Points per drive stats for current playoff bound teams

[SDCowboy]

Which concerns you more: a team with an elite offense and average defense or vice versa?

Man, it would be great if our D was average. That would be a huge improvement.

 

[percyhoward]

The full chart Theogt posted above should give a better indication which team is closer to us.

Here's an update for current playoff teams that includes their Thanksgiving games.

Dal 3.01 / 2.05 (+0.96)
Pit 2.18 / 1.85 (+0.33)
Was 2.50 / 2.31 (+0.19)
Det 2.15 / 2.29 (-0.14)

 

[JBS]

None of the eight teams with the highest ppd prior to this season won a Super Bowl. Historically, teams with great offenses and average-to-bad defenses have come up short in the postseason.

2007 Patriots 3.37 ppd
2011 Packers 3.05 ppd
2016 Cowboys 3.01 ppd
2013 Broncos 2.98 ppd
2011 Saints 2.98 ppd
2004 Colts 2.93 ppd
1998 Vikings 2.92 ppd
2016 Falcons 2.88 ppd
2000 Rams 2.85 ppd
2012 Patriots 2.82 ppd

However, there is something interesting about our defense. So far this season, Dallas has allowed touchdowns on 24 of its opponents' 108 drives (22.2%), which is about the league average. But the defense has allowed TD on 7 of the 13 drives it has faced.in the 4th quarter when the Cowboys are leading by more than one score (9+ points). That's about 42% more than the league average when leading by more than one score in the 4th.

I was asking about the other teams w a PPD differential as high or higher than ours..how they fared in the postseason

 

[robbieruff]

What's interesting is we have an elite offense and an average defense and Seattle has an elite defense and an average offense. I guess we'll find out if defense really wins championships if we get to play them in a NFC championship game.

Seattle is improving rapidly in offensive side with improved health of Wilson and emergence of other players. Their Oline is playing better also.

 

[Zman5]

Seattle is improving rapidly in offensive side with improved health of Wilson and emergence of other players. Their Oline is playing better also.

Yes they are. Hopefully our defense can get healthier once playoffs starts.

 

[DandyDon1722]

Seattle is improving rapidly in offensive side with improved health of Wilson and emergence of other players. Their Oline is playing better also.

Yep - it's looking more and more like that will be our biggest obstacle although I hate the thought of playing a Division team in the playoffs for a third time.

Winning a Super Bowl is hard for a reason.

 

[percyhoward]

No team has scored more offensive TD's than the Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys average 3.6 TD's a game. Tennessee is actually 2nd place with 3.5. Atlanta is 3.3. New England is also 3.3.

And that's not even accounting for the fact those teams average more than a full possession per game more than Dallas.

Percentage of drives resulting in TD
Cowboys 35.6%
Falcons 32.0%
Patriots 31.4%
Titans 28.2%

 

[robbieruff]

Yes they are. Hopefully our defense can get healthier once playoffs starts.

I think getting Barry back certainly helps stabilize things and then Mo gets here before playoffs (fingers crossed on that last one). I think Rod is going to have to scheme some things that go contrary to his tendencies in order to get some pressure and create turnovers. We can't count on our offense to always dominate. There are going to be times when the defense has to make a play to win it...not just survive. We are stout in the red zone at least which had significantly helped our cause so credit there. I would hate to think we don't seal the deal when it's there for the taking.

 

[robbieruff]

Yep - it's looking more and more like that will be our biggest obstacle although I hate the thought of playing a Division team in the playoffs for a third time.

Winning a Super Bowl is hard for a reason.

If we succeed in getting the #1 seed then it would seem likely we'd play NFC North or South division winner in the divisional round. Of course than can change if one of the NFC East wild card teams wins on the road.