Can This Be Right?

[RamFan503]

I'm going to have to look into this more. I was trying to find out run to pass ratios on first downs for another thread but stumbled upon this:

http://www.sportingcharts.com/nfl/stats/team-yards-per-first-down-attempt/2015/

The Rams have the highest average yards per first down attempt in the ENTIRE NFL? WTF? What are we doing wrong on all the other downs?

 

[FRO]

Well it's not like we have a lot of first down plays, those numbers could be skewed by a few big plays.

 

[RaminExile]

Well it's not like we have a lot of first down plays, those numbers could be skewed by a few big plays.

Excellent insight! It's likely it's a statistical anomaly simply cause the Rams have such an unusually small amount of first downs so the sample size is small!

 

[RamFan503]

Fewest first down plays in the league. However, Cleveland is dead last in yards per first downs and has the 4th fewest 1st down plays. Either way, we gain over 8 yards per first down play and have the fewest overall plays? WTF is the problem with 2nd and 3rd downs that we are so awful? Is it penalties? Trying to get cute on 2nd down? Letting the D blow us up on 2nd and 3rd downs?

Still seems very odd.

 

[Psycho_X]

There is nothing normal about us on third down that's for sure. I mean, maybe there is but i wouldn't be surprised if we're one of thee worst teams in history on third down. No idea why but it is a freakish, beyond comprehension stat.

 

[Rainram]

Fewest first down plays in the league. However, Cleveland is dead last in yards per first downs and has the 4th fewest 1st down plays. Either way, we gain over 8 yards per first down play and have the fewest overall plays? WTF is the problem with 2nd and 3rd downs that we are so awful? Is it penalties? Trying to get cute on 2nd down? Letting the D blow us up on 2nd and 3rd downs?

Still seems very odd.

My top 3 reasons...in no particular order.

Penalties
Poor Run Blocking (and that's being nice)
Complete lack of execution at the QB, WR, TE positions (i.e. drops, awful throws, bad decisions, miscommunication)

 

[fearsomefour]

Fewest first down plays in the league. However, Cleveland is dead last in yards per first downs and has the 4th fewest 1st down plays. Either way, we gain over 8 yards per first down play and have the fewest overall plays? WTF is the problem with 2nd and 3rd downs that we are so awful? Is it penalties? Trying to get cute on 2nd down? Letting the D blow us up on 2nd and 3rd downs?

Still seems very odd.

Whats interesting about Cleveland is while they are last in yards on first down, McCown was leading the NFL in third down passing efficiency....at least was for a bit.

 

[jrry32]

I'm going to have to look into this more. I was trying to find out run to pass ratios on first downs for another thread but stumbled upon this:

http://www.sportingcharts.com/nfl/stats/team-yards-per-first-down-attempt/2015/

The Rams have the highest average yards per first down attempt in the ENTIRE NFL? WTF? What are we doing wrong on all the other downs?

It's easier to pick up 8 yards on 1st and 15 or 1st and 20 than it is on 1st and 10.

 

[Legatron4]

Don't forget, when Gurley was on a roll, all his long runs were on first down. So plays of 52, 55, 48, 71 and 24 really skews that stat.

 

[Ballhawk]

I find this hard to believe, of course. But my reference in the other thread was mainly aimed at the last five games. They were more effective before then and it seems that they are more conservative calling plays since the QB play went to crap.

There are a lot of other interesting stats on that site like YAC. It tells a grim tale!

 

[RAGRam]

Pro-Football-Reference.com has us 4th.

A large part of it may be because we've had the third lowest number of first down sacks.

Using my stat I've just created that I like to call "First down rating" (think passer rating but with running plays included) we're 29th in the league, with only the Jets, Ravens and Browns being worse.

 

[dieterbrock]

didnt I see a stat that the Rams had like the worst 3rd down yardage to go?

 

[RAGRam]

What's amazing is the Rams have the worst yards to gain on 2nd down, despite having the 4th most yards gained on 1st down .