Welcome back and keep the queries coming. Today’s comes from John Coates:
Q: My question is: Are there any statistics kept on what the percentage of success is when the QB sneak is run within one yard of the end zone? If so, can you find and report it? I would think it would be dramatically successful. If I am correct, it seems that every coach should be going with the odds and running it any time that situation exists.
A: John, I would need to get some folks grinding way on the computers to get that exact percentage.
But I can say that few teams are playing the odds so far this season. Whether the offenses are simply playing out of more open formations now with three and four wide receivers even down in close to the goal line, or coaches simply prefer to have a back handle the ball because of the risk of injury in the pile, or that some are simply trying the Wildcat look down in close with somebody besides the quarterback taking the direct snap, the sneak hasn’t been used that much in the scoring zone.
Right now the Steelers Ben Roethlisberger is the only starting quarterback in the league with more than one rushing touchdown – he has two. He is also one of the biggest players, physically, at the position and has been really durable in his career.
One of Roethlisberger’s TD runs was a 2-yarder around end and the other was a sneak, over the right guard, from the 1-yard line.
Jacksonville’s David Garrard has the most carries of the quarterbacks, with 21, but he has scored one touchdown — a 2-yard run around end, not a sneak.
Most of the other rushing touchdowns by quarterbacks have been runs of four, five or six yards and beyond when pressure may have forced them to pull the ball down, or they simply made the decision take off.
For the Broncos, Kyle Orton, who has played with a dislocated finger on his right hand that’s been wrapped up in the first four games, has been credited with six rushing attempts so far.
None of those have been a sneak attempt.
They were:
• Scramble up the middle on a second-and-8 against Cincinnati.
• Scramble up the middle on a second-and-8 against Cleveland.
• Took a knee against Oakland.
• Recovered a fumbled snap for no gain against Dallas, ran for 1-yard on a second-and-12 and took a knee against Dallas.
So perhaps when his hand is healed the Broncos may try to use it more, but you’re right in that it hasn’t been part of their plan yet.
Jeff Legwold: 303-954-2359 or jlegwold@denverpost.com
