Belichick: Most Important Defensive Stat is Points Allowed

[SHOWTIME15]

Patriots' D ranks second for fewest points allowed, but is unit really one of NFL's best?

“Defensively, if you can not give up big plays, and force the team to drive through the red area, and then play well in the red area and not give up touchdowns, give up field goals, then how many points can you score? It’s hard to get a lot of points that way.”

So there it is, folks. BB, the greatest defensive mind ever, came out and said without hesitation when asked the most important stat he looks for in his defense that it is points allowed. I know we've discussed this back and forth for the past month or so - some feel that it's yards allowed and other say it's points.

It's an ESPN article, but written by Reiss and it's worth a read.

 

[Kontradiction]

Did anyone say it wasn't? I believe the contention is that points allowed isn't the be-all, end-all measurement of a defense.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

Did anyone say it wasn't? I believe the contention is that points allowed isn't the be-all, end-all measurement of a defense.

I could be wrong, but I just got the feeling that some people here think yards/game mattered more. Obviously both yards and points are important but people here differ on which is more important.

 

[Fixit]

WTF does he know?

 

[Fixit]

I could be wrong, but I just got the feeling that some people here said yards/game mattered more. Obviously both yards and points are important but people here differ on which is more important.

There's literally no argument about which is more important. There's only one stat that matters, and everything else is just fodder for arguing about why a defense isn't perfect.

 

[Froob]

I don't know why the NFL ranks them in terms of yardage...so dumb.

 

[Tunescribe]

Patriots' D ranks second for fewest points allowed, but is unit really one of NFL's best?



So there it is, folks. BB, the greatest defensive mind ever, came out and said without hesitation when asked the most important stat he looks for in his defense that it is points allowed. I know we've discussed this back and forth for the past month or so - some feel that it's yards allowed and other say it's points.

It's an ESPN article, but written by Reiss and it's worth a read.

BB's defensive philosophy defines the irony of winning football being frustrating to watch as a fan.

 

[BTTA]

Did anyone say it wasn't? I believe the contention is that points allowed isn't the be-all, end-all measurement of a defense.

And in the article the coach names three: points, turnovers, 3rd down, and red zone (points per trip, I'd guess). Then McCourty confirms that thinking.

 

[Kdo5]

We already knew all of this. Frustrating as it is to watch, I'll obviously defer to Bill as it has largely worked. The downside is if our defense struggles to get off the field on third down (which they have this season) and it keeps our greatest strength (Brady) off the field for long periods of time. At that point we best be sure to not let them score TDs. So far we've been good in that area this season.

 

[fightingirish595]

I could be wrong, but I just got the feeling that some people here think yards/game mattered more. Obviously both yards and points are important but people here differ on which is more important.

As Ive said before, Most teams are going to put up yardage with the way the league has set up the rules. Not much stock in yardage. I do put stock in 3rd down efficiency and pass rush, as already discussed in another thread. When the Patriots were getting off the field on 3rd down in the second half, they were not giving up any points. Its just my belief that a pass rush is usually needed to win an S Bowl.

 

[fightingirish595]

There's literally no argument about which is more important. There's only one stat that matters, and everything else is just fodder for arguing about why a defense isn't perfect.

No its a discussion about what might hold the team back and what needs to be improved.

 

[Ring 6]

Did anyone say it wasn't? I believe the contention is that points allowed isn't the be-all, end-all measurement of a defense.

Actually what happens on this board, is many posters say that Points allowed is the most important factor and the starting point of judging a defense, and others disagree by arguing that is not the only factor.

Personally, I think the difference really lies in some people assessing the play of the defense, and others trying to use statistics to predict the future.

 

[Fixit]

No its a discussion about what might hold the team back and what needs to be improved.

We're saying the same thing.

But when I see a thread about how the defense needs to improve massively in order for NE to compete for a championship ... especially in light of BB's obvious defensive philosophy for the last decade or so ... well, I get annoyed.

