That was then: Celebrating what was

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One official explained it perfectly. The DB wasn't looking back *at the same time* he had his hands on Cooks.
That seemed to shut Ramsey up.
I thought Ramsey came off really well in most of the audio from the game and after. He's a major shit talker but also very observant and knows his craft. I think that PI call was close but correct, good time for the leader of their DBs to press for an explanation and make his case, which he did until he got a clear rebuttal, then he let it be.
 

Harry Hooper

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Was that really an egregious no-call in 2001? Things have changed a lot since then.
Blows to the QB's head were already a virtual automatic penalty in 2001. Watching the game live on TV, the room of fans erupted with the TD return. I stayed in my seat as I fully expected a flag on Vrabel. I was thrilled to find out the play stood.


Other rules to protect QB's were added or retooled in the next dozen years.
 

Ed Hillel

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Oh dude he totally tripped him. There’s a replay that makes it obvious.
Yup.

Same thing actually happened to Gronk last week on the play he got concussed. The defender fell and reached out to trip him, which is what caused Gronk to overbalance and Church to hit him in the head. When I saw the replay, the Butler play from SB 49 is the exact thing that popped into my head.
 

Reverend

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Actually -- and I'm sure this won't be a popular opinion -- I think the Patriots have been a bit fortunate in big games on some pretty big calls. The two that come to mind are not calling PI on Butler late in the fourth quarter when he appeared to get a bit of the receiver's leg in Super Bowl 49 and the simultaneous facemasks in 51 that were uncalled but would have washed out the 10-yard holding penalty drawn by Long. We all watch this stuff with homer glasses on, and I'm sure we all could recount calls that didn't go our way -- the Champ Bailey run down or whatever -- to say "it evens out." I'm prepared, though, to accept that actually it might be 60/40.

My problem with all this is that it's the wrong question. Whether it's 60/40 or 40/60, or something else, those arguing that it's lopsided simply want to glide over the entire rest of the game and what happens. It's like, "well, of course Tom Brady is money in the fourth quarter, so we can discount that and simply draw some kind of causation analysis from the penalties." it's just flawed and not an accurate or honest way to answer the fundamental question -- "who deserved to win the game". There's no problem with debating penalty calls or even whether there have been more lucky than unlucky ones, but to make it the ultimate answer to the question you're purporting to address is just lazy and weak.
I think there is a really, really good—and, in retrospect, obvious—reason that so many people can recall so many calls—as in a larger than usual total number of such calls—in big games going the Patriots’ way:

Sample size.
 

InstaFace

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If there's no PI on the Cooks play, it's 2d and 10 from the 45 with plenty of time and time outs. After the catch, there was still work to be done. The bullshit that you hear -- that it was an emotional situation, or turned the tide, or whatever, it's just lazy and poor analysis and ultimately fundamentally unsound other than in a few very obvious final second situations.

To be sure, every fan is guilty of this. We kind of do it too, right? I mean, the Kearse catch in Super Bowl 49 goes down a lucky play that almost lost us the game. It's the Tyree play in our minds. But it wasn't. Not close. If that ball hits the turf, it's 2d and 10 from our 38 with 1:20 and two time outs left. Same with the Edelman catch in 51. It was an amazing play and so in our minds we want to make it super important as the lore of the game takes hold, but really, it hardly moved the needle in terms of win percentage and...
Let me stop you right there.
  • 2005 DIV @DEN, Champ Bailey runback. 3rd & 5, DEN 5. 53.1% -> 95.4% = WPA +42.3%! Make that NE ball on NWE 20, Home Win% is ~62%. So that was >33% WPA on that call.
  • 2007 SB 42, Tyree catch. 3rd & 5, NYG 44. 84.4% -> 66.9% = WPA -17.5%. Make that 3rd and 15 on the NYG 34 at 0:59 left, you're probably up to ~93% based on looking at some comparable games. So the no-call was a ~26% WPA swing.
  • 2011 SB 46, Manningham catch. 1st & 10, NYG 12. 68.1% -> 53.5% = WPA +14.6%. Drops that, with 3:46 remaining and only 1 timeout, you've got a real uphill slog, probably at least 71-72% to NE. Instead, that 32 yard pass got them right to the 50.
  • 2014 SB 49, Kearse catch. 1st & 10, NWE 38, 1:14 remaining. 41.6% -> 62.7% = WPA +21.1%. Drop that and even though it's 2nd down, you're probably not going to get that big lump of yardage, and only 1 timeout remains. I'd figure ~36% for 2nd and 10 there, so about 26% swing on the catch.
  • 2016 SB 51, Edelman catch. 1st and 10, NWE 36, 2:28 remaining. 89.4% -> 86.3% = WPA -3.1%. Okay, yeah, not a big swing, mostly because they still had to score a TD and a 2PC just to get it to 50% WP.
  • 2017 AFCCG, Bouye DPI. 1st and 10, JAX 45, 1:23 remaining in the first half. 32.3% -> 40.4% = WPA +8.1%. Slightly less WPA than the next play that took it from the 13 to the 1 yard line. No-call that, and WP probably falls to the high 20s, but NE still has plenty of time and chances to get it down the field before half.
So I'd say the Ben Watson play is in a gripe league of its own, but the 3 SB catches that went against us were all pretty damn impactful, and the no-call on the Tyree play was one of the biggest swings in win probability of that (or, really, any) game.

