The season is now 1/8th of the way complete, and the Pats, like seemingly everyone else in the NFL, are 1-1. They are +19 in point differential (4th best in the NFL), and are 1-0 in conference play.
Defensively, where we really wanted to see improvement, we sure have seen it so far.
- pts allowed: #4 (16.5 per game)
- yds allowed: #2 (264.5 per game)
- rush yds allowed: #5 (62.5 per game)
- opp yds per att rushing: #2 (2.6)
- pass yds allowed: #7 (202.0 per game)
- opp QB rating: #13 (82.6)
- opp yds per att passing: #4 (5.9)
- 3rd downs allowed: #9 (32.1%)
- 1st downs allowed: #6 (32)
- defensive penalties: #6 (8 for 69 yds)
- takeaways: #8 (4)
I know the Patriots haven't played the 1999 Rams yet, but still, this is pretty nice work by a team with so many young players on the defensive side of the ball.
Offensively, however, things aren't as rosy.
- pts scored: #13 (26.0)
- yds gained: #6 (388.5)
- rush yds: #9 (126.0)
- yds per att rushing: #13 (4.0)
- pass yds: #9 (263.0)
- yds per att passing: #21 (7.2)
- QB rating: #13 (94.7)
- 3rd downs: #13 (40.7)
- 1st downs: #3 (50)
- penalties: #9 (11)
- giveaways: #3 (1)
So the offense isn't *bad*...but it's not at all what we're accustomed to. And that 26.0 points per game really is 22.5, because of the TD scored by the defense in week 1. So they're moving the ball pretty well, both running and passing, and they're converting 3rd downs at a better-than-average rate. They're not turning the ball over (though the one they did have was huge, and you could argue that the blocked punt was a turnover of sorts).
So the team is better on paper than a 1-1 record. I guess that's to be expected, given that they have the 4th best point differential. They won one game easily and lost one by the thinnest of margins.
So what do we have so far? A better than average team, but not a great team. I think the D has been better than most people dared hope at this point so far, but the O has some serious work to do. Doing it without Hernandez will be a challenge, even moreso if they continue to play Edelman instead of Welker.
Defensively, where we really wanted to see improvement, we sure have seen it so far.
- pts allowed: #4 (16.5 per game)
- yds allowed: #2 (264.5 per game)
- rush yds allowed: #5 (62.5 per game)
- opp yds per att rushing: #2 (2.6)
- pass yds allowed: #7 (202.0 per game)
- opp QB rating: #13 (82.6)
- opp yds per att passing: #4 (5.9)
- 3rd downs allowed: #9 (32.1%)
- 1st downs allowed: #6 (32)
- defensive penalties: #6 (8 for 69 yds)
- takeaways: #8 (4)
I know the Patriots haven't played the 1999 Rams yet, but still, this is pretty nice work by a team with so many young players on the defensive side of the ball.
Offensively, however, things aren't as rosy.
- pts scored: #13 (26.0)
- yds gained: #6 (388.5)
- rush yds: #9 (126.0)
- yds per att rushing: #13 (4.0)
- pass yds: #9 (263.0)
- yds per att passing: #21 (7.2)
- QB rating: #13 (94.7)
- 3rd downs: #13 (40.7)
- 1st downs: #3 (50)
- penalties: #9 (11)
- giveaways: #3 (1)
So the offense isn't *bad*...but it's not at all what we're accustomed to. And that 26.0 points per game really is 22.5, because of the TD scored by the defense in week 1. So they're moving the ball pretty well, both running and passing, and they're converting 3rd downs at a better-than-average rate. They're not turning the ball over (though the one they did have was huge, and you could argue that the blocked punt was a turnover of sorts).
So the team is better on paper than a 1-1 record. I guess that's to be expected, given that they have the 4th best point differential. They won one game easily and lost one by the thinnest of margins.
So what do we have so far? A better than average team, but not a great team. I think the D has been better than most people dared hope at this point so far, but the O has some serious work to do. Doing it without Hernandez will be a challenge, even moreso if they continue to play Edelman instead of Welker.