the VG board football thread
And we did not do that last year. Last year we stayed more balanced than any other time under Payton/Drew prior to 'clock killing time'. Play actions were key to most of our long plays. This year not so much.
In 2009 including playoffs we had 262 1st & 10s in the first half. We ran the ball 105 times.
http://www.armchairanalysis.com/nfl-play-by-play-data.html
first half counts on Downs 1 through 3.
CountOfPLAY ID DEF TYPE
3 ARI NOPL
20 ARI PASS
16 ARI RUSH
3 ATL NOPL
19 ATL PASS
16 ATL RUSH
3 ATL NOPL
21 ATL PASS
8 ATL RUSH
3 BUF NOPL
18 BUF PASS
16 BUF RUSH
3 CAR NOPL
24 CAR PASS
9 CAR RUSH
1 CAR NOPL
11 CAR PASS
15 CAR RUSH
3 DAL NOPL
21 DAL PASS
9 DAL RUSH
1 DET FGXP
3 DET NOPL
22 DET PASS
15 DET RUSH
1 IND NOPL
23 IND PASS
11 IND RUSH
5 MIA NOPL
25 MIA PASS
8 MIA RUSH
2 MIN NOPL
16 MIN PASS
9 MIN RUSH
13 NE PASS
11 NE RUSH
3 NYG NOPL
20 NYG PASS
17 NYG RUSH
2 NYJ NOPL
18 NYJ PASS
11 NYJ RUSH
1 PHI NOPL
23 PHI PASS
11 PHI RUSH
14 STL PASS
12 STL RUSH
23 TB PASS
9 TB RUSH
14 TB PASS
13 TB RUSH
3 WAS NOPL
24 WAS PASS
10 WAS RUSH
1st Half First and Second Downs
CountOfPLAY ID DEF TYPE
3 ARI NOPL
16 ARI PASS
14 ARI RUSH
3 ATL NOPL
17 ATL PASS
14 ATL RUSH
2 ATL NOPL
16 ATL PASS
7 ATL RUSH
2 BUF NOPL
12 BUF PASS
14 BUF RUSH
2 CAR NOPL
18 CAR PASS
8 CAR RUSH
1 CAR NOPL
7 CAR PASS
13 CAR RUSH
3 DAL NOPL
17 DAL PASS
9 DAL RUSH
2 DET NOPL
16 DET PASS
14 DET RUSH
1 IND NOPL
16 IND PASS
10 IND RUSH
4 MIA NOPL
16 MIA PASS
8 MIA RUSH
2 MIN NOPL
13 MIN PASS
7 MIN RUSH
12 NE PASS
8 NE RUSH
3 NYG NOPL
18 NYG PASS
13 NYG RUSH
1 NYJ NOPL
13 NYJ PASS
10 NYJ RUSH
1 PHI NOPL
17 PHI PASS
11 PHI RUSH
8 STL PASS
12 STL RUSH
18 TB PASS
8 TB RUSH
12 TB PASS
12 TB RUSH
3 WAS NOPL
20 WAS PASS
7 WAS RUSH
Full games 1st through 3rd down.
CountOfPLAY ID DEF TYPE GAME ID
1 DET FGXP 2396
6 DET NOPL 2396
34 DET PASS 2396
35 DET RUSH 2396
2 PHI NOPL 2410
36 PHI PASS 2410
28 PHI RUSH 2410
5 BUF NOPL 2430
30 BUF PASS 2430
37 BUF RUSH 2430
31 NYJ RUSH 2445
31 NYJ PASS 2445
5 NYJ NOPL 2445
7 NYG NOPL 2468
37 NYG RUSH 2468
31 NYG PASS 2468
27 MIA RUSH 2488
43 MIA PASS 2488
5 MIA NOPL 2488
4 ATL NOPL 2503
35 ATL PASS 2503
35 ATL RUSH 2503
23 CAR RUSH 2511
36 CAR PASS 2511
5 CAR NOPL 2511
28 STL RUSH 2523
2 STL NOPL 2523
27 STL PASS 2523
29 TB PASS 2541
34 TB RUSH 2541
25 NE RUSH 2563
24 NE PASS 2563
1 NE NOPL 2563
2 WAS FGXP 2574
4 WAS NOPL 2574
50 WAS PASS 2574
23 WAS RUSH 2574
26 ATL RUSH 2581
40 ATL PASS 2581
6 ATL NOPL 2581
13 DAL RUSH 2597
4 DAL NOPL 2597
48 DAL PASS 2597
23 TB RUSH 2619
1 TB FGXP 2619
2 TB NOPL 2619
38 TB PASS 2619
1 CAR NOPL 2629
29 CAR PASS 2629
31 CAR RUSH 2629
33 ARI RUSH 2648
3 ARI NOPL 2648
32 ARI PASS 2648
1 MIN AS 2653
5 MIN NOPL 2653
32 MIN PASS 2653
21 MIN RUSH 2653
1 IND NOPL 2654
40 IND PASS 2654
17 IND RUSH 2654
Last year we gave the tackles support after what Dallas's pass rush did to us. We gave the tackles very little support yesterday.
Running does set up passing and visa versa.
Anyway as long as we keep finding ways to win, like our 5th ranked defense yesterday, sure go ahead be imbalanced. Just give the tackles some support when Drew Brees is dancing in the pocket all game long.
I won't complain if we try to give the impression of a balanced offense in the first half before turning on the come back juice in the second half. That impression of balance will help Drew later in the game.