Patriots have the 12 ranked D 1/4 into the season - Discuss

[edkk323]

While it's true that the Pats' defensive rankings got a boost from their performance against Miami, they were already around the middle of the pack in a couple measurements.

Taking out the Miami game, the Pats defense was surrendering ...

25.7 pts/game ... IND = 25.0 (#18), CLE = 26.0 (#19)

143.3 rush yds/game ... ARZ = 141.3 (#31), DET = 157.8 (#32)

263.0 pass yds/game ... tied with BUF at #16 ... Rams = 247.5, OAK = 263.3


The Pats D is now at ...

21.0 (#12) pts/game, between GBY at 20.8 and the JETE at 22.3

121.5 (#26) rush yds/game, between ATL at 119.0 and SEA at 122.5

226.3 (#8) pass yds/game, between GBY at 218.5 and the Gints at 228.8

One other important stat ...

The Pats are also tied with CAR for the 2nd fewest penalties called against them against at 19 overall. The Gints have 18. The Steelers lead the league at 42.

Of the Pats 19 penalties, 7 are attributable to the defense (only 4 DH and 1 DPI).

KCY is tied for 4th most, with IND and HOU, at 34 overall penalties. KCY has been flagged 8 times for Defensive Holding alone, plus another 4 for DPI.

The Past Yard per Offensive Play is 5.5. The best are Ravens and Broncos at 4.4; the worst is Bucs at 7.

We are right in the middle. The difference between the 11th place and the 27th is .3 yard per play. What is the point?

Our offense was not as good as we wanted it to be. That is why we are 2-2.

 

[PScottman]

How is it heavily skewed?

It's not just skewed, it's HEAVILY skewed dontcha know? Because, reasons.

 

[Jackson 2]

I both heard and read yesterday that Sunday's game was the best single-game defensive performance statistically by NE since the 2008 season. To me, that heavily skews the numbers over 4 games. I was impressed because I still think Miami is a good team, but I'll reserve permanent, conclusive judgement for now.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

You can't pick the Miami game to say the stats are skewed without picking the Jags game too. Cherry picking stats is introducing drama into something that is drama-free.

The Pats are a 2 - 2 team. They are who their record says they are. And the Pats have the 12th best D. That is who this D is at this point. If you "feel" differently, that is what therapists are for.

Tapioca is too slimey in my throat. Butterscotch is the best.

 

[maineman209]

The Past Yard per Offensive Play is 5.5. The best are Ravens and Broncos at 4.4; the worst is Bucs at 7.

We are right in the middle. The difference between the 11th place and the 27th is .3 yard per play. What is the point?

Our offense was not as good as we wanted it to be. That is why we are 2-2.

That's pretty much what I was saying last week - that the defense through 3 games was definitely NOT worse than the 2017 defense through 3 games - and actually 6 points/game better than the 2017 defense, while the 2018 offense had been 14 points worse than in 2017.

Through 4 games, the offense is now only about 8 points per game less productive than last season, while the defense is now 11 points per game stingier.

 

[maineman209]

I both heard and read yesterday that Sunday's game was the best single-game defensive performance statistically by NE since the 2008 season. To me, that heavily skews the numbers over 4 games. I was impressed because I still think Miami is a good team, but I'll reserve permanent, conclusive judgement for now.

It doesn't actually heavily skew the rankings, because the defense wasn't nearly as bad as most people thought it was through three games.

Through three games, the Pats defensive ranking was "lower mid-range" in Points Allowed per game (#18) and Passing Yards Allowed per game (#16). They're now ranked in the "upper mid-range" ... #12 and #8, respectively.

IOW, they only moved up 6-8 spots - more than the effect that one game out of, say, eight would have, but still not a huge leap.

Of course, there were a lot of posters proclaiming how the 2018 defense sucked even worse than the 2017 defense, which I'm sure caused a lot of others to imagine that the Pats D was ranked #30 or worse across all statistical categories.

 

[RobertWeathers]

To add to this topic, there is no such thing as a dominant defense anymore.

No question the Pats have had a couple of rough defensive outings. However they were respectable vs HOU and dominant v MIA. Time will tell but historically this team improves as the year goes on. I expect that to occur.

Tapioca pudding is gross.

Grape nut, brown sugar, cranberries

 

[Patsfanin Philly]

It's not that the stats are skewed, it's that the sample size is so small.. After 4 more games, it will be half a season and each game will only represent 1/8 of the sample size versus 1/4 now...

 

[PatsWSB47]

Well I guess the point is how much the ranking moved from where it was just one week before. Let's not get all lndy and raise a banner for it. Show me again next game and I'll raise an eyebrow. Keep showing me and I'll believe.

 

[Kontradiction]

Weighing other stats, they're actually around 20. But it'll be the same thing as last season - they'll play some weaker offenses (including 6 games against the division) and that'll improve their statistical ranking. We've already seen the jump with the Miami performance.

 

[maineman209]

It's not that the stats are skewed, it's that the sample size is so small.. After 4 more games, it will be half a season and each game will only represent 1/8 of the sample size versus 1/4 now...

Not to mention the fact that rankings are relative to the performance of other teams.

For instance, the Pats defense averaged 25.7 points allowed through the first three games. If, in week-6, the Pats can hold the KCY offense to 25 or 26 points, they'll likely gain some ground in the rankings on the Chargers, Steelers and Niners, who allowed KCY to put up 38, 42 and 38 points respectively.

 

[maineman209]

Well I guess the point is how much the ranking moved from where it was just one week before. Let's not get all lndy and raise a banner for it. Show me again next game and I'll raise an eyebrow. Keep showing me and I'll believe.

Again, moving up to #12 isn't a huge leap, because they weren't all that much further down in the rankings after three games.

 

[WaterfallJumper]

And I'd rather have tapioca pudding

I used to respect you. Welcome to ignore.

 

[Bruins29]

Wins & losses, baby. That's all that matters.

A lesson you learned in the Dwayne Allen to the Moon thread last year

 

[TBR]

Last year at this time we were on pace to be the worst defense in NFL history.

They looked like it in the biggest game of the year, did they not?

 

[Joey007]

You can't pick the Miami game to say the stats are skewed without picking the Jags game too. Cherry picking stats is introducing drama into something that is drama-free.

The Pats are a 2 - 2 team. They are who their record says they are. And the Pats have the 12th best D. That is who this D is at this point. If you "feel" differently, that is what therapists are for.

Tapioca is too slimey in my throat. Butterscotch is the best.

Great character, too.

 

[condon84]

Wait till we play the Jets and Bills. Top 5 on stats after those games.

 

[edkk323]

You can't pick the Miami game to say the stats are skewed without picking the Jags game too. Cherry picking stats is introducing drama into something that is drama-free.

The Pats are a 2 - 2 team. They are who their record says they are. And the Pats have the 12th best D. That is who this D is at this point. If you "feel" differently, that is what therapists are for.

Tapioca is too slimey in my throat. Butterscotch is the best.

I am not cherry picking any game. I am saying the statement about the Pats having the 12th best D is useless since the difference between the 11th and 27th best is very small anyway.

 

[PatsDeb]

A lesson you learned in the Dwayne Allen to the Moon thread last year

Hahaha! I'm already getting dragged into arguments about last season, so I am not going here. However, on the miss Allen had on Sunday, I admit that Brady overthrew him (but he still has hands of stone and is slow as molasses [whoops, did I say that out loud?])

 

[jimnance]

Nice stats but I always reserve judgement til late November.
Do people eat pudding on Thanksgiving?
I guess the proof will be in the pudding.