Football analysis and strategy from Chris B. Brown
Manny Diaz Gets It
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Manny Diaz Gets It
From an excellent interview Texas’s defensive coordinator did with LonghornDigest.com: But statistics were also changing for in-game analysis. Whereas it might once be considered an advanced metric to look at red zone efficiency, Diaz said Texas is focused on red zone touchdown efficiency. “You can win a national championship by making people kick field goals…
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The Packers have allowed more yards than they’ve gained, but what does that mean?
After 15 games, the Green Bay Packers are 14-1. But this season, the Packers have been outgained by their opponents. In fact, the Packers have won more than half of their games while losing the yardage battle. How is that possible? If a team is 14-1, the natural inclination is to assume that they’re an…
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A closer look at the New England Patriots defense
No one suggests that the Patriots defense is good, or even average. For starters, well, look at the starters. Here was New England’s starting lineup this weekend against the Broncos: DE Brandon Deaderick DT Kyle Love DT Vince Wilfork DE Andre Carter OLB Jerod Mayo MLB Dane Fletcher OLB Rob Ninkovich CB Devin McCourty FS…
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Simple Rating System: Final results and predicting the Bowls – 12/5/2011
Believe it or not, the Oklahoma State Cowboys ended up finishing #2 in the SRS. Like last week, LSU remains the clear #1. But on the basis of the most impressive SRS game of the season, the Cowboys topped the Crimson Tide. Rk. Team Conf G MOV SOS SRS W-L 1. LSU SEC 13 24.4…
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Can inexperienced quarterbacks succeed in the playoffs? The Houston Texans and the T.J. Yates experiment
The Houston Texans are currently having the finest season in their nine-year existence. With an 8-3 record, Houston is almost certainly going to make the playoffs. But after losing quarterbacks Matt Schaub and Matt Leinart in consecutive games, the Texans are down to their third string quarterback. That man is T.J. Yates, a rookie quarterback…
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Analyzing NFL running games through 10 weeks
NFL teams are passing more frequently and more effectively than ever before. Given enough opportunities, most teams will eventually connect on big plays through the air. But while running backs have taken a backseat in most offenses, a successful rushing attack is still a significant component in most effective offenses. As teams — and by…
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Simple Rating System: The Oklahoma State Cowboys rise to top the rankings, with a caveat
By now, you understand how the Simple Rating System works. Last week, Stanford and Boise State were top six teams with BCS aspirations. Following home losses, both teams can still take pride in how far they’ve come: a second straight 12-1 season will be viewed as a disappointment. As always, thanks to Dr. Peter Wolfe…
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Frank Gore to break 60-year old team record
If you take a second, and are spotted a guess or two, you could probably guess the career leader in rushing yards for every team. Some are immediately obvious, as is the case for franchises like Dallas, Cleveland, Detroit or Chicago. A couple might take a few guesses (Tampa Bay? Philadelphia? Arizona?) while others have…
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Should Lynn Swann be in the Hall of Fame? What do the numbers say?
As one of members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Selection Committee, I appreciate Peter King’s candor when it comes to the struggles the voters face when discussing wide receivers. King has written about the wide receiver conundrum frequently, including this note a couple of weeks ago: Hall of Fame Headache Dept.: Art Monk…
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