Second Down Play Calls & Success Rate

[86WARD]

Aside from run blocking, it appears that the teams play calls (and success on those play calls) are pretty terrible. Anyone have a website that can see that? Could just be something I’m overthinking but definitely appears that second downs are a problem...

[polamalubeast]

It's always a failure when this is a run with our backup RB in the second down and long .... it's awful

[Mojouw]

Aside from run blocking, it appears that the teams play calls (and success on those play calls) are pretty terrible. Anyone have a website that can see that? Could just be something I’m overthinking but definitely appears that second downs are a problem...

Never looked into it. But try this out

https://www.armchairanalysis.com/nfl-play-by-play-stats.php


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[BlackAndGold]

When McFarland is on the field, does he always get the ball?

[polamalubeast]

When McFarland is on the field, does he always get the ball?

yes....same with Snell

[HollywoodSteel]

I’m just glad our defense is good enough that none of that mattered.

But it will matter against the Ravens. They Ravens will play like their lives depend on it

[Fire Goodell]

When McFarland is on the field, does he always get the ball?

It's too predictable imo, noticed that as well

[El-Gonzo Jackson]

It's too predictable imo, noticed that as well

Yup, seems like there were a lot of jet sweeps, or bubble screens or outside stretch run that just never went anywhere. Some poor designs, that left the runner on his own running east-west.

I really think Fichtner is bottom third of the NFL playcallers.

[86WARD]

Never looked into it. But try this out

https://www.armchairanalysis.com/nfl-play-by-play-stats.php


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Do you have to have a membership for that site?

[Mojouw]

Do you have to have a membership for that site?

I do not. Didn't realize it was a membership site. I just found it on my phone earlier and I didn't bother to read the tiny print. Of course as I get older it is all tiny print!

[DesertSteel]

Aside from run blocking, it appears that the teams play calls (and success on those play calls) are pretty terrible. Anyone have a website that can see that? Could just be something I’m overthinking but definitely appears that second downs are a problem...
You have a problem with 1-yard gains on 2nd and 10???

[Fire Goodell]

Why not just run a west coast offense, our o-line excels at pass protection, playing to our strengths might be a good thing

Also today's game makes me realize that Conner is a pretty good RB. He literally has to make 2-3 people miss in order to make a gain over 4 yards

[86WARD]

You have a problem with 1-yard gains on 2nd and 10???

Kinda. More so the one yard gains on 2nd & 12.

[tube517]

Yup, seems like there were a lot of jet sweeps, or bubble screens or outside stretch run that just never went anywhere. Some poor designs, that left the runner on his own running east-west.

I really think Fichtner is bottom third of the NFL playcallers.


Fichtner doesn't know how to change up a game plan except to hand it over to Ben.

[teegre]

The Jaguars were down to 5 DBs total (two got injured during the game, and the starters were injured prior to the game). Knowing this, Randy Fitchner decides to... run the ball. :doh:

[Born2Steel]

The Jaguars were down to 5 DBs total (two got injured during the game, and the starters were injured prior to the game). Knowing this, Randy Fitchner decides to... run the ball. :doh:

Ben threw the ball on 46 of 73 plays. Must have had him on a pitch count?

[polamalubeast]

The Jaguars were down to 5 DBs total (two got injured during the game, and the starters were injured prior to the game). Knowing this, Randy Fitchner decides to... run the ball. :doh:

And it's not just about the number of runs....How many times it was a screen pass on second down on long....

[teegre]

Ben threw the ball on 46 of 73 plays. Must have had him on a pitch count?

I’m all for balance... except when three guys off of the practice squad are starting in the opposing secondary.

[Born2Steel]

I’m all for balance... except when three guys off of the practice squad are starting in the opposing secondary.

I'm just curious if 46 passes was acceptable why not 55? Using the short game to compliment the running game is acceptable too if it puts receivers in space. Whatever takes time off the clock and keeps moving the chains. Still not a fan of the WR screen at the boundary play.

[Mojouw]

I'm just curious if 46 passes was acceptable why not 55? Using the short game to compliment the running game is acceptable too if it puts receivers in space. Whatever takes time off the clock and keeps moving the chains. Still not a fan of the WR screen at the boundary play.

I can see why they like that WR screen play. Especially with 2 punt returners in the mix at WR in DJ and Ray Ray. I also saw a few other teams run it on Sunday with much better results. Maybe they are "tipping" it somehow? Or just doing it too much?

[teegre]

I'm just curious if 46 passes was acceptable why not 55? Using the short game to compliment the running game is acceptable too if it puts receivers in space. Whatever takes time off the clock and keeps moving the chains. Still not a fan of the WR screen at the boundary play.

With so many DBs out, I’d have been fine with 73 passes...

[SteelMember]

I noticed the jet sweep motions, that were getting the ball previously, were just decoys with the ball going to the RB's this week...
Just putting it on film to keep everyone honest I suspect. :noidea:

[Born2Steel]

I can see why they like that WR screen play. Especially with 2 punt returners in the mix at WR in DJ and Ray Ray. I also saw a few other teams run it on Sunday with much better results. Maybe they are "tipping" it somehow? Or just doing it too much?

The play itself is fine as a play. My 'gripe' is when trying to move the chains and keep the clock moving, why throw a 2-3 yard backward pass right at the boundary where it's simple to push the WR out of bounds thus stopping the clock. AND now the receiver has to run that extra 2-3 yards to move the chains. I rank that call with the RB end around at the goal-line. The defense may not "see it coming" but the defense is still fast enough to stop it.

