Weeks 2 and 3 are in the books and the consensus is version 4.6 sucks if you like offense and passing stats. Through 3 weeks of games, we are averaging 29.16 points per game. For comparison's sake, we averaged 38.34 in 1996, 38.12 in 1995 and 36.43 in 1994. This year's numbers were boosted by Week 3, when we averaged 33 points a game. The breakdown for this year is:
0-9 points (2)
10-19 points (11)
20-29 points (14)
30-39 points (14)
40-49 points (4)
50-59 points (1)
60-69 points (1)
70-79 points (1)
Only 3 of the 30 point games were higher than 35, meaning only 10 of 48 games have had more than 35 points total. A majority of out games have less than 30 total points.
Part of the fun of writing this blog was highlighting the big stat performers and that's just not happening now. I don't know how I will handle the blog going forward, but the days of writing something about every game are likely over. There is no joy writing about a FG kicking contest with 15 combined sacks and 300 yards passing repeatedly.
Passing stats are obviously down, not just total yards but yards per attempt as well. This season we have 1 QB over 7 yards per attempt and 4 more over 6. In prior years most starting QBs were over 6 yards per attempt. Damien Oleary of New York leads the league with 849 passing yards through 3 games, next closest has 716 yards. New York is passing every down and Oleary is averaging just 5.05 yards per attempt, so the yards look nice but it's not a prolific passing offense like they were last season. Of course nobody has a prolific passing game anymore, and one reason is sacks.
In 1996 we had 18 QBs sacked 10+ times in 16 games. So far in 1997, we already have 13 QBs sacked 10+ times in only 3 games. So far in 1997 we have 19 QBs who have 2+ TD passes. Of those 19, only 7 have a positive TD/INT ratio, 4 are even and 8 have thrown more INTs than TDs. Last season, every single QB in the top 19 of TD passes had a positive TD/INT ratio.
Not every game is a 1950's leather helmet game as Honolulu torched New York in Week 3, amassing 598 yards, 361 through the air with 10.31 yards per attempt. There are probably a few others, but admittedly I have not looked at very many box scores for the last 2 game weeks.
If you like running the ball, version 4.6 is for you as that's 1 area of offense that has improved. We had just 3 RBs gain 1,000 yards last season, but we have 19 on pace for 1,000 this year.
Sacks are up as well as last year saw 7 players with more than 5 sacks but none with more than 9. This year we already have 6 players with more than 5 sacks and we will likely have several players with double digits.
Needless to say, version 4.6 is sucking the joy right out of this game.
