Admin Steve
01-05-2012, 07:40 AM
It’s not often you see the Ravens call a timeout three plays in to their first offensive possession. Usually it would give one cause for concern, but this time the next play resulted in a 70 yard touchdown run by star running back Ray Rice. Right guard Marshall Yanda made a critical block on the play and his value can’t be overstated as he is one of the premier run blockers in the NFL. After the quick score the offense was off the TD watch that began last week in the Cleveland game. Add a Flacco to Pitta TD pass and another score by Rice and the Ravens had secured a 24-16 road win that clinched the AFC North Division.
The offense might not be getting more explosive, but it is becoming more efficient. During the second half of the season the Red Zone conversion percentage has been 62% compared to 43% for the first eight games. The touchdown conversion rate is a major factor for this team to be successful specifically because the passing game is pedestrian. The offense has the hammer in Ray Rice, but it lacks the scythe in the passing game.
The win over Cincinnati was another example of the formula we’ve seen work all year. Limit turnovers and feed the ball to Rice and you will win…it’s that simple. In games this year when Rice scores a rushing TD and the offense has less than two turnovers the Ravens are
8-0.
In the first eight games Rice ran for six TDs and Flacco threw for nine. In the second eight games Rice ran for six TDs and Flacco threw for 11. The scoring was down to 21.2 points per game over the last eight games compared to 26 for the first half of the year.
Efficiency is even more important to the Ravens offense for the simple fact they don’t generate as many Red Zone chances as most of the other playoff teams. For the year the Ravens averaged 3.1 Red Zone attempts per game. The only playoff team with fewer attempts per game is Denver.
(2011 Final regular season offensive stats)
Category
2010 (rank)
2011 to date
2011 Ranking
Difference
Pts / Gm
22.3 (16)
23.6
T-12th
http://ravens24x7.com/content/images/green%20up.jpg
Tot Pts
357 (16)
378
12th
http://ravens24x7.com/content/images/green%20up.jpg
Yds / Gm
322.9 (22)
338.7
15th
http://ravens24x7.com/content/images/green%20up.jpg
Rush Yds/Gm
114.4 (14)
124.8
10th
http://ravens24x7.com/content/images/green%20up.jpg
Pass Yds/Gm
208.4 (20)
213.9
19th
http://ravens24x7.com/content/images/green%20up.jpg
1st downs/Gm
18.9 (18)
19.5
T-15th
http://ravens24x7.com/content/images/green%20up.jpg
3rd Down Pct.
39% (T-16)
42%
T-7th
http://ravens24x7.com/content/images/green%20up.jpg
4th Down Pct.
40% (T-21)
57%
T-6th
http://ravens24x7.com/content/images/green%20up.jpg
Penalties
90 (T-18)
92
9th
http://ravens24x7.com/content/images/green%20up.jpg
TOP/Gm
31:20 (11)
30:35
11th
http://ravens24x7.com/content/images/arrows.jpg
Fumbles
22 (T-17)
24
T-9th
http://ravens24x7.com/content/images/red%20down.jpg
Fumbles Lost
10 (T-17)
12
T-8th
http://ravens24x7.com/content/images/red%20down.jpg
Turnovers
+7 (9)
+2
T-11th
http://ravens24x7.com/content/images/red%20down.jpg
Red Zone %
49.2% (22)
51%
17th
http://ravens24x7.com/content/images/green%20up.jpg
Flacco QB Rating
93.6 (7)
80.9
18th
http://ravens24x7.com/content/images/red%20down.jpg
http://ravens24x7.com/content/images/camometer-warm%20540.jpg
Red Zone Conversion Rate for Teams in the playoffs
Team
2011 Red zone %
2010 Red zone %
1. New England
65.3%
61.9%
2. Green Bay
65.1%
62.7%
3. Detroit
63.8%
64.4%
4. New Orleans
58.7%
51.5%
5. NY Giants
57.1%
57.4%
6. Atlanta
52.5%
60.7%
7. Ravens
51.0%
49.2%
8. Pittsburgh
50.9%
52.5%
9. Denver
47.2%
55.8%
10. Houston
46.7%
62.3%
11. Cincinnati
45.1%
49.1%
12. San Francisco
40.7%
47.6%
Keep in mind for some categories a decrease is positive, as in the case of Fumbles lost, and an increase is negative, as in the case of Penalties.
