This article is part of our Red Zone Watch series.
Los Angeles Rams
The Rams had three drives against the Jets reach inside the 10-yard line, and they settled for field goals every time. It would have been one thing if the Jets had stuffed running back Todd Gurley on a few of those plays, but the Rams instead decided to use different methods to try and reach the end zone. Quarterback Case Keenum threw four times in the red zone, including twice inside the 10, while Gurley and Benny Cunningham were each given single red-zone carries (both inside the 10-yard line) and they combined for minus-three yards (each had negative yardage). Everyone knows that Gurley is struggling this season, but ignoring your best running back in goal-to-go situations seems like a recipe for failure. In fact, only three running backs had more than Gurley's nine red-zone rushing touchdowns last season but he has only three this year. But hey, they won 9-6, so great job, Jeff Fisher!
New England Patriots
Despite having one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time and a 6-foot-7 tight end who could end up being the greatest at his position, the Patriots continue to rely on their running game when they get into the red zone. That was especially evident Sunday against the Seahawks, as they ran 10 times and only threw twice inside the 20, including eight times and once, respectively, inside the 10. Additionally, Tom Brady only threw to his tight ends (Rob Gronkowski and Martellus Bennett) when they were
Los Angeles Rams
The Rams had three drives against the Jets reach inside the 10-yard line, and they settled for field goals every time. It would have been one thing if the Jets had stuffed running back Todd Gurley on a few of those plays, but the Rams instead decided to use different methods to try and reach the end zone. Quarterback Case Keenum threw four times in the red zone, including twice inside the 10, while Gurley and Benny Cunningham were each given single red-zone carries (both inside the 10-yard line) and they combined for minus-three yards (each had negative yardage). Everyone knows that Gurley is struggling this season, but ignoring your best running back in goal-to-go situations seems like a recipe for failure. In fact, only three running backs had more than Gurley's nine red-zone rushing touchdowns last season but he has only three this year. But hey, they won 9-6, so great job, Jeff Fisher!
New England Patriots
Despite having one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time and a 6-foot-7 tight end who could end up being the greatest at his position, the Patriots continue to rely on their running game when they get into the red zone. That was especially evident Sunday against the Seahawks, as they ran 10 times and only threw twice inside the 20, including eight times and once, respectively, inside the 10. Additionally, Tom Brady only threw to his tight ends (Rob Gronkowski and Martellus Bennett) when they were in the red zone, with Gronkowski getting the only target from inside the 10, which came on the last play of the game. Meanwhile, LeGarrette Blount rushed seven times in the red zone (Brady got the other three) and scored two one-yard touchdowns and one from 13 yards out. Brady's passing numbers continue to be prolific, but when the Pats get close to the goal line, it's Blount time.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Analyzing red zone stats often centers around trying to figure out how a team prefers to move the ball from in close. Taking it a step further, the breakdown allows you to determine whether a running back is in a better or worse situation based on how his team calls plays, as the more pass plays they call inside the 20, the fewer rushing opportunities for the running back. However, that level of thinking doesn't apply to the Steelers, as Le'Veon Bell continues to be an excellent receiver in addition to his rushing duties. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger threw nine times in the red zone Sunday against the Cowboys, including seven times inside the 10-yard line, and Bell finished with just as many targets inside the latter area (two) as Antonio Brown. Adding his name to the list was Eli Rogers, who joined Bell and Brown as part of Roethlisberger's three red-zone touchdowns, with Brown's coming on a 15-yard fake-spike play. What this all really intends to explain is that even if the Steelers started passing significantly more in the red zone, Bell will still be a highly valuable piece of that attack.
Seattle Seahawks
If there was any question as to who is going to lead the Seahawks' backfield until Thomas Rawls comes back, C.J. Prosise seemed to answer it handedly Sunday against the Patriots. Not only did he out-carry Christine Michael 17-5, he also dominated the touches in the red zone, as he rushed six times from inside the 20-yard line, including five times inside the 10. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to gain more than three yards on any carry, while wide receiver Doug Baldwin caught three touchdown passes that came on plays of six, 18 and 15 yards. Baldwin's shortest touchdown was Russell Wilson's only completion (of four attempts) inside the 10-yard line, so while he was able to score on that play, there's little question that Prosise will be given the carries from in close until Rawls returns.
Washington Redskins
The Redskins targeted tight endJordan Reed on 26.6 percent of their red-zone passes last season, which helped him rack up 10 touchdowns from inside the 20, a total only Allen Robinson (12) and Tyler Eifert (11) beat. However, Reed isn't nearly as productive inside the red zone this year, as his seven targets inside the 20 represent only 14.0 percent of quarterback Kirk Cousins' attempts in the area, a percentage that trails both Jamison Crowder (24.0 percent) and Pierre Garcon (20.0 percent). On the plus side, Reed has scored two touchdowns from inside the 10-yard line, but the negative is that Crowder and Garcon have barely out-targeted him. Given the inconsistent running back situation in Washington, there are still likely to be plenty of balls being thrown in the red zone, but Reed's smaller share of targets from in close is a big reason why he hasn't been nearly as dominant this year as many had hoped.
