|
Q: I've seen some soccer games where they throw up a number showing what percentage of the game was played in each team's half of the field. Can you do something similar for the NFL?
A: Only considering basic offensive plays (so no punts, field goals, false start penalties, etc.) and counting each play as being worth the same with no regards to the length of time the play lasted, here are the stats for the 2000 season --
Final Regular Season Statistics
Percentage of game in Opponent's Half
| Team |
On Offense |
On Defense |
Overall |
| Baltimore |
50% |
63% |
56% |
| Tennessee |
48% |
62% |
55% |
| Oakland |
49% |
59% |
55% |
| Jacksonville |
48% |
59% |
54% |
| New York Giants |
48% |
58% |
53% |
| Detroit |
46% |
59% |
53% |
| Denver |
49% |
57% |
53% |
| Pittsburgh |
43% |
61% |
53% |
| Indianapolis |
46% |
57% |
52% |
| Green Bay |
45% |
58% |
52% |
| St.Louis |
50% |
52% |
51% |
| San Francisco |
46% |
54% |
51% |
| New York Jets |
46% |
55% |
51% |
| Tampa Bay |
43% |
56% |
51% |
| New England |
44% |
56% |
51% |
| Philadelphia |
43% |
56% |
50% |
| Miami |
40% |
59% |
50% |
| Kansas City |
44% |
55% |
50% |
| Seattle |
46% |
53% |
50% |
| New Orleans |
44% |
55% |
50% |
| Dallas |
44% |
53% |
49% |
| Atlanta |
41% |
55% |
49% |
| Washington |
40% |
56% |
48% |
| Carolina |
46% |
49% |
48% |
| Minnesota |
43% |
51% |
48% |
| Buffalo |
41% |
53% |
47% |
| Arizona |
43% |
48% |
46% |
| Chicago |
36% |
54% |
46% |
| San Diego |
38% |
50% |
45% |
| Cincinnati |
36% |
50% |
43% |
| Cleveland |
34% |
47% |
41% |
ANALYSIS:
There's no denying the value of spending time in the opposition's half -- the top 10 teams had a
combined 104-56 record, whereas the bottom 10 teams had
an almost reversed 54-106 mark. It always lends credibility to a stat's meaningfulness if the
Super Bowl winner is rated as the best, and there the Baltimore Ravens are at #1 with 56.4% of their
games spent in opposition territory. The New York Giants meanwhile were the top NFC team in this
category.
Teams that are exceptions to the overall rule that "more time spent in the other end of the field
leads to more wins than losses" include Jacksonville (7-9 but #4 in the NFL at 54% in the
opponent's half) and Minnesota (11-5 despite only 48% in the opponent's end). The Jaguars did
disappoint most pre-season prognosticators, so perhaps they were better than their record shows.
The Vikings on the other hand have a low offensive number, in part because they were a scoring threat from anywhere on the field!
|
