Top 10 NFL Games of 2018: #2 New England Patriots @ Kansas City Chiefs AFC Championship Game
Each week, I’ll be breaking down the Patriots numbers in certain key areas of interest and tracking them to see how they progress in these areas over the course of the season.
Offense – Areas of Emphasis
Keeping Brady upright: 2 sacks in 38 dropbacks (not counting final play) – 5.3% sack rate. Brady also took 4 other hits, so Oakland got to him 6 times in all. The numbers don’t do justice to the pressure Brady faced all day. Left tackle Nate Solder in particular struggled; at this point it would be surprising if Brady gives him Uggs this year.
League average: 5.4 % sack rate
Run the ball! Run v. pass percentage on 1st & 2nd down: 28 runs, 24 passes (not including kneel-downs) – 53.8%.
League-wide: 47.4% run percentage on 1st & 2nd down.
RB Yards Per Attempt (not counting QB or WR runs): 28 carries for 78 yards, 2.8 YPC. League average: 4.2 YPC.
Stay on the field: (3rd/4th down success, not counting final drive): 9 of 17 – 52.9%
League average: 41.9%
The trust watch (passing success to receivers other than Edelman/Gronk):
| REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LG | TGTS | |
| B. LaFell | 4 | 46 | 11.5 | 0 | 15 | 8 |
| S. Vereen | 4 | 17 | 4.3 | 0 | 12 | 6 |
| T. Wright | 1 | 20 | 20 | 0 | 20 | 1 |
| K. Thompkins | 1 | 16 | 16 | 0 | 16 | 1 |
| S. Ridley | 1 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 1 |
| D. Amendola | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Team | 11 | 106 | 9.6 | 0 | 20 | 18 |
Quarterback rating: 77.5
Defense – Areas of Emphasis
The run defense
RB YPA (not counting QB or WR runs): 22 carries for 67 yards, 3.0 YPC.
League average: 4.2 YPC.
Getting after the QB: 0 sacks in 34 dropbacks – 0.0% sack rate, 2 quarterback hits.
League average: 5.4 % sack rate
Defending the WRs:
| REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LG | TGTS | |
| J. Jones | 3 | 43 | 14.3 | 0 | 18 | 5 |
| R. Streater | 3 | 32 | 10.7 | 0 | 14 | 3 |
| A. Holmes | 1 | 29 | 29 | 0 | 29 | 2 |
| D. Moore | 3 | 23 | 7.7 | 0 | 11 | 7 |
| Team | 10 | 127 | 12.7 | 0 | 29 | 17 |
Quarterback rating: 57.7
Defending TEs:
| REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LG | TGTS | |
| M. Reece | 3 | 19 | 6.3 | 0 | 12 | 7 |
| M. Rivera | 2 | 11 | 5.5 | 0 | 8 | 4 |
| B. Leonhardt | 1 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 1 |
| Team | 6 | 37 | 6.2 | 0 | 12 | 12 |
Quarterback rating: 56.6
Get off the field! (3rd/4th down success): Oakland converted 5 of 13 – 38.4%.
League average: 41.9%.
Miscellaneous
Injuries: Defensive tackle Sealver Siliga left the game in the first quarter with a foot injury and did not return.
Penalties: 6 for 59 yards. Total of 30 for 322 yards, third-most in the NFL in penalties and most in total yards.
One positive statistic: For the second straight week, the Patriots committed 0 turnovers.
One negative statistic: The Patriots scored just 1 touchdown in 4 red zone trips, including two that had 1st and goal on the 3-yard line or closer.
The game in one statistic: The Patriots and Raiders each generated fewer than 300 total yards of offense. Heading into Sunday’s action, there had been only one other such NFL game this year: New England’s Week 2 tilt with the Vikings.
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