The Death of 'Establish the Run'

The six teams that will play on Thanksgiving are a combined 10-1 this season when their quarterbacks pass for at least 300 yards. Historically, that's unusual: in the past, 300-yard passing games have not corresponded to winning. That, however, is no longer the case.

"The game is evolving," former Washington Redskins quarterback and current NFL Network analyst Joe Theismann told me as I was researching this piece I wrote in the Wall Street Journal. "The league is now about big plays, and most big plays come out of the passing game, and potent offenses in New England, Indianapolis, Minnesota and New Orleans are showing that you win with three wide receivers, and tight ends involved in the passing game and great quarterbacks throwing farther and throwing more often."

Theismann told me about a 1983 game in Green Bay when he threw for 398 yards, but the Redskins lost to the Packers. "The 300-yard games quarterbacks had back when I played were caused by the defense's ability to shut down the run, and you had no other option but to put the ball in the air," he said.

I also talked to former St. Louis Rams coach Mike Martz, and he told me one of the biggest changes to the game has come on first downs: in the old days, coaches hated to pass on first down because they didn't want an incompletion to give them second-and-10. Now, coaches aren't so conservative, Martz said, adding that when he was calling the plays he always wanted a big play on first down.

"I think first down was almost a secret weapon," Martz said.

Theismann told me that the old "establish the run" mentality has vanished from the NFL.

"I don't think anybody feels today in football that they have to establish the run," Theismann said. "'Let's establish the run to open up the passing game.' Now it's 'Let's throw the football. Let's get a lead.'"