

It’s an opportunity to push the ball downfield since the worst that will happen is that an incomplete pass will set up third-and-short. The goal on second-and-short, specifically, should not just be to get the first down. This is the kind of play-calling designed to get the play to third down, the sort of conservative play selection that drives fans crazy. Run-heavy on second downĪ noticeable trend is that the Jets tended to run the ball more than they passed it on second down and short-to-medium yardage, at least in the first half of games.Ģnd down, <= 3 yards to go: 16 run, 10 passĢnd down, 4-6 yards to go: 26 run, 16 pass Still, a breakdown of the team’s first-half tendencies provides some clues, since teams usually stick to their game plan in the first half. Obviously, that is going to limit the playbook options. Next Article: New York Jets training camp storylines: Injury watch, culture high, Cougar Zach First-half play selectionĪny Jets play-calling breakdown from 2021 must acknowledge that the Jets trailed most of the time, often by multiple scores. Play-calling was far from the only reason that this was the case, but it certainly played a role.īreaking down the Jets’ play selection from last season may give us some clues towards how the team can improve on offense in 2022.Ĥ. The 2021 iteration of Jets football was often ugly and at times unwatchable.

Sometimes, coaches will stick to certain tendencies for an entire game so as to break out the ace up their sleeve in a critical moment. This is the cat-and-mouse game that goes on every play, every series, every game. Still, if the defense knows you’re going to pass, it takes away some of the edge. Analytics have shown that it’s both an untrue principle and disadvantageous in the long run for most teams. In today’s NFL, running to set up the pass has gone largely out the window. In addition to playing to the team’s strengths and the defense’s weaknesses, it’s critical for a team to avoid becoming too predictable. If the coach gets it right, he’s a genius if he gets it wrong in a key spot, he may lose his job.Ĭhoosing whether to run or pass is a big part of the play-caller’s responsibilities. Ultimately, play-calling is a tricky thing. It’s not second-guessing when everyone thought they were going to run the ball beforehand, is it? 1, 2015) represented the quintessential play call hand-wringing by millions of NFL fans around the world, not to mention the Seahawks 12th Man diehards and Marshawn Lynch himself. That’s what former New York Jets coach Pete Carroll will face for the rest of his life.

Looking at offensive play selection on specific downs and distances can give some clues
