stats provided by field yates espn.

this splains it all.

now what matters is the hardware ! :)

A look at the Patriots in our weekly "stat check", highlighting where they finished in a number of statistical categories at the end of the 2012 regular season. 

Points scored 
Final rank: 1st (34.8) 

Points against 
Final rank: Tied 9th (20.7) 

Total offense 
Final rank: 1st (427.9 yards per game) 

Total defense 
Final rank: 25th (373.3 yards per game) 

Rushing offense 
Final rank: 7th (136.5 yards per game) 

Rushing defense 
Final rank: 9th (101.9 yards per game) 

Passing offense 
Final rank: 4th (291.4 yards per game) 

Passing defense 
Final rank: 29th (271.4 yards per game) 

Third-down offense 
Final rank: 1st (110 of 226, 48.7 percent) 

Third-down defense 
Final rank: Tied 25th (82 of 205, 40.0 percent) 

Turnover differential 
Final rank: 1st (Plus-25 -- 41 takeaways, 16 giveaways) 

Red-zone offense (based on TD percentage) 
Final rank: 1st (49 of 70, 70.0 percent) 

Red-zone defense (based on TD percentage) 
Final rank: 13th (24 of 46, 52.2 percent)

Red-Zone defense is probably the most encouraging stat there. Glad to see that bend, but don't break is effective this season. 

They'll need it against Peyton. 

Cleary the strength of this squad is our ability to score and with the incremental improvements made by the defense since the aquision of Talib. The Pat's have as good a shot as any of the AFC teams to advance for another shot at a tittle.

So if they pass on us on 3 rd down then they'll win unless its in the red zone. 

This post has been removed.

I think those stats lead to a redeeming Super Bowl victory! Our offese is the best overall, our running game is hugely improved, and our D is coming on. I think the passing D stats were inflated from the early season games where we were torched prior to Talibs arrival. When we got Talib someone asked if he was worth the price of a 4th round pick and I commented that if he gets the game clinching interception in the super bowl he will be worth it!! I am still sticking with that prediction!

When I clicked on this thread I thought it was going to be a synopsis of the season's events .

So...

I guess I'll add one ...

2012

Light retires

Welker franchise tagged

Pats k/o free agency by signing Lloyd / S Gregory

Draft - BB goes against type expelling draft capital to move up for D-Help (C Jones / Hightower )  Controversial 2nd rounder Tavon Wilson belatedly welcomed on-board after rest of league passes on becoming Pats trade partner .... Zero future picks acquired .

Ocho exits

Gronk / Hernandez signed long term

Vet wr depth surprisingly cut ( Gaffney / Stallworth / Branch )

Salas acquired in Rams trade.

Vet Koppen cut (his escalating salary discharged in favor of youth )

Mallete given keys to backup job ( Hoyer released )

Waters a no show

Season begins with replacement Refs

Pats crush Titans

Branch returns

Cards shock Pats - Ghost misses game-winning Fg ( Woody td called back on holding penalty - Gronk )

Replacement Refs hand Ravens controversial SNF victory .

Salas demoted to practice squad

Rookie Qb Wilson shines while Pats defensive backfield woes exposed - Pats fall to Seahawks in late game hometown heroics.

Pats right ship and begin to reel off string of 8 straight W's .

Branch cut ( again )

Talib acquired in Bucs trade

Gronk breaks arm blocking for XP at end of game

Shiancoe finally suits up (from IR Designation )

Jets destroyed on Turkey Night ( Sanchez butt-fumble )

Shiancoe cut

Bolden / Cunningham caught with PED's dispensers

Salas promoted -then cut again ( Eagles p/u )

Pats win AFC East

Stalworth resigned .

Brady has a daughter.

Texans blown out on MNF .

Stalworth  IR 'd

Branch resigned ( again )

49ers outlast Pats in freezing rain (Playoff top seed & Bye likely lost  )

Ridley fumble-issues resurface

Team plays flat at 2-12 Jax but eeks out W

Brace officially a bust ( cut )

Gronk returns !

Vikes / Colts back-to-back upset of Texans gives Pats 2nd seed & Bye

 

NOTE : The above was just off the top of my head ...so timeline may be a bit off .

 

I leave off anything important ?

 

 

 

 

 

 

In response to bobbysu's comment:

From an outsiders perspective there are two things that make Belichick a great coach.  There may be significantly more, but these are things I have seen. 

1.  Bend don't break is what he generally does best and did when the pats won their SB's.  Other coaches believe in this philosophy too, but Belichick seems to master it in the red zone.  He seems to know particularly well, how to cover the field when it is short. 

2.  He effectively trains his defensive players to play beyond the rules (this is not stated as a negative), to hold effectively but not obviously, until the refs blow the whistle.  He teaches his players to put the onus on the officials not themselves.  Frequently he wins - officials won't call everything. 

In response to CaptnFoxboro's comment:

Excellent synopsis, Captn! 

I might add "troubled corner-back (Dennard) who people claimed wasn't Patriots material keeps head on straight and emerges as a promising cornerback, solidifies the move for McCourty to Safety, haters exposed"

Also, "Ridley emerges as a true lead back, eclipsing 1250+ yards and 13 TDs. The commitment to the run game does wonders for the offense."

In response to Beantowne's comment:

indeed, can only hope the increments continmue to improve :)

In response to Philskiw1's comment:

funny :)

In response to Quagmire3's comment:

awesome, my comment to that thread was if we win the sb it was worth it (and worth a #1)

In response to bobbysu's comment:

bobbsu i absolutely agree with your take here and have been saying this since being on the board.

