Sunday, December 30, 2007

Wow.

Forging the perfect season...

The Patriots are 16-0 this morning. If the Redskins and the Browns make the playoffs, they will have accomplished this feat during a season in which they played seven playoff contenders, including four division winners - Indianapolis, San Diego, Pittsburgh, and Dallas.

Overall, the winning percentage of the team's opponents is .465. With eight games left among those 12 other opponents, assuming wins by the Jets, Chargers, Browns, and Colts, the best the final winning percentage can be is .474. While .474 isn't going to make anyone say "wow," here's something from ESPN to put what the Patriots did this season into perspective -

The biggest negative on the '72 Dolphins' résumé is the strength, or lack thereof, of their schedule. While it's true that they could only play who was scheduled, it's also true that with an opponents' winning percentage of .396, the Dolphins' schedule was one of the easiest since 1950.

How easy?

Basically, 99 percent of the teams since 1950 had a more difficult season schedule than the 1972 Dolphins. That is a very easy schedule.


Four of the Patriots victories were by four points, or fewer. Only two of those tight victories were against playoff contenders. The team's average margin of victory over the rest of the playoff field is 25.6 points per game.

Additionally, the Patriots defeated the entire NFC East, and AFC North through the course of their season - two of the most physical divisions in the NFL.

Based on what happened during the regular season, one has to assume that the two AFC teams with the best chance of advancing through Foxborough - the Colts and the Jags.

Costly loss -

In a game they didn't need, the Giants lost their starting center, Shaun O'Hara to a knee injury, starting corner Sam Madison to a groin injury, and starting linebacker Kawika Mitchell. Both Mitchell and O'Hara are reported to have each sprained a knee.

All players at key positions on the field.

This is not good for a Giants team heading into a playoff game with a physical Tampa team.

The 300, Patriots Redux...

Tom Brady became the sole number of the 50 touchdown club when he hooked up with Randy Moss on a 65-yard bomb. That means that 300 of the Patriots 589 total points came off the arm of Tom Brady.

Brady's arm has accounted for just under 75 percent of the scoring by the Patriots O. The offense accounted for a total of 402 of the points, special teams another 151 points (one two point conversion), and the defense scored 36 with touchdowns by Randall Gay, Adallius Thomas, Asante Samuel, Eugene Wilson, and Rosevelt Colvin.

Fearful Symmetry...

Just a few final facts to leave you with:

The Patriots started and ended the season in Giants Stadium. The y won both games, scoring exactly 38 points in both contests. In both games Moss caught a touchdown pass of at least 50 yards, and Brady completed at least 76 percent of his passes.

The Patriots top three receivers, Moss, Wes Welker, and Donte Stallworth, each averaged better than 10 yards per reception in the two games in the Meadowlands - 20 receptions for 254 yards against the Giants, and 16 receptions for 263 yards against the Jets.

Randy Moss is the common denominator between the record setting Vikings offense that got Brian Billick his head coaching position in Baltimore, and the current Patriots offense.

8 comments:

Liz said...

Congrats to your Patriots!

I have to say, I'm extremely disappointed in the NFL tonight. Particularly the Colts, Cowboys and Steelers. Yeah we all know you are already in the playoffs, but to just lay down and give away wins to me is just wrong. Is there no pride in the NFL? What happened to momentum going into the playoffs? A disgusting display of not-giving-a-shit-today, if you ask me.

Dave said...

I think the Giants got caught up in the game and didn't focus on what was more important: Tampa Bay in one week. They've been resting their key players on and off for almost three weeks now. They'll be fresher for the wild-card game next week than the Giants.

And even if they had won, would it have been worth losing the wild-card game? I think playing the whole game was a bad bad move by Coughlin, the O'Hara injury really driving that point home.

Kevin Smith said...

Sorry about the Browns, Liz. I was really hoping they would get into the playoffs. Thanks for the congrats.

Chris Stone said...

The drama of that repeat 65 yd pass Brady to Moss was beautiful.
Coughlin screwed up. But I also think Dungy did too. (hopefully!)

Anonymous said...

Kevin, loving the '72 Dolphins as you do, you should LOVE this story...

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=gallo/071231

Anonymous said...

"But I also think Dungy did too. (hopefully!)"

Dungy swears by that "resting" business. But, with the exception of last year, it hasn't worked out all that well for them, the best example being 2005.

Anonymous said...

Kevin, just figured I should let you know...I KNOW these are fake! But they are STILL pretty funny!!!

Liz said...

Thanks Kevin. Disappointing though it was, a 10-6 season after a 4-12 season bodes well for the future of the Browns. I am optimistic, although I hope that the future is not on Brady Quinn's shoulders...yet.