Previously we've taken a look at how the Colts did on both Offense and Defense on 3rd Downs in 2009, but just how well do they stack up against the rest of the league. Today, we'll look at the offensive side of the ball.
Overall, the League Averages look like this:
Short (1-3) | Medium (4-7) | Long (8+) | Run | Pass | Total | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Run | Pass | Total | Run | Pass | Total | Run | Pass | Total | |||
65.4% | 54.0% | 59.6% | 25.8% | 41.9% | 40.2% | 9.6% | 25.4% | 23.7% | 47.9% | 36.5% | 39.0% |
A couple things jumped out at me:
- No anomalies at all: Short Yardage numbers are better than Medium Yardage, and Medium Yardage numbers are better than Long Yardage.
- Running the ball had a better conversion percentage than Passing, but that makes some sense. Roughly 64% of all runs on 3rd down were 3 yards or less. How many passes were from 3 yards or less? 18%. You have now all passed Some Stats Can be Misleading 101.
- Overall, 39.0% of 3rd Downs were converted in the NFL in 2009. We'll look later at how that compares to other seasons between '01 and '08.
After the jump I'll give a Team by Team breakdown of all 3rd Down stats, and show you how awesome the Colts are at converting 3rd downs...
Here's the breakdown from 2009:
Team | Short (1 - 3) | Medium (4 - 7) | Long (8+) | |||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Run | Pass | Run | Pass | Run | Pass | |||||||||||||
Conv | Att | Pct | Conv | Att | Pct | Conv | Att | Pct | Conv | Att | Pct | Conv | Att | Pct | Conv | Att | Pct | |
49ers | 15 | 22 | 0.682 | 12 | 24 | 0.500 | 2 | 5 | 0.400 | 23 | 61 | 0.377 | 0 | 11 | 0.000 | 15 | 96 | 0.156 |
Bears | 22 | 36 | 0.611 | 24 | 38 | 0.632 | 1 | 4 | 0.250 | 21 | 57 | 0.368 | 0 | 8 | 0.000 | 18 | 79 | 0.228 |
Bengals | 25 | 35 | 0.714 | 16 | 36 | 0.444 | 0 | 7 | 0.000 | 26 | 64 | 0.406 | 0 | 6 | 0.000 | 28 | 84 | 0.333 |
Bills | 14 | 25 | 0.560 | 9 | 27 | 0.333 | 2 | 8 | 0.250 | 18 | 47 | 0.383 | 0 | 3 | 0.000 | 11 | 91 | 0.121 |
Broncos | 19 | 33 | 0.576 | 18 | 36 | 0.500 | 1 | 7 | 0.143 | 24 | 61 | 0.393 | 1 | 4 | 0.250 | 15 | 74 | 0.203 |
Browns | 18 | 33 | 0.545 | 10 | 22 | 0.455 | 7 | 18 | 0.389 | 19 | 63 | 0.302 | 3 | 15 | 0.200 | 18 | 83 | 0.217 |
Buccaneers | 13 | 21 | 0.619 | 14 | 28 | 0.500 | 0 | 7 | 0.000 | 26 | 69 | 0.377 | 1 | 8 | 0.125 | 18 | 85 | 0.212 |
Cardinals | 11 | 22 | 0.500 | 20 | 33 | 0.606 | 0 | 2 | 0.000 | 19 | 56 | 0.339 | 0 | 4 | 0.000 | 20 | 74 | 0.270 |
Chargers | 15 | 24 | 0.625 | 21 | 34 | 0.618 | 3 | 10 | 0.300 | 23 | 47 | 0.489 | 1 | 9 | 0.111 | 25 | 68 | 0.368 |
Chiefs | 15 | 24 | 0.625 | 11 | 35 | 0.314 | 2 | 11 | 0.182 | 17 | 51 | 0.333 | 1 | 12 | 0.083 | 18 | 96 | 0.188 |
Colts | 17 | 27 | 0.630 | 19 | 35 | 0.543 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 | 37 | 64 | 0.578 | 0 | 6 | 0.000 | 22 | 60 | 0.367 |