More... (http://ravens24x7.com/columns/Behind-the-Numbers/Big-Plays-by-Rice-Carry-Offense-in-Road-win-over-Bengals-)
The offense might not be getting more explosive, but it is becoming more efficient. During the second half of the season the Red Zone conversion percentage has been 62% compared to 43% for the first eight games. The touchdown conversion rate is a major factor for this team to be successful specifically because the passing game is pedestrian. The offense has the hammer in Ray Rice, but it lacks the scythe in the passing game.
The win over Cincinnati was another example of the formula we’ve seen work all year. Limit turnovers and feed the ball to Rice and you will win…it’s that simple. In games this year when Rice scores a rushing TD and the offense has less than two turnovers the Ravens are
8-0.
In the first eight games Rice ran for six TDs and Flacco threw for nine. In the second eight games Rice ran for six TDs and Flacco threw for 11. The scoring was down to 21.2 points per game over the last eight games compared to 26 for the first half of the year.
Efficiency is even more important to the Ravens offense for the simple fact they don’t generate as many Red Zone chances as most of the other playoff teams. For the year the Ravens averaged 3.1 Red Zone attempts per game. The only playoff team with fewer attempts per game is Denver.
(2011 Final regular season offensive stats)
Category
2010 (rank)
2011 to date
2011 Ranking
Difference
Pts / Gm
22.3 (16)
23.6
T-12th
http://ravens24x7.com/content/images/green%20up.jpg
Tot Pts
357 (16)
378
12th
http://ravens24x7.com/content/images/green%20up.jpg
Yds / Gm
322.9 (22)
338.7
15th
http://ravens24x7.com/content/images/green%20up.jpg
Rush Yds/Gm
114.4 (14)
124.8
10th
http://ravens24x7.com/content/images/green%20up.jpg
Pass Yds/Gm
208.4 (20)
213.9
19th
http://ravens24x7.com/content/images/green%20up.jpg
1st downs/Gm
18.9 (18)
19.5
T-15th
http://ravens24x7.com/content/images/green%20up.jpg
3rd Down Pct.
39% (T-16)
42%
T-7th
http://ravens24x7.com/content/images/green%20up.jpg
4th Down Pct.
40% (T-21)
57%
T-6th
http://ravens24x7.com/content/images/green%20up.jpg
Penalties
90 (T-18)
92
9th
http://ravens24x7.com/content/images/green%20up.jpg
TOP/Gm
31:20 (11)
30:35
11th
http://ravens24x7.com/content/images/arrows.jpg
Fumbles
22 (T-17)
24
T-9th
http://ravens24x7.com/content/images/red%20down.jpg
Fumbles Lost
10 (T-17)
12
T-8th
http://ravens24x7.com/content/images/red%20down.jpg
Turnovers
+7 (9)
+2
T-11th
http://ravens24x7.com/content/images/red%20down.jpg
Red Zone %
49.2% (22)
51%
17th
http://ravens24x7.com/content/images/green%20up.jpg
Flacco QB Rating
93.6 (7)
80.9
18th
http://ravens24x7.com/content/images/red%20down.jpg
http://ravens24x7.com/content/images/camometer-warm%20540.jpg
Red Zone Conversion Rate for Teams in the playoffs
Team
2011 Red zone %
2010 Red zone %
1. New England
65.3%
61.9%
2. Green Bay
65.1%
62.7%
3. Detroit
63.8%
64.4%
4. New Orleans
58.7%
51.5%
5. NY Giants
57.1%
57.4%
6. Atlanta
52.5%
60.7%
7. Ravens
51.0%
49.2%
8. Pittsburgh
50.9%
52.5%
9. Denver
47.2%
55.8%
10. Houston
46.7%
62.3%
11. Cincinnati
45.1%
49.1%
12. San Francisco
40.7%
47.6%
Keep in mind for some categories a decrease is positive, as in the case of Fumbles lost, and an increase is negative, as in the case of Penalties.
More... (http://ravens24x7.com/columns/Behind-the-Numbers/Big-Plays-by-Rice-Carry-Offense-in-Road-win-over-Bengals-)