By the numbers: Klint Kubiak showed promise as play-caller last year

DENVER — By making Klint Kubiak the play-caller — as first reported by NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero on Sunday morning — the Broncos hope that their passing-game coordinator can bring some needed punch to a struggling offense.

Certainly, Kubiak’s work last year in Minnesota shows signs that he can bring Denver’s offense to life.

To be fair, Kubiak had good material with which to work in his 2021 Vikings campaign. Kirk Cousins is a statistically proficient quarterback. Justin Jefferson is among the game’s truly elite receivers. And Kubiak got 13 games from running back Dalvin Cook, who averaged 4.7 yards per carry.

But the bottom line is this: As a play caller, Kubiak has guided his offenses to 2.59 touchdowns per game. That’s over a half-touchdown a game better than Nathaniel Hackett’s games as a play-caller, including his work in Buffalo and Jacksonville. (Hackett did not call plays in Green Bay.)

At quarterback, Kubiak had better material to work with than Hackett. Kubiak had Cousins, as noted earlier. Hackett had E.J. Manuel, Kyle Orton and Blake Bortles as his pre-Denver quarterbacks.

But with the Broncos averaging under 15 offensive points and just 1.33 touchdowns per game, they must try something.

A quick comparison of Hackett and Kubiak in some key metrics:

TOTAL GAMES AS PLAYCALLER:

• Hackett: 81
• Kubiak: 17

OFFENSIVE POINTS PER GAME AS PLAYCALLER

• Hackett: 20.9
• Kubiak: 23.4

OFFENSIVE TOUCHDOWNS PER GAME AS PLAYCALLER

• Hackett: 1.96
• Kubiak: 2.59

GAMES WITH AT LEAST 17 OFFENSIVE POINTS AS PLAYCALLER

• Hackett: 52 of 81, 64.9 percent
• Kubiak: 15 of 17, 88.2 percent

AVERAGE RUSHING YARDS PER GAME AS PLAYCALLER

• Hackett: 122
• Kubiak: 114

AVERAGE RUSHING YARDS PER CARRY AS PLAYCALLER

• Hackett: 4.11
• Kubiak: 4.30

GAMES WITH AT LEAST 45 PERCENT OF THE PLAYS BEING RUNS AS PLAYCALLER

• Hackett: 41, 50.6 percent
• Kubiak: 7, 41.8 percent

AVERAGE PASSING YARDS PER GAME AS PLAYCALLER

• Hackett: 217
• Kubiak: 249

AVERAGE PER PASS PLAY AS PLAYCALLER

• Hackett: 5.87
• Kubiak: 6.68

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