The next week and a half we'll hear a TON about defenses (especially the Giants') getting after the QB. Let's see just how effective each team has been the last 5 games of the season (which is the Giants' win streak):
NYG
at NYJ: NYG: 5 sacks, 7 TFL, 6 QB hits; NYJ: 2 sacks, 7 TFL, 3 QB hits
vs Dal: NYG: 6 sacks, 7 TFL, 7 QB hits; Dal: 2 sacks, 5 TFL, 7 QB hits
vs Atl: NYG: 2 sacks, 5 TFL, 7 QB hits; Atl: 1 sack, 6 TFL, 5 QB hits
at GB: NYG: 4 sacks, 4 TFL, 5 QB hits; GB: 1 sack, 6 TFL, 7 QB hits
at SF: NYG: 3 sacks, 5 TFL, 6 QB hits; SF: 6 sacks, 5 TFL, 12 QB hits
TOTALS:
NYG: 20 sacks, 28 TFL, 31 QB hits
Opp: 12 sacks, 29 TFL, 34 QB hits
NE
at Den: NE: 4 sacks, 5 TFL, 4 QB hits; Den: 2 sacks, 5 TFL, 3 QB hits
vs Mia: NE: 5 sacks, 6 TFL, 8 QB hits; Mia: 4 sacks, 4 TFL, 8 QB hits
vs Buf: NE: 2 sacks, 3 TFL, 4 QB hits; Buf: 4 sacks, 4 TFL, 3 QB hits
vs Den: NE: 5 sacks, 10 TFL, 8 QB hits; Den: 0 sacks, 1 TFL, 2 QB hits
vs Bal: NE: 3 sacks, 5 TFL, 7 QB hits; Bal: 1 sack, 2 TFL, 3 QB hits
TOTALS:
NE: 19 sacks, 29 TFL, 31 QB hits
Opp: 11 sacks, 16 TFL, 19 QB hits
So even though the Pats lost Andre Carter (all-pro, team sack leader), and even though the Giants' D-line is playing out of its mind, during each team's last 5 games, the Giants and Patriots have gotten almost the same exact amount of pressure on the opposing QB. However, the Pats' O-line has yielded far fewer tackles for loss and QB hits than the Giants' O-line has.
Granted, a lot of that was the Giants facing the 49ers, but hey, the Pats had to face a bunch of good sack teams too. Here's where their opponents ranked in terms of sacks:
NYG
NYJ: t17th (35)
Dal: t7th (42)
Atl: t19th (33)
GB: t27th (29)
SF: t7th (42)
AVG: 15.4th (36.2)
NE
Den: t10th (41)
Mia: t10th (41)
Buf: t27th (29)
Den: t10th (41)
Bal: t3rd (48)
AVG: 12th (40.0)
So the Pats' OL yielded less pressure than the Giants' OL did over the last 5 games, despite the Pats facing teams that were better at putting pressure on and getting into the backfield.
In conclusion, as good as the Giants have been at putting pressure on the QB during their awesome 5-game stretch, the Pats have been *JUST AS GOOD* over that same period of time; moreover, the Pats' OLine has been significantly better, especially given the caliber of defenses they've faced over that five game stretch, at keeping opposing pressure at bay.
NYG
at NYJ: NYG: 5 sacks, 7 TFL, 6 QB hits; NYJ: 2 sacks, 7 TFL, 3 QB hits
vs Dal: NYG: 6 sacks, 7 TFL, 7 QB hits; Dal: 2 sacks, 5 TFL, 7 QB hits
vs Atl: NYG: 2 sacks, 5 TFL, 7 QB hits; Atl: 1 sack, 6 TFL, 5 QB hits
at GB: NYG: 4 sacks, 4 TFL, 5 QB hits; GB: 1 sack, 6 TFL, 7 QB hits
at SF: NYG: 3 sacks, 5 TFL, 6 QB hits; SF: 6 sacks, 5 TFL, 12 QB hits
TOTALS:
NYG: 20 sacks, 28 TFL, 31 QB hits
Opp: 12 sacks, 29 TFL, 34 QB hits
NE
at Den: NE: 4 sacks, 5 TFL, 4 QB hits; Den: 2 sacks, 5 TFL, 3 QB hits
vs Mia: NE: 5 sacks, 6 TFL, 8 QB hits; Mia: 4 sacks, 4 TFL, 8 QB hits
vs Buf: NE: 2 sacks, 3 TFL, 4 QB hits; Buf: 4 sacks, 4 TFL, 3 QB hits
vs Den: NE: 5 sacks, 10 TFL, 8 QB hits; Den: 0 sacks, 1 TFL, 2 QB hits
vs Bal: NE: 3 sacks, 5 TFL, 7 QB hits; Bal: 1 sack, 2 TFL, 3 QB hits
TOTALS:
NE: 19 sacks, 29 TFL, 31 QB hits
Opp: 11 sacks, 16 TFL, 19 QB hits
So even though the Pats lost Andre Carter (all-pro, team sack leader), and even though the Giants' D-line is playing out of its mind, during each team's last 5 games, the Giants and Patriots have gotten almost the same exact amount of pressure on the opposing QB. However, the Pats' O-line has yielded far fewer tackles for loss and QB hits than the Giants' O-line has.
Granted, a lot of that was the Giants facing the 49ers, but hey, the Pats had to face a bunch of good sack teams too. Here's where their opponents ranked in terms of sacks:
NYG
NYJ: t17th (35)
Dal: t7th (42)
Atl: t19th (33)
GB: t27th (29)
SF: t7th (42)
AVG: 15.4th (36.2)
NE
Den: t10th (41)
Mia: t10th (41)
Buf: t27th (29)
Den: t10th (41)
Bal: t3rd (48)
AVG: 12th (40.0)
So the Pats' OL yielded less pressure than the Giants' OL did over the last 5 games, despite the Pats facing teams that were better at putting pressure on and getting into the backfield.
In conclusion, as good as the Giants have been at putting pressure on the QB during their awesome 5-game stretch, the Pats have been *JUST AS GOOD* over that same period of time; moreover, the Pats' OLine has been significantly better, especially given the caliber of defenses they've faced over that five game stretch, at keeping opposing pressure at bay.