Taking a look at some statistics that stood out from the Patriots' 41-7 victory over the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday.
34-26
The Patriots run-pass ratio in the game. The Patriots were able to establish the run early, but more importantly, were able to go to in down the stretch. In the game, LeGarrette Blount totaled 16 carries for 76 yards and two touchdowns, while Stevan Ridley picked up 54 yards on 15 carries of his own. The Patriots brought a physical brand of football yesterday, and showed that they could rely on the run when quarterback Tom Brady wasn't at his sharpest. Without Rob Gronkowski, it will be critical that the Patriots are able to be as balanced as they were yesterday. On the Patriots game-clinching drive, which extended their lead from 13 to 20 in the waning minutes of the fourth quarter, they ran the ball with Blount and Ridley nine times for 40 yards and a score. They didn't attempt a single pass.
4
Punts that landed inside the 20 for rookie punter Ryan Allen. He would have had a fifth, downed at the one, had it not been for an illegal touching penalty. Ryan punted the ball seven total times in the game, and perhaps had his finest outing as a pro, consistently helping the Patriots win the battle of field position.
36%
Third down efficiency for the Patriots defense. This was a telling mark of the unit's success throughout the game. There were a few times that it seemed Joe Flacco had all day to throw, but for the most part, the pass rush from the front four was able to get some penetration, and there were far fewer lapses in the secondary, despite injuries to both Steve Gregory and Devin McCourty.
0/3
The Ravens' success on their fourth down conversions, all of which came in the second half. All three stops came at critical junctures in the game. The first was a 4th and 3 in Patriots territory on the opening drive of the second half - rookie Logan Ryan made a beautiful break on the ball. The second was a 4th and 1 from the Patriots four yard line on a Ray Rice run. And the final stop was a 4th and 10 in the fourth quarter near mid-field with the Ravens down by 13 and trying to get back into the game. None of these stops were lucky - such as a dropped pass or errant throw. All three were legitimate stops - players making plays when they were needed most.
3/3
The Patriots efficiency in the red zone, as well as in goal-to-go situations. The team struggled in this area against the Dolphins, and it was refreshing to see them succeed here against a physical opponent without Rob Gronkowski. The Patriots scored on two LeGarrette Blount runs as well as a Tom Brady to Shane Vereen four yard score in the first quarter.
10
Total defensed passes for the Patriots yesterday. They only intercepted Joe Flacco twice, could had a whole lot more if it weren't for several dropped interceptions. The Patriots covered receivers well at all levels yesterday, as the only notable poor performance was from Steve Gregory. Logan Ryan, in particular, flashed. Linebackers Jamie Collins and Dont'a Hightower both also showed improvement.