Importance Of Explosive Plays
June 21st, 2017
Stats back him up.
When lazy Lovie Smith coached the Bucs, the dude was hung up on takeaways worse than Joe is hung up on ice cold beers on summer Friday afternoons.
That’s all Lovie would talk about (when he wasn’t pimping his mancrush, Mike Jenkins). Takeaways. Lovie’s face would light up and his eyes would sparkle as if Joe saw Rachel Watson climbing out of his pool.
Winning Bucs coach Dirk Koetter is big on takeaways, too, but not as much as what he calls “explosive plays.” Those are running plays of at least 12 yards and completions of at least 16 yards.
The Bucs were woeful in this area in 2016, and Koetter likes to point to that as a big reason why the Bucs missed the playoffs.
Late last night while scrolling Twitter, Joe came across an interesting stat from Scott Kacsmar of FootballOutsiders.com. As Joe has written before, Joe respects the FootballOutsiders.com crowd. There, Kacsmar had a stat that backed up Koetter big time in relation to how explosive plays lead to wins.
@FO_ScottKacsmar: How about winning games? Nearly 75% of NFL games are won by the team that gains more yards per pass attempt.
“More yards per pass attempt” certainly suggests explosive plays, which would boost that average, no?
The lack of explosive plays and its link to losing also underscores why the Bucs beefed up the receiver corps big time this offseason.
June 21st, 2017 at 1:22 pm
One could argue that your yards per pass attempt will be higher if you aren’t throwing it too much. Which is a result of running the ball well.
One could argue.
June 21st, 2017 at 1:30 pm
Speaking for Pablo
“Pablo was the king of “explosive” plays when Pablo was younger…..resulting in creating Pablo’s many, many Childrens. Pablo recently received many unusable gifts for feliz Día del Padre…..including 3 ties (Pablo doesn’t wear ties)…..and a gift certificate to Red Lobster (Pablo is allergic to seafood)…..Pablo does appreciate the thought”
June 21st, 2017 at 1:52 pm
lol
June 21st, 2017 at 1:52 pm
But now we actually have explosive players…
I think between Evans, Jackson, and Goodwin we’ll have a few of those explosive plays this season.
June 21st, 2017 at 1:54 pm
Hello DJax, OJ, Godwin and McNichols. Welcome!
June 21st, 2017 at 2:31 pm
Dirk’s yardstick for a successful play is 1) a gain of four or more yards, 2) a first-down conversion, or 3) a score. The yardstick for an explosive play is quite a bit longer, and Dirk wants his share, but a steady diet of successful plays will keep him happy too.
June 21st, 2017 at 3:09 pm
I wish someone would have told us this last year???? Oh Wait!!!! It is the request ” The Realist Repost”!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Buc Realist Says:
August 9th, 2016 at 11:13 am
VJ ( who turns 34 at the end of the season) Just has a lot of miles on those tires!!!! We also need some explosive, speed WR and will be top priority!!! Why have JW3 without the weapons??????
June 21st, 2017 at 4:29 pm
I wonder how the click through rate for Rachel Watson links compares to click throughs for referenced articles…
June 21st, 2017 at 7:18 pm
lulz
June 21st, 2017 at 8:29 pm
@Kacsmar … “Nearly 75% of NFL games are won by the team that gains more yards per pass attempt.” Borders on ‘meaningless statistic’ Joe. Only two statistics are truly worthwhile:
1 – The team that scores the most points in a game will win 100% of the time.
2 – The team that allows the least points in a game will win 100% of the time.
Of course, I’m sure that Realist will tell me that he’s already posted that before. Those two ‘stating the obvious’ stats rank right along with “Why have JW3 without the weapons??????” Realist.
June 21st, 2017 at 9:23 pm
Dude Lovie Smith is not the head coach, why do you keep reference him. Coach smith has been to the big dance. Ask your present coach to get to the dance.
June 22nd, 2017 at 9:40 am
@ Pete Mitchell: ROFL!!!