# NFL Week 5: **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [October 3, 2012, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-5/636589 "2012-10-03T15:49:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2012, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-5/636589/81 "2012-10-09T15:24:28Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Rex Ryan refuses to bench a starter. That’s pretty much it. That said, Bilal Powell hasn’t been significantly better and Joe McKnight is fragile. Powell has one yard per carry more than Greene. I think that’s “significantly better”. It’s not like Powell is setting the world on fire, I agree, but compared to Greene, he’s Emmitt Smith. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2012, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-5/636589/82 "2012-10-09T15:58:27Z")
Most backup tailbacks have better yards-per-carry averages than their lead backs. Ben Tate averaged a 5.4 yards per carry versus Arian Foster’s 4.4 last season. Leon Washington averaged 4.7 YPC in 2011 to Marshawn Lynch’s 4.2. Isaac Redman averaged 4.4 to Mendenhall’s 4.1. Earnest Graham averaged 5.6 to LeGarrette Blount’s 4.2. Basically, unless the lead back stays in on third downs, he’s mostly going to see stacked fronts (so it was really impressive that Tate outrushed Foster last year, because Tate gets no third down work at all). Third down backs get to run with the safeties deep and the defense more frequently in nickel and dime looks. Powell has played mostly on third/passing downs. ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2012, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-5/636589/83 "2012-10-09T16:15:59Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Most backup tailbacks have better yards-per-carry averages than their lead backs. Ben Tate averaged a 5.4 yards per carry versus Arian Foster’s 4.4 last season. Leon Washington averaged 4.7 YPC in 2011 to Marshawn Lynch’s 4.2. Isaac Redman averaged 4.4 to Mendenhall’s 4.1. Earnest Graham averaged 5.6 to LeGarrette Blount’s 4.2. > > Basically, unless the lead back stays in on third downs, he’s mostly going to see stacked fronts (so it was really impressive that Tate outrushed Foster last year, because Tate gets no third down work at all). Third down backs get to run with the safeties deep and the defense more frequently in nickel and dime looks. > > Powell has played mostly on third/passing downs. Last night, Powell had 4 carries. 3 of them on first down and one on second. Before that, against the 49ers, Powell had 4 carries, 3 on first down, one on second. Before that, he had 10 carries, 7 on first down, and 3 on second. He’s also in there on passing downs, but, by and large, his carries are coming on first and second downs, not on third downs. And, again, I’m not proclaiming the greatness of Bilal Powell. I am saying that my God Shonn Greene sucks and almost anyone would be a better job. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2012, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-5/636589/84 "2012-10-09T16:39:12Z")
As a secondary Jets fan, I can’t really argue with you on that. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2012, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-5/636589/85 "2012-10-09T16:39:36Z")
Don’t get me wrong. If I was in charge, Greene would be on waivers and Powell would be starting. ---
**Author:** ![treis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@treis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/treis)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-5/636589/86 "2012-10-10T00:47:15Z")
What would you guys do with Sanchez? Boy that extension is looking like a huge blunder. ---
**Author:** ![MOIDALIZE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@MOIDALIZE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MOIDALIZE)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-5/636589/87 "2012-10-10T01:47:34Z")
I’d give him a big smooch, that dreamboat. ---
**Author:** ![kidchameleon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@kidchameleon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidchameleon)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-5/636589/88 "2012-10-10T12:28:30Z")
Oh look, the Redskins signed yet another kicker cast off from the Cowboys. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-5/636589/89 "2012-10-10T13:03:40Z")
Heard on the radio today: at the conclusion of the 666th Monday Night Football game, Mark Sanchez had a 6.6 yards per attempt average, 6 touchdowns, 6 picks, and a 66.6 passer rating on the season. Oh, and he wears the number 6. ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-5/636589/90 "2012-10-10T14:46:21Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Heard on the radio today: at the conclusion of the 666th Monday Night Football game, Mark Sanchez had a 6.6 yards per attempt average, 6 touchdowns, 6 picks, and a 66.6 passer rating on the season. > > Oh, and he wears the number 6. Somehow that must prove that Bill Belichick is the devil. Yet he wasn’t involved in that game. ---
**Author:** ![Enginerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bcef8e/32.png) [@Enginerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enginerd)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-5/636589/91 "2012-10-10T14:57:09Z")
Once Tebow finishes the exorcism, it’ll be smooth sailing for the Jets. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-5/636589.md?page=4)