Tag: third down

Jimmy Graham’s role within the Saints offense should grow outside the red zone

Jimmy Graham has 3 touchdowns on 4 catches. His efficiency in the red zone begs the question: how effective could Graham be outside the 20?

Often times in life, when one question is answered another one arises. New Orleans Saints fans have often asked the question “Will the Saints use Jimmy Graham in the red zone?” all season when the fan-favorite pass-catcher was idling on the bench as a healthy scratch while their offense was failing to end drives with touchdowns.

And over the past two weeks, Graham has been successful enough inside the 20-yard line to create a new question: “Why isn’t he used more often?” Graham played a lot of snaps early in the season when Juwan Johnson was injured (including a staggering 42 of them against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 4) but he was asked to work as a run blocker (73 snaps), not a pass catcher (61 snaps), more often than not.

Graham’s success rate in his specialty role as a red zone scoring threat is ridiculous. On the season, he has 4 catches for 3 touchdowns and an additional first down.

Why not expand the role? Graham could be used not just as a red zone specialist but as a weapon on third downs, too. No one should expect him to turn back the clock a decade, but he’s shown enough in a limited capacity to draw more targets. That expansion could help a struggling passing attack that finds itself low on weapons.

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Sean Payton, Russell Wilson comment on Broncos’ third down woes

“We have to be better in that area. Our third down plan has to be cleaner,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said.

The Denver Broncos were absolutely abysmal on third down against the Houston Texans on Sunday, going 0-of-11 in a 22-17 loss.

After the game, Denver quarterback Russell Wilson credited the Texans and said the Broncos got in a too many third-and-medium and third-and-long situations.

“Yeah, they did a good job stopping us on third down,” Wilson said. “We had some key plays, I think, on first and second down that could have given us a little bit more action down the field in the run game and all that kind of stuff, and they did a good job making it third-and-medium, third and-longs a couple times. We’ve got to find a way. Third down is all about finding a way – whether it’s throwing it, running it, caught a run or two – they stopped us on those. A few other passes, too, we almost had them. They did a good job.”

During his conference call with reporters on Monday, coach Sean Payton seemingly disagreed with Wilson’s assessment. The coach implied that Denver had third-and-manageable situations and simply failed to execute.

“It’s not good enough,” Payton said of the team’s third-down woes on Sunday. “Obviously, it’s frustrating. It’s a combination of a handful of things — protection, guys open and us not making a play. I felt like the yardage and the distances were what we wanted. We have to be better in that area. Our third down plan has to be cleaner. It wasn’t a game where so many of them were third-and-long.”

Payton also expressed frustration about the team’s final play in which Wilson did not shift receivers before the snap. The coach also noted that receiver Jerry Jeudy was wide open and not see by Wilson two or three times. Payton clearly was not pleased with Wilson’s performance on Sunday, and it’s not surprising after the quarterback threw three interceptions.

If the Broncos are going to make a playoff push in the final five games of the season, Wilson will have to play better — and the offense has to execute better on third down.

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Broncos need to improve on 3rd down and in the red zone

The Broncos went 2-of-12 on third down and 1-of-5 in the red zone last week. “We have to get that cleaned up,” coach Sean Payton said.

The Denver Broncos have won four straight games, but they’re not content with their performance, particularly on offense.

Against the Minnesota Vikings last week, the Broncos went 2-of-12 on third down (17%) and 1-of-5 (20%) scoring touchdowns in the red zone. Denver’s three takeaways made the difference, as they have in the last three games.

At some point, the Broncos are going to face a better team and their turnover luck is going to run out. When that happens, Denver will need to be more efficient on offense to win, and they know it.

“Those are all technically like turnover downs,” coach Sean Payton said of the team struggling to convert on third down. “You’re punting. So we have to get that cleaned up and we have to be better on third down, obviously.

“We’re going to have to be better — play better — because we’re going to play in bigger games against opponents that will be progressively tougher and tougher.”

Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson said the team improving on first and second down will help them get into more manageable third down scenarios. Wilson also expressed optimism that Sunday’s win will spark better days ahead.

“We had too many third-and-longs,” Wilson said. “That’s the thing — we have to be better on first and second down. I think that will help us on third down. I think what really matters about this game and winning this game on Sunday Night Football and everything else is, this shows who we can be and who we are.

“To be a great team, you have to be able to win the games you should win and you also have to win the games that have been tough throughout the whole day. The games that look dark for a little bit and come through with it. That’s what’s really key. I think the most important thing for us is we have to stay to humble, and we have to stay hungry. There’s a lot more to do. We’re going to get better. We’re on the rise. At the end of the day, we haven’t done anything yet.”

Things won’t get any easier going up against the Cleveland Browns’ defense this week. The Browns are allowing the sixth-fewest points per game (18.0) and they have the best third-down defense in the NFL (25.39%). Sunday will be a big test for Denver’s offense.

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Chiefs defense is NFL’s best on third down since 2000

The #Chiefs defense is having an incredible season, and this stat proves that the unit comes up big in crucial situations.

