Each week, we’ll break down the Patriots numbers in certain key areas of interest and track them to see how they progress over the course of the season.
Offense – Areas of Emphasis
Keeping Brady Upright: 1 sack in 36 dropbacks – 2.8% sack rate.
League average: 5.4 % sack rate.
Run the Ball! Run v. pass percentage on 1st & 2nd down: 35 runs, 31 passes (not including kneel-downs) – 53.0%. An even 27 passes, 27 runs before the fourth-quarter, when the Pats began killing the clock.
League-wide: 47.3% run percentage on 1st & 2nd down.
RB Yards per Carry: (not counting QB or WR runs) 37 carries for 206 yards, a 5.6 average.
League average: 4.2 YPC.
Stay on the Field: (3rd/4th down success, not counting final drive) 7 of 16 – 43.8%.
League average: 43.5%
Trust Watch (Brady’s passing success to receivers other than Edelman/Gronk):
19 targets for Edelman and Gronkowski, 15 to other (44.4% other).
| REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LG | TGTS | |
| T. Wright | 5 | 85 | 17 | 1 | 30 | 5 |
| B. LaFell | 1 | 20 | 20 | 0 | 20 | 4 |
| S. Vereen | 3 | 18 | 6 | 0 | 14 | 3 |
| A. Dobson | 1 | 16 | 16 | 0 | 16 | 1 |
| J. Develin | 1 | 11 | 11 | 0 | 11 | 1 |
| D. Amendola | 1 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 1 |
| Team | 12 | 157 | 13.1 | 1 | 30 | 15 |
Quarterback rating: 132.5
Brady Deep Ball Watch: (passes longer than 15 yards) – 5 of 8 for 111 yards, also drew two defensive penalties – 106.3 QB rating.
Defense – Areas of Emphasis
Getting after the QB: 1 sacks in 30 dropbacks – 3.3% sack rate. Cincinnati had not allowed a sack all season before last night.
League average: 5.4 % sack rate.
The Run Defense: (not counting QB or WR runs) 15 carries for 63 yards, 4.2 YPC.
League average: 4.2 YPC.
Get off the Field! (3rd/4th down success) Cincinnati converted 0 of 8 – 0.0%.
League average: 43.5%
Defending the WRs:
| REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LG | TGTS | |
| A. Green | 5 | 81 | 16.2 | 1 | 35 | 7 |
| M. Sanu | 5 | 70 | 14 | 1 | 37 | 9 |
| D. Sanzenbacher | 1 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 1 |
| J. Wright | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Team | 11 | 156 | 14.2 | 2 | 37 | 18 |
Quarterback rating: 126.2
Defending TEs:
| REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LG | TGTS | |
| J. Gresham | 2 | 15 | 7.5 | 0 | 12 | 4 |
| Team | 2 | 15 | 7.5 | 0 | 12 | 4 |
Quarterback rating: 59.4. Gresham did drop what would have been a touchdown.
Miscellaneous
Injuries: Safety Devin McCourty left with a rib injury and did not return. Defensive tackle Dominique Easley left with a shoulder injury and did not return. Cornerback Darrelle Revis left with a hamstring injury but returned.
Penalties: 12 for 114 yards. Total of 45 for 466 yards, third-most in the NFL in penalties and most in total yards.
One positive statistic: Patriots tight ends Tim Wright and Rob Gronkowski dominated, accounting for 185 of New England’s 292 passing yards (63.3%). Tom Brady had a 147.1 quarterback rating when targeting the duo.
One negative statistic: The Bengals connected on three pass plays that gained more than 35 yards; entering the game, the longest pass play against the Patriots was 33 yards.
The game in one statistic: Patriots owner Robert Kraft donated $25,000 to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital in honor of Leah Still, the four-year-old daughter of Bengals defensive tackle Devon Still who is currently fighting neuroblastoma. Sales of Still’s #75 jersey have already raised $1 MM. Normally, things don’t get better than a lopsided victory, but stamping out pediatric cancer is a bigger goal than the Super Bowl. You can find out more or make a donation here; proceeds benefit the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
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