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Just something to "munch on" during the bye week lull. I was checking out some team stats on offense and defense this afternoon and came to conclusion that as a team, the Pats are pretty average as far as all the prominent stats go. But I think its pretty telling that the ONLY 2 major stats that have the Pats in the top 10, are turn over ratio (1) and scoring (2).
It can't be argued that the Pats are easily among the top 3 teams in the league at this point. Yet if you looked at it from MOST team stats, it would be hard to justify that assessment. I post this only to point ostut how unreliable most stats are.....and which ones are more important than others. I think TO ratio is one that is a real good indicator.
The Pats have been consistently high in that area over the BB era. A good example of that is the 2011 defense that was historically bad, yet the Pats managed to get to the superbowl. One of key reasons that it was among the top 3 teams in the league in creating turnovers. The ability to do that led the 31st-ranked D (only about 10 yards from being 32nd) to rank 15th in scoring D. Over the years the Pats scoring D has always been significantly better than their "total D" ranking.
Right now the Pats rank 17th in scoring D and it is hard to think that with the upcoming 4 games that position is going to change much. Though they are only 2 points per game from being #8. I can't help but wonder if this slippage in scoring D is more the cause of the new rules put in to add more offense, than the talent on the field. There ARE no true shut down CB's in Peyton Manning's NFL.
BOTTOM LINE: Individual stats are meaningless, and most team stats are as well. But there are some that are more meaning full than others and most revolve around the scoreboard. Because, as we so often forget, the ONLY stat that really matters are the 2 numbers they put on the scoreboard.
It can't be argued that the Pats are easily among the top 3 teams in the league at this point. Yet if you looked at it from MOST team stats, it would be hard to justify that assessment. I post this only to point ostut how unreliable most stats are.....and which ones are more important than others. I think TO ratio is one that is a real good indicator.
The Pats have been consistently high in that area over the BB era. A good example of that is the 2011 defense that was historically bad, yet the Pats managed to get to the superbowl. One of key reasons that it was among the top 3 teams in the league in creating turnovers. The ability to do that led the 31st-ranked D (only about 10 yards from being 32nd) to rank 15th in scoring D. Over the years the Pats scoring D has always been significantly better than their "total D" ranking.
Right now the Pats rank 17th in scoring D and it is hard to think that with the upcoming 4 games that position is going to change much. Though they are only 2 points per game from being #8. I can't help but wonder if this slippage in scoring D is more the cause of the new rules put in to add more offense, than the talent on the field. There ARE no true shut down CB's in Peyton Manning's NFL.
BOTTOM LINE: Individual stats are meaningless, and most team stats are as well. But there are some that are more meaning full than others and most revolve around the scoreboard. Because, as we so often forget, the ONLY stat that really matters are the 2 numbers they put on the scoreboard.
