Panthers vs. Cardinals: Offensive formations and snap counts

The Arizona Cardinals ran 58 offensive plays on Sunday against the Carolina Panthers, but according to league numbers, there were 62 snaps.

Here is how the playing time was split up.

Naturally, as there were no injuries on the offensive line or at quarterback, Carson Palmer and the line -- Bradley Sowell, Daryn Colledge, Lyle Sendlein, Paul Fanaika and Eric Winston -- all played the full 62 snaps.

Among the other players, three running backs got time on offense. Rashard Mendenhall and Andre Ellington both got 30 snaps, although Ellington had many of those plays at receiver. The other back, Alfonso Smith, was in for seven snaps.

The receivers got a lot of work. Larry Fitzgerald was on the field for 58 of the 62 snaps. Michael Floyd had 50 snaps, Andre Roberts 33 and Jaron Brown only five. Patrick Peterson got four snaps on offense.

The tight ends? Rob Housler had an uneventful 57 snaps, Jim Dray saw 29 plays and Kory Sperry had nine snaps.

Nate Potter even one one play, when he was a fourth tight end.

Now, as for formations, this is what I charted.

Of the 58 offensive plays, the most common formation was with one back and one tight end -- 29 plays. Five of those were with an empty backfield, but Andre Ellington was lined up wide.

There were 15 plays I charted in 12 personnel (one back, two tight ends). Three plays were with one back and three tight ends, with one play with one back and four tight ends (Nate Potter came in as a tackle eligible). That was Rashard Mendenhall's one-yard touchdown run.

On three plays, they ran 10 personnel -- one back, no tight end, four receivers. I saw four plays in 21 personnel -- two backs and a tight end -- but in each of these Ellington was lined up as a receiver.

There was one play with no back, four receivers and one tight end.

The best three plays? Those would be the three kneeldowns at the end, with two backs, three tight ends and no receivers.

As for what they did in those formations:

In 12 personnel, the Cardinals ran the ball seven of the 15 times.

In 11 personnel, they ran the ball 12 times.

In 13 and 14 personnel, they ran every time.

In 21 personnel, they ran three times.

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