FOOTBALL OUTSIDERS: AFC Championship Game Preview
FOOTBALL OUTSIDERS: AFC Championship Game Preview
the Patriots’ running game this year really wasn’t much better than it was last year. There was just more of it, in large part because their hurry-up offense meant there was more of everything. One reason the Patriots run so effectively, of course, is that defenses are often planning against the pass, even when the Patriots are in non-shotgun sets with just two wide receivers on the field. One of the neat new statistics we have this year thanks to teaming up with ESPN Stats & Information for game charting is a record of how many defenders lined up in the box on each play. From that, we know that the Patriots faced a depleted box with just six or fewer defenders on 54 percent of all runs (not counting scrambles).* This ranked fifth in the NFL; the league average was 33 percent. The Patriots averaged 4.8 yards per carry on these plays with only six in the box, which was no better than average. The NFL average with six or fewer in the box was 4.8 yards per carry, compared to 4.3 yards per carry with seven and 3.4 yards per carry with eight.
Baltimore relies heavily on the deep ball, and deep ball offenses are often inconsistent. Baltimore ranked 30th in offensive consistency this year, based on game-by-game offensive DVOA. They were 26th last year. Consistency is usually considered a good thing, but when you go into a game as the inferior team trying to score an upset, it’s better to be inconsistent. If each team comes out and has their average performance on Sunday, the Ravens will lose by two touchdowns. Inconsistency means that Joe Flacco put up a 3.2 yards per pass, two-interception craptacular like he did against Houston back in Week 7. But it also means that the Ravens could have one of those days where everything clicks, where Ray Rice is gaining five yards per carry and all those deep passes all fall right into the hands of the receivers (and then don’t bounce off those hands, especially if the receiver in question is Jacoby Jones).
https://www.patspropaganda.com/baltimore-relies-heavily-on-the-deep-ball-and/
The Best of the Week in PatsPropaganda
Wow, a pre-AFC Championship Best of. It doesn’t get much better than this.
Yesterday I had the chance to attend the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl media day and Blog With Balls symposium. It was a great chance to hear both Herm Edwards and Dick Vermeil speak, and also talk to some of the players. Blogs with Balls had three interesting panel discussions, and it gave me a chance to meet a few fellow writer/bloggers.
Believe it or not but I made nice with a Jets blog, check out Brian Basset’s The Jets Blog. It was also a chance to meet up with someone who has been linked to many, many times in this space, Yahoo’s Shutdown Corner editor Doug Farrar.
Great time and great talking football with some guys who know their stuff. Thanks to Blogs with Balls for coming to LA!
Here’s the best of the week:
Mike D’s Stuff
Patriots Rivalry with Ravens Will Define Brady, Belichick’s Final Seasons <— MUST READ if I do say so myself.
PatsPropaganda & Frenz Podcast 1/17: AFC Championship Edition 11am EST
Breaking Down Patriots’ 2013 Salary Cap: Where Is Money Best Spent?
Local/National
FOOTBALL OUTSIDERS: Film Room: Conference Championships
Tom Brady through the eyes of his backups – ESPN <– MUST MUST READ
Patriots vs. Ravens: Aqib Talib a Key Difference for New England in Rematch
New England Patriots – 2012 AFC Champions
https://www.patspropaganda.com/britta-saurus-new-england-patriots-2012-afc/
Back in those days, Brady was unmarried, with no kids or obligations. And he spent all of his time on football. Miller used to laugh at the fact that Brady didn’t know much about politics or just about anything else going on in the world outside the football offices back then. He didn’t have time. His impromptu quarterback meetings over breakfast on game days were like lightning rounds on quiz shows. He’d have his backups run him through a fire drill of questions and possible scenarios.
https://www.patspropaganda.com/back-in-those-days-brady-was-unmarried-with-no/