Pats Next to Last in AFC in Pass D
 

With all the hoopla about us being able to pound the ball on Indy's porous run D, we've heard nothing about a complimentary defect on our team. Only Houston is worse in pass D yards allowed in the high powered AFC, 8 trashy NFC teams are behind the Pats in the NFL overall.

In this case the yards don't mean much for the Pats - they are 3rd in fewest points allowed in NFL. Meanwhile, that porous run D is a problem for the Dolts - they are 22nd in points allowed 22.9/gm to the Pat's 12.4/gm in the entire league. Of course, the Dolts ripped a once 'great' defense in Denver to little pieces so numbers might mean nothing...

Re: Pats Next to Last in AFC in Pass D
 

Depends where you get your rankings from. Our YPA against is bad, largely because of some bad plays early in the season. Our passing rating against is 7th best in the NFL and that encompasses a variety of stats.

Re: Pats Next to Last in AFC in Pass D
 

Looks like you're looking at yards per game - that's a poor indicator. The YPA is a little more disconcerting but, as I said, the passer rating encompasses more stats than any one stat you could rank teams by.

Re: Pats Next to Last in AFC in Pass D
 

Yds allowed passing means zero. The Pats and Denver both try to keep good passing teams in front of them.

Denvers problem was they didn't hit the receivers after the catch and they didn't mix it up and try to jump a route once they limited them to short/mid-range passes.

Are you agreeing with T.J. Houseyadaddy, that we didn't cover them when we did?

I'm sure we gave up plenty of yards to Cincinnatti, just not those final 10 or so that count.

Re: Pats Next to Last in AFC in Pass D
 

Yards per game is a semi useless stat (unless the YPG is very, very high). Look at the best defenses according to points allowed per game. You'll see many of these teams toward the middle of the pack in passing yards per game. However, you'll see most if not all at the top in rushing yards allowed and yards per rush allowed. For a defense, the top of the importance pyramid is points allowed. The next level of the pyramid is rushing defense, red zone defense, plays of 20 yards or more given up (or whatever big play stat you like). Add in turnovers, QB pressures/hurry ups/sacks to that. Below that is things like third down conversions allowed and YAC. Passing yards allowed per game lives at the bottom of the pyramid. This is not to say none of them lack any importance. I have no idea where the Patriots rank in all these categories. They are stopping the run well, they are keeping teams from scoring TD's in the red zone well and they seem to be now limiting the big plays. If they can pressure the QB consistently, I'll take those 4 stats without a care in the world to rest of 'em!

Re: Pats Next to Last in AFC in Pass D
 

Teams ended up throwing because they couldn't run the ball.

And Minnesota maintained their ecellent run defense rainking because the Pats didn't even try to run.

Stat are skewed.

The only stat that matters is points scored and scored against.

Re: Pats Next to Last in AFC in Pass D
 

Isn't this also indicative of the Pats being ahead for most of their games, thus the opponents going through the air to catch up?

Re: Pats Next to Last in AFC in Pass D
 

Pats still ended u with 85 yards that day, with a plus 4 ypc. So that should have put a crimp in their previously 70 ypg average.

Re: Pats Next to Last in AFC in Pass D
 

Defensive Passer Rating is more revealing:

http://www.coldhardfootballfacts.com...999&Category=2

Re: Pats Next to Last in AFC in Pass D
 

Yes - and that includes that Jets game when we let them get back into the game late - a major lesson learned by the D.

As many pointed out YPA doesn't always tell an accurate story - especially if your team takes a "bend but don't break" attidude.

Along with the W - points scored against is probably the best indicator - and we're doing great in that category - exceptional if you discount the Jets game