Dinsy Ejotuz
Footballguy
Thought this was interesting. We hear all the time that the "NFL is a passing league". But look below.
Of the 15 teams that rushed the ball more than the league average of 44.0% nine made the playoffs. And of the 17 teams that passed the ball more than the league average of 56% only three made the post-season. One of those, the Packers, was almost exactly on the average run/pass average. Only two of the 15 teams that passed most often made the playoffs.
Some of that is no doubt the fact that bad teams trail a lot and have to pass. But that clearly isn't all that's happening here -- if you look closer you see that several of the teams at the very top of the list are pass-first philosophically, and most of those at the bottom of the list are organized around their rushing attacks.
So, has the pendulum finally swung? Have defenses compensated to the relaxed passing rules by going "light" to the point where they're not as able to defend the run?
Obviously good teams need to be able to both run and pass, but the ratios suggest that an old-school ground game + defense is a more viable way to build a team than the popular wisdom would suggest.
Or am I misreading it and missing something?
Of the 15 teams that rushed the ball more than the league average of 44.0% nine made the playoffs. And of the 17 teams that passed the ball more than the league average of 56% only three made the post-season. One of those, the Packers, was almost exactly on the average run/pass average. Only two of the 15 teams that passed most often made the playoffs.
Some of that is no doubt the fact that bad teams trail a lot and have to pass. But that clearly isn't all that's happening here -- if you look closer you see that several of the teams at the very top of the list are pass-first philosophically, and most of those at the bottom of the list are organized around their rushing attacks.
So, has the pendulum finally swung? Have defenses compensated to the relaxed passing rules by going "light" to the point where they're not as able to defend the run?
Obviously good teams need to be able to both run and pass, but the ratios suggest that an old-school ground game + defense is a more viable way to build a team than the popular wisdom would suggest.
Or am I misreading it and missing something?
Code:
Team Plays Run % Pass % Detroit 1131 34.57 65.43 Dallas 1013 35.04 64.96 New Orleans 1041 35.54 64.46 Arizona 960 36.66 63.34 Oakland 1005 37.41 62.59 Jacksonville 944 37.92 62.08 Atlanta 993 38.07 61.93* Philadelphia 1031 40.10 59.90 Cleveland 962 41.16 58.84 Tennessee 918 41.18 58.82 Indianapolis 1068 41.20 58.80* Pittsburgh 986 41.78 58.22 Tampa Bay 982 42.36 57.64 St. Louis 967 42.40 57.60 New York Giants 948 43.14 56.86 Green Bay 991 43.69 56.31*San Diego 939 43.77 56.23 Baltimore 1004 44.22 55.78* Cincinnati 970 44.33 55.67*New England 1164 44.93 55.07* Denver 1069 44.99 55.01* Buffalo 953 46.38 53.62 Miami 944 46.61 53.39 Houston 1062 47.83 52.17* Carolina 952 48.53 51.47 Chicago 955 49.21 50.79 New York Jets 987 50.05 49.95 Minnesota 969 50.15 49.85*Kansas City 975 51.28 48.72San Francisco 928 53.02 46.98* Washington 961 54.01 45.99*Seattle 941 56.96 43.04*Average 991 44.0 56.0
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