NFC South: takeaways
If I had to pick a single reason why the Atlanta Falcons have the NFC's best record (12-2), I’d say it’s because they’re the smartest team in the NFC.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. The Falcons simply don’t do the types of things that are going to get you beat. Look at their two losses. They came to Pittsburgh and Philadelphia on the road. They also came at times when the Steelers and the Eagles simply were better than the Falcons.
You might lose some games here and there when you don’t have the most talented team on the field on a given day. But you’re also going to win a lot of games when you play smart football over the course of an entire season.
How do you quantify “smart’’ football? Well, I’ve never been a big math guy and I’m not going to come up with some fancy formula. But I think all you have to do to see if a team is playing smart football is look at three basic categories: Giveaways, takeaways and penalties. Those are the things you can control and the Falcons are doing a very nice job of controlling them.
As they have for much of the season, the Falcons remain the league’s least-penalized team this week. According to our friends at ESPN Stats & Information, the Falcons have been whistled for a league-low 66 penalties and 53 of those have been accepted, which also represents a league low.
Now, let’s move over to giveaways, which is the same thing as turnovers. Here, the Falcons rank third in the league with 14 giveaways. The league leader in this category (nine turnovers) is New England and I don’t think anyone would argue that the Patriots also fit the profile of a smart team.
When it comes to takeaways, Atlanta isn’t right at the top, but the Falcons are close. They have 27 takeaways (19 interceptions and eight fumble recoveries), which puts them in a tie for No. 6 in the NFL.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. The Falcons simply don’t do the types of things that are going to get you beat. Look at their two losses. They came to Pittsburgh and Philadelphia on the road. They also came at times when the Steelers and the Eagles simply were better than the Falcons.
You might lose some games here and there when you don’t have the most talented team on the field on a given day. But you’re also going to win a lot of games when you play smart football over the course of an entire season.
How do you quantify “smart’’ football? Well, I’ve never been a big math guy and I’m not going to come up with some fancy formula. But I think all you have to do to see if a team is playing smart football is look at three basic categories: Giveaways, takeaways and penalties. Those are the things you can control and the Falcons are doing a very nice job of controlling them.
As they have for much of the season, the Falcons remain the league’s least-penalized team this week. According to our friends at ESPN Stats & Information, the Falcons have been whistled for a league-low 66 penalties and 53 of those have been accepted, which also represents a league low.
Now, let’s move over to giveaways, which is the same thing as turnovers. Here, the Falcons rank third in the league with 14 giveaways. The league leader in this category (nine turnovers) is New England and I don’t think anyone would argue that the Patriots also fit the profile of a smart team.
When it comes to takeaways, Atlanta isn’t right at the top, but the Falcons are close. They have 27 takeaways (19 interceptions and eight fumble recoveries), which puts them in a tie for No. 6 in the NFL.
Perhaps the two most impressive statistics in Atlanta’s 8-2 start are giveaways and takeaways.
The Falcons rank No. 2 in the league with a plus-10 margin. They are on a streak right now where they have not turned the ball over in their last three games. They have only 10 turnovers (five interceptions and five lost fumbles) this season. Only Kansas City (seven) and New England (nine) have fewer turnovers.
The Falcons are tied for No. 11 in the league with 20 takeaways (15 interceptions and five fumble recoveries).
“When you get turnovers and don’t turn the ball over and you’re on the plus side, you’re basically stealing possessions,’’ Atlanta coach Mike Smith said.
The Falcons rank No. 2 in the league with a plus-10 margin. They are on a streak right now where they have not turned the ball over in their last three games. They have only 10 turnovers (five interceptions and five lost fumbles) this season. Only Kansas City (seven) and New England (nine) have fewer turnovers.
The Falcons are tied for No. 11 in the league with 20 takeaways (15 interceptions and five fumble recoveries).
“When you get turnovers and don’t turn the ball over and you’re on the plus side, you’re basically stealing possessions,’’ Atlanta coach Mike Smith said.
