New England Patriots: What We Learned in 31-19 Win Over Oakland Raiders

By Erik Frenz (Twitter: @ErikFrenz)
Cold, Hard Football Facts Patriots beat reporter

 Wes Welker really could challenge receiving records


Through four weeks, Wee Wes Welker has been a veritable David, putting up Goliath numbers on a weekly basis. His current numbers stand at 40 receptions, 616 yards and five touchdowns.

He's on pace to surpass the single-season records for receptions (on pace for 160, record is 143) and yards (on pace for 2,464, record is 1,848) by healthy margins in both categories.

Tom Brady has garnered the headlines, but Welker is just as responsible for Brady's success as Brady has been for Welker's. As it always is with a quarterback and receiver combo, the benefits are a two-way street.

Patriots defense really could challenge ineptitude records

1,910 yards through four games. Not a single quarterback below 300 yards passing. A Defensive Passer Rating of 90.3. All of those are horrendous numbers. None of them do justice to just how bad the Patriots defense has been.

All of these are foreboding signs of things to come in January, where the team has failed to win in years due in large part But hey, if the Bruins can win a Stanley Cup without a power play, maybe the Patriots really can win a Super Bowl without a defense.


Patriots defense lives and dies by bend-don't-break

The Patriots still give up a league-worst yardage total of 1,910, but as a famous head coach once said, "the final score is for winners." That head coach is Bill Belichick, who is likely proud of what his team is doing when it matters: Not giving up the points. They currently give up just 19.49 yards per point scored, forcing opponents to drive 136.43 yards to score the equivalent of a touchdown. That is a number that will likely rank in the top 10 when the updated Bendability index is posted.

Wilfork has a future as a cover corner

When did Darrelle Revis put on 130 pounds and start playing nose tackle for the Pats? Perhaps Wilfork should hold out for more money, and request to be paid like the shutdown corner he's been through two weeks.

All jokes aside, those two interceptions have proven to be pivotal plays in two New England wins over the past three weeks. New England better find a way to get stops other than Wilfork interceptions, because chances are he won't finish with eight picks. Just a guess.


New England's D-Hogs getting d-stroyed

Including penalties, the Patriots are giving up third down conversions at a 50 percent clip (26-for-52), with 20 of them coming through the air. New England's defense has failed to even breathe on opposing quarterbacks through four games, and has logged just six sacks in four games, including an oh-fer game in Oakland on Sunday.

Negative Pass Plays? Please. They are more likely to find a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow than they are to generate any level of pressure on the quarterback. Their 7.47 percent NPPs will likely put them in the bottom 10 in the league in that category.

The air strike against New England has been reminiscent of America's air strike on Hiroshima, but they're also getting run over at a 4.8 yards-per-carry clip. That ranks 25th in the league.


New England's O-Hogs getting o-rnary

The ineptitude of the D-Hogs is being answered by their offensive brethren, giving up just 5.39% NPPs. Of course, the otherworldly play of Brady has inflated those stats a bit, but Brady has had solid protection from his line for the most part. His ability to evade pressure has helped, as well.

As for New England's fifth-best average of 4.8 yards per carry, that's almost all on the o-line making holes for the backs. Superior vision from the likes of Stevan Ridley contributes a bit, but these guys have been road graders all season long, especially up the middle with Logan Mankins and Brian Waters.

52.38% on third down is another number that is just a shocking testament to how well the O-Hogs are doing. It hasn't all been pretty, but it's been effective, and for Belichick and Co., that's all that matters.

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