[MIJB#19]

General Manager Notes: The running experiment
First attempt: failure.

Week 5 of the 2090 season. We were visiting the North Plainfield Plague and scouting them I figured: this team is a prime candidate to go try to run it up their gut. So, we constructed a game plan that, would estimate us to run about 75% of the time. In theory, you'd think: maybe this can work?

First quarter, we threw in some catch them off guard plays, but they all failed. Moe Sheldon got sacked on our very first offensive play and on the second one he apparently had to divert from the plan and throw it to someone else than Theodore Bondy. Unable to really beat their defense, including possession in field goal range due to a fumble, but also stout enough to fend them off, the scoreboard was showing a 3-0 lead for the host by the end of the quarter.

Despite being pinned deep, we managed to orchestrate a very long (17-play, 8-minutes) drive, that ended in an interception at their 2-yard line. Their response? A 98-yard drive to take a 10-0 lead. Ouch. Closing in again on the next drive, we got there, but not quite: another interception, this time at their 1-yard line and with just 26 seconds to play. Half time score: North Plainfield 10, Maassluis 0.

Third quarter, second drive for us, we finally catch a real break, as Moe Sheldon finds Harris Wilkerson wide open and able to turn a short pass into a 48-yard touchdown. The defense continues to play decently, but in turn we start doing silly things, like running a hail mary play on 3rd and 9 halfway through the third quarter. And it almost even worked, had Bondy not dropped the pass.

Early in the fourth quarter, we continue another long drive, but Sheldon takes a sack on third and five, pushing us out of field goal range and punting. On their next drive, they get into a field goal range and we're more than happy to force them to kick after a crucial sack on third down. 13-7 down, we have more than 5 minutes to make up for it. Stuff, sack, dropped pass; attempt one is no success. We get the ball back shortly before the 2-minute warning We need a penalty to see the drive stay alive, see Sheldon connect with Branden Sandlin for a crucial 22-yard gain on 3rd and 14. But despite the chains moving, we simply fail to gain much ground and the game is over before we even barely reach midfield.

So, we lose 13-7, part of it was the turnover battle (we lost that 3-0), which could have saved us about 17 points, yet at the same time we had two long drives that were only long in time, not in yardage gained. Experiment to run failed? Yes and yes. It failed, because we ran 33 times for 125 yards. It also failed because we threw the ball 34 times, or tried to, not counting Moe Sheldon's scramble on the last play of the game.

Division standings:
1. Gothenburg 3-2
2. Bordeaux 2-2
3. Maassluis 1-3
4. Paris 1-3

So yeah, despite this unnecessary loss, we're still right in the mix, our points differential is still an acceptable +1.

Moe Sheldon got us 1 win so far, with a horrible 73.7 passer rating, barely north of 200 yards per game, a terrible 6.2 yards per attempt average and 5 picks in 4 games, Sheldon unworthy.

Theo Bondy is averaging 10 catches for 86 yards per game. His 5.7 yards per target is hair pulling terrible. I have no idea what our staff thinks they're doing, but the plays they keep suggesting, it surely isn't making this most talented receiver in the history of the Merchantmen look like he is who he is.

Our running game? Francisco Patter so far is averaging 3.77 yards per carry. Thong' 3.71 per carry. That's downright disappoint with the personnel that we have. We've invested a lot of cap space in our offensive line, even hired a run oriented offensive coordinator and the result so far is almost depressing.

The good news? Not the defense, really. We're bottom 6 in both yards per pass attempt and yards per rushing attempt. Our sack percentage is pretty good, but the overall pass rush pressure is barely above league average, which is just not what you'd expect from the talent that we have walking around here.

End of story, so far, we've played three tight road games, albeit losing them all, we didn't get crushed. I mean, we looked bad at Hanalei and Houston, but i think we'll have to give credit to the class and talent of those teams there as well. Yes, I'm convinced that we have a defense that should be spectacular, but it's not quite making it happen.

But, it's still early in the season, new opportunities will arise to turn the tide. Like in week 6 at home against the Rochester Razorbacks. Running it up the gut might not be the best idea, given their top5 run defense, but their pass defense has been equally impressive, so going with our usual balanced approach is the way to go. And at some point, you'd think our defense can play up to their skill level. Maybe today is the day.