Previously:
- Week 1 Game Scripts
- Week 2
- Week 3
- Week 4
- Week 5
- Week 6
- Week 7
- Week 8
- Week 9
- Week 10
- Week 11
- Week 12
- Week 13
One of the big upsets of the year came in week 14: the Broncos were 8-point underdogs to Houston, and jumped out to a 31-3 halftime lead. That sort of blowout by a large underdog only happens about once every two years. There was also a large comeback in week 14, as the Eagles beat the Giants with a -6.4 Game Script. The Giants raced ahead to a 17-3 halftime lead, but Philadelphia scored three touchdowns — one in each of the final three quarters — to win, 23-17.
It was a pretty run-heavy week 14; no team passed on even 71% of their plays. There were 6 games in week 13 where a team passed on at least 71% of plays, and then zero last week. If you squint, you could call the Giants, Cowboys, and Colts pass-happy last week, but none were all that one-sided. The full Game Scripts data below:
| Team | H/R | Opp | Boxscore | PF | PA | Margin | Game Script | Pass | Run | P/R Ratio | Op_P | Op_R | Opp_P/R Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DEN | @ | HOU | Boxscore | 38 | 24 | 14 | 18.5 | 28 | 27 | 50.9% | 53 | 22 | 70.7% |
| LAC | @ | JAX | Boxscore | 45 | 10 | 35 | 16.4 | 28 | 30 | 48.3% | 40 | 23 | 63.5% |
| MIN | DET | Boxscore | 20 | 7 | 13 | 11.7 | 31 | 39 | 44.3% | 45 | 22 | 67.2% | |
| LAR | SEA | Boxscore | 28 | 12 | 16 | 9.6 | 32 | 35 | 47.8% | 41 | 21 | 66.1% | |
| ATL | CAR | Boxscore | 40 | 20 | 20 | 9.1 | 35 | 32 | 52.2% | 46 | 22 | 67.6% | |
| GNB | WAS | Boxscore | 20 | 15 | 5 | 8.7 | 32 | 28 | 53.3% | 31 | 28 | 52.5% | |
| CHI | DAL | Boxscore | 31 | 24 | 7 | 6.4 | 33 | 34 | 49.3% | 51 | 22 | 69.9% | |
| BAL | @ | BUF | Boxscore | 24 | 17 | 7 | 6.3 | 26 | 33 | 44.1% | 45 | 24 | 65.2% |
| TEN | @ | OAK | Boxscore | 42 | 21 | 21 | 6 | 27 | 32 | 45.8% | 35 | 25 | 58.3% |
| KAN | @ | NWE | Boxscore | 23 | 16 | 7 | 5.7 | 41 | 29 | 58.6% | 40 | 22 | 64.5% |
| PIT | @ | ARI | Boxscore | 23 | 17 | 6 | 5.1 | 22 | 35 | 38.6% | 35 | 22 | 61.4% |
| CLE | CIN | Boxscore | 27 | 19 | 8 | 3.1 | 25 | 27 | 48.1% | 41 | 31 | 56.9% | |
| NYJ | MIA | Boxscore | 22 | 21 | 1 | 2.3 | 37 | 32 | 53.6% | 39 | 27 | 59.1% | |
| SFO | @ | NOR | Boxscore | 48 | 46 | 2 | -1.1 | 39 | 24 | 61.9% | 41 | 27 | 60.3% |
| TAM | IND | Boxscore | 38 | 35 | 3 | -4.2 | 50 | 28 | 64.1% | 37 | 22 | 62.7% | |
| PHI | NYG | Boxscore | 23 | 17 | 6 | -6.4 | 53 | 32 | 62.4% | 32 | 20 | 61.5% |
Meanwhile, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, and Washington were all pretty run-heavy. The Redskins/Packers game reminded me a bit of the Broncos/Packers game from week 3; the Packers controlled the game, but the other team still deployed a run-heavy game plan. Dwayne Haskins had 31 dropbacks (and no rushing attempts other than a kneel), while Adrian Peterson and company had 26 carries. Washington opened the game with 3 3-and-outs. The first one was run for 0, run for 1, sack. The second was sack, incomplete pass, pass for 9. The third was run for 3, run for 6, incomplete. Give the Redskins credit for variety, at least.
With the Ravens, we expect run-heavy game plans every week, and week 14 was no exception. Lamar Jackson had 26 passing plays, while Baltimore had 33 runs (two kneels). Interesting, none of Jackson’s 10 runs were scrambles.
As for the Steelers, Devlin Hodges led a run-heavy game plan with Pittsburgh, made easier by an 85-yard punt return touchdown in the first quarter. Against the Cardinals, Hodges went 16 for 19 for 152 yards with a TD and three sacks; he also had 4 scrambles. Pittsburgh’s running game wasn’t particularly effective, as the running backs had 28 carries for 98 yards and just three first downs. But Hodges picked up 12 first downs on his 26 dropbacks (including scrambles), and that was enough — along with a strong Steelers defense — to carry the day.