The Kansas City Chiefs’ defensive resurgence in 2023 has been a sight to behold for fans who yearned for more tough play from coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s unit in recent seasons.

Now one of the top defenses in the league, one stat in particular shows just how dominant Kansas City has been in crucial situations, especially on third downs.

According to Tony Holzman-Escareno, an NFL Senior Researcher, the Chiefs are only allowing 3.0 yards per play on third downs, which is the best mark of any defense since at least 2000.

Tidbits like this are a great way to contextualize the outright dominance of Kansas City’s defense in 2023, and the team should have no problem continuing their winning ways as long as the unit continues to come up big in crucial situations.

Expect Spagnuolo to keep his foot on the gas as the Chiefs look to defend their Super Bowl title against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 11.

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This key metric proves Patrick Mahomes is NFL’s best QB on third down

Next Gen Stats broke down #Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes’ success in third-and-long situations.

To say that Patrick Mahomes has played stellar football since taking over as the Kansas City Chiefs’ starting quarterback in 2018 would be an understatement of epic proportions.

He has not only delivered the team Super Bowl wins but has also achieved spectacular statistical success that places him entirely in a league of his own. Mahomes’ accomplishments on third down are well documented, but one analysis done by Next Gen Stats proves that when it comes to the most crucial situations, the reigning MVP is more likely to deliver than any other signal-caller in the league.

His average time to throw, throw past sticks percentage, yards per attempt, and pass EPA are all the best of any quarterback in the league in third and seven-or-more-yard situations.

While some of these marks could be attributed to Andy Reid’s offensive scheme, Mahomes’ ability to process, react, and deliver accurate balls to receivers on time is truly second to none in one of the game’s most difficult situations.

Quick takeaways from the Lions impressive win over the Buccaneers

Quick takeaways from the Lions impressive Week 6 win over the Buccaneers

The Detroit Lions improved to 5-1 on the season with an impressive 20-6 win over the Buccaneers in Tampa Bay. Detroit’s defense did not allow a touchdown and controlled the game, while the offense made enough key plays to defeat the NFC South leaders in their own building.

Here are some of the takeaways from watching the Week 6 game in real-time.

Sam Howell talks the Commanders’ success on 3rd downs vs. Eagles

Washington’s offense was excellent on third downs against the Eagles.

Through the first three games of the 2023 NFL season, the Washington Commanders struggled on third downs. A big issue for the Commanders was the sacks on first or second down, putting quarterback Sam Howell in third-and-long far too often.

In Week 4 against one of the NFL’s top defenses — the Philadelphia Eagles — Washington converted eight of 17 on third down. The Eagles were only four of 12 on third down. Both teams converted twice on fourth downs.

So why was Washington so much better on third downs? One was the game plan from offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy. Bieniemy’s plan was for Howell to take shorter drops to slow down Philadelphia’s pass rush. It worked.

While the Eagles finished the game with five sacks, none were devastating. The quick passing game allowed Howell to pick up moderate yardage on first and second down, so he didn’t face nearly as many third-and-long situations against Philly.

On Tuesday, Howell spoke about Washington’s success on third downs and how it built confidence.

“I think it’s all about momentum,” Howell said. “Once you kind of pick up one third down, and you pick up another third down, once you get to third down, you just have so much confidence. I think it’s just one of those things where you can kind of get the defense on their heels. I just think the more you can convert on third down, the better you’re going to be on offense. I think that it’s definitely something that creates momentum and helps you moving forward.”

He’s right. Far too often over the years, Washington has struggled on third downs. Quarterback play is often a major culprit. Could Howell’s success against the Eagles be a sign of things to come?

Howell still has a long way to go as a quarterback, but if Bieniemy can tailor a similar plan for Howell each week, it lessens the pressure on a struggling offensive line.

Next up is the Chicago Bears. And while Chicago is winless, Howell understands every NFL game is hard to win.

“There’s no easy games in the NFL, and they have a lot of really good players on their defense, and they fly around,” he said.

Saints’ woes on third down are concerning, and struggles may continue

The #Saints haven’t converted more than 4 third downs in a game since Week 8. Here’s what they’ve been doing and how they could improve, via @RossJacksonNOLA:

Over the past few weeks the New Orleans Saints coaching staff has addressed a common thread. “We’ve got to be better on third down,” is a notion that has been commonly expressed by both head coach Dennis Allen and offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael. Over the course of the last four game, the Saints have not converted more than four third downs in a game. The last time they did came against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 8. Against them the Saints went 7 of 12 for an impressive 58% conversion rate. If you include first downs granted by penalties, the numbers boost to 8 of 13 for 61.5%, tying the NFL’s fourth best rate that week.

