Sports analytics from Laura Albert at the University of Wisconsin-Madison College of Engineering

Football decision-making with analytics

I have always been interested in how data can inform football decision-making and support counter-intuitive choices. I have previously blogged about football decision-making using data from the National Football League (NFL). Here is a roundup of some of my posts about football decision-making using data analytics:

  1. What the analytics really say about when to go for a two point conversion in an NFL game
  2.  The Green Bay Packers should have gone for it on 4th and goal (from January 2021)
  3. Our analysis of the NFL’s new kickoff rules in 2024
  4. Why the New England Patriots’ decision to let the New York Giants score a touchdown in the 2012 Super Bowl makes sense
  5.  Why the Chicago Bears should have gone for it on 4th and inches (a recap of an obscure game from November 2013).
  6. Should a football team tun or pass? What is the right mix of run and pass plays? An application of game theory and linear programming.