A scouts perspective

A scouts perspective

Sunday, November 9, 2014

Decoding the Texans - Week 5



Data from Week _5_ vs _Dallas Cowboys______:

Run-Pass
29-26
Avg Starting Field Position
Own 22
1st Down Run-Pass
18-6
2nd Down Avg Distance to Go
8.6 yards
2nd Down Run-Pass
7-10
3rd Down Avg Distance to Go
8.0 yards
3rd/4th Down Run-Pass
3-11
3rd Down Conversions
4/13

Drive Starters – The 1st play of each drive can often reveal the intent of a coach to establish his game plan. How committed is he to the run or pass when the team comes off the sideline? We track it each week here –

Wk 5 - _Dallas Cowboys        : _11  Drives - _8_ Run/_3_ Pass
Wk 4 - _Buffalo Bills             : _13  Drives - _5_ Run/_8_ Pass
Wk 3 - _NY Giants_               : _13  Drives - _4_ Run/_9_ Pass
Wk 2 - _Oakland Raiders       : _9_  Drives - _7_ Run/_2_ Pass
Wk 1 - _Washington               : _11_ Drives - _6_ Run/_5_ Pass

2014 Total:  57  Drives - _30_ Run/_27_ Pass _47  % Run

* This statistic doesn’t count any 1-play kneel down drives.

Play Action Snaps – 3

Play-action had been the Texan’s calling card under Gary Kubiak and Matt Schaub, both of whom are now gone.  But the fact remains that this offense goes as far as their running game takes them, they have not been good enough to beat teams solely through the air.  Here we will track those snaps.

Wk _5_ - _Dallas Cowboys_  : _3/29   yards_ _9.7 avg yards/play action pass
Wk _4_ - _Buffalo Bills___   : 15/113 yards_ _7.5 avg yards/play action pass
Wk _3_ - _NY Giants___       : _5/38   yards_ _7.6 avg yards/play action pass
Wk _2_ - _Oakland___          : _3/18   yards_ _6.0 avg yards/play action pass
Wk _1_ - _Washington___     : _6/119 yards_ _19.8 avg yards/play action pass

2014 Season Total: _32/317 yards_ _9.9 avg yards/play action pass

Shotgun Snaps – 31

Shotgun snaps are fine on 3rd down and in the 2 minute drill. But, we track this stat from week to week to make sure the Texans aren’t getting too lazy in using it. The NFL run/pass split across the league is 15%/85% and most teams rarely run out of the shotgun with any time of consistent success. Bill O’Brien is showing a tendency to be in shotgun a lot and run the ball out of it, a lot.  The Texans consistently split the running back out wide when in shotgun I assume wanting to exploit a matchup on the perimeter. They had not thrown to the back once through the first 3 games and it leaves Fitzpatrick vulnerable to pressure. The Giants rarely blitzed nor did they have to playing with a lead but it is something to keep an eye on going forward.

Wk _5_ - _Dallas Cowboys_  : _31/55_ _56.4_%
Wk _4_ - _Buffalo Bills___   : _32/63_ _50.8_%
Wk _3_ - _NY Giants___       : _41/62_ _66.1_%
Wk _2_ - _Oakland___          : _40/69_ _58.0_%
Wk _1_ - _Washington___     : _31/62_ _50.0_%

2014 Season Total: _175/311_ _56.3_%

Here is the breakdown by groupings:

Before you study the data below, I would recommend that if the numbers for the groupings are unfamiliar, that you spend some time reading a more expanded definition of the Personnel Groupings here.

Package
Plays Run
Yards
Avg/Play
Run
Pass
10
0
0
0.0
0
0
11
13
117
9.0
12
1
12
3
4
1.3
1
2
13
0
0
0.0
0
0
20
0
0
0.0
0
0
21
3
9
3.0
2
1
22
5
23
4.6
5
0
23
0
0
0.0
0
0
S00
0
0
0.0
0
0
S01
0
0
0.0
0
0
S10
0
0
0.0
0
0
S11
30
178
5.9
9
21
S12
0
0
0.0
0
0
S21
1
0
0.0
0
1
Totals
55
331
6.0
29
26

* - Knee Plays are not counted in play calls.

