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I think no one bothers to answer because there isn't an answer.I know you'd love some sort of definitive conclusion, but the truth appears to be that not even Harbaugh appears to know who, if any, lead back will be until the game is well underway. As much as we'd like to apply tendencies, matchups and circumstances to the Ravens RBs, the actual answer, as unhelpful as it is, is that the Ravens running game, although productive, is a crap shoot to pick "the" back from week to week.
It is a shame he lets the "early" flow of the game predict who he uses. EVERYONE knows it takes players some time to get into the flow of the game to be productive. McGahee doesn't stand a chance on this team if he goes out on the first series and runs for 3ypc. Coach determines thats not good enough and puts someone else in. It takes more than 1 or 2 series for a RB to find his groove. RB's like McGahee get better as the game progresses and defenses wear down. I do believe if McGahee was given a consistant 20 cpg he would be an effective back. The 2 problems are his health and coach having no patience.Watch the game this week. mcGahee starts and runs for 3 to 4 ypc, plays the 1st couple of series and then gets pulled. Either Rice or McClain will do slightly better and then McGahee sits for the rest of the game. RB's need a chance to get going.
Very
No point in breaking down a situation that has no logical conclusion. Between McClain/McGahee/Rice I would go with McGahee on any given Sunday but that has nothing to do with how I really *think* things will play out.
I've posted my thoughts in at least 9,000 of these & so have other Ravens watchers. The problem is that no one wants to hear the answer: that who goes off changes from game to game, half to half, quarter to quarter, and series to series. Cameron adjusts who gets carries based on what the D is doing. Both Avery & Trader have nailed it: there's no way to safely predict pre-game what's going to happen. I'm sorry that doesn't help, but you guys are looking for answers on this several times a week for something that's unanswerable.My personal take is that, gun to my head to have to play a Ravens RB each week & not trying to "fit" a RB against the opposing D, I'd play Rice. But that's only because I think he can get me some points in more different ways. He's had his share of clunkers too.
There was a guy in one of those threads who claimed that he had it all figured out but I think he injured his arm patting himself on the back when his guy (McGahee) had a big game the following week and I don't think he's been able to post since then.There's been plenty of discussion about this subject but the answer remains as elusive as always.
Well, that narrows it down to about half the threads ever posted this year in the Shark Pool.....Isn't one of the definitions of insanity to keep doing (asking) the same thing looking for a different result?
Thanks for the replies, guys. I'm in an must win game this week and I gotta play either McClain or McGahee. Rankings say McClain but my gut is saying McGahee..............
I know this sucks from a fantasy perspective, but you have to put yourself in the shoes of the coaches - this is a great problem to have. He basically will play the hot hand in any particular game, which is why their running game has been of the best in the league despite a rookie QB and one of the youngest offensive lines in the game.If I had to take a shot in the dark, I would say McGahee because he was the only RB who didn't face Cincy the first game of the season. But Le'Ron McClain has been a beast in short yardage situations, always lowering his shoulder and delivering the blow when he needs to pick up the extra yard or cross the goal-line. So if the league is TD oriented, I'd go with him. Ray Rice offers that added dimension in the screen game, and he's probably the most capable of taking a short run or pass and turning it into a long TD.Bottom line, it really is a guessing game because the flow of the game will determine which RB is used the most. The safest bet is McClain, but my gut tells me Willis will have a decent week.
That's a myth that's been perpetuated. If you go back and look at game logs you'll see McGahee gets more goal line work than McClain when both are healthy.Me and menobrown were the two patting ourselves on the back after McG's last good outing.
That's why the difficulty of predicting the big RB each week increases exponentially. They'll use McClain between the 20s just like a conventional half-back. He's not used like a Pete Johnson or Rob Riddick (for you young'uns, those 2 gentlemen would have yearly stats like 20 carries for 25 yards & 14 TDs; back in the days of TD-only leagues, they'd go in the first round - ahead of guys like James Brooks & Thurman Thomas who ran up & down the field but didn't score much). McClain's not used that way, but more in a Bettis mode.As a Ravens fan, I love what Cam has done with this O's limitations. He's really the MVP of this team (sorry Ray, Ed, Haoli, & Derrick). But from a FF perspective, it's crazy. I have all three RBs in various leagues (some, I have 2 of 'em) & it's really been a crapshoot each week. I've put way more time than I'd admit to except under oath to trying to get some handle on the predictability of the Ravens running game & I can't do it.SCT said:
