Jump to content

Cimini: Top Statistical Indicators


flgreen

Recommended Posts

Take 5: Top statistical indicators

July, 2, 2012

Jul 2

12:24

PM ET

By Rich Cimini | ESPNNewYork.com

This is our eighth "Take Five" list. From now until training camp, we'll have periodic lists -- some serious, some not-so-serious. This time, we'll examine the top statistical indicators -- i.e. the numbers that will tell the tale of the Jets' season.

1. Giveaways. The Jets led the AFC with 34 turnovers last season -- sloppy, sloppy, sloppy. It's against the Sparano religion to commit turnovers, let alone that many. His teams averaged 25 per year in his four seasons as the Dolphins' coach. If the Jets can get it below 25, it'll mean Mark Sanchez is being smart with the football -- and everything would flow off that.

2. Rushing attempts. Forget about yards and yards-per-attempt. The key is rushing attempts. If the Jets are running the ball a lot, it means Sparano's offense is working. It'll take pressure off Sanchez and allow him to strike downfield on play-action. The Jets averaged 28 rushing attempts per game last season. That won't cut it in Sparano's run-heavy offense.

3. Yards-per-attempt. Some football stat geeks believe YPA is the best barometer of a quarterback's performance. Well, Sanchez averaged a career-low 6.4 last season, 0.3 lower than his rookie year. That number is ugly; it indicates an unhealthy passing attack. Sanchez might not be a prolific passer in Sparano's system, but he has to be more efficient than 6.4. A lot of factors go into that number -- it's pass protection, the receivers' ability to get open, play calling, etc. They have to pull that number up into the 7s.

4. Rushing defense; yards per game. The Jets finished 13th, yielding 111 yards per game. An elite defense shouldn't finish that low, no way. It's a basic tenet of football, stopping the run. There's no reason why the Jets shouldn't rebound into the top five. They added run-stuffing safeties, Yeremiah Bell and LaRon Landry, and they should have more depth on the defensive line. The Jets say they want to be as good as their '09 defense. That unit allowed only 98 per game.

5. Passing defense; yards per catch. Hard to figure the defense last season. It finished fifth in total defense despite allowing a ton of big pass plays (Victor Cruz, anyone?) In fact, it yielded 12.4 yards per reception, tied for 24th in the league. Many of the same factors that contributed to that bloated number -- questionable team speed, miscommunications in coverage, lukewarm pass rush -- could be in play once again.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2. Rushing attempts. Forget about yards and yards-per-attempt. The key is rushing attempts. If the Jets are running the ball a lot, it means Sparano's offense is working. It'll take pressure off Sanchez and allow him to strike downfield on play-action. The Jets averaged 28 rushing attempts per game last season. That won't cut it in Sparano's run-heavy offense.

While I have no doubts we'll be a run heavy team this season, I love how everyone acts as if they know Sparano's offense. Where exactly have they seen it before? He wasnt exactly calling/creating plays in Miami.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4. Rushing defense; yards per game. The Jets finished 13th, yielding 111 yards per game. An elite defense shouldn't finish that low, no way. It's a basic tenet of football, stopping the run. There's no reason why the Jets shouldn't rebound into the top five. They added run-stuffing safeties, Yeremiah Bell and LaRon Landry, and they should have more depth on the defensive line. The Jets say they want to be as good as their '09 defense. That unit allowed only 98 per game.

5. Passing defense; yards per catch. Hard to figure the defense last season. It finished fifth in total defense despite allowing a ton of big pass plays (Victor Cruz, anyone?) In fact, it yielded 12.4 yards per reception, tied for 24th in the league. Many of the same factors that contributed to that bloated number -- questionable team speed, miscommunications in coverage, lukewarm pass rush -- could be in play once again.

This is retarded. FO had us at 4th in the league against the run and 2nd in the league against the pass. The offense is what needs fixing, not the defense, and the main thing there is the giveaways. It was fun watching Richie twist himself into a pretzel trying to decide if rushing attempts are a cause or an effect of winning.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is retarded. FO had us at 4th in the league against the run and 2nd in the league against the pass. The offense is what needs fixing, not the defense, and the main thing there is the giveaways. It was fun watching Richie twist himself into a pretzel trying to decide if rushing attempts are a cause or an effect of winning.

This is Cimini we're talking about, he probably went to the NFL.com team stats page, kept sorting on different totals until he found the ones the Jets showed up ranked lowest in on each offense and defense, they suddenly became "top statistical indicators" and there's your article.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is retarded. FO had us at 4th in the league against the run and 2nd in the league against the pass. The offense is what needs fixing, not the defense, and the main thing there is the giveaways. It was fun watching Richie twist himself into a pretzel trying to decide if rushing attempts are a cause or an effect of winning.

Pretty much.

But, you cant walk away from the Eagles and Pats games not thinking we need different safeties. No reason Celek should do that.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tell us more about you and Aten.

He is supposed to be Turkish. Some say his father was German. Nobody believed he was real. Nobody ever saw him or knew anybody that ever worked directly for him, but to hear dbatesman tell it, anybody could have worked for him. You never knew. That was his power. The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist. And like that, poof. He's gone.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

He is supposed to be Turkish. Some say his father was German. Nobody believed he was real. Nobody ever saw him or knew anybody that ever worked directly for him, but to hear dbatesman tell it, anybody could have worked for him. You never knew. That was his power. The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist. And like that, poof. He's gone.

Bra. Vo.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

He is supposed to be Turkish. Some say his father was German. Nobody believed he was real. Nobody ever saw him or knew anybody that ever worked directly for him, but to hear dbatesman tell it, anybody could have worked for him. You never knew. That was his power. The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist. And like that, poof. He's gone.

1ou2bt.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

He is supposed to be Turkish. Some say his father was German. Nobody believed he was real. Nobody ever saw him or knew anybody that ever worked directly for him, but to hear dbatesman tell it, anybody could have worked for him. You never knew. That was his power. The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist. And like that, poof. He's gone.

nod-of-approval.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

balderdash

the only statistical indictor that matters is passer rating differential. it is the best predictor of success

if the jets can get a pass rush going without blitzing safeties, and sanchez is more efficient, the jets will be right there

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...