flgreen Posted July 27, 2015 Share Posted July 27, 2015 Patriots just outsmart everybody else Monday, July 27, 2015 PrintEmail1 Comments By: The Numbers Patriots coach Bill Belichick will look for more than just physical talent when the team enters training camp this week. New England’s professor of pigskin also will look for players smart enough to study among the ivy walls of the NFL’s finest intellectual institution. The Super Bowl champs finished the 2014 season No. 1 on the ColdHardFootballFacts.com Intelligence Index, our measure of team-wide efficiency in all phases of the game. The Patriots, in other words, were the smartest team in the NFL. Smart football is core curriculum at the University of Foxboro, where the Patriots may not always be the most talented team in the NFL but usually are among the brightest. We began tracking team intellect in 2004. Since then, the Patriots have finished No. 1 on the Intelligence Index in 2004, ’10 and ’14. No coincidence that the Patriots won Super Bowls in 2004 and ’14 and were a dominant 14-2 team in ’10. The Patriots since 2004 finished in the top six on the Intelligence Index every year except for the doomed ’05 season and the Tom Brady-less ’08 campaign. The Intelligence Index is simply a measure of how well teams play in situational football in all phases of the game. It gauges special teams proficiency, field position, third- and fourth-down success, red-zone success, penalties and turnover differential, among other factors, and tells us how efficiently teams and their opponents score points. Defensively, smart, efficient teams make opponents work hard to score points — they bend but don’t break, in other words. We call it Bendability. Offensively, smart, efficient teams convert few yards into a lot of points. We call it Scoreability. The Intelligence Index combines the two factors. Take a look at the C-student Steelers, No. 18 on the 2014 Intelligence Index. They generated 731 more yards of offense last year than the Patriots — but scored 32 fewer points. The stupid Saints, meanwhile, finished No. 25 on the Intelligence Index, largely because of gross inefficiency on offense. Drew Brees & Co. produced 293 more yards of offense than the Patriots, yet parlayed all that production into just 370 points — 98 fewer than the Patriots. The Steelers and Saints, in other words, had plenty of physical talent. But those teams did not have the mental talent to convert all that production into points. The teacher’s-pet Patriots consistently win games other teams lose because they do all the smart, little things well. Take, for example, the Patriots’ Week 16 battle last season over the class-clown Jets. New York outgained the Patriots, 307-231, in total yards, 116-85 on the ground, and 191-146 through the air. The Jets were the better team physically, averaging 5.0 yards per play to just 3.7 for the Patriots. But the Patriots eked out a 17-16 victory because they were the better team mentally. The Patriots converted 6-of-13 third downs (46 percent); the Jets 5-of-13 (38 percent). The Patriots returned three punts for an average of 21.0 yards; the Jets returned three punts for an average of 11.7 yards. The Patriots netted 45.6 yards per punt; the Jets 31.5 yards. The Patriots scored two TDs in four trips to the red zone; the Jets scored zero TDs in three trips there. Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski nailed his only field goal attempt; Jets kicker Nick Folk hit three field goals but missed his final go-ahead attempt late in the fourth quarter when the ball was partially blocked. The dumb Jets, in other words, did all the little things wrong and lost a game they physically won; the smart Patriots did all the little things right and won a game they physically lost. That game was a perfect microcosm of the difference between the Patriots and Jets in recent years, and much of it comes down to the coach. The Intelligence Index is, at the end of the day, a measure of coaching. Smart teams are well-coached teams. Dumb teams are poorly coached teams. The poorly coached Jets fired Rex Ryan after finishing the season No. 30 on the Intelligence Index. Professor Belichick and the valedictorian Patriots marched off the field in Arizona a month later with a fourth Lombardi Trophy in hand — again winning a game that less studious teams would have lost. The talented Seattle Seahawks (No. 10 on the Intelligence Index) dominated the Super Bowl physically, averaging 7.5 yards per play to just 5.2 for the Patriots. But the more mentally proficient Patriots won the game, 28-24, making smart plays at critical moments and proving that victory in the NFL is often a matter of brains over brawn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klecko73isGod Posted July 27, 2015 Share Posted July 27, 2015 The talented Seattle Seahawks (No. 10 on the Intelligence Index) dominated the Super Bowl physically, averaging 7.5 yards per play to just 5.2 for the Patriots. But the more mentally proficient Patriots won the game, 28-24, making smart plays at critical moments and proving that victory in the NFL is often a matter of brains over brawn. Ummmm, the Patriots won because of one bone-head play call by Tom Shane's boo Darrell Bevell, not because of anything the Pats did. The Seahawks lost the Super Bowl, the Pats