Pats lead NFL in both most take aways & least give aways

[cardiak]

Just like the title states,

Patriots now lead the NFL with the most defensive takeaways and their offensive leads the NFL with the least give aways

Pretty important stat

 

[Mack Herron]

re: Pats lead NFL in both most take aways & least give aways

Amazing stats. Maybe a little magic here but I've not seen anything like it.

 

[Fixit]

re: Pats lead NFL in both most take aways & least give aways

Yeah, but I've been told by a few posters here that forcing turnovers isn't actually part of a good defense. It's all luck, apparently.

 

[RodThePat]

re: Pats lead NFL in both most take aways & least give aways

Yeah, but I've been told by a few posters here that forcing turnovers isn't actually part of a good defense. It's all luck, apparently.

Obviously it isn't all luck, but it does indeed have a component of that. I'd rather stop teams by forcing punts, than by forcing turnovers, because when you face good offenses, odds are, you won't take the ball away frequently. Can't complain about the way they've done things the last couple of weeks, though.

 

[CityOfChampions]

re: Pats lead NFL in both most take aways & least give aways

I hope we can keep it up!

 

[Uncle Rico]

re: Pats lead NFL in both most take aways & least give aways

Obviously it isn't all luck, but it does indeed have a component of that. I'd rather stop teams by forcing punts, than by forcing turnovers, because when you face good offenses, odds are, you won't take the ball away frequently. Can't complain about the way they've done things the last couple of weeks, though.

Yeah, the whole turnover thing on both sides of the ball is amazing and I hope it continues. Though like you said, that element of luck is there and it's not reliable. We've seen it the past two years: In 2010 we kept hearing about Brady's amazing no-INT streak, then we saw what happened against the Jets. Last February the turnover luck went the other way against the Giants, who literally could not give the ball away no matter how they tried.

By all means I hope the offense keeps staying clean and the D stays opportunistic. I'm confident this offense can overcome a turnover or two, but how this D would do without benefit of take-aways remains to be seen (maybe).

 

[Avenger]

re: Pats lead NFL in both most take aways & least give aways

Obviously it isn't all luck, but it does indeed have a component of that. I'd rather stop teams by forcing punts, than by forcing turnovers, because when you face good offenses, odds are, you won't take the ball away frequently. Can't complain about the way they've done things the last couple of weeks, though.

You won't force a better offense to punt as often either

 

[RayClay]

Obviously it isn't all luck, but it does indeed have a component of that. I'd rather stop teams by forcing punts, than by forcing turnovers, because when you face good offenses, odds are, you won't take the ball away frequently. Can't complain about the way they've done things the last couple of weeks, though.

Well, if you'd rather not instantly turn games around, you might consider rooting for another team (just kidding, to make a point). What team have you been watching the last decade or so?

Are there not good teams in the Playoffs and Super Bowl? Sure, the ball takes funny bounces, but to think it is luck that we have huge advantages in turnover ratio all our best years is to miss the point of Belichick defenses, when they are working as intended.

We lament the couple receptions allowed on a drive then cheer the "lucky" interception that is really the result od a designed play and probably part of a scheme set up throughout the drive. Even the announcer noted the "bait" play Arrington ("I think") set up so Gregory could fly out of nowhere for the easy pick.

Tacklers practice stripping the ball and the offense practices holding on at the same time, every practice, more than anyone else, I'll wager. This is and has been our defense. It is not designed to minimize yards allowed on the stat sheet, it is designed to maximize our scoring opportunities and minimize those of the opposition.

Check out how many turnovers we've forced in successful playoff and Super Bowl games. It directly contradicts what you've stated as fact about "big games" and turnovers.

"Luck is the residue of design", the saying goes and it has never been more true than in Belichicks defenses.

 

[RayClay]

Actual stats are more amazing than you'd think.

Our championship years...

2001...reg +7 playoffs +6

2003...reg +17 playoffs +3

2004...reg +9 playoffs +10

That's not 10 turnovers from the opposition, that's 10 more in a few games.

