Just how much DID the Packers use max-protect in '06?

[Patler]

I got to thinking about this when someone brought it up today. In 2006, the Packers attempted 630 passes. David Martin, Bubba Franks and Donald Lee were the targets on 110 of those passes. I assume they were in pass routes many times when they were not the target of the pass, perhaps even more often than when the pass was directed at them.. There also were occasions when no tight ends were on the field during passing plays, but there also were times when two tight ends were on the field, and perhaps one stayed in to block. There also were times when the tight end blocked, but from the backfield in place of the fullback.

I really wonder how much the tight ends were asked to stay in and block? Was it really an overly excessive frequency, or just a bit more than usual?

[swede]

One wonders also if the GB offense faced a perception among opponents that challenging GB's young offensive line with different looks and blitzes was likely to be less risky and produce more rewards than usual.

If the defense was sending more rushers than ususal, smart football would have obligated us to keep TE's and backs in to block.

Patler, I thought both coaches and players mentioned the unusual reliance on max protect last year. It wasn't just me Wist and Arrigo.

I think I see your point, though, in that the question remains: in any given game were we talking an extra 3, 5, 15, or 25 plays in max protect?

[Patler]

Patler, I thought both coaches and players mentioned the unusual reliance on max protect last year. It wasn't just me Wist and Arrigo.

I think I see your point, though, in that the question remains: in any given game were we talking an extra 3, 5, 15, or 25 plays in max protect?

Oh, it definitely was mentioned by players, including Franks, and by McCarthy himself. I'm not in any way suggesting that the Packers didn't use extra help for their O-line, because they did. They admitted it. But as you pointed out, was it 3 more times a game, 5, 15 or more? The fact that 110 passes were thrown to the tight ends suggests it may not have been as often as some fans seem to think it was.

I certainly don't know the answer. I'm just throwing some facts out there to discuss.

[HarveyWallbangers]

There was actually a stat on this in the latest ESPN Magazine. Green Bay used an extra blocker on something like 56% of their pass plays last year--which led the league. The team that did it the fewest was around 33%. I think most teams were in the low to mid 40s.

My percentages could be off, but that's what they were around.

[Patler]

There was actually a stat on this in the latest ESPN Magazine. Green Bay used an extra blocker on something like 56% of their pass plays last year--which led the league. The team that did it the fewest was around 33%. I think most teams were in the low to mid 40s.

My percentages could be off, but that's what they were around.

Interesting. Do you have the article?

Assuming 600 attempts:

Packers used an extra blocker about 340 times
Team with the fewest would have about 200 times.
League average would be about 240 to 280 times (assuming 40%-47%).

That would mean the Packers used it on about 4-6 more plays each game than the league-wide average.

I wonder what the next closest team was at, percentage-wise

[HarveyWallbangers]

I'll look it up tonight.

[Noodle]

What the raw stats won't help you figure out is how coach's concerns about the OL affected play-calling. You don't need to maxprotect for a quick slant or routes off a 3-step drop, but maybe you go with the 3 step instead of a call with progressions because you don't want your QB getting whacked.

I guess you could go back and compare how many times the Pack used 3 step drops last year as opposed to other years when we had a stronger OL, but then you'd have to go back to different coaches, and that would affect the integrity of the comparison.

We used max protect more than anybody else. That tells me something about how good this line was perceived to be by the guys who know it best, the coaching staff. I'm hopeful a year of growth will yield improvement, but just how much is a big question. So far, in preseason, I haven't seen much to make me happy.

[Packnut]

There was actually a stat on this in the latest ESPN Magazine. Green Bay used an extra blocker on something like 56% of their pass plays last year--which led the league. The team that did it the fewest was around 33%. I think most teams were in the low to mid 40s.

My percentages could be off, but that's what they were around.

You are correct sir, although I believe MM stated it was 61% in a JSO article a while back.

[HarveyWallbangers]

People have a misconception about max protect, so I'll define it my way to end any confusion (about what I mean about it). Having the 5 OL + 1 extra blocker is not max protect. That's quite typical. Max protect, to me, would be when you have a FB and a TE, for example, in to block. Thus, these stats from ESPN don't really clear up that issue.

Here are the numbers: percentage of pass plays an offense used more than 5 blockers (at least ONE extra blocker--not necessarily max protect):

Seattle = 38.3%
New England = 42.4%
Philadelphia = 47.8%
New Orleans = 50%
Arizona = 52.4%

St. Louis = 54%
Washington = 54.5%
San Francisco = 56.5%
Cincinnati = 58.2%
Green Bay = 58.3%

I might have misread the list though. Originally, I thought the teams on the left were the teams that used an extra blocker the least and the list on the right are the teams that used an extra blocker the most. However, it doesn't say anything about that, and it would seem strange then that Arizona and St. Louis's percentages would be so close. Maybe it's just 10 random teams. However, the numbers are interesting. Again, this isn't the percentage of pass plays where max protect was used (in my definition).