running game

noun

variants or less commonly run game

plural running games also run games

American football

: offensive play in which the ball is snapped or handed to a player who attempts to run toward the end zone to score

Those scores came amid a game plan that focused on the running game and short passing game …

—Nick Pugliese

He also did significant damage in the running game, carrying seven times for 40 yards.

—Bob Brookover

… the Jaguars stayed with the running game, using a variety of direct snaps to backs …

—Aimee Ford Foster

… developing a good run game could unlock their offensive potential and should be the team's first priority.

—Cayden Steele

compare passing game

Examples of running game in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Defensive ends coach Mike Linehan, defensive line coach/run game coordinator Jordan Thomas and assistant defensive backs coach Robby Hauck, Bobby’s son, also were new this season. — Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 28 Sep. 2026

The biggest difference is having a run-pass split and making the defense play honest, rather than keying on the Falcons' run game. — AJC.com, 25 Sep. 2026

Harbaugh tried to hire Daniel Stern away from the Ravens to run game management in the offseason, but Stern joined Mike MacDonald with the Seattle Seahawks instead. — Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 25 Sep. 2026

The Dolphins’ front seven, led by defensive tackle Zach Sieler and linebackers Jacob Rodriguez and Jordyn Brooks, must stifle the Kansas City run game. — Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 23 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1910, in the meaning defined above