Starks and Grant's 1/1 punch

packerboiI lick rainbows

quote:

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With all the weapons they have in the passing game, the Packers probably don’t need a dominant running game. Surely, they’ll take 5.6 yards every time they hand the ball off to one of their running backs.

That’s what Ryan Grant and James Starks gave them on 10 first-half carries combined. Each got the ball five times in that half. Starks gained 30 yards with a long run of 17. Grant picked up 26 with a long run of 10. The Packers didn’t rely heavily on their running game until the fourth quarter, when they wanted to nurse their lead. Leading 42-27 when they took possession with 10:27 remaining, Aaron Rodgers handed off on the first five plays of the drive. Starks picked up 9 and 3 yards on the first two plays, and then Grant ran for 8, 3 and 1 before a sack on second-and-9 at the 44 killed the drive. Still, the running game helped them kill nearly five minutes off the clock before giving the ball back too the Saints on a punt. Starks finished with 57 yards on 12 carries, while Grant RBhad 40 yards on 9 carries

Packers begin title defense the right way

RB's coach Jerry Fontenot said the plan to start the season is to split the carries between Grant and Starks and that's exactly what they did. You have to like yet another embarassment of riches GB has in both these tailbacks. Then add a bruising John Kuhn. And we haven't even seen Alex Green yet.

If by some miracle an opposing defense finds a way to stifle the Packers passing game, they then have to deal with this. Which N.O's tried and couldn't make GB one dimensional.

Big difference IMO between 2010 vs 2011. If these backs can stay healthy, I honestly don't know how in the world a defense has answers for these may weapons.

9/9/1111:10 AM

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FandameMember

Give a little credit where due -- the Oline opened up some good holes last night, not big enough for a truck but good enough for Starks, Grant and Kuhn to find. Lang and Wells really worked well together, as did Lang and Cliffy. When was the last time we saw the left side of our line 5 yards downfield and hitting linebackers? Lang added a bit of toughness that Colledge did not have.

9/9/1111:13 AM

HenryYou rang?

I think the running game could be a lot better once Lang gets comfortable. Cliffy has never been great at run blocking, if Lang can provide that physical presence on the left side it would be a welcome change.

9/9/1111:23 AM

CHEEZEMember

Starks runs with some serious authority, through tackles, over tacklers, dragging guys with him. Grant looks pretty good also. I bet that this is the pick of pick your poison between passing and running. Them succeeding when they needed to last night really has to have teams a little worried I would bet.

9/9/1112:33 PM

DH13Member

I wonder if MM doesn't do with Green what he did with Starks last year, minus the injury situation. Green is a very different player than either Starks, Grant or Kuhn and it would be great to spring him on teams late in the season and post-season (

). Think you've figured out how to contain our running game? BAM! here's Alex Green with a screen pass or bustin outside.

9/9/1112:34 PM

Pistol GBMember

I thought they both looked good last night. Grant looked like his old self.

2 backs is definitely the way to go.

9/9/1112:44 PM

johnnie grayMember

grant looked a little sluggish to me. did not seem to explode into the holes.

starks looked really good. nice to see those consecutive first downs on the ground in the 4th quarter.

9/9/1112:47 PM

chickenboyTic Toc

Personally, I thought Grant looked...well...like Grant...like he always did. Starks just has another gear that we haven't seen around here since Ahman Green.

9/9/1112:51 PM

H5Keyboard Warrior, troll hunter

If only...

9/9/1112:55 PM

PakrzFREEZE!

Starks > Grant

I think we will see more and more of Starks as time goes by.

9/9/111:25 PM

CUPackFanMember

quote:
Originally posted by chickenboy:
Personally, I thought Grant looked...well...like Grant...like he always did. Starks just has another gear that we haven't seen around here since Ahman Green.

Starks looks so much better than Grant, both in speed and power. Grant is a fine RB, but he won't get you yards that aren't there. Starks does, whether it's b/c he doesn't go down on the first hit or b/c he explodes into a closing hole. I don't think Grant gets the TD that Starks had.

It'll be interesting to see how Green develops. Nice that the team can sit their 1st and 3rd round picks to have them develop and not have to throw them into the fire. Most teams don't have that luxury.

9/9/111:50 PM

Pistol GBMember

quote:
Originally posted by Pakrz:
Starks > Grant

I think we will see more and more of Starks as time goes by.

McCarthy does like to set the last part of the season up. I'm liking that he can save some tread on the tires here.

9/9/112:13 PM

Grave DiggerMember

Grant reminds me of the one of those backs that would have excelled in Denver in the early 2000's. Those guys could really churn out yards when holes were open, but when they went to other teams and the holes weren't so big, they struggled. If they give Grant a decent crease to work with, he is a home run threat, but if he has to make something out of nothing he simply can't do it. Starks can make something out of nothing and he gets tough yards (and is generally more reliable), but he's not the homerun threat that Grant is.

9/9/112:15 PM

PackdogMember

Starks is the more gifted back, no doubt, but he definitely has a ways to go with his protection. Grant is more consistent in that regard and still provides a nice 1B part of the tandem.

9/9/112:23 PM

18c3vMember

I agree that Starks was just terrible in pass pro. It matters more to this team than running the ball. He needs to fix it.

9/9/113:48 PM

BrainDedMember

Got to give credit to the OL.

TJ Lang, Wells and Sitton dominated all night. Bulaga was solid and the TE's, even Finley, all blocked well.

9/9/113:51 PM

TDMember

Yep. The OL was pretty solid. Also, Williams had a couple nice blocks too.

9/9/116:13 PM

GoallineLarge Antenna

quote:
Originally posted by chickenboy:
Personally, I thought Grant looked...well...like Grant...like he always did. Starks just has another gear that we haven't seen around here since Ahman Green.

Amen! Good post.

9/9/116:16 PM

ChilliJonI hate the Vikings!

Grant doesn't trust the ankle yet. He didn't get a lot of reps in pre-season. They'll let him work his caution out and give Starks a little more work early.

Watching Starks in pass protection, he looks a little to antsy. He bounces around a lot. It looks like he just needs to calm down and read the blitz.

9/9/116:45 PM

radmanMember

quote:
Originally posted by Henry:
I think the running game could be a lot better once Lang gets comfortable. Cliffy has never been great at run blocking, if Lang can provide that physical presence on the left side it would be a welcome change.

Just wait till Sherrod is next to Lang then you will see some serious run blocking. Kinda like it will be with Sitton and Bulaga this year now that Bulaga has a year under his belt and is playing more instinctivley Not to mention playing together for the second year in a row.

It is awesome to see an effective run game in GB again and that will make Rodger an even better QB and team leader.

9/9/117:30 PM

lambeausouthMember

Saints started with only one safety in pass coverage last night. So we burned them via the pass. When they changed strategy to two safeties deep, we killed 'em with the battering ram.

Starks and Grant are a great one-two punch. They could be the next DeAngello Williams and Jonathan Stewart, at least for this year.

9/9/117:34 PM

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