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Final 2010 Bendability Index
Cold, Hard Football Facts for January 3, 2011
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Bendability is the first indicator on Planet Pigskin that attempts to measure the concept of the "bend but don't break defense." But remember, the Bendability Index is not merely an defensive indicator! It is a team-wide measurement of ability to keep opponents off the scoreboard. It takes into account a variety of factors (including proficiency of offense and special teams, red zone defense, and turnover differential) and then spits it all out in an easy-to-understand number. Other measures of defense, and defensive efficiency, look at the defensive unit in a vacuum. We do not care how a unit plays in a fantasy-football vacuum because in real football games teams do not play in a vacuum. Instead, our Quality Stats give you insight into the many complex, interacting factors that go into team-wide success.
Bendability is obtained this way: Yards Allowed/Total Points Allowed = Yards Per Point Allowed (YPPA). The higher the number, the more difficult a team makes it for opponents to score points.
BENDABILITY INDEX UPDATE
Bendability proved a fairly reliable indicator of overall team success in 2010. After all, AFC champ Pittsburgh finished No. 2 in the indicator, and the team that beat them the Steelers in the Super Bowl, NFC champ Green Bay, finished No. 1.
Bendability, of course, is a function of many other factors. Green Bay and Pittsburgh, for example, finished Nos. 1 and 2, respectively, for example, in Defensive Passer Rating. The teams flipped spots in scoring defense, with the Steelers No. 1 and the Packers No. 2.
Green Bay forced opponents to march a daunting 144.3 yards to score the equivalent of a touchdown and extra point. Compare that figure to the Cowboys, dead last in Bendability. Dallas gave away the equivalent of a touchdown and extra point after surrendering just 90.4 yards of offense.
Bottom line: teams that make opponents work hard for points, as measured by Bendability, typically enjoy incredible success. The 2010 season was no exception to the rule. In fact, the 2010 season merely reinforced the old maxim, if we might paraphrase: "efficient defense wins championships."
Final 2010 Bendability Index
|
|
Team |
Yards |
Points |
YPPA |
|
1 |
Green Bay |
4946 |
240 |
20.61 |
|
2 |
Pittsburgh |
4430 |
232 |
19.09 |
|
3 |
Baltimore |
5094 |
270 |
18.87 |
|
4 |
New England |
5864 |
313 |
18.73 |
|
5 |
Atlanta |
5319 |
288 |
18.47 |
|
6 |
Chicago |
5029 |
286 |
17.58 |
|
7 |
Tennessee |
5883 |
339 |
17.35 |
|
8 |
Cleveland |
5601 |
332 |
16.87 |
|
9 |
Tampa Bay |
5323 |
318 |
16.74 |
|
10 |
Washington |
6228 |
377 |
16.52 |
|
11 |
St. Louis |
5388 |
328 |
16.43 |
|
12 |
Kansas City |
5283 |
326 |
16.21 |
|
13 |
New Orleans |
4900 |
307 |
15.96 |
|
14 |
N.Y. Jets |
4664 |
304 |
15.34 |
|
15 |
San Francisco |
5244 |
346 |
15.16 |
|
16 |
Detroit |
5498 |
369 |
14.90 |
|
17 |
Miami |
4949 |
333 |
14.86 |
|
18 |
Seattle |
5897 |
407 |
14.49 |
|
19 |
Minnesota |
5002 |
348 |
14.37 |
|
20 |
N.Y. Giants |
4972 |
347 |
14.33 |
|
21 |
Jacksonville |
5949 |
419 |
14.20 |
|
22 |
Houston |
6031 |
427 |
14.12 |
|
23 |
Indianapolis |
5465 |
388 |
14.09 |
|
24 |
Oakland |
5163 |
371 |
13.92 |
|
25 |
Philadelphia |
5228 |
377 |
13.87 |
|
26 |
Arizona |
5977 |
434 |
13.77 |
|
27 |
Buffalo |
5786 |
425 |
13.61 |
|
28 |
San Diego |
4334 |
322 |
13.46 |
|
29 |
Cincinnati |
5312 |
395 |
13.45 |
|
30 |
Denver |
6253 |
471 |
13.28 |
|
31 |
Carolina |
5374 |
408 |
13.17 |
|
32
|
Dallas
|
5628
|
436
|
12.91
|
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