Oswlek
Veteran Starter w/Big Long Term Deal
- Joined
- Aug 20, 2006
- Messages
- 9,086
- Reaction score
- 5,955
I'm sure by now that many here know that I enjoy reading footballoutsiders. You may also know my opinion of their less-than-stellar writer, Bill Barnwell.
Well, Bill again puts together a ranking of "likely playoff success ability" called special sauce. What is most surprising? Try this out for size: NE is the second lowest rated team in the entire playoff field, grading out just barely ahead of the Giants and just behind Washington.
{I tried to bring the chart over, but I can't get it formatted right, so screw it.}
Some interesting tidbits about the ranking system include:
1) The only offensive measure (out of 8 categories) is 3rd quarter offense.
2) Road D is a category despite NE never having to go on the road.
3) Somehow NE grades out as middle of the pack in "late and close" situations. Other than this being kind of flukey due to limited times that NE was in a close game late, I'm kind of befuddled by this. Seems to me that the D stepped up bigtime every single time NE found itself in a late and close situation.
Fear not, for hwc takes the system to taks early and often in the comments section. You can side with him if that helps alleve your worries.
But the rest of us are going to go cower in the corner because NE is obviously the worst 16-0 team in the history of the league. Someone is going to have to explain to me how they lucked into beating the 5 teams above them, because that is clearly what happened.
Well, Bill again puts together a ranking of "likely playoff success ability" called special sauce. What is most surprising? Try this out for size: NE is the second lowest rated team in the entire playoff field, grading out just barely ahead of the Giants and just behind Washington.
{I tried to bring the chart over, but I can't get it formatted right, so screw it.}
Some interesting tidbits about the ranking system include:
1) The only offensive measure (out of 8 categories) is 3rd quarter offense.
2) Road D is a category despite NE never having to go on the road.
3) Somehow NE grades out as middle of the pack in "late and close" situations. Other than this being kind of flukey due to limited times that NE was in a close game late, I'm kind of befuddled by this. Seems to me that the D stepped up bigtime every single time NE found itself in a late and close situation.
Fear not, for hwc takes the system to taks early and often in the comments section. You can side with him if that helps alleve your worries.
But the rest of us are going to go cower in the corner because NE is obviously the worst 16-0 team in the history of the league. Someone is going to have to explain to me how they lucked into beating the 5 teams above them, because that is clearly what happened.