Cowboys | 19 | 27 | 0.704 | 17 | 27 | 0.630 | 2 | 7 | 0.286 | 15 | 46 | 0.326 | 0 | 8 | 0.000 | 29 | 87 | 0.333 |
Dolphins | 32 | 39 | 0.821 | 30 | 40 | 0.750 | 1 | 10 | 0.100 | 42 | 78 | 0.538 | 3 | 14 | 0.214 | 14 | 67 | 0.209 |
Eagles | 21 | 30 | 0.700 | 11 | 25 | 0.440 | 1 | 7 | 0.143 | 22 | 63 | 0.349 | 0 | 8 | 0.000 | 20 | 74 | 0.270 |
Falcons | 16 | 25 | 0.640 | 24 | 38 | 0.632 | 0 | 2 | 0.000 | 23 | 64 | 0.359 | 1 | 6 | 0.167 | 27 | 81 | 0.333 |
Giants | 20 | 33 | 0.606 | 13 | 22 | 0.591 | 0 | 3 | 0.000 | 38 | 74 | 0.514 | 0 | 6 | 0.000 | 21 | 74 | 0.284 |
Jaguars | 34 | 46 | 0.739 | 14 | 22 | 0.636 | 3 | 10 | 0.300 | 24 | 61 | 0.393 | 0 | 3 | 0.000 | 28 | 86 | 0.326 |
Jets | 24 | 35 | 0.686 | 15 | 29 | 0.517 | 6 | 17 | 0.353 | 25 | 69 | 0.362 | 2 | 16 | 0.125 | 17 | 69 | 0.246 |
Lions | 14 | 22 | 0.636 | 14 | 34 | 0.412 | 2 | 5 | 0.400 | 33 | 78 | 0.423 | 0 | 5 | 0.000 | 21 | 90 | 0.233 |
Packers | 12 | 19 | 0.632 | 28 | 40 | 0.700 | 0 | 2 | 0.000 | 36 | 66 | 0.545 | 1 | 7 | 0.143 | 26 | 85 | 0.306 |
Panthers | 25 | 39 | 0.641 | 11 | 23 | 0.478 | 9 | 16 | 0.563 | 17 | 51 | 0.333 | 7 | 25 | 0.280 | 13 | 66 | 0.197 |
Patriots | 26 | 38 | 0.684 | 18 | 30 | 0.600 | 0 | 7 | 0.000 | 29 | 73 | 0.397 | 1 | 7 | 0.143 | 16 | 51 | 0.314 |
Raiders | 19 | 26 | 0.731 | 14 | 32 | 0.438 | 1 | 5 | 0.200 | 12 | 60 | 0.200 | 1 | 10 | 0.100 | 17 | 81 | 0.210 |
Rams | 15 | 27 | 0.556 | 11 | 27 | 0.407 | 1 | 2 | 0.500 | 30 | 65 | 0.462 | 1 | 12 | 0.083 | 16 | 94 | 0.170 |
Ravens | 22 | 31 | 0.710 | 13 | 24 | 0.542 | 3 | 9 | 0.333 | 28 | 60 | 0.467 | 0 | 7 | 0.000 | 25 | 85 | 0.294 |
Redskins | 14 | 24 | 0.583 | 25 | 34 | 0.735 | 0 | 4 | 0.000 | 27 | 61 | 0.443 | 0 | 9 | 0.000 | 22 | 85 | 0.259 |
Saints | 24 | 35 | 0.686 | 12 | 28 | 0.429 | 5 | 9 | 0.556 | 35 | 62 | 0.565 | 0 | 13 | 0.000 | 14 | 52 | 0.269 |
Seahawks | 20 | 34 | 0.588 | 12 | 29 | 0.414 | 0 | 2 | 0.000 | 23 | 62 | 0.371 | 1 | 13 | 0.077 | 21 | 87 | 0.241 |
Steelers | 15 | 25 | 0.600 | 18 | 29 | 0.621 | 1 | 1 | 1.000 | 30 | 78 | 0.385 | 1 | 6 | 0.167 | 15 | 64 | 0.234 |
Texans | 22 | 33 | 0.667 | 14 | 27 | 0.519 | 1 | 7 | 0.143 | 31 | 63 | 0.492 | 0 | 13 | 0.000 | 15 | 61 | 0.246 |
Titans | 19 | 25 | 0.760 | 14 | 28 | 0.500 | 3 | 16 | 0.188 | 32 | 61 | 0.525 | 3 | 14 | 0.214 | 19 | 71 | 0.268 |
Vikings | 22 | 32 | 0.688 | 20 | 31 | 0.645 | 1 | 4 | 0.250 | 32 | 64 | 0.500 | 0 | 14 | 0.000 | 26 | 79 | 0.329 |
Total | 619 | 947 | 0.654 | 522 | 967 | 0.540 | 58 | 225 | 0.258 | 837 | 1999 | 0.419 | 29 | 302 | 0.096 | 630 | 2479 | 0.254 |
Team | Short (1 - 3) | Medium (4-7) | Long (8+) | Run | Pass | Total | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conv | Att | Pct | Conv | Att | Pct | Conv | Att | Pct | Conv | Att | Pct | Conv | Att | Pct | Conv | Att | Pct | |
