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 25 dropbacks – 8.0% sack rate.
League average: 5.2 % sack rate
Run The Ball! Run v. pass percentage on 1st & 2nd down: 15 runs, 25 passes passes (not including kneel-downs) – 37.5%. There were 11 passes and 6 runs (35.3%) in the first half when things were relatively close, so this wasn’t just a product of having to throw in the second half.
League-wide: 47.1% run percentage on 1st & 2nd down.
RB Yards Per Carry: (not counting QB or WR runs) 16 carries for 75 yards, a 4.7 average. 5 carries for 34 yards (6.8 YPC) in the fourth quarter when the game was decided; they averaged 3.7 YPC in the first three quarters.
League average: 4.2 YPC.
Stay on the field: (3rd/4th down success, not counting final drive) 2 of 9 – 22.2%.
The Trust Watch:
(Brady’s passing success to receivers other than Edelman/Gronk)
| REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LG | TGTS | |
| B. LaFell | 5 | 82 | 16.4 | 1 | 44 | 7 |
| S. Vereen | 5 | 41 | 8.2 | 0 | 28 | 5 |
| S. Ridley | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Team | 10 | 123 | 12.3 | 1 | 44 | 13 |
Quarterback rating: 99.2. LaFell’s 44-yard touchdown reception looms large here; take it away, and Brady’s rating drops to 57.3.
Brady deep ball watch (throws longer than 15 yards) – 1 of 5 for 18 yards, 1 interception – 2.5 QB rating.
Defense – Areas of Emphasis
Getting after the QB: 2 sacks in 28 dropbacks – 7.1% sack rate, 2 quarterback hits.
League average: 5.2 % sack rate
The Run Defense: RB YPC (not counting QB or WR runs) 34 carries for 199 yards, 5.9 YPC.
League average: 4.2 YPC.
Defending the WRs:
| REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LG | TGTS | |
| D. Bowe | 5 | 81 | 16.2 | 0 | 33 | 6 |
| D. Avery | 2 | 46 | 23 | 0 | 27 | 2 |
| A. Jenkins | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| J. Hemingway | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| F. Hammond | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Team | 8 | 127 | 15.9 | 0 | 33 | 11 |
Quarterback rating: 110.8
Defending TEs:
| REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LG | TGTS | |
| T. Kelce | 8 | 93 | 11.6 | 1 | 33 | 9 |
| A. Fasano | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Team | 8 | 93 | 11.6 | 1 | 33 | 10 |
Quarterback rating: 138.9
Get off the field! (3rd/4th down success) Kansas City converted 7 of 12 – 58.3%
Miscellaneous
Injuries: None reported.
Penalties: 3 for 30 yards. Total of 33 for 352 yards, fifth-most in the NFL in penalties and fourth-most in total yards.
One positive statistic: The punting unit was terrific, as Ryan Allen averaged 48.8 yards on 6 punts, allowing just 2 returns for 3 total yards. Oh, I forgot about the touchback. %&@# that, everyone was horrible.
One negative statistic: Just click this link to the box score and put your finger down anywhere on your screen. You will land on a negative statistic.
The game in one statistic: Monday’s fiasco was the second-most lopsided loss in the Belichick / Brady era, at -27 points. Number one is the infamous 31-0 loss to Buffalo in the 2003 opener.
>>Quarterback rating: 99.2. LaFell’s 44-yard touchdown reception looms large here; take it away, and Brady’s rating drops to 57.3.<<
They really *should* take it away, considering the final 30 YAC and the TD only occurred after one Chiefs DB went all Keystone Cops and took out his teammate, who was right on Lafell's heels.