Monday, October 28th

THE WEEK THAT WAS Hot off the presses, here's the early edition TMW play-by-play ratings for your perusal from week eight of this festive NFL season. For those new to the numbers read the following: PSR: Play Success Rate - every play is graded as either a success or failure Big: percentage of plays that went for big gains...10+ yards for a run, 20+ for a pass Yds: adjusted yards per play, including penalties and excluding non-plays EFR: Effectiveness rating. One number overall summary. Stats Score: This is the projected score the TMW computer would have spit out if the stats for the game were the numbers coming in. This column lets us know who "should" have won. Atlanta at New Orleans Matchup Rush PSR Rush Big Rush Yds Rush EFR Pass PSR Pass Big Pass Yds Pass EFR Stats Score Atlanta 61% 10% 5.5 115 50% 9% 7.0 137 44 New Orleans 58% 17% 6.2 112 34% 5% 4.8 73 17 Atlanta had to win it in reality with a last second field goal. Stats say they were the much better team on this day and doesn't Michael Vick look like a superstar in the making ? Chicago at Minnesota Matchup Rush PSR Rush Big Rush Yds Rush EFR Pass PSR Pass Big Pass Yds Pass EFR Stats Score Chicago 41% 8% 3.1 66 41% 13% 5.0 61 6 Minnesota 47% 7% 3.5 76 67% 6% 7.2 132 38 Vikings finally got their game on track and passed effectively. What that means for next week, who knows? Cleveland at N.Y. Jets Matchup Rush PSR Rush Big Rush Yds Rush EFR Pass PSR Pass Big Pass Yds Pass EFR Stats Score Cleveland 27% 6% 2.3 50 45% 6% 5.3 90 12 N.Y. Jets 36% 16% 3.5 73 46% 7% 6.2 100 27 The WRONG TEAM WON (that's according to the stats). Wrong Team Winners are now 1-7 against the line in the following week, so Cleveland is dubious against the Steelers. Numbers show the Jets were better in every department (play success rate, big percentage, yards per play, effectiveness) for both rushing and passing but still lost. Detroit at Buffalo Matchup Rush PSR Rush Big Rush Yds Rush EFR Pass PSR Pass Big Pass Yds Pass EFR Stats Score Detroit 25% 13% 3.4 54 36% 7% 4.3 74 3 Buffalo 47% 9% 2.9 73 52% 7% 7.1 120 37 Have a feeling the Bills could have won this more easily if they were all out. Hosting the Patriots this week it will be interesting. Don't get too excited about the Lions just yet. Oakland at Kansas City Matchup Rush PSR Rush Big Rush Yds Rush EFR Pass PSR Pass Big Pass Yds Pass EFR Stats Score Oakland 68% 13% 5.2 118 58% 4% 6.3 128 42 Kansas City 51% 13% 3.8 93 45% 9% 5.7 74 15 WRONG TEAM WON! (But Kansas City has a bye in week nine.) Raiders should have put up a lot of points based on the pure data (26 first downs, 417 total yards) and the TMW stats, but somehow could only manage 10 points on the board. Bad stench in Oaktown right now. Pittsburgh at Baltimore Matchup Rush PSR Rush Big Rush Yds Rush EFR Pass PSR Pass Big Pass Yds Pass EFR Stats Score Pittsburgh 19% 8% 3.7 50 55% 7% 6.4 114 26 Baltimore 47% 5% 3.4 80 47% 2% 5.2 70 13 Steelers back on track for the playoffs and Tommy Maddox making the XFL people proud. Pittsburgh will need to do better than a 19% play success rate running (without the Bus) to make good teams scared though. Seattle at Dallas Matchup Rush PSR Rush Big Rush Yds Rush EFR Pass PSR Pass Big Pass Yds Pass EFR Stats Score Seattle 38% 6% 2.8 61 39% 6% 5.1 63 6 Dallas 39% 21% 3.7 85 33% 4% 5.6 70 21 WRONG TEAM WON! Bad news for Dallas fans as the troops may be