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Tony's Top 5 most disturbing statistics about the Patriots
5
With Tom Brady as his starter, Bill Belichick has a career record of 87-24. Without Brady, Belichick is 43-58. As Bill Parcells might say, you are what you are. As Belichick might say, it is what it is.
4
Since the start of last season, the Patriots have allowed opponents the disturbing average of 4.7 yards per rushing attempt. Is it possible that last year’s historic offense masked a gross inability to stop the run?
3
In setting the NFL’s all-time scoring record last season, the Patriots averaged 36.8 points per game. So far this year, the Pats are averaging 16.3 points per game, which currently places Tom Brady’s estimated value at roughly three touchdowns a week.
2
In his first three career games with the Patriots last season, Randy Moss had 22 catches for 403 yards and five touchdowns. So far this year, Moss has 12 catches for 163 yards and one touchdown, totals roughly equal to his Week 1 totals last year against the Jets (9, 183, 1).
1
Last year, in 586 pass attempts, the Pats were sacked 21 times, an average of one sack every 27.9 attempts. This year, in 87 attempts, the Pats have been sacked 10 times, an average of once every 8.7 attempts. Can that all be Cassel?
Tony's Top 5
Red Sox spring training story lines
5
Shortstop Apparently, it's reached the point where the Red Sox have to trade their shortstop to trim payroll. Anyone feel good about that?
4
Carl Crawford After a poor debut season in Boston, he had wrist surgery. And now we know the owner never wanted him.
3
The bullpen No small story here. Jonathan Papelbon is gone and Daniel Bard is in the rotation. Welcome, Mark Melancon and Andrew Bailey.
2
Bobby Valentine The last time the Red Sox changed managers, they won the World Series. Will history repeat?
1
Josh Beckett By the end of last season, Beckett seemed to lose his focus and his fire. Can he bounce back - and stay healthy, too?
Featured comments
“
"Embarrassment of riches" is a bit of an overstatement, Mazz, and will be until we're actually outspending the Yankee$ on a regular basis.
”peskypole
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About Mazz
Tony Massarotti is a Globe sportswriter and has been writing about sports in Boston for the last 19 years. A lifelong Bostonian, Massarotti graduated from Waltham High School and Tufts University. He was voted the Massachusetts Sportswriter of the Year by his peers in 2000 and 2008 and has been a finalist for the award on several other occasions. This blog won a 2008 EPpy award for "Best Sports Blog".
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