Red Zone stats

[AzPatsFan]

There has been a lot of criticism of the Patriots Defense for its Red Zone stats.

But that is a bit misinformative.

The way the league measures red zone stats is to calculate the percentage of TDs scored and then rank teams by the percentage of TDs scored. But I maintain that is a bit prejudiced. The true measure is the percentage of red zone opportunities resulting in a score for the Offense; and the percentage of red zone opportunities to prevent any scoring by the Defense.

If we use that criteria, the Pats Red Zone Offense is number one in the League having the highest percentage of times it came away with some points. The Pats score more often percentage wise, and come away with some points, either a TD or a FG, as a percentage, more often than any team in the League. (Of course they also have the most opportunities and the most scores from those opportunities, and may well break the all time record for scoring points.)

By that criteria the Red Zone Defense vaults to number one in the League as well. It has the lowest percentage of any team in the League in yielding any points, either TDs or FGs.

To do well in that criteria a Defense must force lots of turnovers, and or force lots of 4 downs and out, goal line stands. As it happens the Patriots do both.

 

[roguepatriot]

To me, they should calculate the red zone % as points scored/(opportunitiesx7). That would be a fair way to judge how effective the team has really been and reward/punish those cases when turnovers occur/sacks increase the distance from goal and a more difficult field goal to be missed.