OT: D. Henry

[feltdizz]

You got guys like Adrian Peterson sitting out there and and your talking up Mcfarland? Stop.

pretty sure there is a reason AP is still sitting at home right now.

No one is “talking up” McFarland just wondering why he is a focus when he just returned and had 1 touch last game.

It was the 4th quarter and you said McFarland is trash like he was on the field half the game stinking it up.

[NorthCoast]

I believe for RBs there is what they call the curse of 370. The 370 is carries, not touches. I believe there is also the age of 28, as well as a career carry number, although not sure what that number is supposed to be.

There was a study done a couple years ago that basically showed elite NFL RBs are hurt at a rate far less than average RBs. And it wasn't close, something like 10 times.

[BURGH86STEEL]

Players can't be saved from injury no matter how hard teams try.

Use the players you have until they can't play. This is life for ever team in the league.

[brothervad]

I keep on warning about "the wall" that rookies hit in the NFL in their inaugural season. It's a cliche because it's true. Around December they aren't as sharp as they were earlier in the year. I think even though they are young the body and psyche has to get acclamated to the stretch that is an NFL season. (I think it's more mental than physical, however I think veterans understand how to conserve the body's energy than a rookie does so their is some physical aspects to it IMHO).

One of the things MT is notorious of (please don't lump me in as a Tomlin hater, he has a past and I am just stating it) he will run the wheels off of a RB if he has the horse to do so. I am hopeful that MT realizes he needs to figure out how to spell Najee, because he is gonna need him.

If all goes well and our team doesn't come out flat, the Steelers should be at 6-3 past the halfway point. The schedule that looked uber tough at the point may not be so at this point (Chiefs look beatable, Titans without Henry look vulneralbe, Ravens are always tough regardless, Clevland at home and Bengals on the road and then there is the Chargers and Minnesota).

We will need to have Najee fresh in that stretch run, but I can possibly see a 5-3 finish in that window (not saying it will happen that way - just given how it has played out some of those games look very winnable now) to finish 11-6. Not sure what that gets as far as seeding is concerned but given where they started, the steelers will have acquitted themselves quite nicely if that is the case.

[feltdizz]

Players can't be saved from injury no matter how hard teams try.

Use the players you have until they can't play. This is life for ever team in the league.

we draft a first rounder in Najee and want to limit his touches to save him for what? Next year?

That is what the off season is for.

[Northern_Blitz]

There was a study done a couple years ago that basically showed elite NFL RBs are hurt at a rate far less than average RBs. And it wasn't close, something like 10 times.

Maybe this is reinforcing the idea that "the best ability is availability"?

If RBs are the easiest position to swap in / out (as is sometimes argued), then maybe the trick to being elite is just staying healthy?

But it could also be that the quickness and vision you probably need to be elite helps you avoid punishing hits.

[feltdizz]

Maybe this is reinforcing the idea that "the best ability is availability"?

If RBs are the easiest position to swap in / out (as is sometimes argued), then maybe the trick to being elite is just staying healthy?

But it could also be that the quickness and vision you probably need to be elite helps you avoid punishing hits.

most elite RB’s are slippery too.

but it’s mostly luck.

Injuries are random and can happen at any time.

Baltimore lost 2 RB’s in practice during drills.

[NorthCoast]

most elite RB’s are slippery too.

but it’s mostly luck.

Injuries are random and can happen at any time.

Baltimore lost 2 RB’s in practice during drills.

They were obviously not elite...

[Northern_Blitz]

I believe for RBs there is what they call the curse of 370. The 370 is carries, not touches. I believe there is also the age of 28, as well as a career carry number, although not sure what that number is supposed to be.

The 300 touches thing sticks in my head from work they did on the Depot when talking about Bell. Maybe that's not the right number and it should be something higher?

I think >370 carries is too high a threshold because basically no one gets that much work anymore. In the last 6 full seasons only Henry did this once. And no one else was even close.

2020: Henry (378 carries)...next highest Cook @ 312 carries
2019: No one. Highest was Henry at 303 carries. Next was Elliot @ 301
2018: No one. Highest was Zeke at 304 carries. Next highest was Barkley at 261
2017: No one. Our boy bell had 321. Next was McCoy 287
2016: No one. Highest was Zeke at 322 carries. Next highest was Blount at 299
2015: No one. Highest was Peterson at 327 carries. Next highest was Martin at 288

Ref: https://www.pro-football-reference.c...15/rushing.htm <-- just change the year to get the stats.

Even old school guys like Bettis only went over 370 carries once.

Maybe it's 300+ carries and 370 touches that leads to high injuries the next year? But that also seems really high as usually no more than 2 RBs get to 300 carries in a season.

[Northern_Blitz]

They were obviously not elite...

[BURGH86STEEL]

we draft a first rounder in Najee and want to limit his touches to save him for what? Next year?

That is what the off season is for.

Teams can't save players. Maybe once fans realize this then maybe they won't complain as much? Nah........ fans need to have reasons to analyze and complain.

[NorthCoast]

The 300 touches thing sticks in my head from work they did on the Depot when talking about Bell. Maybe that's not the right number and it should be something higher?

I think >370 carries is too high a threshold because basically no one gets that much work anymore. In the last 6 full seasons only Henry did this once. And no one else was even close.

2020: Henry (378 carries)...next highest Cook @ 312 carries
2019: No one. Highest was Henry at 303 carries. Next was Elliot @ 301
2018: No one. Highest was Zeke at 304 carries. Next highest was Barkley at 261
2017: No one. Our boy bell had 321. Next was McCoy 287
2016: No one. Highest was Zeke at 322 carries. Next highest was Blount at 299
2015: No one. Highest was Peterson at 327 carries. Next highest was Martin at 288

Ref: https://www.pro-football-reference.c...15/rushing.htm <-- just change the year to get the stats.

Even old school guys like Bettis only went over 370 carries once.

Maybe it's 300+ carries and 370 touches that leads to high injuries the next year? But that also seems really high as usually no more than 2 RBs get to 300 carries in a season.

RBs are facing LBs that are a whole lot lighter than they were 20 yrs ago. Most of them are drafted for speed nowadays so the impacts maybe aren't as damaging. It's also a reason why running QBs may make more sense these days. They don't have to worry about a 270 lb Levon Kirkland barreling in on them.

[Chucktownsteeler]

Looks like the Titans are set to sign AP.

[Northern_Blitz]

RBs are facing LBs that are a whole lot lighter than they were 20 yrs ago. Most of them are drafted for speed nowadays so the impacts maybe aren't as damaging. It's also a reason why running QBs may make more sense these days. They don't have to worry about a 270 lb Levon Kirkland barreling in on them.

It's an interesting question.

My sense was that the speed of the game increased the ferocity of the impacts.

And I bet that defensive guys rotate in and out more than they did 20 years ago so they're fresher.

Not sure though.

I would have thought that guys like Bettis got a lot more carries. But he'd probably be on the high end of normal now. And he didn't get very many passes thrown his way (200 recs vs. 3479 carries in his career), so maybe the total touches per year aren't much different?

I don't think many RBs would have JB's total touches because basically no one plays that long.

[crushedspirit]

He's the most fun player to watch IMHO. The sport will miss him, and I hope he heals up well.