49ers | 27 | 46 | 0.587 | 25 | 66 | 0.379 | 15 | 107 | 0.140 | 17 | 38 | 0.447 | 50 | 181 | 0.276 | 67 | 219 | 0.306 |
Bears | 46 | 74 | 0.622 | 22 | 61 | 0.361 | 18 | 87 | 0.207 | 23 | 48 | 0.479 | 63 | 174 | 0.362 | 86 | 222 | 0.387 |
Bengals | 41 | 71 | 0.577 | 26 | 71 | 0.366 | 28 | 90 | 0.311 | 25 | 48 | 0.521 | 70 | 184 | 0.380 | 95 | 232 | 0.409 |
Bills | 23 | 52 | 0.442 | 20 | 55 | 0.364 | 11 | 94 | 0.117 | 16 | 36 | 0.444 | 38 | 165 | 0.230 | 54 | 201 | 0.269 |
Broncos | 37 | 69 | 0.536 | 25 | 68 | 0.368 | 16 | 78 | 0.205 | 21 | 44 | 0.477 | 57 | 171 | 0.333 | 78 | 215 | 0.363 |
Browns | 28 | 55 | 0.509 | 26 | 81 | 0.321 | 21 | 98 | 0.214 | 28 | 66 | 0.424 | 47 | 168 | 0.280 | 75 | 234 | 0.321 |
Buccaneers | 27 | 49 | 0.551 | 26 | 76 | 0.342 | 19 | 93 | 0.204 | 14 | 36 | 0.389 | 58 | 182 | 0.319 | 72 | 218 | 0.330 |
Cardinals | 31 | 55 | 0.564 | 19 | 58 | 0.328 | 20 | 78 | 0.256 | 11 | 28 | 0.393 | 59 | 163 | 0.362 | 70 | 191 | 0.366 |
Chargers | 36 | 58 | 0.621 | 26 | 57 | 0.456 | 26 | 77 | 0.338 | 19 | 43 | 0.442 | 69 | 149 | 0.463 | 88 | 192 | 0.458 |
Chiefs | 26 | 59 | 0.441 | 19 | 62 | 0.306 | 19 | 108 | 0.176 | 18 | 47 | 0.383 | 46 | 182 | 0.253 | 64 | 229 | 0.279 |
Colts | 36 | 62 | 0.581 | 37 | 65 | 0.569 | 22 | 66 | 0.333 | 17 | 34 | 0.500 | 78 | 159 | 0.491 | 95 | 193 | 0.492 |
Cowboys | 36 | 54 | 0.667 | 17 | 53 | 0.321 | 29 | 95 | 0.305 | 21 | 42 | 0.500 | 61 | 160 | 0.381 | 82 | 202 | 0.406 |
Dolphins | 62 | 79 | 0.785 | 43 | 88 | 0.489 | 17 | 81 | 0.210 | 36 | 63 | 0.571 | 86 | 185 | 0.465 | 122 | 248 | 0.492 |
Eagles | 32 | 55 | 0.582 | 23 | 70 | 0.329 | 20 | 82 | 0.244 | 22 | 45 | 0.489 | 53 | 162 | 0.327 | 75 | 207 | 0.362 |
Falcons | 40 | 63 | 0.635 | 23 | 66 | 0.348 | 28 | 87 | 0.322 | 17 | 33 | 0.515 | 74 | 183 | 0.404 | 91 | 216 | 0.421 |
Giants | 33 | 55 | 0.600 | 38 | 77 | 0.494 | 21 | 80 | 0.263 | 20 | 42 | 0.476 | 72 | 170 | 0.424 | 92 | 212 | 0.434 |
Jaguars | 48 | 68 | 0.706 | 27 | 71 | 0.380 | 28 | 89 | 0.315 | 37 | 59 | 0.627 | 66 | 169 | 0.391 | 103 | 228 | 0.452 |
Jets | 39 | 64 | 0.609 | 31 | 86 | 0.360 | 19 | 85 | 0.224 | 32 | 68 | 0.471 | 57 | 167 | 0.341 | 89 | 235 | 0.379 |
Lions | 28 | 56 | 0.500 | 35 | 83 | 0.422 | 21 | 95 | 0.221 | 16 | 32 | 0.500 | 68 | 202 | 0.337 | 84 | 234 | 0.359 |
Packers | 40 | 59 | 0.678 | 36 | 68 | 0.529 | 27 | 92 | 0.293 | 13 | 28 | 0.464 | 90 | 191 | 0.471 | 103 | 219 | 0.470 |
Panthers | 36 | 62 | 0.581 | 26 | 67 | 0.388 | 20 | 91 | 0.220 | 41 | 80 | 0.513 | 41 | 140 | 0.293 | 82 | 220 | 0.373 |
Patriots | 44 | 68 | 0.647 | 29 | 80 | 0.363 | 17 | 58 | 0.293 | 27 | 52 | 0.519 | 63 | 154 | 0.409 | 90 | 206 | 0.437 |
Raiders | 33 | 58 | 0.569 | 13 | 65 | 0.200 | 18 | 91 | 0.198 | 21 | 41 | 0.512 | 43 | 173 | 0.249 | 64 | 214 | 0.299 |
