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The Effect of Scrambles on DVOA

Scrambles are pass plays, by definition. The quarterback scrambles for positive yardage when he's under pressure or when all his receivers are covered. Sometimes he runs just because a big hole opens up in the pass rush and it's going to be easy to gain yardage. But every scramble begins as a pass play. Scrambles are essentially the positive version of sacks.

Scrambles are also run plays, by a different definition. They count as rushing yardage in the official NFL stats. They are listed in the play-by-play as running plays. Here at Football Outsiders, we've always counted scrambles as running plays because they are runs in the standard play-by-play.