Who Benches the Most in the NFL?
Contents
One of the most important aspects of NFL football is the bench. Who benches the most in the NFL?
The Case for Benching
The Case for Benching is a website that explores the idea of NFL teams resting their starters during the regular season. The website was created by two sports fans who are passionate about the game of football.
Injuries
Injuries are one of the most common reasons for benching players in the NFL. In fact, they are so common that teams often have a “next man up” mentality, meaning that there is always someone ready to take the place of an injured player.
There are a number of reasons why injuries can lead to benching players. First, an injury may prevent a player from being able to physically participate in a game. Second, an injury may severely limit a player’s ability to perform at his or her best, which could negatively impact the team’s performance. Third, an injury may require a player to miss extended time, which could necessitate the team signing or trade for a replacement player.
Fourth and finally, injuries can have a psychological effect on players, causing them to doubt their abilities or feel less confident about their chances of success. This can lead to poorer performance on the field and ultimately result in the player being benched.
Poor Performance
While a player’s individual abilities are always the primary factor in his playing time,Logical coaches also recognize the importance of matchups. Some players simply excel against certain types of opponents while struggling against others. A coach who carefully studies game film and understands the tendencies of both his own players and those of the opposition can gain a significant advantage by putting his players in position to succeed.
And yet, many coaches stubbornly refuse to make lineup changes, even when their team is getting beaten like a drum. At its root, this is a pride issue. Coaches want to be able to say, “I’m sticking with my guys.” They don’t want to be seen as wavering or indecisive. They want to project an image of strength and resolve, even if it means going down in flames.
Pride is a dangerous motivator, especially in the NFL where jobs are constantly on the line. If a coach is too proud to make changes when they are obviously needed, he deserves to be fired.
Resting Players
Benching players is a common and accepted practice in the National Football League. NFL teams often bench players in order to give them a rest, to get a look at younger players, or because the player is not performing well. In some cases, a player may be benched because of an injury.
The decision to bench a player is usually made by the head coach, but it can also be made by the general manager or owner of the team. There are several reasons why a team might choose to bench a player. One reason is that the player is not performing well. If a team is losing games, the coach may decide to bench some of the starters in order to try to shake things up and get a different result. Another reason for benching a player is that the team wants to give another player an opportunity to play. This is often done with young players or players who have not had much playing time. The team may also choose to bench a player who is injured so that he can recover and be ready for the next game.
Whatever the reason for benching a player, it is usually done in an effort to help the team win games. Benching a star player can be controversial, but it is often seen as necessary in order to give the team its best chance of winning.
The NFL’s Most Bench-Heavy Teams
In the NFL, there are a few teams that love to put their players on the bench. Whether it’s to rest them or because they’re not good enough to be on the field, these teams have a lot of players riding the pine. So, which teams bench the most players?
Arizona Cardinals
During the 2017 NFL season, the Arizona Cardinals were one of the most bench-heavy teams in the league. In fact, they used their benches more than any other team in the NFL.
The Cardinals had a total of 1,259 snaps on which a player was on the bench, which accounted for 21.4 percent of all their snaps on offense or defense. That was the highest percentage in the NFL.
Interestingly, the Cardinals were also one of the few teams that seemed to use their benches more on offense than defense. They had 792 snaps on which an offensive player was on the bench, which accounted for 23.6 percent of their offensive snaps. On defense, they had 467 bench snaps, which was 16.7 percent of their defensive snaps.
Baltimore Ravens
Much has been made of the offensive struggles of the defending Super Bowl champion Ravens this season. Joe Flacco has not looked like the same quarterback who torched the San Francisco 49ers in February, and the team is averaging just 21.5 points per game through four weeks.
One reason for the offensive woes might be that head coach John Harbaugh is not afraid to go to his bench. The Ravens have used 22 different offensive players this season, by far the most in the NFL.
The Cardinals, Bengals, Cowboys, and Chargers are tied for second with 17 offensive players each.
On the other side of the ball, the Ravens have used 25 different defensive players, also easily the most in the league. The Jaguars are second with 23 defenders used.
So far this season, Harbaugh has not been afraid to shake things up when his team is struggling offensively. He has shown that he is willing to go to his bench in order to find a spark. Whether or not this strategy will pay off remains to be seen, but it is clear that Harbaugh is not afraid to make a change.
Buffalo Bills
In the NFL, the Buffalo Bills have been notorious for their lack of success in recent years.
However, they may have found a new strategy that could help them turn things around: benching their starters.
Last season, the Bills had the most players on the bench during games, with an average of 7.4 per game. This was a full 1.5 more than the next highest team, the Cincinnati Bengals.
