10 reasons why the Patriots are undefeated
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7. Third down efficiency
The Patriots have converted on 47.1 percent of their third-down attempts. Only the New Orleans Saints have been more efficient on the most crucial down, succeeding on 47.5 percent of their third-down tries.
There are a number of reasons why the Pats have been so effective at picking-up first downs. For one, they are not often in 3rd-and-long situations as a result of the seemingly ever-available option of Edelman on the slant route and Lewis in the flat. It’s easy for Brady to hit one of those guys on the first two downs, which often puts the Pats in very reasonable down-and-distance-to-go situations.
If the yardage to gain is very short, Brady doesn’t think twice about calling his own number. Nine of Brady’s 19 rushing attempts have translated into first downs. In addition to being the best passer of all-time, Brady is probably the best quarterback sneaker in NFL history, as well.
In recent weeks, the offense has clicked quite as seamlessly as it had through the first month, when the third-down conversion rate was over 50 percent much of the time. Taking a step back and looking at last season’s percentage of 44.3, however, indicates that the Pats are doing something right.
Next: 6. Turnover differential