down this week against Detroit. Should have given Emmitt a win to go with the record, instead, just the record. Tampa Bay at Carolina Matchup Rush PSR Rush Big Rush Yds Rush EFR Pass PSR Pass Big Pass Yds Pass EFR Stats Score Tampa Bay 42% 0% 2.1 50 48% 2% 4.1 60 25 Carolina 22% 6% 3.2 41 18% 0% 0.9 -28 0 Yawn! I suppose if your idea of a truly thrilling football game is one with lots of field goals this might have suited you, but for any normal football fan this was dullsville, dullard central, and dullness part deux. Bucs continue to win without showing any signs that they have a clue what the word "offense" means... Tennessee at Cincinnati Matchup Rush PSR Rush Big Rush Yds Rush EFR Pass PSR Pass Big Pass Yds Pass EFR Stats Score Tennessee 48% 16% 5.4 92 57% 7% 7.9 150 36 Cincinnati 48% 10% 4.4 87 60% 9% 8.3 169 49 WRONG TEAM WON! No doubt. Tim is crestfallen (well perhaps I never had a crest in the first place) that my Bungalis couldn't manage to run it in from one yard out to win. Called the right play, made the right blocks, and of course in true Bengal-Ball fashion Dillon trips over his own guy. Awful! Oh well, at least the passing game was wicked good for the first time this season. Can Cincinnati break through this week? Don't be so sure. Arizona at San Francisco Matchup Rush PSR Rush Big Rush Yds Rush EFR Pass PSR Pass Big Pass Yds Pass EFR Stats Score Arizona 42% 21% 4.3 96 54% 10% 6.0 73 11 San Francisco 48% 15% 3.9 88 43% 10% 8.5 123 40 Arizona's 4-2, the Niners are 4-2, a primetime matchup to decide first place in the powerful NFC West and...oops. Niners rock, Cards stink, same as it ever was. Denver at New England Matchup Rush PSR Rush Big Rush Yds Rush EFR Pass PSR Pass Big Pass Yds Pass EFR Stats Score Denver 47% 3% 3.6 84 66% 19% 9.0 155 45 New England 57% 11% 3.6 94 44% 3% 4.0 86 18 Get out! No really, get out! New England likely to become ridiculous quicker than you can say "I Patriot." Denver's a good team all right, but allowing 9.0 yards per pass, 19% of passing plays to go for 20+ yards and a 155 EFR means that New England will continue to get creamed. Houston at Jacksonville Matchup Rush PSR Rush Big Rush Yds Rush EFR Pass PSR Pass Big Pass Yds Pass EFR Stats Score Houston 26% 7% 2.3 36 45% 17% 7.1 112 20 Jacksonville 53% 9% 3.9 93 35% 8% 3.9 72 19 Order! Order! [thump] I bring to order the first meeting of the David Carr is legit fan club. As for the Jags, what were they thinking? Yes the right team did win according to the stats, but still the truth is the right team lost. Since these guys are division rivals the rematch in a few weeks may be ugly. Indianapolis at Washington Matchup Rush PSR Rush Big Rush Yds Rush EFR Pass PSR Pass Big Pass Yds Pass EFR Stats Score Indianapolis 52% 5% 3.3 100 45% 11% 5.0 83 20 Washington 48% 14% 4.7 82 39% 8% 5.3 100 27 Spurrier much more at ease with Matthews at the Quarterback spot. Colts drop to 1-6 against the spread on the season despite a 4-3 record. Remember, Dungy doesn't like offense or running up the score and the Indianapolis defense isn't up to NFL snuff. N.Y. Giants at Philadelphia Matchup Rush PSR Rush Big Rush Yds Rush EFR Pass PSR Pass Big Pass Yds Pass EFR Stats Score N.Y. Giants 0% 0% 0.0 0 0% 0% 0.0 0 ? Philadelphia 0% 0% 0.0 0 0% 0% 0.0 0 ? Tonight. tim@twominutewarning.com Return to TwoMinuteWarning.com Copyright © 2002 by TwoMinuteWarning.com, All Right Reserved