I'll give you credit for calling it right with respect to the Edelman catch. I had no idea it had such a small impact statistically.
 

Dotrat

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Blows to the QB's head were already a virtual automatic penalty in 2001. Watching the game live on TV, the room of fans erupted with the TD return. I stayed in my seat as I fully expected a flag on Vrabel. I was thrilled to find out the play stood.


Other rules to protect QB's were added or retooled in the next dozen years.
Similarly, my friends and I--all Pats fans, of course--were pissed that Woodson wasn't called for roughing the passer.
 

Harry Hooper

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Let me stop you right there.
  • 2005 DIV @DEN, Champ Bailey runback. 3rd & 5, DEN 5. 53.1% -> 95.4% = WPA +42.3%! Make that NE ball on NWE 20, Home Win% is ~62%. So that was >33% WPA on that call.
  • 2007 SB 42, Tyree catch. 3rd & 5, NYG 44. 84.4% -> 66.9% = WPA -17.5%. Make that 3rd and 15 on the NYG 34 at 0:59 left, you're probably up to ~93% based on looking at some comparable games. So the no-call was a ~26% WPA swing.
  • 2011 SB 46, Manningham catch. 1st & 10, NYG 12. 68.1% -> 53.5% = WPA +14.6%. Drops that, with 3:46 remaining and only 1 timeout, you've got a real uphill slog, probably at least 71-72% to NE. Instead, that 32 yard pass got them right to the 50.
  • 2014 SB 49, Kearse catch. 1st & 10, NWE 38, 1:14 remaining. 41.6% -> 62.7% = WPA +21.1%. Drop that and even though it's 2nd down, you're probably not going to get that big lump of yardage, and only 1 timeout remains. I'd figure ~36% for 2nd and 10 there, so about 26% swing on the catch.
  • 2016 SB 51, Edelman catch. 1st and 10, NWE 36, 2:28 remaining. 89.4% -> 86.3% = WPA -3.1%. Okay, yeah, not a big swing, mostly because they still had to score a TD and a 2PC just to get it to 50% WP.
  • 2017 AFCCG, Bouye DPI. 1st and 10, JAX 45, 1:23 remaining in the first half. 32.3% -> 40.4% = WPA +8.1%. Slightly less WPA than the next play that took it from the 13 to the 1 yard line. No-call that, and WP probably falls to the high 20s, but NE still has plenty of time and chances to get it down the field before half.
So I'd say the Ben Watson play is in a gripe league of its own, but the 3 SB catches that went against us were all pretty damn impactful, and the no-call on the Tyree play was one of the biggest swings in win probability of that (or, really, any) game.

I'll give you credit for calling it right with respect to the Edelman catch. I had no idea it had such a small impact statistically.

Cool stuff. Do you have the impact of the official choking on his whistle after Pierre Woods recovered the fumble and letting a gang of Giants eventually take it away from him?
 

DennyDoyle'sBoil

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For the record, two time outs left and clock stopped if the Kearse play had been incomplete. And while I have no grounds to dispute the plus 20 is historically accurate using data, Wilson on the 38 yard line with that much time felt like a much lower chance of winning than 62 percent. Patriots' defense was gassed. Seahawks were picking up huge chunks. They had just converted a third and ten with ease.

I'm not saying that the catch didn't greatly help the Seahawks. Of course it did. I'm saying that they still had a really good chance to win without it. Many of us put it mentally in the same category as Tyree -- the sense is they were lucky to have avoided losing. The reality is that fourth quarter of a long game for the second best team in the NFL, 2d and 10 at the 38 with two time outs, and 1:30, Russel Wilson, Doug Baldwin, Beast Mode, etc. is hardly the dire situation that we seem to imagine when we talk about how "lucky" the Seahawks got.
 
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Al Zarilla

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For the record, two time outs left and clock stopped if the Kearse play had been incomplete. And while I have no grounds to dispute the plus 20 is historically accurate using data, Wilson on the 38 yard line with that much time felt like a much lower chance of winning than 62 percent. Patriots' defense was gassed. Seahawks were picking up huge chunks. They had just converted a third and ten with ease.

I'm not saying that the catch didn't greatly help the Seahawks. Of course it did. I'm saying that they still had a really good chance to win without it. Many of us put it mentally in the same category as Tyree -- the sense is they were lucky to have avoided losing. The reality is that fourth quarter of a long game for the second best team in the NFL, 2d and 10 at the 38 with two time outs, and 1:30, Russel Wilson, Doug Baldwin, Beast Mode, etc. is hardly the dire situation that we seem to imagine when we talk about how "lucky" the Seahawks got.
Pats defense was gassed? Bill didn’t have them running up hills in Foxboro in practice yet? Who knows. The play that set up that whole drive was the 30 yd wheel route to Marshawn, on which Jamie Collins in coverage looked like an old lineman running. I wonder if that was the beginning of the end for Collins.
 

Hoya81

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Pats defense was gassed? Bill didn’t have them running up hills in Foxboro in practice yet? Who knows. The play that set up that whole drive was the 30 yd wheel route to Marshawn, on which Jamie Collins in coverage looked like an old lineman running. I wonder if that was the beginning of the end for Collins.
I think it was losing track of Owen Daniels twice in the AFCCG in Denver.
 

DennyDoyle'sBoil

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Pats defense was gassed? Bill didn’t have them running up hills in Foxboro in practice yet? Who knows. The play that set up that whole drive was the 30 yd wheel route to Marshawn, on which Jamie Collins in coverage looked like an old lineman running. I wonder if that was the beginning of the end for Collins.
Yeah, I dunno if gassed or not is the right term. They had let up the big wheel route and the soft completion to Lockett on third and ten. But they had been stout on the two drives before that and Browner made a really a nice defensive play in that drive.

All I'm saying is that 2d and 10 at the 38 with 1:30, down 4, and a really good offense is certainly not a horrible situation. I can't dispute the data if WP says it's south of 40 percent, but if you made me pick whether I'd want to be on offense or defense in that situation, it's pretty close to a coin flip. With Brady, I'd probably take the ball, actually -- whatever the numbers say.

I'm not trying to pick a fight with anyone who wants to say the Seahawks were lucky to be in position to almost win the game. I just was trying to use this sort of Rashomon way of looking at football games, which leads to statements about how the Cooks' PI call allegedly cost the Jags 7 points, as not entirely accurate.
 

joe dokes

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I thought Ramsey came off really well in most of the audio from the game and after. He's a major shit talker but also very observant and knows his craft. I think that PI call was close but correct, good time for the leader of their DBs to press for an explanation and make his case, which he did until he got a clear rebuttal, then he let it be.
Yes. I didn't mean "shut him up" pejoratively.
 

Hoodie Sleeves

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I thought Ramsey came off really well in most of the audio from the game and after. He's a major shit talker but also very observant and knows his craft. I think that PI call was close but correct, good time for the leader of their DBs to press for an explanation and make his case, which he did until he got a clear rebuttal, then he let it be.
Can you explain why you think the call was close?

The PI rules require the defender to not impede the WR's route to the ball unless the defender is playing the ball.

Its pretty clear to me that he was moving away from where the ball came down (not playing the ball) and impeded the receiver's route to the ball. Whether or not he turned his head, or actually pushed him, or not is irrelevant. Just being in the receiver's way is enough.
 

nothumb

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Can you explain why you think the call was close?

The PI rules require the defender to not impede the WR's route to the ball unless the defender is playing the ball.

Its pretty clear to me that he was moving away from where the ball came down (not playing the ball) and impeded the receiver's route to the ball. Whether or not he turned his head, or actually pushed him, or not is irrelevant. Just being in the receiver's way is enough.
Bouye was clearly trying to ride him out of bounds, but was doing so for most of the play in a way that refs will frequently permit, especially in a playoff game. He was running more or less full speed and moving him laterally, rather than trying to cut him off and slow him down. When a DB is running stride for stride with a WR they are less likely to call PI than if he is trailing him and slowing him down. There was one-hand fighting on both sides. However, when Bouye reached across his body to push Cooks with the other hand, it crossed the line to being pretty clear PI that usually gets called. (and this was the action that the ref mentioned in his explanation to Ramsey.) But he only did it briefly.

Honestly he had probably done enough to stop Cooks from reaching the ball at that point, if he hadn't reached across it would have been a lot harder to call DPI but Cooks almost certainly still doesn't make the catch. Like, it was still DPI without the 2nd hand push, according to the letter of the law, but I feel like it would usually be a no-call.
 

Marbleheader

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I mean, you do this right in front of a referee, it's automatic PI. I don't get why it's even remotely controversial.
 

simplyeric

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Bouye was clearly trying to ride him out of bounds, but was doing so for most of the play in a way that refs will frequently permit, especially in a playoff game. He was running more or less full speed and moving him laterally, rather than trying to cut him off and slow him down. When a DB is running stride for stride with a WR they are less likely to call PI than if he is trailing him and slowing him down. There was one-hand fighting on both sides. However, when Bouye reached across his body to push Cooks with the other hand, it crossed the line to being pretty clear PI that usually gets called. (and this was the action that the ref mentioned in his explanation to Ramsey.) But he only did it briefly.

Honestly he had probably done enough to stop Cooks from reaching the ball at that point, if he hadn't reached across it would have been a lot harder to call DPI but Cooks almost certainly still doesn't make the catch. Like, it was still DPI without the 2nd hand push, according to the letter of the law, but I feel like it would usually be a no-call.
If the ball had come down right at the point of the 2nd contact, right at the sideline rather than a few yards away into the field, it might have been a tougher call. He was playing a pure sideline route. So as the ball came Cooks tried not only to not go out of bounds but also to move in-field towards the ball.
So yeah, it was definitely PI and would haven been either way, but the location of the ball added ‘impeding the route to the ball’.
 

BaseballJones

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Fun article here: http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/22228210/nfl-ranking-best-new-england-patriots-teams-tom-brady-bill-belichick-era-1-16

The 2004 team, I learned from the article, went through one of the most difficult postseason gauntlets in NFL history. I should have known that, but I didn't really think about it until reading this article.

Divisional Round - Defeated Indianapolis 20-3.
The Colts were 12-4, having come off an absolute demolition of Denver, 49-24. The Colts had the #1 scoring offense (#2 yards), and the league MVP in Peyton Manning.

AFCCG - Defeated Pittsburgh 41-27.
The Steelers were 15-1, and the game was in Pittsburgh. They had the #1 scoring and yardage defense, and had beaten the Patriots 34-20 earlier in the year, snapping the Patriots' long winning streak.

Super Bowl - Defeated Philadelphia 24-21.
The Eagles were 13-3, and had made it to the NFCCG four years in a row, finally breaking through to win the conference. McNabb was the first QB in history to throw for 30+ touchdowns with fewer than 10 interceptions. They had the #2 scoring defense in the NFL.

Along the way, they knocked off three of the best coaches in the NFL in Dungy, Cowher, and Reid.

Super impressive run, winning by an average of 10 points.
 

jsinger121

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Fun article here: http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/22228210/nfl-ranking-best-new-england-patriots-teams-tom-brady-bill-belichick-era-1-16

The 2004 team, I learned from the article, went through one of the most difficult postseason gauntlets in NFL history. I should have known that, but I didn't really think about it until reading this article.

Divisional Round - Defeated Indianapolis 20-3.
The Colts were 12-4, having come off an absolute demolition of Denver, 49-24. The Colts had the #1 scoring offense (#2 yards), and the league MVP in Peyton Manning.

AFCCG - Defeated Pittsburgh 41-27.
The Steelers were 15-1, and the game was in Pittsburgh. They had the #1 scoring and yardage defense, and had beaten the Patriots 34-20 earlier in the year, snapping the Patriots' long winning streak.

Super Bowl - Defeated Philadelphia 24-21.
The Eagles were 13-3, and had made it to the NFCCG four years in a row, finally breaking through to win the conference. McNabb was the first QB in history to throw for 30+ touchdowns with fewer than 10 interceptions. They had the #2 scoring defense in the NFL.

Along the way, they knocked off three of the best coaches in the NFL in Dungy, Cowher, and Reid.

Super impressive run, winning by an average of 10 points.
And the Super Bowl was really a 10 point game late in the 4th quarter. The Eagles scored TD just under the two minute warning after a pathetic long drive. I think that game would have been a blowout in New England's favor if they had better corner backs.
 

Saints Rest

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Fun article here: http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/22228210/nfl-ranking-best-new-england-patriots-teams-tom-brady-bill-belichick-era-1-16

The 2004 team, I learned from the article, went through one of the most difficult postseason gauntlets in NFL history. I should have known that, but I didn't really think about it until reading this article.

Divisional Round - Defeated Indianapolis 20-3.
The Colts were 12-4, having come off an absolute demolition of Denver, 49-24. The Colts had the #1 scoring offense (#2 yards), and the league MVP in Peyton Manning.

AFCCG - Defeated Pittsburgh 41-27.
The Steelers were 15-1, and the game was in Pittsburgh. They had the #1 scoring and yardage defense, and had beaten the Patriots 34-20 earlier in the year, snapping the Patriots' long winning streak.

Super Bowl - Defeated Philadelphia 24-21.
The Eagles were 13-3, and had made it to the NFCCG four years in a row, finally breaking through to win the conference. McNabb was the first QB in history to throw for 30+ touchdowns with fewer than 10 interceptions. They had the #2 scoring defense in the NFL.

Along the way, they knocked off three of the best coaches in the NFL in Dungy, Cowher, and Reid.

Super impressive run, winning by an average of 10 points.
And in 2003, they beat the co-MVPs in back-to-back games in the playoffs
 

m0ckduck

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Fun article here: http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/22228210/nfl-ranking-best-new-england-patriots-teams-tom-brady-bill-belichick-era-1-16

The 2004 team, I learned from the article, went through one of the most difficult postseason gauntlets in NFL history. I should have known that, but I didn't really think about it until reading this article.
I also learned that the mostly-written-off 2009 team had a 28.8 regular-season DVOA, better than the title-winning teams in 2001, 2003, 2014 and 2016. The article states:

If we were ranking these teams based on the regular season only, the 2009 Patriots would rank No. 5.
Only 2007, 2010, 2004 and 2012 teams were better in the regular season. I tend to group that 2009 team closer to the 2002 team, but DVOA begs to differ.
 

dcmissle

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I also learned that the mostly-written-off 2009 team had a 28.8 regular-season DVOA, better than the title-winning teams in 2001, 2003, 2014 and 2016. The article states:



Only 2007, 2010, 2004 and 2012 teams were better in the regular season. I tend to group that 2009 team closer to the 2002 team, but DVOA begs to differ.
Fuck DVOA.

Watch A Football Life again. BB to TB on the sideline late in the season.

“I can’t get this team to play the way we need to play. I just can’t do it. It’s so fucking frustrating.”

Then the 2009 DVOA wunderkinds got annihilated by the Ravens at home in the playoffs. The game was non-competitive from the first play from scrimmage. 80+ yard romp by Ray Rice to the end zone.
 

Super Nomario

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Fuck DVOA.

Watch A Football Life again. BB to TB on the sideline late in the season.

“I can’t get this team to play the way we need to play. I just can’t do it. It’s so fucking frustrating.”

Then the 2009 DVOA wunderkinds got annihilated by the Ravens at home in the playoffs. The game was non-competitive from the first play from scrimmage. 80+ yard romp by Ray Rice to the end zone.
That team did have a bunch of close losses (the 4th-and-2 game, a one-point loss to the Dolphins, an overtime loss to the Josh McDaniels-led Broncos. I'm guessing the advanced stats way, way overinclude a 59-0 pasting of the Titans, one of the biggest bloodbaths of the era.
 

dcmissle

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That team did have a bunch of close losses (the 4th-and-2 game, a one-point loss to the Dolphins, an overtime loss to the Josh McDaniels-led Broncos. I'm guessing the advanced stats way, way overinclude a 59-0 pasting of the Titans, one of the biggest bloodbaths of the era.
One of the problems with the black box.

DVOA’s daddy can’t look past the emblematic playoff loss, and to his credit marked them well down the list of the B.B./Brady Pats teams.

http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/22228210/nfl-ranking-best-new-england-patriots-teams-tom-brady-bill-belichick-era-1-16
 

TomTerrific

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That team did have a bunch of close losses (the 4th-and-2 game, a one-point loss to the Dolphins, an overtime loss to the Josh McDaniels-led Broncos. I'm guessing the advanced stats way, way overinclude a 59-0 pasting of the Titans, one of the biggest bloodbaths of the era.
DVOA at year's end in 2009 had a tight cluster of teams at the top, with Baltimore on top, then GB, then Philly, then the Pats. In terms of weighted DVOA, Baltimore was 3rd and the Pats again 4th. So to call the Pats a "DVOA wunderkind" as DCM does is misleading.