were the beneficiary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted July 27, 2015 Author Share Posted July 27, 2015 Ummmm, the Patriots won because of one bone-head play call by Tom Shane's boo Darrell Bevell, not because of anything the Pats did. The Seahawks lost the Super Bowl, the Pats were the beneficiary. Yep That's what really made it so infuriating Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AFCEastFan Posted July 27, 2015 Share Posted July 27, 2015 Ummmm, the Patriots won because of one bone-head play call by Tom Shane's boo Darrell Bevell, not because of anything the Pats did. The Seahawks lost the Super Bowl, the Pats were the beneficiary. Absolutely a bad play call, no doubt about it. But it was great work by the Patriots and a spectacular play by Butler, to wit: - Pats ran the same play in practice during SB week, with Jimmy G burning Butler with a TD pass to Josh Boyce playing the Ricardo Lockette role. - Pats coaches can be seen on the sideline before the play frantically sending Butler onto the field at the last minute when they sense the play taking shape. - 109 passes from the 1 yard line last season. Butler had the only INT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thor99 Posted July 27, 2015 Share Posted July 27, 2015 And they cheat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jetsfan80 Posted July 27, 2015 Share Posted July 27, 2015 Cognitive. Dissonance. Also, symbolic penis. I miss EY. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klecko73isGod Posted July 27, 2015 Share Posted July 27, 2015 Absolutely a bad play call, no doubt about it. But it was great work by the Patriots and a spectacular play by Butler, to wit: - Pats ran the same play in practice during SB week, with Jimmy G burning Butler with a TD pass to Josh Boyce playing the Ricardo Lockette role. - Pats coaches can be seen on the sideline before the play frantically sending Butler onto the field at the last minute when they sense the play taking shape. - 109 passes from the 1 yard line last season. Butler had the only INT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klecko73isGod Posted July 27, 2015 Share Posted July 27, 2015 Cognitive. Dissonance. Also, symbolic penis. I miss EY. Me too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustInFudge Posted July 27, 2015 Share Posted July 27, 2015 Cheating makes everyone look smart. Shame that when my daddy told me "cheaters never prosper" growing up, that he was lying to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#27TheDominator Posted July 27, 2015 Share Posted July 27, 2015 Me too! Your penis is also symbolic? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RutgersJetFan Posted July 27, 2015 Share Posted July 27, 2015 University of Foxboro Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbatesman Posted July 27, 2015 Share Posted July 27, 2015 So the conceit here is that efficiency on third down and in the red zone is the product of Ph.D.s in footballogy, and not of a Hall of Fame quarterback? Cool story bro Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Schroy Posted July 27, 2015 Share Posted July 27, 2015 It must be nice to have tool beat writers in Boston. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klecko73isGod Posted July 27, 2015 Share Posted July 27, 2015 So the conceit here is that efficiency on third down and in the red zone is the product of Ph.D.s in footballogy, and not of a Hall of Fame quarterback? Cool story bro Well they were sooo smart to know before they drafted Brady in the sixth round that he would turn into one of the all-time greats. Any Pats fan will tell you this. Duh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jet Nut Posted July 27, 2015 Share Posted July 27, 2015 Absolutely a bad play call, no doubt about it. But it was great work by the Patriots and a spectacular play by Butler, to wit: - Pats ran the same play in practice during SB week, with Jimmy G burning Butler with a TD pass to Josh Boyce playing the Ricardo Lockette role. - Pats coaches can be seen on the sideline before the play frantically sending Butler onto the field at the last minute when they sense the play taking shape. - 109 passes from the 1 yard line last season. Butler had the only INT. And if Wilson leads him a foot more it's either a game winning TD or Lynch runs it in on the next play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klecko73isGod Posted July 27, 2015 Share Posted July 27, 2015 And if Wilson leads him a foot more it's either a game winning TD or Lynch runs it in on the next play. WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!!??!? EVERYBODY KNOWS BILL BELICHICK MIND****ED RUSSELL WILSON INTO MAKING A TERRIBLE THROW... NO ONE DENIES THIS!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jet Nut Posted July 27, 2015 Share Posted July 27, 2015 WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!!??!? EVERYBODY KNOWS BILL BELICHICK MIND****ED RUSSELL WILSON INTO MAKING A TERRIBLE THROW... NO ONE DENIES THIS!!! I always forget to add the Bellichickian factor into rational commen sense Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peekskill68 Posted July 27, 2015 Share Posted July 27, 2015 Thanks for posting this. Really learned alot from it.