04-03-2014, 08:06 PM
The upshot is compare our offense to our defense. We had about possession 80 or so times at the 75 yard line (average kickoff); 40 or so times in the 20 (about a 50% rate). By comparison, our opponents had the ball at the 20-25 yard line over 100 times; the ball was at the 10 - 20 about 30 times (about a 30% rate).
Before anyone chastises me, I am aware of the severe methodological flaws in my very crude estimate. Since this is just a count of plays, if you start on say your own 20 yard line, and have two plays go for no gain, and then throw a touchdown on third and long, you register three plays at the 20 yards and zero plays in the red zone. In contrast, if you return the kickoff all the way to your opponent's 20, you have zero plays deep in your own zone, and potentially three plays in the red zone.
Still, it is remarkable that while our offense had only a slight excess of plays on our own side of the field compared to being on the opponent's side of the field, on defense, we mostly stayed 60 - 80 yards away from our own end zone. If you are a defense, you have to like that.
BC
Before anyone chastises me, I am aware of the severe methodological flaws in my very crude estimate. Since this is just a count of plays, if you start on say your own 20 yard line, and have two plays go for no gain, and then throw a touchdown on third and long, you register three plays at the 20 yards and zero plays in the red zone. In contrast, if you return the kickoff all the way to your opponent's 20, you have zero plays deep in your own zone, and potentially three plays in the red zone.
Still, it is remarkable that while our offense had only a slight excess of plays on our own side of the field compared to being on the opponent's side of the field, on defense, we mostly stayed 60 - 80 yards away from our own end zone. If you are a defense, you have to like that.
BC