The LabThe fingerprint of every playbook

Los Angeles ChargersScheme DNA

Most outside runs, least pass rate over expected in the league. Their closest twin is Ravens (62% alike), then Buccaneers and Seahawks. 497 offensive snaps read, 497 of them charted.

League map Chargers verdict JSON

Outside runs37.8%97th percentile · league 23.4%

Pass rate over expected−12.4%0th percentile · league −2.3%

Early-down pass rate40.2%3th percentile · league 50.6%

Pre-snap motion72.8%94th percentile · league 58.8%

Bottom lineTheir loudest habits: outside runs (37.8%, 97th percentile), pass rate over expected (−12.4%, 0th percentile), early-down pass rate (40.2%, 3th percentile).

How to read this chart

The flower:: each petal is one play-calling habit, labeled around the edge. Petal length is the team's rank among the 32 (long = does it more than most; for tempo, long = fast). The dashed ring is the league middle.
The bars:: the same habits as a list: the bar is the rank (the tick in the middle is the league middle), then the real value and the percentile (90 = more than 90% of teams). Jargon: pass rate over expected = how much more or less they throw than the situation predicts; RPO = run-pass option; men in the box = defenders near the line against the run.

Offense

The playbook

Pass rate over expected−12.4%0

Early-down pass rate40.2%3

Shotgun rate67.2%74

No-huddle rate4.8%45

Pre-snap motion72.8%94

Play action25.0%74

Screen rate11.0%74

RPO rate2.8%23

Deep shots10.8%52

Middle of the field20.7%45

Outside runs37.8%97

Tempo37.3s77

Defense

The defense

Blitz rate24.7%23

Five-plus rushers24.7%23

Men in the box6.5545

Stacked boxes9.3%65

Pass rate faced−3.1%42

Deep shots allowed9.4%19

Defensive twins: Rams (89%), Dolphins (86%), Broncos (85%).

Twins

Offenses most like theirs

Solid shape: Chargers · outline: the twin

Bottom lineChargers and Ravens, 62% alike. Both run outside more and run more on early downs than most of the league; Chargers and Ravens differ most in pass rate over expected (−12.4% vs −5.1%) and tempo (37.3s vs 38.8s).

How to read this chart

Each card is one twin:: an offense that calls games like Chargers. The colored shape is Chargers's fingerprint, the white outline the twin's. Where the two match, the habits match.
The %: is how alike the two are across all offensive habits: 100% would be identical, 0% the most different pair in the league.

#1 twinRavens62%Both run outside more and run more on early downs than most of the league; Chargers and Ravens differ most in pass rate over expected (−12.4% vs −5.1%) and tempo (37.3s vs 38.8s).

#2 twinBuccaneers60%Both throw less than the situation predicts and run more on early downs than most of the league; Chargers and Buccaneers differ most in outside runs (37.8% vs 25.2%) and tempo (37.3s vs 38.9s).

#3 twinSeahawks54%Both run outside more and run more on early downs than most of the league; Chargers and Seahawks differ most in pre-snap motion (72.8% vs 52.3%) and shotgun rate (67.2% vs 50.6%).

Run game

Where they run

Arrow size = share of carries · color = EPA per carry

Bottom lineTheir favorite lane: middle, 32% of runs, -0.30 EPA per carry.

How to read this chart

Seen from behind the offense:: the line at the bottom is the line of scrimmage, with seven running lanes from the left end to the right end.
Arrow size: and the % above it = share of the team's runs that go there.
Arrow color: = how well those runs work, in EPA per carry (expected points added: above zero helps the offense). Green works, grey is average, red hurts.

Pass game

Where they throw

Share of targets · EPA per throw

Bottom lineMost targeted zone: short right, 41% of throws, -0.30 EPA per throw.

How to read this chart

The field from the quarterback's eyes:: left, middle and right; the bottom row is short throws, the top row deep throws.
Each box: shows the share of throws that go there (more solid = more throws) and its color the EPA per throw: green helps the offense, grey is average, red hurts.

Formation Tell

What the formation gives away

How to read this chart

Two dots on one line from 0% to 100%:: how often they throw when the quarterback is under center, and how often from shotgun, on neutral downs.
The gap between them: is what a defense learns from the formation alone: a wide gap means the alignment tips run or pass.

Under center32%pass rate, neutral downs

Shotgun60%pass rate, neutral downs

A 28-point gap: one of the hardest to read offenses in the league (32 of 32). See all 32 →