That's not "luck"

 

[PatsFanInVa]

JEST fan translation:

STATISTICAL PROOF that the Pats just get lucky!

 

[DaBruinz]

Obviously it isn't all luck, but it does indeed have a component of that. I'd rather stop teams by forcing punts, than by forcing turnovers, because when you face good offenses, odds are, you won't take the ball away frequently. Can't complain about the way they've done things the last couple of weeks, though.

Please show us the "odds" that good offenses don't turn the ball over...

I have news for you, Good Defenses force turnovers. And turnovers are just as good as a punt because they actually put the offense in a better position to get points.

 

[RIpats88]

causing a turnover here and there is luck, but to lead the NFL in takeaways is making your own luck..

Spikes/Nink going for the balls and stripping them on those hits is not luck, thats practice and they are good at it.

while the bounce of the ball and who recovers it has more to do with Luck, actually Forcing the turnovers is far from it. take that fumble by Greene that lead to the recovery by Gregory...in the replay you CLEARLY see Spikes Punch it out of Greene's hand in the pile

 

[DaBruinz]

To this point in the season, the Pats have forced 25 fumbles and made 14 interceptions. NFL.COM currently doesn't list the Sanchez fumble last night as a forced fumble, but it was clear that Wilfork moved Moore into Sanchez's way.

Of the 25 forced fumbles, the Pats have recovered 18 of them. 3 of which have been returned for TDs.

18 fumble recoveries and 14 interceptions for 32 turnovers. Or just about 3 per game to this point. I'm sorry, but that's not luck. That is the defense doing it's darnedest to cause the turnovers and being following up to recover the ball.

 

[patsfan13]

The TO's reflect in part a team with a lot of talented players, the PPG reflect a mot of inexperienced players. The inexperienced part is being corrected as we speak.

 

[JMC00]

I watched a puff piece on one of the pregame shows a few weeks ago about the Bears take-aways

Yet the Pats have almost 10 more forced fumbles than the Bears (26 to 17). Hell the Pats have recovered more fumbles (18) than the Bears actually have forced fumbles (Bears have 11 recoveries)

Bears have 7 take-aways returned for TD
Patriots have 5.

Pats only have 4 less INT than the Bears.

Patriots also set the record for most returns (Defense and Kick/Punt return) for TD in a 2 game span with 5. (For the record the Bears have 0 Kick/Punt returns for TD)

But you won't hear the media talking about the Patriots defense forcing turnovers like you do the Bears

 

[Dutchmaster617]

Yeah, the whole turnover thing on both sides of the ball is amazing and I hope it continues. Though like you said, that element of luck is there and it's not reliable. We've seen it the past two years: In 2010 we kept hearing about Brady's amazing no-INT streak, then we saw what happened against the Jets. Last February the turnover luck went the other way against the Giants, who literally could not give the ball away no matter how they tried.

By all means I hope the offense keeps staying clean and the D stays opportunistic. I'm confident this offense can overcome a turnover or two, but how this D would do without benefit of take-aways remains to be seen (maybe).

Honestly there is no solid reason to believe in this defense long term and/or in big situations.

I guess the fact we have depth, some good running, and obviously Brady can be a reason for optimism.

 

[UK_Pat37]

Obviously it isn't all luck, but it does indeed have a component of that. I'd rather stop teams by forcing punts, than by forcing turnovers, because when you face good offenses, odds are, you won't take the ball away frequently. Can't complain about the way they've done things the last couple of weeks, though.

Wait, what?

You'd rather force a punt than a turnover?

There are elements of bad play by the team committing the turnover but there's hardly much luck. Spikes punching that ball out last night was pure genius.

 

[robbomango]

Sanchez has thrown 10 INTs and fumbled 10 times lost 5, that's not bad luck it's pure suck.

 

[Dodie]

Some people are saying Jets shoot themselves in the foot, I don't think so, our guys made them plays they're more attentive. It's not luck imo

 

[ausbacker]

The first interception of Gregory was not a lucky play, that was a beautifully designed scheme that first baited Sanchez and was then executed by the Patriots. It was a thing of beauty.