Quote: 

<div>You do make a good point, however I do as well consider that the Colts running effectiveness went downhill with the loss of Edgerrin James, but that decline also coincides with the injury season of Marvin Harrison, and beyond. When I think back to around that time I felt the Colts did somewhat (I stress "somewhat") replace James with Addai, but to me I feel Harrison's decline, and departure hurt the Colts rushing game even more than the departure of James (IMO). Had Gonzalez been even a mediocre replacement for Marvin, I believe the Colts rushing game could have turned out very differently production wise than it did.
 
The Colts just didn't face safeties playing in the box in run support when Marvin Harrison was healthy, nor did teams run blitz the Colts that often (if ever), whether it was James, or Addai, so I guess Harrison removed the same 8th man in the box that a fullback would have removed in a way.
 
I do appreciate that Pagano covets the FB position to help the running game (and protect Luck). With the loss of Dwayne Allen (Which I think has been a far better all around TE than Fleener) for the season, I would like to see the Colts "really" make an attempt to run the ball better, and it looks like they are. I honestly feel that the Colts success this season will hinge on the run opening up the passing game more than the other way around.
 
Well darn, I'm not sure I made the point I was trying to make as I got totally sidetracked in thought. It's an age thing, I am sure you understand. I was trying to say ... :blink:  ... umm, what was I trying to say? I had a point Shag, I swear I did. Embarrassing .
 
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
The Jags didn't face a stacked box when they had Jimmy Smith and McCardell playing either...Fred didn't see that... now when McCardell was let go and only Smith was left the defense started stacking the box because they could double Jimmy...
 
With the Colts when Harrison played they had Wayne and a pretty good slot man... your running game didn't suffer until Harrison got hurt (the defense could double Wayne and stack the box)... but that didn't slow the passing game down because of the play of Manning... MOJO has played his entire career without a passing game or a WR like Harrison or Wayne...
 
Here's a stat that I found very interesting... it came from Mike & Mike on ESPN2... it's about AP running behind a FB and not running behind a FB... they said that when AP ran behind Felton, his FB, he ran the ball 224 times for a 7.25 yards per carry... without Felton he carried the ball 124 times for a 3.8 average... now I've not looked that up to find out if that's accurate or not but they said it... I was a little shocked to hear that because I thought AP didn't really need that kind of help...but I guess it shows what a great RB can do when he gets to the second level on a defense with the help of a good blocking FB...
 
Either way it goes I think your Colts will benefit from the trade by taking pressure off of the QB...
 
And I truly know what you mean by the mind wondering...
 
 

</div>