This is a thread inspired by randomk1's thread about Brady having the best QB record for teams with the highest winning record when defense allowed 21 points. I figured we could start compiling our favorite stats and records when it comes to the Patriots and their phenomenal success as a team. That includes QB records, accolades, and coaching achievements as well!
I'll start off with our most recent game:
Super Bowl XLIX! It looks to me like the Patriots might have set new historical precedents, especially in terms of their passing attack against an historically-accomplished (and much-lauded) Seattle defense:
- In Super Bowl XLIX, the Patriots became the first team in Super Bowl history to overcome a double-digit deficit during the second half of the game. Teams trailing by 10 or more points at the start of the fourth quarter had been 0-29 in past Super Bowls. Facing a 24-14 deficit, Brady orchestrated a pair of late touchdown drives against a defense that had surrendered only 15.9 points per game all year long, and only allowed 13 fourth-quarter points in its previous eight games. Since 2004, Seattle never lost a single game it led in the fourth quarter by 10 or more points. Yet in the span of 12 minutes, Brady engineered a masterful comeback to pull the Pats ahead 24-28.
- In prior Super Bowls, teams with the highest-ranked defense (in fewest yards allowed) enjoyed a 9-3 record in the Super Bowl. Meanwhile, teams that allowed the fewest points in the league and reached the Super Bowl owned a 14-5 success record. The Seahawks held the advantage in both these metrics (as they had in Super Bowl XLVIII) and still came up short against the Patriots.
- Prior to Super Bowl XLIX, there had never been a team that totaled fewer rushing attempts, amassed less running yards, and lost the turnover battle – and still managed to emerge victorious. In all 48 previous Super Bowls, the team with the most rushing attempts won 87.0 percent of those games (40-6 record), and those with the most rushing yards won 79.2 percent of the time (38-10 record). And there are only three instances when a team committed more turnovers and pulled off a Super Bowl win. In these three categories, Seattle out-rushed New England in yards (162-57) and running attempts (29-21) and enjoyed two interceptions to 1 in turnovers. Leading up to Super Bowl XLIX, Seattle enjoyed the best opponent-adjusted rushing efficiency since 2000 (+93.5), which means that their rushing attack alone added almost six points per game above the average offense during the 2014 season. Yet despite being outperformed in the running game and losing the turnover battle, New England still outscored Seattle.
- In terms of passing efficiency, the Patriots' offense was one of the most successful ever seen in Super Bowl history. There are only four other occasions in Super Bowl history in which a quarterback attempted to make 50 or more passes (usually a troubling sign, being under pressure and desperation) and all four quarterbacks ended up on the losing side. Yet Brady departed from this precedent, and calmly led his team down-field to pick apart a defense that led the league in three consecutive seasons.
- The Patriots’ offensive coordinator, Josh McDaniels, prepared a game-winning plan that included pre-snap shifts and motions, to quickly decipher pressures points and man-coverage, and align Brady with slot receivers, tight ends and running backs. Using the width of the field to spread out Seattle’s defense, Brady skillfully moved these chess pieces into play, and delivered an assortment of quick, perfectly timed throws. Though he committed two interceptions, Brady completed 37 of his 50 passes (74 percent completion rate) for a total of 328 yards and four passing touchdowns. This was the first time all season that the Seattle defense allowed four passing touchdowns in a single game and surrendered over 300 passing yards from an opposing team.
- Up until Super Bowl XLIX, there was no team in the NFL that had tried to pass the ball against Seattle more than they had run it, and prevailed against Seahawks in a game since the 2012 postseason. The key for success in the Super Bowl was Brady’s ability to pass the ball at precisely the right time and allow his receivers to drive through the Seattle Secondary. Of their 328 yards in the passing game, the Patriots receivers gained 165 yards after the reception — slightly more than half of the total pass yardage. Vereen caught 11 of 12 passes thrown his way for 64 yards (47 after the catch), Edelman caught 9 of 12 for 109 yards (47 after the catch), and Amendola caught 5 of 7 for 48 yards (41 after the catch). Brady largely avoided making high-yardage passes (only 11 of his 50 pass attempts traveled as far as 10 yards or more in the air) but was able to "Dink-and-Gronk!" through Seattle’s defense with surgical, short-intermediate passes.
