TigerJ
12-19-2006, 01:01 PM
Just a curiousity, but when I was looking up team stats at NFL.com for another thread, I noticed that in Buffalo's 16 games this season, they have played or will play (Baltimore) 10 of their 16 games against seven of the league's top eight teams in total defense (two games each versus Miami and New England. The only team in the top eight defensively that Buffalo does not play is Oakland, which coincidently is the only team in the group that pairs a solid defense with an absolutely terrible offense (dead last). Miami, the next worse offense in that list of top eight defenses, is ranked 20th in offense.
This is not another thread complaining about the schedule. The schedule is what it is and we have to live with what we get. The conclusions I draw are:
1. Part of Buffalo's poor offensive ranking (31st out of 32 teams) is certainly due to JP's learning curve at the start of the season combined with the fact that the whole team is learning a new offense. The other part would seem to have someething to do with the fact that Buffalo has played a disproportionate number of games against very tough defensive teams. Is it any wonder it's tough to run against teams that defend the run well against everyone.
2. If there is any carryover of learning from one year to the next, then Buffalo's offense should really have been toughened up by their experiences this season. Unless their schedule turns out to be just as tough next season, which I don't expect, they should really be able to put points on the board against the more ordinary defenses that odds say we'll face next year.
Baltimore, by the way, while it has the top defense in the league at the moment (just like Chicago had when they played Buffalo) has a very ordinary offence, ranked just ahead of Miami at 19. Jamal Lewis' yards per carry at 3.7 is not that intimidating and Steve McNair's passing yardage is very average (just ahead of Losman). If Buffalo can beat Miami, Baltimore should not be that much more difficult.
This is not another thread complaining about the schedule. The schedule is what it is and we have to live with what we get. The conclusions I draw are:
1. Part of Buffalo's poor offensive ranking (31st out of 32 teams) is certainly due to JP's learning curve at the start of the season combined with the fact that the whole team is learning a new offense. The other part would seem to have someething to do with the fact that Buffalo has played a disproportionate number of games against very tough defensive teams. Is it any wonder it's tough to run against teams that defend the run well against everyone.
2. If there is any carryover of learning from one year to the next, then Buffalo's offense should really have been toughened up by their experiences this season. Unless their schedule turns out to be just as tough next season, which I don't expect, they should really be able to put points on the board against the more ordinary defenses that odds say we'll face next year.
Baltimore, by the way, while it has the top defense in the league at the moment (just like Chicago had when they played Buffalo) has a very ordinary offence, ranked just ahead of Miami at 19. Jamal Lewis' yards per carry at 3.7 is not that intimidating and Steve McNair's passing yardage is very average (just ahead of Losman). If Buffalo can beat Miami, Baltimore should not be that much more difficult.