The best team in the NFL ... The Pats .. so say A-Team's stats

[The Indomitable DrugS]

I thought I'd enjoy what was my final day as a Pats fan with this stellar post.

According to Football Outsiders, the New England Patriots are the best team in the NFL.

It gets better: The plays that signified that win (on Monday Night against the Dolphins) had no bearing on their measurements.


“The Patriots get no credit for the blocked field goal, because blocks are rare and scoring on a missed field goal is rarer still. They get no credit for the punt block, because our punt return ratings for the receiving team only judge punt returns. The Dolphins do get penalized for both events, although the penalty for a blocked field goal is no different from the penalty for any other missed field goal.”

Using their metrics, the Patriots have the top offense in the league, but their defense ranks 23. The difference for them has been special teams, where they rank fourth.

http://blog.masslive.com/patriots/20...ys_that_p.html


The "#1 overall team in the NFL" with the "#1 offense in the NFL" will be VERY lucky if they're able to make the playoffs. And I say that knowing full well....

* That they're 3-1

* That they have road games against the hapless Lions, Browns, and Bills yet to come

* That they haven't lost a regular season home game with Brady at QB since 2006. The freaking week Bernardini was a beaten favorite in the BC Classic - and Moss was in Oakland. Now, one of Bernardini's offspring will run in the BC Juvie.

The Pats are no longer a 12-4 or 11-5 team. They no longer have unquestionably the best offense in the NFL. A veritable juggernaught of an offense with young guys left wide open in space underneath every time you pause a play.

This is an 8-8 football team at the end of this year. And if the defense doesn't improve markedly - a 6-10 team next year.

[randallscott35]

There is nothing like low balling expectations in order to talk about how amazing a season it will be later on.

-true handicapping

[ateamstupid]

FO is notorious for overrating teams early in the year that they predicted to be good in the preseason. This is because their final DAVE rating is their DVOA mixed with preseason projections. As the season wears on, DAVE is weighted less and raw DVOA takes on more importance. If they're still #1 in Week 12, then I'll take notice.

[slotdirt]

Unrelated, but am I reading that correctly that the FO metrics rank the Lions as having the toughest schedule in the league? That seems fair.

[dagolfer33]

Also unrelated, as I sat Monday night and witnessed my fantasy opponent make up a 45 point defecit to kick my ass this week, on the sole strength of the Pats record-setting defensive display, I harkened back to that one fine Sunday I started David Patten as my flex player.

[horseofcourse]

Originally Posted by The Indomitable DrugS

I thought I'd enjoy what was my final day as a Pats fan with this stellar post.

.

Why aren't you a Pats fan any longer? I don't get it. Who are you a fan of now?

[ateamstupid]

Originally Posted by horseofcourse

Why aren't you a Pats fan any longer? I don't get it. Who are you a fan of now?

Take a wild guess. He was never really a Pats fan.

[horseofcourse]

Originally Posted by ateamstupid

Take a wild guess. He was never really a Pats fan.

The Raider fan years must have been rough. I'm looking forward to the page sized diagrams showing what a great life Harvin has now that Moss is on the field...with arrows and proof of quadruple coverage on Moss.

[dalakhani]

Originally Posted by horseofcourse

The Raider fan years must have been rough. I'm looking forward to the page sized diagrams showing what a great life Harvin has now that Moss is on the field...with arrows and proof of quadruple coverage on Moss.

All kidding aside, that Viking team should be pretty lethal on offense. You certainly aren't going to be too brazen of cheating the safeties up against AP. Shiancoe I guesss will have to be the possession guy. When Rice comes back, this team will be ridiculous.

[slotdirt]

Having watched the Vikings for their first three games, the thought occurs to me that there is no panacea for an offense that has been that awful so far this season. Well, unless Old Man Favre somehow finds his 1996 arm again. Hard to throw deep balls to Moss when you have a quarterback who can't throw the deep ball anymore.

[horseofcourse]

Originally Posted by dalakhani

All kidding aside, that Viking team should be pretty lethal on offense. You certainly aren't going to be too brazen of cheating the safeties up against AP. Shiancoe I guesss will have to be the possession guy. When Rice comes back, this team will be ridiculous.

OF course they'll be better with Moss. I'm stupid for the most part (as you are well aware!) , but not that stupid!! Moss is a great player, but I'm pretty sure he's not God as at least one poster seems to be convinced!