Totals by Personnel Groups on 3rd/4th Down:

Package
Plays
Yards
Avg/Play
Run
Pass
FD/TD
10
0
0
0.0
0
0
0
11
0
0
0.0
0
0
0
12
0
0
0.0
0
0
0
13
0
0
0.0
0
0
0
20
0
0
0.0
0
0
0
21
0
0
0.0
0
0
0
22
2
4
2.0
2
0
2
23
0
0
0.0
0
0
0
S00
0
0
0.0
0
0
0
S01
0
0
0.0
0
0
0
S10
0
0
0.0
0
0
0
S11
11
82
7.4
2
9
3
S12
0
0
0.0
0
0
0
S21
0
0
0.0
0
0
0
Totals
14
86
6.1
4
9
5


Splash Plays

Let’s take a look at the “Splash Plays” from Week _5_ at the _Dallas Cowboys_:

Splash Plays are key impact plays from the defense. Usually, they are obvious, but there are some that blur the line. I have listed time and play of each one for those who want to double check my work.

For more, read a detailed explanation of this study here: What is a splash play?

Week _5_ at _Dallas Cowboys_______

Q-Time
D/D/Yd
Player
Play

2/10/H20
21
INT

3/1/H12
21
FF

3/1/H12
57
FR

1/10/H30
36
TFL

1/10/H31
56
TFNG

2/6/H28
56
QB SACK

3/8/O9
58
QB RUSH

2/10/O40
58
QB RUSH

2/10/H31
59
TFNG

1/10/H20
99
TFNG

2/3/O43
99
QB RUSH

1/10/O9
99
TFNG

1/10/O30
99
QB RUSH

2/8/O46
99
QB RUSH

2/8/O46
59
QB RUSH

Here are the season totals for _2014___:

Player
Name
Splashes
99
JJ Watt
32.0
36
D.J. Swearinger
8.0
58
Brooks Reed
8.0
25
Kareem Jackson
6.0
26
Darryl Morris
6.0
21
Kendrick Lewis
6.0
24
Johnathan Joseph
5.0
59
Whitney Mercilus
4.5
56
Brian Cushing
4.0
93
Jared Crick
3.5
54
Mike Mohamed
3.0
57
Justin Tuggle
3.0
95
Jerrell Powe
2.0
96
Tim Jamison
1.5
97
Jeoffrey Pagan
1.0
38
Danieal Manning
1.0
34
A.J. Bouye
1.0
29
Andre Hall
1.0
90
Jadeveon Clowney
0.5

Blitzing Report

Romeo Crennel has been around the NFL for over 30 years with the past 12 spent as either a head coach or a defensive coordinator.  He is known for being an aggressive coordinator who isn’t afraid to blitz and blitz often.  He is not going to stand back and play coverage on most 3rd downs, he will bring the heat and force the issue on the QB.

Opposing Big Plays
Q-Time
D/D/Yd
Play
Rushers

2/3/O43
43 Yard Pass
3

3/9/O31
38 Yard Pass
6

2/15/O17
33 Yard Pass
5

1/10/O20
28 Yard PA Pass
4

2/9/O49
18 Yard PA Pass
4

1/10/H30
17 Yard Run


2/2/O25
15 Yard Pass
4

2/10/O40
15 Yard Pass
4

3/13/H36
15 Yard Pass
6

Pass Rushers Against _Dallas Cowboys_______ - _41_ pass rush/blitz situations:

Pass Rushers
1st D
2nd D
3rd D
4th D
Total
3 Rush
0
2
1
0
3
4 Rush
7
16
3
0
26
5 Rush
3
2
1
0
6
6 Rush
0
1
5
0
6
7 Rush
0
0
0
0
0

And, here are the full season numbers to date:

Pass Rushers
1st D
2nd D
3rd D
4th D
Total
3 Rush
0
3
1
0
4
4 Rush
52
52
19
0
123
5 Rush
13
14
12
0
39
6 Rush
4
4
17
1
26
7 Rush
3
1
0
0
4

The game by game pressure numbers:

Wk 5 - _Dallas            : _12 /_41_ - _29.3_%

Wk 4 - _Buffalo Bills : _19 /_46_ - _41.3_%

Wk 3 - _NY Giants__ : _13 /_28_ - _46.4_%

Wk 2 - _Oakland__    : _16 /_45_ - _35.6_%

Wk 1 - _Washington_ : _9_ /_36_ - _25.0_%

Totals: _69_/_196_ - _35.2_%