him out against DBs that will have trouble catching him.

I think this is just like Winslow when we first singed him we used him like a basic TE and took him out on 3rd down...when Winslow is just as good as any reciever. Now we can do the same with Lewis since he can be used for screens, short out passes and as a reciever out of the back field. Maybe we are still working into the plays but I see this offense as much more powerful and capable of really racking up points.

Stats slightly skewed because of what happened in the Pittsburgh disaster.
In a way it's good, though, because it'll help keep him fresher for when the cold weather hits, when we'll need to start playing more smashmouth.

I think thats the plan, but when your hurt in the first half of one game and two others your playing from behind, sometmies it just dont happen.

when Healthy Lewis will get the rock, and as the winter sets in he will get it...

Quote:

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It's not rocket surgery

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Or Brain Science!

Well, if Lewis is healthy look for us to give him the rock quite frequently, but we have to ease him into it.

I don't know the extent of his ankle inhury, but he was on the sidelines walking around and suited up last game after it happened, so I think he is good to go.

I look for him to have a big rebound game, he'll stay tough, fighting through injury and go for over 100.

That will be the Jamal we come to love, he will get it done in any situation.

This is eerily reminiscent of the "We have to give William Green 25 carries per game" threads.

This is the back we all wanted not Green not Rhett or Suggs or Droughns but a true NFL play maker that can get yards and TDs. We can't let Anderson make more that 25-30 throws a game or we get interceptions. We do need variety but we also need a dependable RB behind our much improved Oline. I think we all have a QB save us philosophy that is not going to work here. We don't have a great QB but we do have a great runner so I say use him.

Which leads us too...
This is eerily reminiscent of the "We finally have a proven 1,000 yard back in Droughns. He is the best back we have had since 1999. We have to get Droughns more involved" threads.

I am all for running the ball. Lewis is not the same back he was 4 years ago. He is still solid. He is an upgrade over Droughns. Lewis may go for 1,100 or 1,200 yards this year... just like Droughns did 2 years ago - behind a significantly less potent o-line.

This may be the San Diego offense. But, Lewis is not LT.

DG, I'm not exactly sure what you want them to do here.. I mean besides giving the ball to Lewis more. Which, if you took a poll, most would agree with .

When your playing from behind all the time, you gotta throw more.. and then on Sunday, Lewis got hurt,,,

So again, while I agree and want to see Lewis get more carries, I'm not sure what RAC could have done about it.

If he is hurt that is not the issue. We now should have much more offensive balance and this is a chance to take pressure off of our QB who is not great or barely good. I expected more opportunity for Lewis to run and catch the ball and start making the defense make schemes to stop him...then we can turn to our other weapons but it seems we have neglected a major part of our offense.

Playing from behind should not really affect the play calling until you get desperate. We have not really been desperate except for the first game. When you have the ball down close and a power back like Lewis you should use him. With 5 yards a carry we have to get him the ball.

I'm really trying to understand your point.. If I have it right,, you want lewis to get more carries, and I don't think you will get anyone to disagree with you..

But again, how was that to be accomplished when we were behind so much of the time.. You say it shouldn't matter until we get disparate,,, I say, playing from behind when you don't KNOW for sure you Offense can come back makes a team Desparate.

I think this year is clearly different. We just ran away from Cinn and didn't let Balt into the game. FIrst half mistakes hurt us against Oak but we still came back and should have won. The only game where we were really behind was Pitt and there we were just not doing anything right. Desperation was our game plan.

Look at the rest of the year and you will see a team that can score and control the ball and make long drives. We were not able to do before. I am saying lets have more of that and more Lewis Please. He can be a major part of our winning since we can control the ball and help our weak defense.

Look at the best teams they have a very good Oline and fast runner that can help the QB...Pitt, Cinn, COlts and Seattle all have a good QB/RB combination with assorted WR help. Now we can get to that level if we use Lewis more and Anderson less.

If our defense steps up and stops the opponent from scoring, I would imagine our run game would be a big factor. But like everyone is saying when we are behind we have to pass....unless we are behind by a field goal or single TD.

lol i remember last year when everyone complained why we were running when we were loosing on 3rd and 20.

You can always go on with the what if thing , and the truth is, at this point in time it is impossible to say that any of the Browns play makers aren't being used properly. Teams have lined up and dared DA to beat them by stacking the box, that is a fact. To that end DA has done some very good things and some pretty bad things. The important thing here tho is that we have done pretty darned good against some pretty good defences so to say that anybody including JL isn't being used properly is not very sound reasoning IMHO. After all is said and done we are talking about a team that was ranked near or at the bottom of every single offensive catagory last season, and now they are ranked in the top ten. The idea that the play makers aren't being used to the best of their ability isn't and wasn't a very sound argument IMHO...

Lewis does not ever belong in the same sentance as the bum you mentioned.. That guy was one of the worst draft picks and players in the history of the Cleveland Browns...

This thread title and points have merrit... So do some of the opposing views...

When JL is healthy he has proven to be one of the most productive RB's in the NFL... He does it all very, very, well...Without question...

Teams that don't have a RB like JL and that don't run the ball well consistantly don't win consistantly. The Browns will have to run the ball productively and consistantly. We have very young and inexperienced QB's. They make mistakes and turn the ball over. The Browns have a young, below average D with underachieving. past their prime veterans... The Browns need to control and eat the clock... To do that, the running game has to be successful and productive... The Browns best opportunity to perform theses tasks in to give the ball to JL...

The Browns need balance on 0... They need to continue to attack and get the ball to the playmakers... JL is one of the Browns best, most productive playmakers. IMO JL needs the the ball more... The more JL runs it, the longer the D is off the field... The more JL runs it it, the better it is for the Browns overall. My hope is that JL can get and stay healthy... If not it very well could be aonther very long and frustrating, losing season.

Just n FYI....we never drafted Rueben Droughns the RB referenced by Merth. We traded Mark Meyers and Ebeneezer for him.

JMHRecollection

Methinks he be thinkin' of Willie Green....

I surmized that as well considering Boise despised him from day one...lol

Me thinks your thinking is in the cross hairs again...

Your are correct too.

Don't understand the RD qualification though...? I'm well aware of how & why the Browns acquired RD... No worries...