2008 Final Stats: Patriots finish with 8th ranked scoring offense & defense

[Disco Volante]

Scoring Offense: 25.6 PPG
Yards: 365.4 (5th)
Pass Yards: 233.1 (12th)
Rush Yards: 6th (6th)

Scoring Defense: 19.3 PPG
Yards: 309.0 (10th)
Pass Yards: 201.4 (11th)
Rush Yards: 107.6 (15th)

Passing

Matt Cassel
3,693 Yards / 21 TDs / 11 INTs / 63.4 % / 7.2 AVG

Kevin O'Connell
23 Yards / 0 TDs / 0 INTs / 66.7 % / 3.8 AVG

Rushing

Sammy Morris
727 Yards / 4.7 AVG / 7 TDs

Kevin Faulk
507 Yards / 6.1 AVG / 3 TDs

LaMont Jordan
363 Yards / 4.5 AVG / 4 TDs

BenJarvus Green-Ellis
275 Yards / 3.7 AVG / 5 TDs

Matt Cassel
270 Yards / 3.7 AVG / 2 TDs

Receiving

Wes Welker
111 catches / 1,165 yards / 10.5 AVG / 3 TDs

Randy Moss
69 catches / 1,008 yards / 14.6 AVG / 11 TDs

Kevin Faulk
58 catches / 486 yards / 8.4 AVG / 3 TDs

Jabar Gaffney
38 catches / 468 catches / 12. 3 AVG / 2 TDs

Benjamin Watson
22 catches / 209 yards / 9.5 AVG / 2 TDs

Stephen Gostkowski

Field Goals: 36/40
Accuracy: 90%

20-29 Yards: 10/12 (83%) [Pittsburgh, @ Buffalo]
30-39 Yards: 16/16 (100%)
40-49 Yards: 9/11 (82%) [@ Chargers, Buffalo]
50+ Yards: 1/1 (100%)

Extra Points: 40/40 (100%)
Touchbacks: 17
Average Start: 22 yard line

Defense

Tackles: Mayo (128)
Sacks: Seymour (8)
Fumbles: Meriweather/Wright (2)
INTs: Meriweather (4)

The fact that our team finished the regular season with a top 10 offense and defense on a 4 game winning streak, yet will be left out of the playoff race leaves a sick feeling in my stomach.

 

[maverick4]

2009 could be a monster year. In a weird way, we now have the 'luxury' of a rare, long off season to recuperate and rest, not to mention do some extensive evaluation of our own players, all free agents, all college prospects for this year's draft, plus evaluating every play from the season.

The biggest problem on offense and defense is now the minor details that make a team get the big stop or big play at the big moment, like we USED to do. Accumulating stats is great but I don't want to be like the 2002-2004 Colts who had nice stats and then choked when it mattered. We need to focus on getting the key 3rd and long defensive stops, and on offense emphasize having catching hands like glue and not making dumb penalties.

 

[Phlash]

Totally agreed. Fortunately, the defense as a whole started playing much better football down the stretch, and I think you can attribute a bit of that to many of the younger players starting to come into their own. With Wheatley back next year + a few more acquisitions on defense, I wouldn't be surprised in the least if we had a top 3 defense next season. We have the pieces (great Dline and some excellent young linebackers) that if we build around, will be great.

 

[DarrylS]

While there threads about bringing back crennel, and outlandish trades on this board.. this type of stuff is refreshing as it shows that we really did ok despite some tremendous adversity, BB will not get coach of the year.. Sparano probably will, but this team has done very well.

The needs are obvious, d backfield... this has to be upgraded, along with some LB help... the silver lining is that this team can recover, BB and staff can scheme & plan.. and '09 season is only 9 months away..

 

[ctpatsfan77]

While there threads about bringing back crennel, and outlandish trades on this board.. this type of stuff is refreshing as it shows that we really did ok despite some tremendous adversity, BB will not get coach of the year.. Sparano probably will, but this team has done very well.

The needs are obvious, d backfield... this has to be upgraded, along with some LB help... the silver lining is that this team can recover, BB and staff can scheme & plan.. and '09 season is only 8 months away..

Fixed your post for you.

 

[Connecticut]

Can someone just explain what the bottom line is? Besides beefing up the defense, what else needs to be done? Are the Pats going to make some trades possibly? I know Asomugha was mentioned earlier.

 

[pheenix11]

Yeah our "horrible" defense was 8th in points allowed. Reading this board, you would think its 28th.

 

[ALP]

not to add to the stats that hurt....

but only 5 teams in the WHOLE NFL had a better record then us this year... and there were only 3 better records in the AFC then ours....

 

[Sicilian]

and on offense emphasize having catching hands like glue and not making dumb penalties.

While I admit the Thomas penalty was idiotic, this Patriots team was less penalized than any team in Pats history, wasn't it? I really don't think penalties and discipline were an issue this season outside of one play.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

While I admit the Thomas penalty was idiotic, this Patriots team was less penalized than any team in Pats history, wasn't it? I really don't think penalties and discipline were an issue this season outside of one play.

I'm not even sure they were on this play; IIRC, it could have been as simple as Thomas not hearing the whistle.

 

[BlitzFritz]

nice stats.

however, our D was VERY bad at 3rd down and red zone (31st).
lets not lose the plot in the end of season nostalgia.

-- FRITZ

 

[patsfaninpittsburgh]

All teams have areas to work on. However, it comes down to points.

This may suprise some but the defense will not pitch 16 shutouts and the offense score every time they get the ball.

A top 10 defense/offense is indicative of an 11-5 team. The defense was weak in red zone but that doesn't make it a "bad" defense.

 

[mgteich]

OFFENSE
11-5 and bringing back Brady. We're also bringing back our top three receivers (Moss, Welker and Fauk). We will find someone to fill in for the 38 catches that were made by Gaffney. Perhaps we will get more production from our TE's. Our running game was awesome. When was the last time we had so many yards rushing? Not bad for a passing team. Congrats to the offensive line!

Obviously, we could get some upgrades, but the reality is that if we re-sign Evans and Hochstein, and pick up a mid-level free agent receiver (could be Gaffney), we'll be fine for 2009.

DEFENSE
Personally, I think the defense did fine, except for the work needed in the red zone. We have lots of youngsters that should get better. There are some that we haven't seen much of yet. We'll extend a high ($2.2M) tender to Woods, bring in the usual 5-7 free agent defensive backs and go forward. The draft should bring us some help, likely at safety and a future ILB.

The higest priority is to re-sign Wright and extend Wilfork.

To me, the challenge on defense is how to get ready for 2010. The entire defensive line except Warren have contrct ending in 2009, except for Wright in 2008.