What do you consider to be a balanced offense?

[SC-Coltsfan]

Without looking at the link first what percentage of runs do you think the Colts did last year? I was quite surprised. I was just as surprised that Baltimore led the league with their percentage.

 

NFL Football Stats - NFL Team Rushing Attempts per Game | TeamRankings.com

https://www.teamrankings.com/nfl/stat/rushing-attempts-per-game

 

There will never be another team that runs it an absurd 70% of the time like the 72 Dolphins, but I would definitely like to see our percentage  go up, especially with the RBs we have. I guess 40% seems really high considering what we did last year, and what Baltimore led the league with, but what the heck. If we're able to stay on the field running it 40% of the time we will be hosting the Lombardi next February so 40% is my final answer. Although I realize it will never happen.

 

1972 Miami Dolphins Stats | The Football Database
https://www.footballdb.com/teams/nfl/miami-dolphins/stats/1972

 

And yes I see what TB did and still won the SB, but I like smash mouth football and think we could win one also with it.

[Myles]

Am I missing something.   That link shows that the Colts ran 65.2 plays per game and 28.8 were runs.   44.17%

 

I think short passes to RB's have cut into the rushing attempts many teams have.  

[Barry Sears]

A balanced offense is one that keeps defenses off-balance.  You run on teams that can't stop the run and pass on teams that can't stop the pass.

[SC-Coltsfan]

9 minutes ago, Myles said:

Am I missing something.   That link shows that the Colts ran 65.2 plays per game and 28.8 were runs.   44.17%

 

I think short passes to RB's have cut into the rushing attempts many teams have.  

Doh. No you are not missing something, but apparently I did. You are correct which means it makes a lot more sense now. That's why I was so shocked when I first read it that we only ran 28.6% of the time. 

[Myles]

1 minute ago, SC-Coltsfan said:

Doh. No you are not missing something, but apparently I did. You are correct which means it makes a lot more sense now. That's why I was so shocked when I first read it that we only ran 28.6% of the time. 

It's all good.

 

To answer your question, I would like to see the Colts run about the same 44% of the time to have a balanced offense.  I want them to use the RB's in short passes more.

[Smonroe]

I know you're asking in a general context.  But it's really game dependent.  If we get ahead in a game and start running it down their throats, it doesn't look balanced but it's right for that game.

 

But if we fall behind, I feel that our run game should still be part of the attack.

 

 

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

I think Reich has mentioned he would like it about 60% pass 40% run. 

[Myles]

We should have fresh leggs throughout the season.   Taylor, Mack, Hines, Wilken and Maybe Deon Jackson.

[Jackie Daytona]

I consider an offense balanced when they can run what they want, when they want.  It sounds like a bad definition, but if you are really well balanced you can keep the d guessing, and this do what you want.  The d might shut it down, but the ability to threaten multiple actions out of a flexible set makes you balanced in my opinion....

[AwesomeAustin]

I want the Colts to run enough the opposing LBs and SS get caught “peaking” into the backfield. Then it becomes a chess game of exploiting out of position players with crossing routes drawing the free safety in to cover the zone between the 2nd and 3rd level.  Once you have that you go over the top for 6!!

[EastStreet]

Top 10 pass and top 10 run. 

I'd prefer to around the medium pass % which is ~59%. We were around 55% last year. I'd also like to be more well rounded in terms of air yards.

[Scott Pennock]

Without reading the article.....offensive balance to me is the ABILITY to run on the teams that can easily be ran on and pass on the weaker secondaries.......and the balanced defenses a good mix of run, pass and play action!

[Nickster]

On 5/17/2021 at 9:25 AM, Barry Sears said:

A balanced offense is one that keeps defenses off-balance.  You run on teams that can't stop the run and pass on teams that can't stop the pass.

Absolutely.  I think Frank tips his hand a little bit.  
 

Everyone is a scientifically engineered Superman out there.  The days of just smash mouth are over.  If they go soft you can just pound them.  If they sell out to beat the run, burn them.

 

I think it’s archaic to have quotas.