Conner averaged right at 7 yards per carry on 13 totes.

[Squeegee Thompson]

I noticed the jet sweep motions, that were getting the ball previously, were just decoys with the ball going to the RB's this week...
Just putting it on film to keep everyone honest I suspect. :noidea:
^This. Same is true for the 2nd and long draw plays. I think once they were up 10-3, the game was basically iced given how bad Luton was playing. The predictable play-calling, not showing too many wrinkles, etc I think was by design. They need to save the doozies for KC in the playoffs or for the Colts / Bills road games coming up. Jacksonville was not the game to open up the whole playbook and get some surprises put on film for the rest of the league to study.

I liked their whole mindset in that game: Rotate out your DL and LBs to keep them fresh for Thursday. Let the Jacksonville run game get some cheap yards on the ground. And if by some miracle of luck or sloppy play, JAX gets anywhere close during the game, then you give the QB a fat dose of Watt, Dupree, Heyward and Tuitt (which is what they did when JAX was driving down 10-3 and threatening). Once it was 17-3, they called off the dogs again and kept everyone (mostly) healthy and fresh.

Yeah, I know Jacksonville is a terrible team, but that's still an NFL team. Holding anyone to 3 points in 60 minutes of play (and zero for about the final 55 minutes) is an impressive performance. All the more impressive given they were using about 1/3 of the playbook and rotating in the 2's and 3's.

[polamalubeast]

TODD WEBSTER FROM HAGERSTOWN, MD: Is it only me or does the offensive play-calling seem questionable? Many times it's frustrating to watch the offensive play-calling resulting in stalled possessions or loss of yards. To me and the group with whom I watch the games, Randy Fichtner seems lost at times.
ANSWER: That's because if you or one of your game-watching pals were calling the plays, the Steelers never would lose a single yard and every possession would end with a touchdown, right? I will admit that I have complained about every offensive coordinator the Steelers ever have had, and in order that group included Tom Moore, Joe Walton, Ron Erhardt, Chan Gailey, Kevin Gilbride, Mike Mularkey, Ken Whisenhunt, Bruce Arians, Todd Haley, and Randy Fichtner. So I get it. I'm guilty, too. But allow me to mention this to you: The Steelers are the only team in the NFL in 2020 to have scored at least 24 points in every regular season game to date. And included among the play-callers whose offenses have fallen short of at least 24 points in every game so far in 2020 are Sean Payton and Andy Reid and Josh McDaniels and Kyle Shanahan and Sean McVay. There is a belief that every play that doesn't work was called by Fichtner and every play that succeeds was called by Ben Roethlisberger. That's simply not true.

Let me relay a personal anecdote from a few years ago: it was a Saturday afternoon, and my wife and I were in a neighborhood establishment enjoying some food and beverages and watching a variety of the college football games being shown on a number of televisions. There was a group of fans sitting a short distance away, and half the group was rooting for one of the teams in the game they were watching and the other half was rooting for the other team. It was late in the fourth quarter of that game, and one team scored a touchdown with just a few seconds left to close to within one point. I injected myself into their little group, and I asked, "Do you go for two and try to win right now, or do you kick the PAT and play for overtime?" There were no timeouts left, and so the ball had been spotted and the play-clock was running. After some, "Um, well, maybe …" I interrupted again and reminded them nicely that there's no time for indecision, because in less than 40 seconds they have to decide whether to go for the win or not, and if so, decide on which play to call, and that the clock is running. Not as easy as people believe.

Fichtner is not perfect, but right now what the offense is doing is working, Ben Roethlisberger is playing well and isn't getting hit very often, and as already mentioned the offense is the only one in the NFL to have scored at least 24 points in each game this season. There are far more things going right than there are to complain about.

https://www.steelers.com/news/asked-and-answered-nov-24-x3378

[polamalubeast]

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[teegre]

I love when Ben catches the defense with the wrong personnel on the field... and he immediately goes “no huddle” (which keeps that mismatch on the field / doesn’t allow the opposition to substitute).

[86WARD]

1331383282076934145

That’s weird. First thought you think maybe they are trying to establish the run early in the half and that is why there could be a discrepancy between the quarters but the pass attempts don’t really show that...lol

[tube517]

1331383282076934145

Doesn't Fichtner have 15 or 20 scripted plays to start the game?

[polamalubeast]

That’s weird. First thought you think maybe they are trying to establish the run early in the half and that is why there could be a discrepancy between the quarters but the pass attempts don’t really show that...lol

The screens, very short passes or things like that, it counts as a pass attempts too in the stats....

[teegre]

That’s weird. First thought you think maybe they are trying to establish the run early in the half and that is why there could be a discrepancy between the quarters but the pass attempts don’t really show that...lol

I wonder...

What types of passing plays are occurring in the different quarters?

Similarly, I wonder if the run plays are more effective in Q2 & Q4 (due to Ben calling them/being called for the right situation).

SUMMATION:
Fitchner sucks. Yes, he might be able to spit out a play in 40 seconds, but it’s no more effective than a play anyone in a bar could call (given a week to prepare a play-call sheet). If it truly is just 40 seconds “off the top of my head”, I’m going with Ben 100 times out of 99.