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  1. #1
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    Great piece on "Analytics" in the NFL

    From Tanier:
    http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2...-their-rosters

    Last paragraph spoiler:

    The team built on analytics looks a lot like the Patriots, Green Bay Packers, Pittsburgh Steelers and Ravens, even though some of these perennial contenders appear to be much more old-fashioned than Moneyball oriented.
    That's because analytics and conventional wisdom have more in common than you think, and many franchises have found ways to make them work hand in hand.





  2. #2
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    Re: Great piece on "Analytics" in the NFL

    Quote Originally Posted by JimZipCode View Post
    From Tanier:
    http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2...-their-rosters

    Last paragraph spoiler:
    Thanks for sharing Jim. Awesome read with my Saturday morning coffee
    "Cause if you ain’t pissed off for greatness, that just means you’re okay with being mediocre, and ain’t no man in here okay with just basic.”
    - Ray Lewis

    https://www.baltimoreravens.com/author/cole-jackson

    Twitter: @ColeJacksonFB





  3. #3
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    Re: Great piece on "Analytics" in the NFL

    I love this nugget.

    Teams put too much stock in the value of shiny, big-name top prospects. In fact, the research indicates that draft results are so close to a lottery that the best course of action is to just buy a whole bunch of scratchers to increase your odds of getting lucky.
    cf. Baltimore Ravens 2016 draft
    "Chin up, chest out."





  4. #4
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    Re: Great piece on "Analytics" in the NFL

    Quote Originally Posted by HotInHere View Post
    I love this nugget.



    cf. Baltimore Ravens 2016 draft
    ;)
    "Cause if you ain’t pissed off for greatness, that just means you’re okay with being mediocre, and ain’t no man in here okay with just basic.”
    - Ray Lewis

    https://www.baltimoreravens.com/author/cole-jackson

    Twitter: @ColeJacksonFB





  5. #5

    Re: Great piece on "Analytics" in the NFL

    Quote Originally Posted by HotInHere View Post
    I love this nugget.



    cf. Baltimore Ravens 2016 draft
    How about this one:

    So a fully analytic approach to roster construction results in an NFL team full of size-speed specimens drafted in middle rounds who replace experienced veterans but are released the moment they become too expensive, and the roster contains no well-known running backs or kickers
    It goes on to say that this is a caricature of the analytical team and in reality it's more nuanced than that, but this actually sounds exactly like the Ravens' approach to the draft this year.

    In terms of measurables, the article points out two stats: broad jump for pass rushers and vertical for wide receivers. Chris Moore was near the top in vertical (37, #7 for WR; the only notable WR higher were Doctson, Shepard, and Coleman). Kaufusi and Correa were a little lacking in broad jump, though.


    Also re: kickers, the only portion of that that doesn't look like the Ravens:

    As for kickers, the best research dictates that teams pursue those who kick off effectively and demonstrate the leg strength to provide a reasonable success rate from 50-plus yards. A four-year contract for Stephen Gostkowski or a franchise tender for Justin Tucker makes sense. A second-round selection for Roberto Aguayo—whose kickoffs were wild and who wasn't very impressive from beyond 50 yards—has massive backfire potential.





  6. #6

    Re: Great piece on "Analytics" in the NFL

    The Ravens have been using analytics since at least 2012 and probably earlier. In 2012, they even hired their own version of Paul Depodesta.

    http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap100...ace-statistics

    Sandy Weil left the Ravens in 2015 and I don't recall any press release regarding a replacement hire to a similar position. However, the relative value of comp picks vs. free agent spending, the 80/20 rule and drafting in quantity in 2016 are all examples of some reliance on what is loosely called analytics in the NFL.





  7. #7

    Re: Great piece on "Analytics" in the NFL

    Quote Originally Posted by Mark View Post
    The Ravens have been using analytics since at least 2012 and probably earlier. In 2012, they even hired their own version of Paul Depodesta.

    http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap100...ace-statistics

    Sandy Weil left the Ravens in 2015 and I don't recall any press release regarding a replacement hire to a similar position. However, the relative value of comp picks vs. free agent spending, the 80/20 rule and drafting in quantity in 2016 are all examples of some reliance on what is loosely called analytics in the NFL.
    The Ravens hired Eugene Shen as director of coaching analytics in 2014, I think he's still on the team.





  8. #8

    Re: Great piece on "Analytics" in the NFL

    Quote Originally Posted by Ravenstatsman View Post
    The Ravens hired Eugene Shen as director of coaching analytics in 2014, I think he's still on the team.
    Thanks Statsman. It looks like Chen's title is Director of Coaching Analytics. I wonder how that differs from what Weil was doing as Director of Football Analytics.





  9. #9
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    Re: Great piece on "Analytics" in the NFL

    Quote Originally Posted by Mark View Post
    Thanks Statsman. It looks like Chen's title is Director of Coaching Analytics. I wonder how that differs from what Weil was doing as Director of Football Analytics.
    If I had a guess, I'd say that it has to do with things to help coaches choose players whereas Football analytics is much broader and can include season ticket sales motivations, ranking types of community/business partnerships with benefits ..... Football could be the whole enchalada, Coaching seems to narrow it down to direct game/team/player issues and not business aspects IMO
    at one point of my life I was exactly Pi years old





  10. #10

    Re: Great piece on "Analytics" in the NFL

    So the browns were just slow to go with analytics and the Ravens have been using it for several years now?





  11. #11

    Re: Great piece on "Analytics" in the NFL

    Not to demean analytics in any way, because I'm actually a big proponent (though for football, moderation is key), but of course the draft is gonna seem like a crap shoot when you have the same sorry ass teams (Hi, Cleveland!) that can't coach up their players at the top year after year.





  12. #12
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    Re: Great piece on "Analytics" in the NFL

    Its implementation in the NFL is still a good bit different from 'Moneyball' referenced in the article's title. Moneyball refers to structuring your roster to maximize undervalued statistical contributions (e.g. on-base percentage.) There really is no correlation in football, nor should there be. Baseball is much more independent action, whereas every stat accumulated on a football field is in some way dependent on other players.
    "Chin up, chest out."





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