[BornHoosier]

How about Wentz throwing for only 250yds a game or no more than 30 pass attempts?  Just like Troy Aikman did during the Cowboys glory days, 250 yds a game and Smith running for a buck 25!  We have the work horse back to be the focal point just like how the Boys did with Emmitt, its just a matter of commitment.  If teams want to stack the box and take away the run, that's when you throw the ball more as you take what the defense gives you.  Cant put a % on things as many times the opposition dictates the game plan.  

[stitches]

I just want to point out that those are skewed in favor of more rushing(compared to reality) for better teams and in favor of more passing for worse teams. What happens is - great teams get big advantages passing the ball and then run the ball to close the game and drain the clock, while bad teams fall behind a lot and try to come back by passing the ball a lot. Some outlets filter those situations out and provide stats for what they call "game-neutral situations". This is for situations that don't make your team skew the playcalling one way or the other, situations where the full playbook is available to the playcaller and he can actually choose what to play rather than be to a big degree forced to go pass or run. 

 

Right now I would consider balanced playcalling about 60-40 in favor of passing in those game-neutral situations. But in reality I want a team to try a pass-heavy playcalling. I want some team to decide to test the limits. Similar to how in the NBA the 3p attempts have been going up and up every year. I want an NFL team to try 70-80... 85% passing. I want to see where the limit is and whether it will impact the offensive efficiency negatively. 

[BornHoosier]

I feel the Colts will be at their best by trying to establish the run game through 3 qtr's and if they have the lead going into the 4th by all means keep pounding the rock.  We are built today to run the ball and play championship defense and THAT should be first and foremost on Coach Frank Reich's game plan but something tells me come wk 1 Wentz will have 60 attempts. 

[coltsfanej]

To me a balanced offense means they can find a way to put up points in any situation. Whether passing it 50 times or running it 50 times and paying no mind to what the percentages say. Just getting the job done. 

[Mackrel829]

On 5/17/2021 at 3:46 PM, Wentzszn said:

I think Reich has mentioned he would like it about 60% pass 40% run. 

 

I seem to remember that Reich has also said that a balanced offense is one that can run whatever it wants on a play to play basis. Against some teams, that might be more runs than passes. Against other teams, more passes than runs. 

 

I don't see the utility in focusing on arbitrary % devoid of context. A balanced offense is one that can run when the situation dictates that it should run, and can pass when the situation dictates that it should pass. 

[Valpo2004]

On 5/17/2021 at 10:25 AM, Barry Sears said:

A balanced offense is one that keeps defenses off-balance.  You run on teams that can't stop the run and pass on teams that can't stop the pass.

 

That's the thing, it isn't about having a balanced offense, it's about having an effective offense.  

 

Now having the ability to both run and pass well is key to an effective offense over the course of a season.  

 

But you do what works against each team. 

[TonyBungee]

To me, "balanced" is less about the percentages throughout the season, and more about unpredictability on any given play.  I want to see an offense we're you're just as likely to throw as run on 1st down.  Where it's not always a given that you're throwing on 2nd & 7.  Where the D pays for loading the box on 3rd & 1.  Where you sometimes throw out of a 2-TE set and run out of a spread.

[chad72]

A balanced offense is one that is capable of trotting out the personnel to take advantage of mismatches, whether it is the run game or pass game. It can be facets of the pass game where receiving TEs and RBs are featured against teams with weaker LBs in coverage while WRs are featured against teams that are undisciplined in the secondary. It can also be facets of the run game where the ends are weaker in run D thus featuring more off tackle runs while a weaker interior prompting us to run more down the middle.

 

A balanced offense is an offense that is capable of adapting to the weaknesses across teams. Game flow w.r.t game deficits or playing ahead cannot be predicted, hence the ability to adapt will be the most important feature for an offense.

 

The play calling matters w.r.t the unpredictable nature, when you go strength vs strength and still be able to execute in a creative manner, IMO.

 

Of course, ALL of this is on PAPER. The Johnnys and Joes executing the Xs and Os is what gives the offense credibility, whether it is pass or run.