Dumped the play by play data from the last 4 games into an Excel spreadsheet and then did some slicing and dicing. I wanted to look at generic (would have to watch film to get specific) play calling tendencies, situationally what has worked, and what hasn't.
We will start on first down. In the last 4 games we ran 104 first down plays.
QB Run: 34 carries (33%), 140 yards, 4.1 YPC, 32% went 5+, 44% short gain, 24% no gain or loss
RB Run: 41 carries (39%), 217 yards, 5.3 YPC, 41% went 5+, 44% short gain, 15% no gain or loss
Pass: 29 Attempts (28%), 186 yards, 6.4 YPA, 45% went 5+, 7% short gain, 48% no gain or loss
Overall: We are run heavy on first down, with an emphasis on our RBs. We average 5.2 yards per play on first down. That seems like it should be acceptable, but the average is skewed upwards by some big plays. We gain 5+ yards on only 39% of our first down plays and 27% of the time we end up with no gain or a loss.
Second Down & Long. Long is defined as 7 yards or more. We were in 2nd and Long 53 times in the last 4 games.
QB Run: 14 carries (26%), 102 yards, 7.3 YPC, 57% went 5+, 21% short gain, 21% no gain or loss
RB Run: 12 carried (23%), 55 yards, 4.6 YPC, 33% went 5+, 42% short gain, 25% no gain or loss
Pass: 27 Attempts (51%), 258 yards, 9.6 YPA, 52% went 5+, 0% short gain, 48% no gain or loss
Overall: We are very balance in 2nd and long situations. With a pretty equal run/pass split and QB/RB run split. We average 7.8 yards per play in these situations and gain 5+ yards on 49% of our plays.
Second & Medium (4-6 yards). We were in 2nd and Medium 19 times in the last 4 games.
QB Run: 10 carries (53%), 15 yards, 1.5 YPC, 3 First Downs (30%), 6 No gain or loss (60%)
RB Run: 5 carries (26%), -2 yards, -0.4 YPC, 0 First Downs (0%), 3 No gain or loss (60%)
Pass: 4 Attempts (21%), 33 yards. 8.3 YPC, 3 First Downs (75%), 0 No gain or loss
Overall: Second & Medium seems like a good time to pound the rock an we have tried, but with very little success. We have emphasized the QB run game in these situations, and they have fared better than our RBs, but neither have been good. 60% of our 2nd and Medium running plays have went for no gain or a loss. That is terrible. We have had good success with breaking tendencies and throwing in these situations. We are 4-4 through the air with 3 first downs.
Second & Short (3 yards or less). We have only been in 2nd and short 6 times in the last 4 games.
QB Run: 4 carries (67%), 42 yards, 10.5 YPC, Converted first downs on 75% of carries
RB Run: 2 carries (33%), 4 yards, 2.0 YPC, Converted first downs on 50% of carries
No Passes
Overall: Very conservative play calling. I need to go back and look at game situations, but I am a little surprised that we didn't take any shots downfield. We did a pretty solid job of keeping the chains moving (67% conversion rate) and the QBs had a couple of nice gains.
Third & Long. We were in 3rd and long 33 times in the last 4 games.
QB Run: 9 carries (27%), 17 yards, 2 conversions (22%), and 1 Turnover (11%).
RB Run: No carries
Pass: 24 Attempts (63%), 50 yards, 1 conversion (4%), and 3 Interceptions (12.5%)
Overall: Converting on 3rd and Long is difficult but we have been terrible, converting only 3 of 33 attempts (9%). We have been particularly bad throwing the ball in these situations: Ertz was 2-15, with no first downs and 3 INTs / Delton is 2-9, with one conversion. More turnovers than conversions cannot please Coach Snyder.
Third & Medium. We were 3rd and medium 13 times in the last 4 games.
QB Run: 1 carry, -2 yards, 0 conversions
RB Run: 1 carry, 8 yards, 1 conversion
Pass: 11 Attempts (85%), 54 yards, 3 conversions (27%)
Overall: I thought 3rd & Medium would have a little more balance between run and pass, but we pass it almost every time with pretty mediocre results: Ertz 2-6, 47 yards, with 2 conversions / Delton 1-5, 7 yards, with 1 first down. We are only completing 27% of our passes in this situation. I think we might be better served trying to run the ball a little in this scenario.
Third & Short. We have been in 3rd and short situations 7 times.
QB Run: 4 carries (57%), 30 yards, with 3 first down conversions
RB Run: 1 carry (14%), 0 yards, Stuffed
Pass: 2 Attempts (29%), 14 yards, 2 conversions
Overall: Converting on 71% of our 3rd and short scenarios seems like a pretty decent success rate. Ertz was nails in these scenarios converting on 5 of 5 (3 on the ground, 2 through the air). Seems like a good time to use the RB, but Barnes was stuffed the 1 time he tried.
A few overall thoughts:
* Our inability to convert on 2nd and medium (often times running the ball) likely leads to our struggles on 3rd and medium (where we almost always throw the ball). I think both situations could be improved with a little more variety in our approach.
* Third and Long has been BRUTAL. More turnovers than conversions, Ugh! We cannot throw the ball when we need to.
