The Cold, Hard Football Facts crew knows a thing or two about clinics. In fact, we end up in one after every dalliance with a Lady of the Evening that leaves us with more than just a happy ending.
The clinics are bright, clean and coldly efficient. Our kind of place (well, other than the bright and clean part).
And what we saw Monday night in New England's 45-3 deconstruction of the Jets was a clinic of its own: a coldly efficient domination by the Patriots of what was a division-leading 9-2 team.
Here's a clinical by-the-numbers look at the game, with a little extra focus on New England's incredible efficiency in the game, and throughout the season. The Patriots might be on pace to become the most efficient team in NFL history, according to our efficiency indicators (Scoreability and Bendability).
Watching the Patriots right now is like watching Joe DiMaggio or Ted Williams swing a bat: there's little wasted motion. Everything's done for a purpose, and almost everything produces a positive result.
1
Quality Wins by the Jets this year (New England in Week 2). They have games remaining at Pittsburgh and Chicago, two 9-3 teams.
1
NFL draft picks among the three key players (Tom Brady, Danny Woodhead, BenJarvus Green-Ellis) in New England's offensive backfield. Brady, in case you didn't know, was the 199th pick in the 2000 draft. They were New England's leading passer, receiver and runner Monday night, and played a role in all six New England touchdowns.
1 and 3
Rank in scoring defense of Green Bay (15.2 PPG) and Chicago (16.0), two of New England's remaining four opponents. The Jets host the Bears on December 26.
2
NFL MVP awards Tom Brady will own by the end of the 2010 season.
3
Points the Jets have scored in their last two games against teams with winning records: a 9-0 home loss to the Packers on Halloween; a 45-3 loss at New England on Monday.
4
Touchdowns scored by Deion Branch in eight games with New England this year. The receiver never scored more than 4 touchdowns in any one of his three-plus seasons in Seattle.
5
Number of victories New England has produced against its likely collection of playoff opponents (Baltimore, San Diego, Indianapolis, Pittsburgh, N.Y. Jets).
7.18
Little Danny Woodhead's average per offensive touch this year (840 yards, 117 touches).
9.0
New England's Yards Per Point Scored against the Jets, according to our Scoreability Index. New York produced 100.3 Yards Per Point scored, making this one of the great efficiency blowouts in our record books. (Cap tip to
Forum poster MEPT72 for highlighting the difference.)
9.9
New England's Yards Per Point Scored last week against the Lions.
11.20
New England's incredibly efficient Yards Per Point Scored in 2010, just shy of what we believe is the single-season record for offensive efficiency (11.17 Yards Per Point Scored), based upon Scoreability. That record was set by the 2007 Patriots.*
15
Consecutive regular-season wins at home by the Patriots. The Steelers won at New England, 33-10, on November 30, 2008.
17.0
Points per game the Jets had allowed in the first 11 games of the season (fifth). They drop one spot today (19.3 PPG).
17-0
Tom Brady's TD-to-INT ratio in his last seven games.
18
Interceptions by New England's widely criticized pass defense this year, tied for second most in the NFL behind Philadelphia (20).
24 years
The length of time that has passed since the Jets last suffered a 42-point loss. (45-3 loss at Miami on November 24, 1986).
26
Consecutive wins at home by the Patriots with Tom Brady at quarterback. New England lost at home to the Jets, 17-14, on November 12, 2006.
27-4
Tom Brady's TD-to-INT ratio in 2010, better than his record ratio set in 2007 (50-8).
30
Days since the Patriots last suffered a turnover in a game (three vs. Cleveland in 34-14 loss on November 7).
31.6
New England's scoring average this season, best in the NFL and the second best mark in franchise history (36.8 PPG in 2007).
51-51-1
All-time series record between the Jets and Patriots.
56
Days Brady will have gone without throwing an interception when the Patriots take the field in Chicago Sunday afternoon in a potential Super Bowl preview (last pick October 17 vs. Baltimore).
81.3
New York's Defensive Passer Rating (15th) after Week 13. They entered the game with a 75.8 Defensive Passer Rating (4th), a drop of 11 spots.
87.3
New England's Defensive Passer Rating (20th) after Week 13. They entered the game with a 91.7 Defensive Passer Rating (25th).
90
Number of points the Patriots have scored in their last two games.
96.5
The difference between Mark Sanchez's passer rating in New York's Week 2 win over New England (124.3) and in New York's Week 13 loss at New England (27.8). They represent both his best and worst performances of the season.
109.5
Brady's passer rating this year, on pace for the ninth best single-season mark in NFL history. Brady would be the first passer with two of the top 10 seasons in history (117.2 in 2007, second).
115
Points the Patriots have scored in their last three games against likely playoff opponents (Pittsburgh, Indianapolis, N.Y. Jets).
160
Number of points the Patriots have scored in their last four games.
224
Pass attempts by Brady since his last interception.
445
The advantage in total offense enjoyed by New England's 12 opponents this year (4,691 to 4,246 for the Patriots). The Patriots have scored 110 more points than those 12 opponents (379-269), despite the disadvantage in territorial production.
*Based on an incomplete study of the all-time great NFL offenses, dating back to the 1940s, conducted by reader James Eason. More on that study in the near future.