In response to bredbru's comment:

 

I actually think most these stats point to a great year. I would like the pass defense to be better but I bet most of those yards came earlier in the year. If our Defense shows up the way it did for a few weeks when Talib got here and Dennard started, I like our chances, but they have to be mentally tough in the postseason, something they havent been as of late. The Redzone numbers are great and this is where games are won and lost, Points. So we are looking ok, its just that reg. season numbers change in postseason and you have to STEP UP! Lets hope this team is ready. I thnk the biggest hurdle for the defense is mental toughness biggest hurdle on offense is resisting the temptation to chuck it around the field with the best QB in the game when establishing the run with these stable of backs would work wonders for Brady in the longrun.

In response to TripleOG's comment:

hey triple nice points all. 

though id add health in talib and dennard and bb playing man wiht them and bringing pressure one.

on off

"biggest hurdle on offense is resisting the temptation to chuck it around the field with the best QB in the game when establishing the run with these stable of backs would work wonders for Brady in the longrun."

have to get that through josh mcd's head

In response to bredbru's comment:

 

Def. agree Bredbru!  I am already assuming Talib and Dennard are gonna be healthy(hoping) because if not, I dont have much confidence in the other guys and we need them in order for us to play aggressive/man defense. I will say this though, if/when we meet up with Peyton again, I dont know if they will utilize Talib n Dennard in the same way. I re-watched the Denver game last night and the starters were S.Moore and McCourty and Wilson played a lot with Chung. You would think they would be toast but BB actually likes  to play more zone with Peyton and mix in coverages to keep him guessing. Even though Talib n Dennard are our best man Cbs I dont know if they are best at zone(arrington maybe) and so who knows who would play vs Peyton but I wouldnt expect that many blitzes and I would expect a lot of zone coverages.

In response to bredbru's comment:

And yet Bill Belichick is the greatest coach of his generation, has the eighth most wins of any head coach in NFL history, and his election to the Hall of Fame will be a formality.  Just maybe, after fifty plus years of studying football sixteen hours a day, 365 days a year, he knows what he is doing.

 

In response to TripleOG's comment:

triple you are on point re playing manning / secondary.

i like cincy to go in there and hope they pull it out, they have the d and green off

In response to newenglanderinexile's comment:

maybe he IS god and has no blind spots or weakeness unlike any other human being.

yes he is brilliant, i doubt that menas no one can have a thought or idea that might work that he does not employ.

in fact, ideas that many here and myself included, have thought of, he has changed in his own strategy.

Bredbru...   nice summary.  Why all these regular season successes don't appear to translate so well into the playoffs for the offense is a head scratcher.  Defense pretty much keeps to form, but, in the last 2 SBs gave up leads late while still only giving up the same number of points, even less, than it has during the regular season.  The offense, a different story.

For the most part, they play mostly the same teams they may have faced in the regular season.  True, give a team a second shot at stopping the Pats and they may do better.  If that is the case, why can't the Pats offense do even better facing the same defense the second time around?  I really do not think the other team got better, IMHO, the Pats suddenly turned into a "do not lose the SB" mentality on offense.  In both SB42 and 46, the nature of the plays on the scoring drives the Pats had would not be maintained over the course of the game.  I'd wonder why did you change your plays when the last series showed the opponents D could not stop you?  Go figure!  Anyway.. maybe after being bitten twice in the SB, the offense will show them all and trounce all comers these playoffs!  When it is clicking, I do not think there is a D that can stop them.  This was shown in the 49ers game.

In response to agcsbill's comment:

 

hey ag,

re:

"Why all these regular season successes don't appear to translate so well into the playoffs for the offense is a head scratcher. "

my critique (that many others jsut criticze and say we scored blah de blah. 

is to design the offense to be able to beat the BEST defenses.

ie knowing how to mix in the run optimally (and well desgned run plays) as well as having the offensive threats we have come to have today (which ive written about in prior years) minus the outside wr who can separate. having rb who can make you pay, hern, gronk, and wideout on field most of the time and calling good sequences. 

i dont like that josh is predictable when he will run or pass and  that he often forgets the thret of the run makes the team better. he can improve there.

In response to agcsbill's comment:

I know folks wont like my answer but Bill, its because our offense gets less posessions in the post season. Both of the last SBs were played in favor of defense as our offense only got 4 posessions I thnk compared to usually atleast 8. when your defense cant get ONE 3 and Out, your offense will stay on the sidelines and u cant score if u dont play. This is where the defense has to CREATE turnovers to get us MORE posessions but in last SB, they couldnt fall on ONE football or catch an INT and thats mental toughness or lack their of by the young defense IMO and has been mentioned by both Brady and BB going back to 09' when the Saints RAN THRU US on national TV.  The reason its such a head scratcher is because its not on the offense. They can only score when they are on the field which strangely has been HALF the usual time in each of the last SBs. DEFENSE NEEDS TO STEP UP IN THE BIG GAME AND STOP SOMEONE, GET OFF THE FIELD AND LET OUR HIGH POWERED OFFENSE OPERATE!

TripleOG - just looked up the possessions in SB46,  the Pats and Giants both had 8.  Giants kept the ball longer and the Pats had the only two giveaways.  Either way, it is still a head scratcher why the offense has a tendancy to go into a funk these last few playoff years since 2007.

bredbru, IMHO, the running game is better for this year's playoff run than year's past.   We shall see, won't we?

In response to agcsbill's comment:

Thats all it takes in the big game. If your offense is # 1, the other team just wants to hold the ball and take their time scoring and they did. The defense failed us by not getting off the field and giving the offense more time so its two-fold. Both SB, the D gave up the lead late in the 4th and both times our offense wasnt left enough time to answer. They all go hand in hand. When your offense is your best weapon, teams will do anything to stop it and you have to prepare for that. Credit Coughling for outcoaching BB twice in the biggest game of the year.