NFL 2024 – The Use Of Motion In NFL Offenses

There has been a lot of talk about motion in NFL offenses: Who uses it most, who doesn’t use it, whether its more or less effective in the run or pass. So let’s take a look at the amount teams used motion in 2023 and so far in 2024 courtesy pro.nfl.com.  Remember this is a two game sample in 2024 so the values can change drastically right now, but perhaps we can see some trends or indications from the numbers.

NFL Team Offense Motion % 2023 – 2024

Right away we can see some teams that have increased the amount of motion they are using in 2024. Here is a list of teams that have increased their motion % by 19% points or more in 2024.

• Saints 44% to 75%
• Eagles 35% to 65%
• Packers 66% to 88%
• Seahawks 53% to 73%
• Raiders 58% to 79%
• Bucs 49% to 69%
• Bills 60% to 79%

The Panthers are +18% points, the Cardinals are +17% points, and the Lions +16% points.  The list of teams that have decreased the amount of motion in 2024 is a short one(and quite frankly the decrease in the Colts, Broncos, & Browns could be situational so far):

• Bears 64% to 46%
• Colts 53% to 45%
• Broncos 43% to 37%
• Browns 48% to 44%

The average % across the NFL has increased from 57% in 2023 to 65% in 2024 a rise of 8% points.

2024 Motion Pass Run EPA

Let’s preface this by saying I had to calculate the EPA totals for pass and run by using the EPA Pass/Run average multiplied by the amount of plays run.  This leads to small rounding errors since I am having to use a rounded EPA number and then multiply it.  This leads to the sum of Pass & Run EPAs to be slightly off the total.

However, while there is a small amount of error(normally 0.10 – 0.20 total) we then divide that by 40-100 plays so the resultant error in the Pass/Run EPA/Play values is probably in the 0.01 – 0.05 range.  So instead of focusing on the number use the color coding as that will allow you to compare how teams are doing reletive to each other.

With that said, the chart gives a good pictorial representation of who is having success via Pass/Run with motion and without motion, albeit with many a caveat.

For example, look at the Packers EPA/Rush with No Motion.  It is an amazing 1.38/play! That is because the Packers have run 3 run plays without motion on which they gained 53 yards.  Miami has run only 2 running plays without motion in 2024 so far.

In fact the Packers have run only 15 plays all year without motion, and Miami a mere 13.  At the other end of the spectrum, Denver has run 78 plays without motion, and Cleveland has run 75.

Teams that have run over 100 plays with motion in 2024:

• Miami 127
• Detroit 119
• Green Bay 110
• San Francisco 110
• Baltimore, Houston, Las Vegas, LA Rams, Philadelphia, & Seattle all have run 90+ plays with motion.

Teams Benefitting From Motion

New Orleans is basically killing it in every offensive metric(Arizona is also humming along in both), but we can see teams that are having much more success with motion in the offense than without motion:

• Buffalo EPA 22.96 (motion) -4.42 (no motion)
• Tampa Bay EPA 13.5 (motion) -4.85 (no motion)
• Philadelphia EPA 5.58 (motion) -1.32 (no motion)

Teams Benefitting From No Motion

• Seattle EPA -16.56 (motion) 10.26 (no motion)
• Baltimore EPA -13.08 (motion) 11.06 (no motion)
• San Francisco EPA -7.7 (motion)  9.07 (no motion)
• Detroit EPA -5.95 (motion) 8.83 (no motion)
• Houston EPA -3.72 (motion) 3.72 (no motion)

Veteran QB vs Young QB

Let’s look at teams that have switched to a rookie, or use a 2nd year QB, and any that switched away from a young QB to a veteran.  There seems to be at least some trend between the experience of the QB and the efficient use of a motion offense.  Could it be that understanding and running an NFL motion offense requires experience at the NFL level as quarterback?

Young QBs

• Chicago rookie C Willams.  Chicago decreased motion % by 18%, largest decrease of any team.
• Washington rookie J. Daniels.  Washington is one of the few teams using less motion than 2023, but down only to 48% from 50%
• Indianapolis A. Richardson(2nd year but only 6 games).  The Colts have decreased motion 8% points
• Denver rookie Bo Nix.  the Broncos have decreased motion by 6% points
• Tennessee 2nd year QB W. Levis saw a significant increase in motion usage, up 11% points from 2023.  Unfortunately he has not played well with the increased motion.
• Carolina B. Young faced a 17% point increase in motion usage and played his worst football.
• Stroud is using more motion this year(+11% points), but he didn’t look or play like a rookie last year so let’s just say he has the goods.

Veteran QBs

• The Jets moved to Rodgers from Wilson and motion usage increased 11% points.
• The Falcons picked up Cousins and motion usage is up 5% points.
• The Raiders turn to G. Minshew and motion usage is up 20% points from last year.
• Here is the list of QBs seeing the most increase in motion usage 2023 to 2024: Murray, Allen, Young, Love/Willis, Mahomes, Minshew, Carr, Hurts, G. Smith, Mayfield.  Love/Willis let’s just throw out because of the injury.  Young imploded with the increase in motion.  Every other quarterback on this list is a veteran, not a young quarterback.

Oh To Be Young Again

One last nugget, the Carolina Panthers offense when using motion may be the worst offense in the history of the NFL.

• Using motion, the Panthers average -0.8 EPA per play.  Second worse is Denver at -0.5, so Carolina is 60% worse than the next worse teams.  That’s a lot of worse(s) in one sentence, but hang on, it gets well….
• Using motion, the average EPA for a Panthers pass play is -1.04.  Next worse, Denver -0.65, so Carolina is 60% worse than the next worse team again.
• Here is the saving grace.  Using motion Carolina’s average EPA for a run play is -0.41, which isn’t the worst, it’s second worst!  Las Vegas is at -0.68 EPA per run play.  Denver sits right above the Panthers at -0.32 EPA per rush.
• Carolina’s EPA when not using motion is -0.10.  The split is -0.18 per pass, and wait for it, +0.02 per rush. So a run play with no motion makes the Panthers an average offensive team. Otherwise….

Team Offense Total EPA Pass Run Splits

Team Offense Total EPA Pass Run Splits With Motion

Team Offense Total EPA Pass Run Splits NO Motion