Down Analysis and Run Direction: Week 2

by Chris Thorman on Sep 15, 2008 4:39 PM CDT in 2008 Campaign Comment 12 comments

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(Photo by Ed Surga)

Here is the Kansas City Chiefs down analysis, including data through Week 2 of the regular season. Last week's numbers are here. Here is the short version - the Chiefs have passed and ran the ball equally on first down and we pass a lot more on second and third down than we rush the ball. Signs of a good team? I don't think so.

The more extensive analysis by down is after the jump, including evidence for those who feel the Chiefs run the ball towards the middle too often. More stats and stuff to come tomorrow.

First Down

24 rushing plays (2.46 average yards per rush), 24 passing plays (1.62 average yards per passing play)

Second Down

16 rushing plays (5 average yards per rush), 28 passing plays (7.39 average yards per passing play)

Third Down

5 rushing plays (2.6 average yards per rush), 26 passing plays (2.96 average yards per passing play

Fourth Down

0 rushing plays (0 average yards per rush), 1 passing plays (0 average yards per passing play)

First Down

Yards to Go	Rushing Plays	Avg Yards per Rush	Rushing First Downs	% Rushing Plays Converted	Passing Plays	Avg Yards per Pass	Passing First Downs	% Passing Plays Converted
1 to 2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
3 to 5	0	0	0	0	2	4	1	50.00%
6 to 10	23	2.09	1	4.35%	22	1.41	1	4.55%
11 to 15	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
16+	1	11	0	0	0	0	0	0

Second Down

Yards to Go	Rushing Plays	Avg Yards per Rush	Rushing First Downs	% Rushing Plays Converted	Passing Plays	Avg Yards per Pass	Passing First Downs	% Passing Plays Converted
1 to 2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
3 to 5	3	3.67	2	66.67%	1	15	1	100.00%
6 to 10	11	5.91	2	18.18%	21	4.24	6	28.57%
11 to 15	1	2	0	0	4	8.75	0	0.00%
16+	1	2	0	0.00%	2	34	1	50.00%

Third Down

Yards to Go	Rushing Plays	Avg Yards per Rush	Rushing First Downs	% Rushing Plays Converted	Passing Plays	Avg Yards per Pass	Passing First Downs	% Passing Plays Converted
1 to 2	3	1.67	3	100.00%	2	1	1	50.00%
3 to 5	1	5	1	100.00%	9	5.67	5	55.56%
6 to 10	0	0	0	0.00%	11	0.45	2	18.18%
11 to 15	1	3	0	0	2	5.5	0	0
16+	0	0	0	0	2	4	0	0.00%

Fourth Down

Yards to Go	Rushing Plays	Avg Yards per Rush	Rushing First Downs	% Rushing Plays Converted	Passing Plays	Avg Yards per Pass	Passing First Downs	% Passing Plays Converted
1 to 2	3	1.67	3	100.00%	2	1	1	50.00%
3 to 5	1	5	1	100.00%	9	5.67	5	55.56%
6 to 10	0	0	0	0	11	0.45	2	18.18%
11 to 15	1	3	0	0	2	5.5	0	0
16+	0	0	0	0	2	4	0	0

Now we jump into the direction of our rushing offense.

Interestingly enough, we rank high in the number of attempts towards the middle but very low on average yards gained. I'm a bit busy with work right now so I'm short on analysis. Hope you enjoy.

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Comments

This is

like the best set of stats to see.

Thanks, Chris.

by Joel Thorman on Sep 15, 2008 4:52 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Sorry I don't have more time for analysis today!

Arrowhead Pride

by Chris Thorman on Sep 15, 2008 4:53 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

You just gotta quit your full time job

We’ll take up donations to get you and Miss AP by.

For at least 2 weeks.

What’s the worst that could happen?

by Joel Thorman on Sep 15, 2008 5:10 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

The first thing that jumped out

at me: why are we not running more on the left edge?

by Ilamuku on Sep 15, 2008 5:40 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

A knock on Albert's run blocking?

Or lack of confidence?

by Joel Thorman on Sep 15, 2008 7:33 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

maybe just stupidity

Naming my son Brodie Damon

by troy145 on Sep 15, 2008 7:42 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

We’re terrible at runs up the middle, yet we’ve run 32 times between the guards so far. The other teams know we’re going to do it, we’re bad at it, yet we keep doing it again and again with no attempt at deception. No way is this Chan Gailey’s idea, it’s Herm Edwards strategy all the way. We did the same thing last year with a different OC.

Herm wants to play chickens—t offense, trying to fall on the ball for 4 quarters and hope the other team will lose to you. Well it hasn’t worked even once for 11 straight games and it’s no way to play in the modern NFL. We have weapons, we can score some points if we’re not too cowardly to even try. What the hell is there to lose at this point? If we threw on first down more often, the other team wouldn’t always know that we’re handing off to LJ up the middle on first down every single time, and maybe he’d have some room to run once in a while.

by Offense of the 70s on Sep 15, 2008 11:20 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

“If we threw on first down more often, the other team wouldn’t always know that we’re handing off to LJ up the middle on first down every single time, and maybe he’d have some room to run once in a while.”

It looks to me like we are pretty evenly split between runs (23) and passes (22) on first down so far. I’d think, if you’re lining up on first down and the stats say there’s a 50/50 shot that you’ll run and a 50/50 shot that you’ll pass, that should be enough to keep the other team from knowing that ’we’re handing off to LJ up the middle’.

Just sayin’.

by JacinB on Sep 16, 2008 11:13 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

70 % of runs up the middle!!!

Any Def Cord in the league should see this coming.
Should use Cox more as a run blocker (ie Word & Okoye).
he seems like a powerfull kid, let him help on the outside while LJ and Charles run or take screens (Charles seems to catch well).
the play calling the last two weeks makes me ill.

by sad, sad, sad!!! on Sep 16, 2008 6:53 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I think the 70% up the middle is LJ doing what LJ does, and not necessarily a direct result of the playcalling.

LJ runs up the middle. He’s never been good at getting outside and turning the corner. He doesn’t have the footwork to plant, shift, and change direction. He’s a straight-up-the-gut, power runner. That’s all he’s done, and it’s all he’ll ever do because it’s who he is.

It’s why he was the back-up to Priest Holmes, who was a more versatile, ‘shifty’ runner. It’s also why we’ve got Kolby Smith and Jamaal Charles in the first place — they’re fast enough and shifty enough to get outside and do something else.

by JacinB on Sep 16, 2008 11:19 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

NJChiefsFan.........

In the past Chan Gailey has used both the screen and the play action pass very effectively in his offenses. I anticipated Gailey using the play action after the start of the regular season. It hasn’t happened because Herm Edwards is calling the plays. Did you see him against Oakland scowling over his clipboard on every offensive play? He is calling the plays. Herm is so obsessed with doing things his way that he is not even noticing it isn’t working. He is going to make the same mistakes over and over and over again……………….

by G.L. on Sep 16, 2008 11:28 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Even if Thigpen did know

the plays he was throwing the ball all over the place. I don’t know if he was excited or scared or what. Whatever the case Thigpen is not ready to play in the NFL. I’m not sure Herm wants anyone to know he is calling the plays, but it sure looks that way to me.

by G.L. on Sep 16, 2008 4:38 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs