Graphing Greatness

[solman]

Attached is a little spreadsheet I use to:

A. Chart the Patriots progress towards becoming the greatest team of all time

and

B. Avoid doing work

It includes the schedules of my top three teams of all time (1985 Bears, 1962 Packers, 1989 49ers), the 1972 Dolphins and the 2004 and 2007 Patriots.

Since a great team isn't really tested by mediocre or poor opponents, I'm focused on important games, which I define as:

1. Games played against opponents that finish the regular season more than two games over .500.

2. Games which were not won. (Only the 2004 Patriots loss to the Dolphins is added by virtue of this second criteria).

Folks are welcome to do with this as they wish. I'd appreciate getting a copy of any new features and/or data.

 

[PromisedLand]

Even though I'm trying my best not to do work myself, can you please save us the time of figuring out what all the little scattered points of light mean and just tell us your conclusions? Thanks - it look like you put a lot of work into it!

 

[solman]

Even though I'm trying my best not to do work myself, can you please save us the time of figuring out what all the little scattered points of light mean and just tell us your conclusions? Thanks - it look like you put a lot of work into it!

Conclusions are for the end of the season.

If the Pats finish what they started, we'll be able to conclude (with very little resistance) that they are the greatest team in the history of the NFL.

Specifically, that they beat tougher opponents by larger margins with greater consistency.

For now, the spreadsheet is just for folks who like playing with and looking at numbers.

I actually find myself rooting for the Colts, Cowboys and Chargers just because I want our season to be impressive as possible. To be the best, you've got to beat the best.

After the season (provided we win the Superbowl), I'll try to make the numerical case as simply and persuasively as possible.

 

[solman]

Even though I'm trying my best not to do work myself, can you please save us the time of figuring out what all the little scattered points of light mean and just tell us your conclusions? Thanks - it look like you put a lot of work into it!

In the tab labeled "Important Games" you can see how we stack up thus far in comparison to the other great teams.

Potentially playing two games each against 15-1 and 14-2 opponents will make our season look mighty good in an historical context.

 

[PromisedLand]

Conclusions are for the end of the season.

If the Pats finish what they started, we'll be able to conclude (with very little resistance) that they are the greatest team in the history of the NFL.

Specifically, that they beat tougher opponents by larger margins with greater consistency.

For now, the spreadsheet is just for folks who like playing with and looking at numbers.

I actually find myself rooting for the Colts, Cowboys and Chargers just because I want our season to be impressive as possible. To be the best, you've got to beat the best.

After the season (provided we win the Superbowl), I'll try to make the numerical case as simply and persuasively as possible.

OK, thanks.

 

[Flying Fungi]

very nice--this gives me a little better appreciation for those '62 cheesers

 

[psychoPat]

Understand that you put this together for your own entertainment.
But thanks for sharing it !
I look forward to your graphical display of an immaculate season.

Can't help but notice that the highlight of the '72 Dolphins' regular season was
smashing the Patriots, 52-0.
Perhaps that will be the outcome next week as well ... mirror image, of course!

Small point: The content of your sheet 2007Patriots
does not match up with the other great teams' sheets.
That is, your scatter diagram is mislabeled.

 

[fourthandmiles]

Way cool. It is fun looking at a point and trying to guess which game it is. I could waste hour at work looking at this.

 

[BelichickFan]

Good stuff. It makes the 2007 Patriots look good, obviously, but the 2004 Patriots look really good on this graph too.

 

[solman]

Good stuff. It makes the 2007 Patriots look good, obviously, but the 2004 Patriots look really good on this graph too.

2004 Patriots are amazing for a few reasons:

1. They had an historically difficult schedule in both the regular season and the playoffs.
2. They suffered through numerous injuries.
3. They repeated the success of the 2003 Patriots who did the same.

Going into this season I thought that the 2007 Patriots uninjured were better than the 2004 Patriots uninjured.

I am no longer sure of this. The 2004 defense was just that much better.

Its too bad that we lost the game against Pittsburgh in 2004. I think that if we had Dillon and Law for most of that game, we could have won it, and gone 19-0 that year.

In week 2 of the 2005 season, Carolina would have ended our win streak at 35 games.

 

[Lloyd_Christmas]

Good work! Does someone inadvertantly pay you to do this

 

[solman]

Good work! Does someone inadvertantly pay you to do this

I get paid a lot of money NOT to do this.

Its a puzzle to me why I spend so much time thinking about the Pats.