Each week, Inside The Pylon tracks key statistics about the New England Patriots offense and defense.
Offense – Areas of Emphasis
Keeping Brady Upright
0 sacks in 35 dropbacks – 0.0% sack rate.
Backup Jimmy Garoppolo was sacked once in four attempts (25%).
League average: 5.8 % sack rate.
Patriots season average: 5.1%
Run the ball!
Run v. pass percentage on 1st & 2nd down: 29 runs, 31 passes (not incl. kneel-downs) – 48.3%.
League-wide: 47.9% run percentage on 1st & 2nd down.
Patriots season average: 45.8%
RB Yards Per Carry:
(not counting QB or WR runs) 28 carries for 125 yards, a 4.5 average.
League average: 4.1 YPC
Patriots season average: 4.0
Stay On the Field
3rd/4th down success: 7 of 11 – 63.6%
League average: 44.7%
Patriots season average: 45.5%
Trust Watch:
Brady’s passing success to receivers other than Julian Edelman & Rob Gronkowski.
13 targets for Edelman and Gronkowski, 22 to other (62.9% other).
| REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LG | TGTS | |
| B. LaFell | 11 | 124 | 11.3 | 1 | 19 | 11 |
| T. Wright | 6 | 44 | 7.3 | 1 | 14 | 6 |
| S. Vereen | 3 | 23 | 7.7 | 0 | 12 | 5 |
| Team | 20 | 191 | 9.55 | 2 | 19 | 22 |
Quarterback rating: 133.1
Brady Deep Ball Watch
Throws longer than 15 yards: 3 of 3 for 55 yards – 118.8 QB rating.
Defense – Areas of Emphasis
Getting after the QB
3 sacks in 38 dropbacks – 7.9% sack rate.
League average: 5.8 % sack rate.
Patriots season average: 7.9%
The Run Defense
RB YPC (not counting QB or WR runs) 25 carries for 147 yards, 5.9 YPC.
The Bears compiled 45 yards on 6 fourth-quarter carries (7.5 YPC), when the game was already decided.
League average: 4.1 YPC
Patriots season average: 4.7 YPC
Defending the WRs:
| REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LG | TGTS | |
| A. Jeffery | 5 | 59 | 11.8 | 1 | 22 | 8 |
| B. Marshall | 3 | 35 | 11.7 | 0 | 17 | 10 |
| Team | 8 | 94 | 11.8 | 1 | 22 | 18 |
Quarterback rating: 56.3
Defending TEs:
| REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LG | TGTS | |
| M. Bennett | 6 | 95 | 15.8 | 1 | 34 | 7 |
| D. Rosario | 1 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 2 |
| Team | 7 | 101 | 14.4 | 1 | 34 | 9 |
Quarterback rating: 150.5. Rosario also caught a two-point conversion. Bennett drew an illegal contact penalty and a defensive pass interference penalty, both on Brandon Browner.
Get Off the field!
(3rd/4th down success) The Bears converted 5 of 14 – 35.7%.
League average: 44.7%
Patriots season average: 46.9%
Miscellaneous
Injuries: Rob Gronkowski left the game late with an excess of awesomeness (reported as dehydration) and didn’t return. Matthew Slater, Shane Vereen, and Rob Ninkovich all left the game at various points, but returned.
Penalties: 7 for 38 yards. Total of 70 for 628 yards, most in the NFL in penalties and in total yards.
One positive statistic: Brady’s 85.7% completion rate (30 of 35) was the third-best single-game mark of his storied career, behind two games against the Jaguars – 92.9% in the 2008 playoff game, and 88.5% in a 2009 regular-season game.
One negative statistic: The Patriots defense allowed the Bears to score touchdowns all three times Chicago advanced to the New England 25 or closer. Twice they forced the Bears to turn the ball over on downs at the 26, however.
The game in one statistic: Chicago’s linebacking corps were no match for New England’s tight ends. Gronkowski and Tim Wright caught all 16 passes thrown their way for a total of 210 yards and 4 touchdowns.
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