Statistical Analysis of Ryan, Turner, and the Smith Era

[RFlagg]

(09-16-2010 02:27 PM)babuka Wrote:  The Falcons does not lose because Matt Ryan throws more than 30 passes, they lose because he is having to throw a bunch of passes because the Falcons are trying to score late in the game in a hurry. Generally to a really good team.

The Falcons do not win because they run the ball 30 times. The Falcons run the ball a lot in games in which they are ahead and they are running the clock out late in the game. Generally to a bad team.

Ryan throwing TD passes is more important than Turner rushing for a TD.


You don't win because you run the ball, you run because you are winning. Being a good rushing team is more important when you are winning and you are trying to close the game out, than at any other point in the game besides the opening drive.

Very good points. Another thing I just noticed (but I'm pretty sure I knew already),
of Ryan's 12 losses, 11 have come on the road. His 12 losses were to:

2008 - @Tampa Bay (9-7), @Carolina (12-5), @Philadelphia (11-7-1), Denver (8-8), @New Orleans (8-8), @Arizona (12-8)
2009 - @New England (10-7), @Dallas (12-6), @New Orleans (16-3), @Carolina(8-8), @NY Giants (8-8)
2010 - @Pittsburgh

In the 11 losses from 2008-09, the teams that beat us finished a combined 114-75-1, a combined .602 winning percentage. While I'd like to be beating the good teams, the nice thing is that these games have gotten closer over time, from 15 point losses to Tampa and Carolina in '08 to overtime losses to the Giants and Steelers by a combined 9 points.