At the same time, it's important to recognize the shortcomings of football scoring systems like DVOA and others, which simply cannot evaluate things like matchups, game-planning, and emotion, which play a far, far larger part in football than they do in, say, baseball, where reductionist analyses of the type represented by the sabermetric approach seem to capture much of what one needs to know.

That is where I agree with DCM's statement and recollection of BB's comment. But I would probably cast a skeptical eye on it if it came from, say, Terry Francona.
 

Ralphwiggum

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Whatever the methodology,2009 gets knocked down to 13th based on the playoff loss to the Ravens, which puts the season right where it belongs.

Crazy that the 2001 team won a ring but the 2007 didn’t.
 

PC Drunken Friar

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I also learned that the mostly-written-off 2009 team had a 28.8 regular-season DVOA, better than the title-winning teams in 2001, 2003, 2014 and 2016. The article states:



Only 2007, 2010, 2004 and 2012 teams were better in the regular season. I tend to group that 2009 team closer to the 2002 team, but DVOA begs to differ.
They also lost 6 games in 2009. That was not a great team, regardless of what DVOA says.
 

Ale Xander

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Looks like for the Pro Bowl it's Jax D and Pitt O mainly. Do we just get Matt Slater on ST?

Oh right . . .
 

dcmissle

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2009 was the year Welker tore his ACL against the Texans, no? Everyone knew they were cooked after that.
He tore it in the last regular season game in Houston (reflect on that for a moment).

Outcome determinative? BB’s assessment of his own team (I can’t get them to play the way I want, I just can’t), came weeks earlier. As did his own damning assessment of the WR corps, also caught on tape.

Team drove him crazy. It probably was his least favorite of them all.
 

tims4wins

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Brady first 10 playoff games:
10-0
61.9%
2,152 yards
14 TD (4.2%)
3 INT (0.9%)
6.50 YPA
91.1 rating

Brady last 10 playoff games:
9-1
64.8%
3,297 yards
25 TD (5.4%)
9 INT (1.9%)
7.08 YPA
95.4 rating
 

Saints Rest

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2009 was the year Welker tore his ACL against the Texans, no? Everyone knew they were cooked after that.
But as I recall, that was the beginning of Edelman's career.
Just looked it up, in that game against Houston, where Welker went down early, JE11 had 10 receptions (on 15 targets) for 103 yards. He then had 6 catches for 44 yards and 2 TDs in the playoff debacle.
 

Koufax

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Brady first 10 playoff games:
10-0
61.9%
2,152 yards
14 TD (4.2%)
3 INT (0.9%)
6.50 YPA
91.1 rating

Brady last 10 playoff games:
9-1
64.8%
3,297 yards
25 TD (5.4%)
9 INT (1.9%)
7.08 YPA
95.4 rating
That is completely ridiculous. Like folks have been saying, two Hall of Fame careers stretched end to end.
 

bigq

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Brady first 10 playoff games:
10-0
61.9%
2,152 yards
14 TD (4.2%)
3 INT (0.9%)
6.50 YPA
91.1 rating

Brady last 10 playoff games:
9-1
64.8%
3,297 yards
25 TD (5.4%)
9 INT (1.9%)
7.08 YPA
95.4 rating
I knew it qualitatively however it is interesting how the numbers show that the Pats have become much more pass happy on the backside of Brady’s career.
 

tims4wins

PN23's replacement
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
37,059
Hingham, MA
I knew it qualitatively however it is interesting how the numbers show that the Pats have become much more pass happy on the backside of Brady’s career.
The whole league, really.

If the Pats win Sunday, he will be 10-1 in his last 11 vs. 10-1 in his first 11, with the lone loss in Denver both times. More symmetry.
 

simplyeric

Member
SoSH Member
Feb 14, 2006
14,037
Richmond, VA
Brady first 10 playoff games:
10-0
61.9%
2,152 yards
14 TD (4.2%)
3 INT (0.9%)
6.50 YPA
91.1 rating

Brady last 10 playoff games:
9-1
64.8%
3,297 yards
25 TD (5.4%)
9 INT (1.9%)
7.08 YPA
95.4 rating
TD to Int ratio:
First 10: 14/3 21.4%
Last 10: 25/9 36%

Decline! He's way past his prime.