(05-08-2018, 06:07 PM)Jaguarmeister Wrote: It’s not just the numbers he put up last year, it’s how his presence forced defenses to play us with him as the focus.  Lesser backs might have put up similar numbers, but I think he helped open up things a little more for Blake last year where a lesser back probably wouldn’t have.  That sort of thing doesn’t show up on stat sheets directly.

I’m expecting a big year from him this year with a full offseason and improved o-line.  I’m sure he’ll still be the focal point for opposing D’s though.

I don't know about that. Teams stacked the box on obvious run plays and with heavy formations out. The same would happen whoever we had out there. It's just practical defensive playcalling

Teams based their play on shutting down our run game, not specifically Fournette. 

What Fournette brought above all else was the defense knew he was going to be running hard as hell as hell at them 4 quarters and in tandem with our gritty line that really wears on you as a defense. 

Saw an interesting graph a while ago that was showing average speed of RBs from quarter to quarter. Guys like Lamar Miller got slower as the game got on. Standard enough. Frank Gore and a few others like Bell maintained speed throughout.  Fournette on the other hand actually got faster the longer the game went on. Which kinda illustrates the kind of back he is.  

I think (if healthy) we will see a lot of big plays late in the game from LF7 next year. Hopefully his vision and decision making takes a step forward.

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