Since then, however, New Orleans has struggled on third down:

  • Week 9 vs. the Baltimore Ravens: 3/11 (27%)
  • Week 10 at the Pittsburgh Steelers: 3/12 (25%)
  • Week 11 vs. the Los Angeles Rams: 4/11 (36%)
  • Week 12 at the San Francisco 49ers: 4/11 (36%)

Over those four weeks, an additional 3 third down plays resulted in a penalty against the Saints and 1 first down was award by injury. That makes the Saints a combined 15 of 49 on third downs since Week 9. Ranking them No. 25 in third down conversion percentage during that stretch at a 30.6% clip.

The bad news for New Orleans is that these situational woes may continue. With five games remaining, the Saints will face three teams whose defenses rank in the NFL’s top-15 in third down stop percentage. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers rank No. 9 with the Cleveland Browns directly behind them at No. 10. The Saints’ Week 17 opponent the Philadelphia Eagles clock in at No. 15. As for the Carolina Panthers and Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans could catch a break against them as they rank at Nos. 20 and 30 respectively. However, New Orleans converted on 4 first downs in their Week 1 matchup with the Falcons and just 5 when they visited Carolina in Week 3.

So, things could continue to be a struggled Carmichael and his offense as the season goes along. Allen shared his thoughts on how the team’s struggles on third downs during his Monday presser. “You have to put yourself in positive situations,” Allen said. “And then when you’re in those situations you have to execute. And if you’re a step off, then those usually end up in non-conversions as opposed to conversions.”

The tricky part about that is that even when the Saints end up in positive situations, they often do not find the success they would expect. Here are how the Saints’ 49 third downs over the last four games has broken out. We’ll group them by down and distance and explore what New Orleans has done (or has not been doing) that has led to their struggles.

Phillip Dorsett explains Texans’ third down strategy ahead of Week 8 matchup vs. Titans

Dorsett said that getting the ball to their most trusted playmakers will help the #Texans continue converting third downs at a high rate

Preparation is key for any NFL team’s game plan, but Houston Texans receiver Phillip Dorsett told reporters on Tuesday that one key factor plays the biggest role in a team’s success on third down. After careful film study and analysis of their opponent’s tendencies, he explained to the media that coming down with receptions in drive-defining moments is crucial to the Texans’ fortunes in every matchup they’ll face moving forward.

“Just understanding what coverages the team we’re playing plays, and then just work on the plays to try and execute,” Dorsett said when asked how the team is preparing to continue their improvement on third down. “The biggest thing about third down is completing the passes. We all know… you’ll probably get man coverage and some blitz. It’s just the offensive line holding up and Davis (Mills) finding the right guy and the right read. Going to your playmakers, going to the guys you know will help you. The sure-handed guys. That’s the big emphasis honestly.”

Every game they play presents new opportunities for the Texans to show new signs of life as they continue through the early stages of what promises to be a lengthy and arduous rebuilding process. Houston fans are ready to see week-to-week improvement from this up-and-coming squad of scrappy underdogs, and third downs would be an ideal situation for the team to prove that they are getting better as the 2022 season wears on.

To hear Dorsett tell it, turning third downs from a weakness to a strength should be relatively easy. All they need to do, according to the veteran receiver, is get the ball into the hands of their most reliable playmakers and rely on their film study to tell them what their best option is.

The team showed that they could convert third downs at a reasonable clip last week against the Las Vegas Raiders, but the Tennessee Titans will likely put up a better fight in Week 8. Watch for the strategy that Dorsett laid out to make or break Houston’s effort in Sunday’s matchup, and for the team to target a slew of different pass catchers in crunch-time situations.

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Phillip Dorsett explains how Texans receivers can help convert more third downs

Dorsett broke down his third-down strategy to reporters

Improvement on third down played a significant role in the Houston Texans’ early offensive success in Week 7, and their players have been talking to reporters in the team’s press conferences about how they can keep the momentum they built against the Las Vegas Raiders. Veteran receiver Phillip Dorsett made a salient point on the subject in his comments on Tuesday, telling reporters that success comes down to something very simple.

“You’ve just got to win your match up,” He explained. “Whoever’s across from you. If it’s man coverage, you’ve got to beat them. If it’s zone coverage, you’ve got to find the right spot in the zone. You’ve just got to be smarter. You’ve got to play smart football on third down, and that’s what we’ve got to continue to work on.”

Dorsett seems poised to take on a bigger role in the Texans’ offense, and with an impressive touchdown scored against the Raiders, has shown hints of excellence. Perhaps the next evolution of his game will come as a trusted late-down target for quarterback Davis Mills, who needs all the help he can get in moving his unit downfield.

As one of the league’s fastest receivers, big plays come naturally to the crafty Dorsett. He was a first-round pick in the 2015 draft by way of the Indianapolis Colts but has yet to find his stride at the professional level. Trade rumors regarding fellow speed merchant Brandin Cooks have swirled ahead of the deadline, so the die may be cast for Dorsett to take over on more snaps in the near future.

Houston will take whatever they can get from him for now, but with a big-time matchup against the Tennessee Titans just days away, Dorsett will have a huge opportunity to prove that his performance against Las Vegas was more than just a flash in the pan.