* Our RBs get the ball often on first down, but then largely disappear on the other downs.
We will start on first down. In the last 4 games we ran 104 first down plays.
QB Run: 34 carries (33%), 140 yards, 4.1 YPC, 32% went 5+, 44% short gain, 24% no gain or loss
RB Run: 41 carries (39%), 217 yards, 5.3 YPC, 41% went 5+, 44% short gain, 15% no gain or loss
Pass: 29 Attempts (28%), 186 yards, 6.4 YPA, 45% went 5+, 7% short gain, 48% no gain or loss
Overall: We are run heavy on first down, with an emphasis on our RBs. We average 5.2 yards per play on first down. That seems like it should be acceptable, but the average is skewed upwards by some big plays. We gain 5+ yards on only 39% of our first down plays and 27% of the time we end up with no gain or a loss.
Second Down & Long. Long is defined as 7 yards or more. We were in 2nd and Long 53 times in the last 4 games.
QB Run: 14 carries (26%), 102 yards, 7.3 YPC, 57% went 5+, 21% short gain, 21% no gain or loss
RB Run: 12 carried (23%), 55 yards, 4.6 YPC, 33% went 5+, 42% short gain, 25% no gain or loss
Pass: 27 Attempts (51%), 258 yards, 9.6 YPA, 52% went 5+, 0% short gain, 48% no gain or loss
Overall: We are very balance in 2nd and long situations. With a pretty equal run/pass split and QB/RB run split. We average 7.8 yards per play in these situations and gain 5+ yards on 49% of our plays.
Second & Medium (4-6 yards). We were in 2nd and Medium 19 times in the last 4 games.
QB Run: 10 carries (53%), 15 yards, 1.5 YPC, 3 First Downs (30%), 6 No gain or loss (60%)
RB Run: 5 carries (26%), -2 yards, -0.4 YPC, 0 First Downs (0%), 3 No gain or loss (60%)
Pass: 4 Attempts (21%), 33 yards. 8.3 YPC, 3 First Downs (75%), 0 No gain or loss
Overall: Second & Medium seems like a good time to pound the rock an we have tried, but with very little success. We have emphasized the QB run game in these situations, and they have fared better than our RBs, but neither have been good. 60% of our 2nd and Medium running plays have went for no gain or a loss. That is terrible. We have had good success with breaking tendencies and throwing in these situations. We are 4-4 through the air with 3 first downs.
Second & Short (3 yards or less). We have only been in 2nd and short 6 times in the last 4 games.
QB Run: 4 carries (67%), 42 yards, 10.5 YPC, Converted first downs on 75% of carries
RB Run: 2 carries (33%), 4 yards, 2.0 YPC, Converted first downs on 50% of carries
No Passes
Overall: Very conservative play calling. I need to go back and look at game situations, but I am a little surprised that we didn't take any shots downfield. We did a pretty solid job of keeping the chains moving (67% conversion rate) and the QBs had a couple of nice gains.
Third & Long. We were in 3rd and long 33 times in the last 4 games.
QB Run: 9 carries (27%), 17 yards, 2 conversions (22%), and 1 Turnover (11%).
RB Run: No carries
Pass: 24 Attempts (63%), 50 yards, 1 conversion (4%), and 3 Interceptions (12.5%)
Overall: Converting on 3rd and Long is difficult but we have been terrible, converting only 3 of 33 attempts (9%). We have been particularly bad throwing the ball in these situations: Ertz was 2-15, with no first downs and 3 INTs / Delton is 2-9, with one conversion. More turnovers than conversions cannot please Coach Snyder.
Third & Medium. We were 3rd and medium 13 times in the last 4 games.
QB Run: 1 carry, -2 yards, 0 conversions
RB Run: 1 carry, 8 yards, 1 conversion
Pass: 11 Attempts (85%), 54 yards, 3 conversions (27%)
Overall: I thought 3rd & Medium would have a little more balance between run and pass, but we pass it almost every time with pretty mediocre results: Ertz 2-6, 47 yards, with 2 conversions / Delton 1-5, 7 yards, with 1 first down. We are only completing 27% of our passes in this situation. I think we might be better served trying to run the ball a little in this scenario.
Third & Short. We have been in 3rd and short situations 7 times.
QB Run: 4 carries (57%), 30 yards, with 3 first down conversions
RB Run: 1 carry (14%), 0 yards, Stuffed
Pass: 2 Attempts (29%), 14 yards, 2 conversions
Overall: Converting on 71% of our 3rd and short scenarios seems like a pretty decent success rate. Ertz was nails in these scenarios converting on 5 of 5 (3 on the ground, 2 through the air). Seems like a good time to use the RB, but Barnes was stuffed the 1 time he tried.
A few overall thoughts:
* Our inability to convert on 2nd and medium (often times running the ball) likely leads to our struggles on 3rd and medium (where we almost always throw the ball). I think both situations could be improved with a little more variety in our approach.
* Third and Long has been BRUTAL. More turnovers than conversions, Ugh! We cannot throw the ball when we need to.
* Our RBs get the ball often on first down, but then largely disappear on the other downs.
