Statistically Speaking

Statistics are a funny thing, they can be twisted and contorted to show any result that you want, either positive or negative. Case in point: the Packers have beaten seven teams with winning records this year while the Patriots have beaten none, yet the Packers lost in the first round while the Patriots moved on to the AFC Championship game. Are the Patriots a better team? Record wise and statistically I would say no, but the fact that the Packers have beaten far more amount of quality teams means nothing. That being said, let’s not dwell on the 33-14 shellacking in 2009 that the Ravens handed out, even though that is all you are going to hear from Ravens fans. There are only three offensive and two defensive players that started from the 2009 team on the current roster. That 2009 game won’t mean a thing just as the 2010 game won’t. Not sure about you but I am tired of hearing how great this Ravens defense is, and from a simple eye ball test, I was not impressed against the Texans. Over the last four games the Ravens have only managed to sack the QB four times, that’s it, not exactly Raven like and is definitely a recipe for disaster if you don’t harass Tom Brady. This is a talented defense, but also an aging one, one that feasted on the likes of T.J. Yates who looked like a deer caught in headlights. That look will not be seen by Ed Reed or Ray Lewis from Tom Brady. I am not saying that this will be an easy game, if history tells us anything is that more than likely it will be decided probably by a field goal. For all of the statistics that can be thrown at the Patriots from that 2009 game and how it is a precursor to what is to come at Gillette this Sunday, the same can be said for Tom Brady and his winning record versus the Ravens and that 2009 was a hiccup. Bottom line, this team has a different feel and a different look than recent Playoff failures of the past; let’s just hope that statistics don’t catch up to them.