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greenwichjetfan Posted July 27, 2015 Share Posted July 27, 2015 This article: Exhibit A on how to completely **** up statistical analysis. Next, he'll write an article about why, according to his mind-bending ("bendability", he may call it) statistical analysis, goat piss actually comes from koalas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klecko73isGod Posted July 27, 2015 Share Posted July 27, 2015 This article: Exhibit A on how to completely **** up statistical analysis. Next, he'll write an article about why, according to his mind-bending ("bendability", he may call it) statistical analysis, goat piss actually comes from koalas. Yeah.... well... you don't know that it doesn't! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savage69 Posted July 27, 2015 Share Posted July 27, 2015 WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!!??!? EVERYBODY KNOWS BILL BELICHICK MIND****ED RUSSELL WILSON INTO MAKING A TERRIBLE THROW... NO ONE DENIES THIS!!! The real reason was the Hawks didn't want that crotch grabbing beast Lynch to be the SB hero.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greenwichjetfan Posted July 27, 2015 Share Posted July 27, 2015 Yeah.... well... you don't know that it doesn't! Koala piss wouldn't attract female goats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Crusher Posted July 27, 2015 Share Posted July 27, 2015 Some of the smartest people in the world are criminals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AFCEastFan Posted July 27, 2015 Share Posted July 27, 2015 And if Wilson leads him a foot more it's either a game winning TD or Lynch runs it in on the next play. And if Wilson's Hail Mary to Kearse is a foot shorter, the ball falls incomplete and the Seahawks aren't even close enough to the goal line to be second guessed, and if Butler breaks on the ball a fraction of a second later, it is a touchdown anyway, and if my aunt had balls she'd be my uncle, etc, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Crusher Posted July 27, 2015 Share Posted July 27, 2015 And if Wilson's Hail Mary to Kearse is a foot shorter, the ball falls incomplete and the Seahawks aren't even close enough to the goal line to be second guessed, and if Butler breaks on the ball a fraction of a second later, it is a touchdown anyway, and if my aunt had balls she'd be my uncle, etc, etc. Not if her name was Kaitlyn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drdetroit Posted July 27, 2015 Share Posted July 27, 2015 Ingenious strategy: let's have the best QB ever. Talk about outsmarting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jet Nut Posted July 27, 2015 Share Posted July 27, 2015 And if Wilson's Hail Mary to Kearse is a foot shorter, the ball falls incomplete and the Seahawks aren't even close enough to the goal line to be second guessed, and if Butler breaks on the ball a fraction of a second later, it is a touchdown anyway, and if my aunt had balls she'd be my uncle, etc, etc. What does that have to do with? Point was all the nonsense about the Pats would be totally different. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AFCEastFan Posted July 27, 2015 Share Posted July 27, 2015 What does that have to do with? Point was all the nonsense about the Pats would be totally different. If the Patriots lost the SB instead of won, then all the nonsense about them winning the SB would be totally different? OK, point taken. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Brown Posted July 27, 2015 Share Posted July 27, 2015 And they cheat. AND THEY CHEAT!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
predator_05 Posted July 27, 2015 Share Posted July 27, 2015 Ingenious strategy: let's have the best QB ever. Talk about outsmarting. it falls flat without brady but you have to admit that its impressive how belichick built the offenses there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jetdawgg Posted July 27, 2015 Share Posted July 27, 2015 Oy vey!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FloridaJetsFan Posted July 27, 2015 Share Posted July 27, 2015 it falls flat without brady but you have to admit that its impressive how belichick built the offenses there. What's impressive is elite quarterbacks make everyone around them look better - including coaches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
predator_05 Posted July 27, 2015 Share Posted July 27, 2015 What's impressive is elite quarterbacks make everyone around them look better - including coaches. yeah but belichick should get credit for finding guys like gronk, edelman, welker, hernandez, lafell - some of those guys were nobodies - and bringing in guys like Moss when people thought he was finished. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted July 27, 2015 Author Share Posted July 27, 2015 Koala piss wouldn't attract female goats. Link? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larz Posted July 27, 2015 Share Posted July 27, 2015 no belicheat has screwed all the pats* fans for life they have no bragging rights, he will go into the HOF with a fist full of rings because the NFL won't kill the golden goose and admit the titles are tainted shame on all of them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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