Some thoughts and some numbers regarding Week 9 of the 2011 season…
Is it a matter of what teams they played or is the conference just that good. Regardless of the reason, it’s interesting to note that the Top 8 defenses in terms of total yards allowed per game are all in AFC, including the top-ranked Ravens. Meanwhile, the Cowboys may boast the NFC’s best defense in terms of yards, but they are ranked just 9th in the NFL and come off a rough evening at Philadelphia last Sunday…
Although the Baltimore Ravens are 5-2 and just one-half game out of first place behind the 6-2 Steelers, their quarterback has had his issues since getting off to a great start in the opening-weekend 35-7 rout of Pittsburgh. Ravens’ QB Joe Flacco has thrown 5 TD passes and committed 10 turnovers (6 INT, 4 fumbles lost) in his last 6 games, after throwing 3 touchdown passes and not committing a turnover in the Week 1victory over the Steelers. Granted Mike Tomlin’s team has been less-than-effective coming up with takeaways (3 in 7 games this season), but Flacco has had his problems against the Pittsburgh defense more times than not…
No one has thrown the ball more since the start of last season, but is that starting to catch up with Saints’ QB Drew Brees. The New Orleans’ signal-caller has connected for 52 touchdown passes but an NFL-high 32 interceptions dating back to the start of the 2010 season. This season, Brees has thrown for 19 scores and been picked off 10 times, 3 of those coming in the team’s 26-20 loss at Tampa in Week 6. The Bucs look for their first sweep in this series since 2007…
Offensively, it’s been a rough few weeks for Bill Belichick’s team. After scoring 30-plus points in 13 consecutive regular-season games, New England has totaled a combined 37 points in their last 2 contests, including a season-low 17 points in last Sunday’s 8-point loss at Pittsburgh. But perhaps a date with the Giants can cure some ills, at least that’s what recent history indicates. Dating back to 2001, the Patriots are 36-5 vs. NFC teams in the regular season, 39-6 if you include their 4 trips to the Super Bowl. Of course, while 2 of those 36 wins were at the expense of Big Blue, 1 of those 6 overall losses was in Super Bowl XLII as Tom Coughlin’s team spoiled the Pats’ attempt at an undefeated season. The teams meet Sunday for the first time since that epic clash…
The San Francisco 49ers are the second-hottest team in the NFL, winners of 5 straight games while their 6 wins already equals last season’s total. One factor has been the performance of their Frank Gore-led ground attack which has seen the Niners total 754 yards rushing in its last 4 games, including 160-plus yards in each contest. Jim Harbaugh’s team travels east this week to face the Redskins, who have allowed 505 yards rushing in their last 3 games (all losses), including 130 or more yards in each of those outings. It’s been quite a turnaround for Mike Shanahan’s team, who allowed just 338 yards rushing in their first 4 games in 2011…
