In The Zone

Every sport has a crucial area or aspect of the game where it is do or die time. In Football it is the Red Zone, that area inside the opponent's 20 yard line. The importance of a team's ability to maximize it's opportunities once it moves the ball into the Zone is pivotal. Getting into the Red Zone is all but a certain scoring opportunity but scoring is not the only factor in determining the success of a team. While there is much talk about a team's Red Zone scoring efficiency, it must also prevent it's opponent from scoring. The difference between the number of times a team moves the ball into the Zone vs the number of times a team lets it's opponent enter the Zone is a great predictor of how good a team really is. This year in the regular season one team stood out above all the rest in that category, that team was the New England Patriots. They entered the Red Zone 72 times while their opponent entered the Zone 41 times making for a +31. Their opponent in this years Super Bowl, the New York Giants, entered the Red Zone 55 times while letting their opponents enter the Zone 42 times making for a +13. The New York Giant's +13 ranked best in the NFC and only 1 ahead of the Dallas Cowboy's +12 but no team came close to the Patriot's +31. This is why I think the New England Patriots are a supper team the likes of which we have not seen in a long time if not ever. Yes the Cowboys, Chargers, Colts, Giants, and Packers are very good teams but their Red Zone differentials are where good team's Zone stats should be, right around the +15 mark. The Patriot's +31 is a once in a life time stat. So as you watch this years Super bowl remember this! Big plays from within the Red Zone may be entertaining but it's the team that consistently moves the ball from mid field into the Red Zone and can prevent the other team from doing the same that will likely earn the title of Super Bowl XLII Champs.