The Bills’ strategy seems to be paying off so far, as they are one of only two teams to have already clinched a playoff spot this season. They are also in contention for the AFC East title, which would be their first division title since 1995.
Whether or not this strategy is sustainable in the long term remains to be seen, but for now, it’s working for the Bills.
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league’s National Football Conference (NFC) North division. The Bears have won nine NFL Championships, including one Super Bowl, and hold the NFL record for the most enshrinees in the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the most retired jersey numbers. The Bears have also recorded more victories than any other NFL franchise.
The NFL’s Least Bench-Heavy Teams
The NFL sees a lot of action on the field, but not all of it is from the starting players. Many players are used as substitutes, and some teams rely on their bench players more than others. So which teams in the NFL use their bench players the most?
Green Bay Packers
The Packers have had one of the lightest workloads for their starters in recent years. In 2019, only six teams ran more offensive snaps with 11 personnel (one running back, one tight end, three wide receivers) than the Packers. That trend is likely to continue with the Packers expected to run more no-huddle offense this season under new head coach Matt LaFleur.
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots have been one of the least bench-heavy teams in the NFL over the past few seasons. In 2017, they had the third-fewest number of players on their bench, and in 2018, they had the second-fewest.
This season, they again find themselves near the bottom of the list, with only 22 players on their bench. That’s less than half of the league average of 45.5 players.
So why does New England always seem to have so few players on their bench? There are a few reasons.
First, the Patriots tend to carry fewer players overall on their roster. In 2019, they had 53 players on their roster, which was tied for the second-fewest in the NFL. They usually don’t carry many extra players because they don’t need to. They’re rarely hit with injuries and don’t need to make many mid-season additions.
Second, the Patriots have a lot of versatile players who can play multiple positions. This allows them to get by with fewer players at each position group. For example, their top three wide receivers – Julian Edelman, Phillip Dorsett, and N’Keal Harry – can all play multiple positions. Edelman is primarily a slot receiver but he can also line up outside; Dorsett can play both inside and out; and Harry is an outside receiver but he has also played some snaps in the slot.
Third, the Patriots tend to use more three-receiver sets than most other teams in the NFL. This means that they only need two backup receivers instead of three or four. For most other teams, it’s more important to have depth at receiver because they use more two-receiver sets and need three or four backups. But because New England uses more three-receiver sets, they can get by with fewer receivers overall.
Fourth, the Patriots have a lot of young players who are still on their rookie contracts and don’t take up a lot of space on the bench. In 2019, they had eight rookies on their roster who were all backups or role players. These types of players usually don’t take up a lot of space on the bench because they don’t play much (if at all).
Finally, the Patriots tend to use lessBenchingsamage control when losing games late in season . When ahead late in games , Belichick will often pull starting quarterback Tom Brady and other key starters in order to avoid injuries . This saves money against The Salary Cap as starters salaries do not count against The Cap when They’re Not Starting . So by reducing The Number Of Starters Who Play Late In Games When The Outcome Is No Longer In Doubt , Belichick Saves Money Against The Salary Cap .
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers have long been one of the least bench-heavy teams in the NFL, and that trend has continued in recent years. In 2020, the Steelers had just 19 players who appeared in more than 10 games, and only four of those players were active for all 16 games.
The majority of the Steelers roster is made up of starters and key reserves, with very few players seeing significant playing time as backups. This reflects the team’s philosophy of building a deep and talented roster that can compete for a championship every year.
While other teams often use their bench players more heavily, the Steelers typically keep them fresh for when they’re needed most: the playoffs. This strategy has paid off in recent years, as the team has won two Super Bowls in the last decade.
Seattle Seahawks
According to a recent study, the Seattle Seahawks are the least bench-heavy team in the NFL. The study, which was conducted by the website FiveThirtyEight, looked at how often each NFL team uses its bench players relative to the amount of time they spend on the field.
The Seahawks are one of only two teams (the other being the Carolina Panthers) that have used their bench players for less than 10 percent of their total playing time this season. In contrast, the New England Patriots have used their bench players for nearly 30 percent of their total playing time.
The Seahawks’ lack of reliance on their bench players is likely due to the fact that they have very few injuries on their roster this season. In fact, they have only placed four players on injured reserve all year. By comparison, the Patriots have placed 13 players on injured reserve.
So why do the Seahawks continue to win despite not using their bench players very often? One reason may be that they have some of the best starters in the league. Another reason may be that they are simply better at managing their roster and avoiding injuries. Either way, it’s clear that the Seahawks are doing something right when it comes to using (or not using) their bench players.