- Oct 8, 2017
- 2,170
- 5,604
Due to self hatred, I tracked every called pass regardless of how the play turned out (penalty, scramble, sack) and every Mertz pass depth (also regardless of result). Due to this, the numbers don't fully match up and the numbers don't match the box score. But, it gives you some strong patterns.
One commentary from many are the limited downfield receivers/routes (DFR). For this, any receiver more than 4 yards downfield, I counted as a DFR.
Here is the breakdown:
1 or 0 DFR (think screens) - 12 (including a 3rd and 22, and a 4th and 14)
2 DFR - 15 (3 of our sacks and ran this on a 3rd and long and 4th and long. Both failed. Both sacks)
3DFR - 18 (includes 1 sack and the play to Pearsall, which was borderline at 4/5 yards when needing 7)
4DFR - 9 (includes 1 sack and short yardage EP, where I adjusted for field depth, but we sent out all 5, 4 with some depth)
5DFR - 1 (maybe, couldn't see 5th receiver, but I'll credit him as being down field)
half of our plays are 2 DFR or less and 60% of our sacks are 2DFRs. Often the 3DFR plays have a guy barely 5 yards down field.
Less than 20% of passes have 4DFRs or more.
Side note: I don't know if it was injury or something else, but Jackson was involved in the first quarter and then barely spotted on the field. Maybe he got hurt on the ball across the middle.
For Mertz
Throws at or behind the line of scrimmage (again, counted even if called back for penalty, or don't count for defensive PI) - 18.
Throws 5 yards or less - 12.
5-10 yards - 3
10-20 yards - 7 (3 completions)
20+ yards - 6 (3 completions)
Overall comments. 2/3 of all throws were 4 yards or less. I thought Mertz missed more behind the line throws. It was really only 3 bad throws on these and nearly all were early in the game, plus the one on a 4 yard pass to Pearsall on the pick. 1 or 2 got called back, but when judging the 70% completion percentage, consider he had 16 passes at or behind the line, including 3 pop/shuffle passes.
Of his 6/13 completions on 10+ yard completions, 1 was the awful throw to pearsall. I remember it being behind Pearsall because he was 8 yards past any defender. But, I did not recall him throwing him so out of bounds. Pearsall was running up the numbers and couldn't stay in bounds on the catch due to ball placement. Another 20 plus yard pass was the TD to Douglass that neither led him nor was a back shoulder throw. Good chance that is a pick against a good DB. He had 4 of 13 downfield throws that were good.
In sum, Mertz threw 30 passes under 5 yards down field, with at least 8 on downs we needed more than 6 (usually a good amount more) and did not get a first.
In fairness to Mertz a lot was being given to us or baiting us into it to run clock towards the end, but these have to impact how we view Mertz's performance. It wasn't bad, certainly. It also was not game impacting in any meaningfully positive manner.
Last observation, this does all reiterate that this offense, barring changes, cannot score quickly when needed by pushing the ball downfield and it cannot suffer anything 3rd and 7 or longer. Again, we could improve or completely change the gameplan. But, this is what we put on tape.
EDIT - I just finished doing this for an hour and found On3 made a video of every pass attempt. FML. The one time they do something helpful and I missed it.
One commentary from many are the limited downfield receivers/routes (DFR). For this, any receiver more than 4 yards downfield, I counted as a DFR.
Here is the breakdown:
1 or 0 DFR (think screens) - 12 (including a 3rd and 22, and a 4th and 14)
2 DFR - 15 (3 of our sacks and ran this on a 3rd and long and 4th and long. Both failed. Both sacks)
3DFR - 18 (includes 1 sack and the play to Pearsall, which was borderline at 4/5 yards when needing 7)
4DFR - 9 (includes 1 sack and short yardage EP, where I adjusted for field depth, but we sent out all 5, 4 with some depth)
5DFR - 1 (maybe, couldn't see 5th receiver, but I'll credit him as being down field)
half of our plays are 2 DFR or less and 60% of our sacks are 2DFRs. Often the 3DFR plays have a guy barely 5 yards down field.
Less than 20% of passes have 4DFRs or more.
Side note: I don't know if it was injury or something else, but Jackson was involved in the first quarter and then barely spotted on the field. Maybe he got hurt on the ball across the middle.
For Mertz
Throws at or behind the line of scrimmage (again, counted even if called back for penalty, or don't count for defensive PI) - 18.
Throws 5 yards or less - 12.
5-10 yards - 3
10-20 yards - 7 (3 completions)
20+ yards - 6 (3 completions)
Overall comments. 2/3 of all throws were 4 yards or less. I thought Mertz missed more behind the line throws. It was really only 3 bad throws on these and nearly all were early in the game, plus the one on a 4 yard pass to Pearsall on the pick. 1 or 2 got called back, but when judging the 70% completion percentage, consider he had 16 passes at or behind the line, including 3 pop/shuffle passes.
Of his 6/13 completions on 10+ yard completions, 1 was the awful throw to pearsall. I remember it being behind Pearsall because he was 8 yards past any defender. But, I did not recall him throwing him so out of bounds. Pearsall was running up the numbers and couldn't stay in bounds on the catch due to ball placement. Another 20 plus yard pass was the TD to Douglass that neither led him nor was a back shoulder throw. Good chance that is a pick against a good DB. He had 4 of 13 downfield throws that were good.
In sum, Mertz threw 30 passes under 5 yards down field, with at least 8 on downs we needed more than 6 (usually a good amount more) and did not get a first.
In fairness to Mertz a lot was being given to us or baiting us into it to run clock towards the end, but these have to impact how we view Mertz's performance. It wasn't bad, certainly. It also was not game impacting in any meaningfully positive manner.
Last observation, this does all reiterate that this offense, barring changes, cannot score quickly when needed by pushing the ball downfield and it cannot suffer anything 3rd and 7 or longer. Again, we could improve or completely change the gameplan. But, this is what we put on tape.
EDIT - I just finished doing this for an hour and found On3 made a video of every pass attempt. FML. The one time they do something helpful and I missed it.
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