Seven drastic modifications fueling sizzling begins throughout NFL: Saints' movement, Chargers' dashing, Seahawks' 3-WR units

The Saints are off to among the finest offensive begins in NFL historical past. J.K. Dobbins leads the NFL in dashing and the Chargers have the No. 1 scoring protection.  The Vikings lead the NFL in sacks. The Commanders are tied for first place within the NFC East.

There are some farfetched issues happening within the NFL proper now, as all the time, at the start of the season. So, how do we all know if they’re actual, or only a flash within the pan, maybe a product of a small pattern measurement or the schedule? We have to take a look at the underlying causes behind the surprises.

With that in thoughts, listed here are seven huge modifications fueling sizzling begins throughout the NFL. Most must do with shifts in scheme or tendencies. 

1. Saints (movement/play motion)

The Saints have 91 factors this season, tied for the fourth most in NFL historical past by means of two video games. They scored on every of Derek Carr’s first 15 drives this season. Completely astounding contemplating their mediocre season in 2023. 

And it could possibly be actual. They’ve the most important will increase in movement (plus-38 %) and play-action usages (plus-11 %) within the NFL this season. It is actually been efficient to this point. The Saints are averaging 7.9 yards per play with movement and 4.5 with out it this yr. Plus, they’re at 12.5 yards per try with play motion, and 9.4 with out it. 

As our Chris Trapasso superbly laid out earlier this week, the Saints’ sizzling begin comes with new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak bringing Kyle Shanahan’s schemes to New Orleans. 

I really like how Chris identified two similar performs the Saints ran in Dallas for enormous beneficial properties. Each concerned movement, play motion and max safety to neutralize the go rush and create huge performs downfield. 

2. Chargers (dashing/personnel)

We knew Jim Harbaugh was going to deliver depth and physicality to the Chargers. We simply did not realize it was going to translate this quickly. Los Angeles has the second-best dashing offense and greatest scoring protection within the NFL this season. They’re doubling their dashing complete from final yr, the most important enhance within the league, and altering up the workforce’s personnel within the course of.

They’re utilizing two-plus working backs on 37 % of their performs this season, the third highest fee within the league. The Chargers had ONE play with two working backs on the sector final season. Their secret weapon this yr (apart from J.Okay. Dobbins and his 9.9 yards per rush) has been 300-pound, three-way participant Scott Matlock, who Harbaugh transformed from defensive deal with to fullback proper earlier than the beginning of the season, even altering his jersey quantity from No. 99 to No. 44 in addition. 

The Chargers have run the ball on 40 of Matlock’s 45 offensive snaps this yr. It is not simply window dressing both. Try Matlock main the way in which on Dobbins’ 43-yard landing final week. I really like the unconventional personnel by Los Angeles, too. Dobbins, Matlock and Gus Edwards have been all on the sector. This was the one play by any workforce all season with three-plus working backs on the sector. 

That is nothing new for Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman. They gave defenses a heavy dose of the run after they have been in San Francisco collectively. Plus, we have seen Roman have a toy like Matlock earlier than within the type of one other 300-pounder, Patrick Ricard in Baltimore. 

It is not attractive, nevertheless it’s successful soccer. It additionally could not thrill Justin Herbert Fantasy house owners. He has as many video games with below 150 passing yards this yr as his first 4 seasons mixed (two). We’ll see how actual the dashing outburst goes after they face the Steelers and Chiefs within the subsequent two weeks. I believe it is right here to remain. 

3. Seahawks (11 personnel)

The Seahawks are doing one thing good throughout their 2-0 begin. They’re spreading the sector and enjoying their greatest weapons extra round Geno Smith, who has a terrific arm. What an idea. Week 2 was the primary sport in Seahawks historical past that includes a duo with 10-plus catches and 100-plus receiving yards every (D.Okay. Metcalf and Jaxon Smith-Njigba). It was additionally a sport that noticed Smith-Njigba get 16 targets. 

This wasn’t so apparent to former Seahawks offensive coordinator Shane Waldron final yr. The Seahawks used 11 personnel (1 RB, 1 TE, 3 WR) on the Seventeenth-highest fee final yr, in contrast with the seventh-highest mark in 2024. It quantities to the fourth-largest enhance within the NFL and the beneficiary has been Smith-Njigba, whose enjoying time has gone up considerably (64 % to 82 %).

