TMQ: All Facts, All The Time

From today's TMQ column at the Worldwide Leader:

"The Lions reached the 1991 NFC Championship Game as a run 'n' shoot team, and entered the contest with no tight end on the roster. Run 'n' shoot teams actively disdained the run, saying the future of football was all passing."

Barry Sanders only had 1,548 yards and 16 rushing touchdowns for the 1991 Lions.

 

Imagine how many yards he'd have gone for if they weren't so busy actively disdaining the run.

 

If it were the case that the Lions were going to throw the ball all the time, wouldn't it be more aptly named the shoot offense?

Or was the running thought to be happening after the catch?

 

Then wouldn't it be Shoot n Run?

 

Shoot... I don't know.

 

And yet the Lions still ranked 11th in rushing attempts and 10th in rushing yards that season.

 

I'm sure it's no relation to the Fun 'n' Gun.

 

By the way, the "Father of the Run-and-Shoot", Darrel "Mouse" Davis, was the Detroit Lions' offensive coordinator from 1988-90. He coached w/June Jones and, VOILA, now has helped create Colt Brennan.

He's now at Portland State, and just celebrated his 75th birthday. Here's an article about him, including some comments from Barry Sanders, who indeed played in the run-and-shoot with the Lions (though Davis was gone by 1991 -- not sure how many elements of the offense remained in play at that time): http://www.portlandtribune.com/news/story.php?story_id=118883751535811300

 

This article says the Lions, Falcons, and Oilers made the playoffs in the 1991 season using the Run-and-Shoot offense:

http://oregonmag.com/ArenaMouse.htm

 

This article talks about the Washington Redskins 1991 preseason preparations as they readied for their opening game of the season against the Lions, "who were practictioners of the Run-and-Shoot offense".

http://redskins.scout.com/2/395661.html

So knighthawk ... EHHHHHHHHHNNNNNNNNNNNNNNHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

 

Whether or not they were Run-N-Shoot teams is irrelevant. The column says "Run 'n' shoot teams actively disdained the run."

Which, clearly, the Lions did not.

 

Imagine how many yards he'd have gone for if they gave him a good qb/o-line.