JJDChE
In the Starting Line-Up
- Joined
- Sep 17, 2004
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With the recent resurgence of our defense I went back and looked how things have progressed throughout the year. There is a dramatic split between the first three the games (OAK, CAR, PIT/when Harrison went down) the proceeding 8 games (SD thru KC), and then again in the last 3 games. I think everyone has had a sense that this was the case, but looking at the numbers it's even more pronounced than I ever imagined.
Here are the stats from the Middle 8 games vs. First 3/Last 3. After each stat, in parentheses, is where that number would rank in the NFL overall.
Talk about night and day, in the mid-8 game stretch we were essentially the worst defense in the NFL, in the first 3/Last 3 we have been essentially the best defense in the NFL.
One of the amazing things is just how striking the splits are when you break it down. Literally, after the third game everything fell appart and after the 11th game everything came together. Look at the yardage totals per game, in order:
1. 351
2. 250
3. 269
4. 431
5. 400
6. 432
7. 394
8. 453
9. 437
10. 425
11. 420
12. 164
13. 183
14. 138
Buffalo (394 yds, week 8) was only 6 yds away from giving us 8 straight games of allowing 400 yds or more. San Francisco, the worst defense in the NFL, is allowing 399 ypg on the season. In the other six games, only Oakland (351 yds, week 1) gained more than 300. It truly has been two (or three, really) different teams throughout the season.
BTW, as a preemptive strike, I don't want to hear a peep about the competition in the first 3/last 3 segment. There were 3 playoff caliber teams and an overall strength of schedule of .464, which is about the same strength of schedule of the Colts and Bengals.
Here are the stats from the Middle 8 games vs. First 3/Last 3. After each stat, in parentheses, is where that number would rank in the NFL overall.
Code:
Mid 8 Games First3/Last3
------------------------------------------------
Points/Game 26.5 (#29) 12.8 (#2)
Yards per Game 424.0 (#32) 225.8 (#1)
Yards per play 6.28 (#32) 4.04 (#1)
3rd Down Conv. 47.2% (#31) 31.3% (#4)
T.O.P. 33:41 (#32) 25:07 (#1)
1st Downs/Game 23.6 (#32) 13.7 (#1)
Pass Yds/Game 295.0 (#32) 165.8 (#1)
Comp % 64.9% (#31) 44.9% (#1)
Yards/Attempt 8.96 (#32) 5.27 (#1)
Pass TD/Game 2.0 (#31) 1.0 (#8)
INT/Game .5 (#30) 1.0 (#15)
Sack/Game 1.1 (#32) 3.0 (#3)
Rush Yds/Game 129 (#27) 60 (#1)
Rush yds/Attempt 3.97 (#15) 2.65 (#1)
Rush TD/Game 0.9 (#21) 0.5 (#4)
Talk about night and day, in the mid-8 game stretch we were essentially the worst defense in the NFL, in the first 3/Last 3 we have been essentially the best defense in the NFL.
One of the amazing things is just how striking the splits are when you break it down. Literally, after the third game everything fell appart and after the 11th game everything came together. Look at the yardage totals per game, in order:
1. 351
2. 250
3. 269
4. 431
5. 400
6. 432
7. 394
8. 453
9. 437
10. 425
11. 420
12. 164
13. 183
14. 138
Buffalo (394 yds, week 8) was only 6 yds away from giving us 8 straight games of allowing 400 yds or more. San Francisco, the worst defense in the NFL, is allowing 399 ypg on the season. In the other six games, only Oakland (351 yds, week 1) gained more than 300. It truly has been two (or three, really) different teams throughout the season.
BTW, as a preemptive strike, I don't want to hear a peep about the competition in the first 3/last 3 segment. There were 3 playoff caliber teams and an overall strength of schedule of .464, which is about the same strength of schedule of the Colts and Bengals.