Analyzing NFL Pass and Rush Splits

Dwain McFarland's Analyzing NFL Pass and Rush Splits Dwain McFarland Published 08/08/2019

A foundational component to projecting NFL offensive production is determining how many plays a team is likely to run and how often they will run or pass on those plays. Game script has a major impact on how teams approach offensive balance. For this reason, each team’s wins and their average margin of victory (MOV) are important contexts. Teams that win more often by larger margins will lead more and vice versa.

Game Script and Play Calling Splits by Wins (2014 - 2018)

Team Wins
5 or fewer
6 or 7
8 or 9
10 or 11
12 or more
Leading %
21%
30%
35%
44%
51%
Tied %
18%
18%
20%
19%
20%
Trailing %
61%
51%
46%
36%
30%
Pass %
59%
58%
57%
55%
54%
Rush %
41%
42%
43%
45%
46%

Below is a breakdown of each team’s play volume and splits for the 2018 season. Each team is broken down by leading, tied, and trailing scenarios.

Wins – Half wins represent ties

MOV – Average margin of victory (points scored minus points allowed)

Plays – Totals pass attempts, sacks, and rush attempts

Attempts – Totals pass attempts and rush attempts

Pass % – Based on attempts (for projecting purposes)

Rush % – Based on attempts (for projecting purposes)

Lead, Tie, and Trail Data – Based on total plays

All data sourced from Pro Football Reference.

2018 Team Plays and Splits by Game Script

Team
Wins
MOV
Plays
Attempts
Pass %
Rush %
Lead play %
lead Pass %
lead rush %
tie play %
tie pass %
tie rush %
trail play %
trail pass %
trail rush %
ARI
3
-12.5
902
850
58%
42%
13%
50%
50%
18%
52%
48%
68%
65%
35%
ATL
7
-0.6
1010
968
64%
36%
31%
60%
40%
19%
63%
37%
51%
69%
31%
BAL
10
6.4
1135
1103
50%
50%
45%
42%
58%
21%
51%
49%
34%
65%
35%
BUF
6
-6.6
1008
967
52%
48%
29%
39%
61%
17%
50%
50%
54%
62%
38%
CAR
7
-0.4
1011
979
58%
42%
33%
45%
55%
28%
54%
46%
39%
74%
26%
CHI
12
8.6
1013
980
52%
48%
51%
49%
51%
21%
51%
49%
27%
65%
35%
CIN
6
-5.4
938
901
60%
40%
24%
55%
45%
22%
59%
41%
54%
66%
34%
CLE
7.5
-2.1
1023
985
58%
42%
25%
46%
54%
23%
61%
39%
52%
66%
34%
DAL
10
0.9
1022
966
55%
45%
40%
50%
50%
27%
57%
43%
32%
66%
34%
DEN
6
-1.3
1015
981
60%
40%
16%
42%
58%
23%
58%
42%
61%
68%
32%
DET
6
-2.3
1019
978
59%
41%
33%
49%
51%
18%
53%
47%
49%
71%
29%
GB
6.5
-1.5
1026
973
66%
34%
28%
61%
39%
20%
61%
39%
52%
74%
26%
HOU
11
5.4
1040
978
52%
48%
47%
48%
52%
16%
58%
42%
37%
61%
39%
IND
10
5.6
1070
1052
61%
39%
37%
51%
49%
22%
60%
40%
41%
73%
27%
JAX
5
-4.4
1005
952
56%
44%
26%
55%
45%
23%
46%
54%
51%
66%
34%
KC
12
9.0
996
970
60%
40%
58%
57%
43%
18%
64%
36%
24%
70%
30%
LAC
12
6.2
945
911
56%
44%
47%
50%
50%
13%
57%
43%
40%
67%
33%
LAR
13
8.9
1060
1027
55%
45%
49%
48%
52%
17%
61%
39%
34%
68%
32%
MIA
7
-7.1
878
826
55%
45%
25%
51%
49%
24%
53%
47%
51%
64%
36%
MIN
8.5
1.2
1003
963
63%
37%
36%
50%
50%
19%
63%
37%
46%
76%
24%
NE
11
6.9
1073
1052
55%
45%
52%
51%
49%
21%
54%
46%
27%
65%
35%
NO
13
9.4
1010
990
52%
48%
40%
45%
55%
20%
58%
42%
40%
59%
41%
NYG
5
-2.7
984
937
62%
38%
29%
52%
48%
13%
60%
40%
58%
71%
29%
NYJ
4
-6.8
971
934
56%
44%
24%
45%
55%
16%
52%
48%
60%
64%
36%
OAK
4
-11.1
995
943
59%
41%
23%
49%
51%
21%
57%
43%
57%
67%
33%
PHI
9
1.2
1037
997
60%
40%
32%
56%
44%
16%
59%
41%
52%
66%
34%
PIT
9.5
4.3
1058
1034
67%
33%
41%
55%
45%
21%
67%
33%
37%
82%
18%
SEA
10
5.1
1012
961
44%
56%
33%
40%
60%
26%
41%
59%
41%
57%
43%
SF
4
-5.8
1003
955
56%
44%
31%
50%
50%
16%
56%
44%
53%
63%
37%
TB
5
-4.3
1055
1014
62%
38%
32%
57%
43%
15%
56%
44%
53%
69%
31%
TEN
9
0.4
940
893
49%
51%
29%
41%
59%
20%
51%
49%
51%
58%
42%
WAS
7
-4.9
967
923
55%
45%
33%
45%
55%
15%
57%
43%
51%
65%
35%
NFL AVG
8
0
1007
967
57%
43%
34%
50%
50%
20%
56%
44%
46%
67%
33%

Photos provided by Imagn Images
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