Rams | 26 | 54 | 0.481 | 31 | 67 | 0.463 | 17 | 106 | 0.160 | 17 | 41 | 0.415 | 57 | 186 | 0.306 | 74 | 227 | 0.326 |
Ravens | 35 | 55 | 0.636 | 31 | 69 | 0.449 | 25 | 92 | 0.272 | 25 | 47 | 0.532 | 66 | 169 | 0.391 | 91 | 216 | 0.421 |
Redskins | 39 | 58 | 0.672 | 27 | 65 | 0.415 | 22 | 94 | 0.234 | 14 | 37 | 0.378 | 74 | 180 | 0.411 | 88 | 217 | 0.406 |
Saints | 36 | 63 | 0.571 | 40 | 71 | 0.563 | 14 | 65 | 0.215 | 29 | 57 | 0.509 | 61 | 142 | 0.430 | 90 | 199 | 0.452 |
Seahawks | 32 | 63 | 0.508 | 23 | 64 | 0.359 | 22 | 100 | 0.220 | 21 | 49 | 0.429 | 56 | 178 | 0.315 | 77 | 227 | 0.339 |
Steelers | 33 | 54 | 0.611 | 31 | 79 | 0.392 | 16 | 70 | 0.229 | 17 | 32 | 0.531 | 63 | 171 | 0.368 | 80 | 203 | 0.394 |
Texans | 36 | 60 | 0.600 | 32 | 70 | 0.457 | 15 | 74 | 0.203 | 23 | 53 | 0.434 | 60 | 151 | 0.397 | 83 | 204 | 0.407 |
Titans | 33 | 53 | 0.623 | 35 | 77 | 0.455 | 22 | 85 | 0.259 | 25 | 55 | 0.455 | 65 | 160 | 0.406 | 90 | 215 | 0.419 |
Vikings | 42 | 63 | 0.667 | 33 | 68 | 0.485 | 26 | 93 | 0.280 | 23 | 50 | 0.460 | 78 | 174 | 0.448 | 101 | 224 | 0.451 |
Total | 1141 | 1914 | 0.596 | 895 | 2224 | 0.402 | 659 | 2781 | 0.237 | 706 | 1474 | 0.479 | 1989 | 5445 | 0.365 | 2695 | 6919 | 0.390 |
Some thoughts (so you don't have to wade through all these numbers):
- The Colts were very close to average on 3rd and short, even though anecdotal evidence will always tell you otherwise. However, the Colts were best in the league at Medium Yardage, and 2nd best in the league at Long Yardage (damn Chargers).
- Would you have guessed the Colts were tied for 11th in Running the Ball on 3rd Down? Well, here's another lesson in deceiving stats: The Colts only ran the ball 7 times from 4 yards or longer (including just once between 4 and 7 yards), while the average for the other 31 teams was 16.7. And remember, we already know that Short Yardage had more conversions than longer yardage.
- The Colts were best in the league in Passing on 3rd Down, beating out the Packers and Dolphins (?!?). Not really surprised there.
- Some playoff teams were pretty bad at 3rd and Medium Passing. In fact, the Colts (and Chargers) and a better Percentage Passing the ball on 3rd and Long than the Cowboys, Cardinals, Eagles, and Jets were Passing the ball on 3rd and Medium. In fact, the Cowboys were actually better at Passing on 3rd and Long then they were at 3rd and Medium.
- The Dolphins were crazy good at 3rd and Short, converting 78.5%. And no, those weren't all against the Colts defense. It does make that game look a little better, once you have a season's worth of data.
- The Jaguars were really good at Short Yardage, and Running the Ball on 3rd Down. One pick away from Maurice Jones-Drew. Son of a ...
Coming up next are the Defensive numbers from 2009. It won't be quite as rosy as the Offense for the Colts.