Nothing. Matters. But. Points. If we were bottom 5 in every stat but still have a top points allowed D, it's a pretty good defense.

 

[fightingirish595]

We're saying the same thing.

But when I see a thread about how the defense needs to improve massively in order for NE to compete for a championship ... especially in light of BB's obvious defensive philosophy for the last decade or so ... well, I get annoyed.

Nothing. Matters. But. Points. If we were bottom 5 in every stat but still have a top points allowed D, it's a pretty good defense.

I see your point there, The patriots defense is not bad, and does not need to be massively improved.
As for your 2nd point, the Patriots were the 8th ranked defense in terms of points in 2010 and were by far the worst 3rd down defense in the league. What stat tells the story more about that defense

 

[Ring 6]

As Ive said before, Most teams are going to put up yardage with the way the league has set up the rules. Not much stock in yardage. I do put stock in 3rd down efficiency and pass rush, as already discussed in another thread. When the Patriots were getting off the field on 3rd down in the second half, they were not giving up any points. Its just my belief that a pass rush is usually needed to win an S Bowl.

I think a better way to look at it is that there are 100s of stats that underlie the one that truly matters how many points you allow (and to clarify its not just one because turnovers are close to equally important).
There are many different ways, many areas to be strong or weak, to get to the final result of how many points you allowed.
I do not buy the theory that one way is better than another (i.e. if your D allows fewer points than mine, but by 3rd down and red zone #s are better than means its a fluke). Its about getting the job done, and NFL history shows that getting the job done no matter how you have to do it is the hallmark of winning teams, not a certain means of getting the job done.

Of course, all of this is kind of bs anyway because football simply isn't a game that can be analyzed effectively with statistics. All that is needed is one statement to prove that correct: WHEN did the points get scored?(as in game situation..a TD when you are losing by 28 does not have the same value as one when you are down 6 or up 2, but statistically they are all the same)

 

[Ring 6]

I see your point there, The patriots defense is not bad, and does not need to be massively improved.
As for your 2nd point, the Patriots were the 8th ranked defense in terms of points in 2010 and were by far the worst 3rd down defense in the league. What stat tells the story more about that defense

8th ranked in points of course.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

Patriots' D ranks second for fewest points allowed, but is unit really one of NFL's best?



So there it is, folks. BB, the greatest defensive mind ever, came out and said without hesitation when asked the most important stat he looks for in his defense that it is points allowed. I know we've discussed this back and forth for the past month or so - some feel that it's yards allowed and other say it's points.

It's an ESPN article, but written by Reiss and it's worth a read.

Interesting. Pretty much a textbook description of a "bend but don't break" defense. No big plays. Tough in the Red Zone. FG's instead of TD's.

He's such a ****ing genius. He sees that in today's NFL, with limited pre-season and in-season practice time, with injuries and with changing personnel, most defenses are going to be "Works in Progress" at the beginning of the season. So, his formula is bend don't break and get better every week.

 

[Fixit]

I see your point there, The patriots defense is not bad, and does not need to be massively improved.
As for your 2nd point, the Patriots were the 8th ranked defense in terms of points in 2010 and were by far the worst 3rd down defense in the league. What stat tells the story more about that defense

The points. Always. That team went 14-2 based off of points, but I can't remember what their record was in the Third-Down Defense League.

 

[fightingirish595]

The points. Always. That team went 14-2 based off of points, but I can't remember what their record was in the Third-Down Defense League.

And then in the playoff game they couldnt stop Mark Sanchez. We can agree to disagree.

 

[Fixit]

And then in the playoff game they couldnt stop Mark Sanchez. We can agree to disagree.

Ah, yes. They lost a game, therefore third-down D is more important than points. I'm sure the loss had nothing to do with Crumpler dropping an easy TD or Brady running for his life. Or the Jets playing out of their minds for a day.