If the payoff of placing your greatest gamers on the sector wasn’t apparent sufficient, there’s this: The Seahawks are averaging 6.7 yards per play with Metcalf, Smith-Njigba and Tyler Lockett all on the sector this yr. When any of them is off, that drops to three.7 yards per play. 

Seattle is in first place within the NFC West proper now and that could possibly be for actual. The Seahawks have a greater protection with former Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald as the top coach. Plus, final yr’s first-round choose, Smith-Njigba, could be rising as among the finest slot receivers within the NFL.

4. Vikings (blitz)

Minnesota leads the NFL with 11 sacks this yr, its most by means of two video games in franchise historical past. It might be straightforward to imagine the Vikings are dialing up a loopy quantity of unique blitzes like final yr after they had the best blitz fee within the NFL. That is not the case, although. The blitz fee is down from 50 % to 33 %, the second-largest decline within the NFL. 

That is positively a very good factor. The Vikings go protection was fourth worst in yards per try allowed when blitzing final yr (8.0), and fifth greatest when they didn’t blitz (6.1). Clearly, DC Brian Flores acquired the memo. Minnesota has the fourth-best pure strain fee (strain with no blitz) this yr, thanks partly to a bunch of recent go rushers that features Dallas Turner, Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel.

The addition of Sam Darnold and dialing again the blitz in Minnesota might make this 2-0 begin for actual. 

5. Steelers (pure strain)

The Steelers are the third workforce within the Super Bowl period to begin 2-0 regardless of scoring one offensive landing, becoming a member of the 1988 Bills and 2000 Lions (hat-tip to my teammate Zach Pereles). 

You solely get that sort of firm with a protection just like the “Metal Curtain.” Just like the Vikings, the vaunted Blitzburgh protection has additionally dialed again the blitz this yr with constructive outcomes. They’ve the third-largest decline in blitz fee this season (minus-17 %), however are the one workforce within the NFL that ranks high 5 in strain fee and backside 5 in blitz fee. It is an ideal mixture when a protection can create strain on a quarterback whereas nonetheless leaving additional defenders in protection. 

The scatterplot under illustrates that no workforce is threading the needle there fairly just like the Steelers. 

6. Jets (offensive line)

Few groups overhauled their offensive line fairly just like the Jets this offseason. They added three new starters between Tyron Smith, Morgan Moses and John Simpson. To date the outcomes have been very constructive. Coming into Week 3, the Jets have allowed the bottom strain fee within the NFL (20 %) and had the most important decline in strain fee allowed from final yr. Maybe no workforce’s offensive line play is extra vital than the Jets as they should shield 40-year-old Aaron Rodgers, who’s coming off a torn Achilles.

So is it actual? To a level. Coming into Week 3, Rodgers is eliminating the ball on the quickest fee within the league and the Jets are seeing one of many lowest blitz charges within the NFL, so it is smart that Rodgers is being pressured much less. Defenses simply do not have time to get house, particularly with a regular go rush. 

For a greater thought on how sturdy the road has been I checked out ESPN’s win fee metrics, which utilizing NFL Subsequent Gen stats expertise to indicate very merely, how typically an offensive lineman retains the go rusher in entrance of him. Coming into Week 3, the Jets had the Thirteenth-best go block win fee within the NFL this yr, up from thirtieth final yr. So, it is extra of a mean go blocking unit than one of many league’s greatest, however that is nonetheless an enormous improve from final yr and will probably be adequate to get the job executed.

7. Commanders (no huddle)

Kliff Kingsbury’s unfold, uptempo assault is intriguing to this point in Washington. The Commanders have used 63 no-huddle performs this season — 30 greater than some other workforce — and greater than the Commanders used all of final yr (51). That features 37 no-huddle performs in Week 2, greater than any workforce in any sport over the past two seasons. 

The outcomes communicate for themselves. The Commanders are tied for first place within the NFC East and fourth within the league in EPA per play. They’re additionally getting some constructive early outcomes from Jayden Daniels. He’s the one participant in NFL historical past to have a completion fee of no less than 75 %, 100-plus dashing yards and no interceptions in a two-game span (minimal 50 makes an attempt). With all of the early rookie quarterback struggles it is acquired to be comforting for a Commanders fan to listen to at stat like that.

It is solely two video games, although, and the Cardinals persistently produced mediocre outcomes on offense regardless of an identical scheme with Kingsbury and a proficient quarterback in Kyler Murray. I am not banking on Washington persevering with to play like a top-10 offense regardless of all of the glitz and glamour.