Falcons playing 'smart' football
November, 16, 2010
11/16/10
11:22
AM ET
By
Pat Yasinskas | ESPN.com
One of the reasons the Atlanta Falcons are 7-2 and in first place in the NFC South is because they’re coming up big in what I consider the “smart’’ statistical categories.
Let’s start with penalties. The Falcons have a league-low (accepted) 35 penalties. For context, Oakland leads the league with 91 and six teams have at least double the amount of penalties as the Falcons.
“I think it’s a point of emphasis for our players,’’ coach Mike Smith said. “I think our guys know the importance of it and the thing we have tried to emphasize with our guys is not only penalties, but penalties in the fourth quarter, because of the closeness of the games, you have to be clean in the fourth quarter.’’
The other “smart’’ categories I’m looking at are giveaways and takeaways. Atlanta has only 10 giveaways (five interceptions and five lost fumbles) and that ties them for fourth fewest in the league. The Falcons are tied for sixth in the league with 19 takeaways (14 interceptions and five recovered fumbles).
Let’s start with penalties. The Falcons have a league-low (accepted) 35 penalties. For context, Oakland leads the league with 91 and six teams have at least double the amount of penalties as the Falcons.
“I think it’s a point of emphasis for our players,’’ coach Mike Smith said. “I think our guys know the importance of it and the thing we have tried to emphasize with our guys is not only penalties, but penalties in the fourth quarter, because of the closeness of the games, you have to be clean in the fourth quarter.’’
The other “smart’’ categories I’m looking at are giveaways and takeaways. Atlanta has only 10 giveaways (five interceptions and five lost fumbles) and that ties them for fourth fewest in the league. The Falcons are tied for sixth in the league with 19 takeaways (14 interceptions and five recovered fumbles).
Saints running away from NFL in takeaways
November, 24, 2009
11/24/09
10:05
AM ET
By
Pat Yasinskas | ESPN.com
One more reason why the New Orleans Saints are the best team in the NFL: They continue to lead the league in takeaways and the lead is getting larger.
The Saints have 29 takeaways (20 interceptions and nine fumble recoveries) after forcing five turnovers against Tampa Bay on Sunday. Green Bay, New England and Philadelphia are tied for second with 22 takeaways.
Atlanta ranks seventh with 19 takeaways and Carolina is tied for ninth with 18. Tampa Bay is tied for 17th with 16 takeaways.
The Saints have 29 takeaways (20 interceptions and nine fumble recoveries) after forcing five turnovers against Tampa Bay on Sunday. Green Bay, New England and Philadelphia are tied for second with 22 takeaways.
Atlanta ranks seventh with 19 takeaways and Carolina is tied for ninth with 18. Tampa Bay is tied for 17th with 16 takeaways.
Saints continue to lead league in takeaways
October, 27, 2009
10/27/09
9:34
AM ET
By
Pat Yasinskas | ESPN.com
Posted by ESPN.com’s Pat Yasinskas
The New Orleans Saints continue to lead the league in takeaways. They now have 18.
They’ve intercepted 13 passes and recovered five fumbles. Atlanta ranks seventh in the league with 13 takeaways (five interceptions and eight fumble recoveries).
Tampa Bay is tied for No. 13 with 11 takeaways (eight interceptions and three fumble recoveries). Carolina is tied for No. 23 with eight takeaways (five interceptions and three fumble recoveries).
The New Orleans Saints continue to lead the league in takeaways. They now have 18.
They’ve intercepted 13 passes and recovered five fumbles. Atlanta ranks seventh in the league with 13 takeaways (five interceptions and eight fumble recoveries).
Tampa Bay is tied for No. 13 with 11 takeaways (eight interceptions and three fumble recoveries). Carolina is tied for No. 23 with eight takeaways (five interceptions and three fumble recoveries).
Posted by ESPN.com’s Pat Yasinskas
Some further proof that the Saints are no longer a finesse team: New Orleans is leading the NFL in takeaways.
You’ve got to be an aggressive defense to do that and the Saints are. They’ve got 15 takeaways (11 interceptions and four fumble recoveries). To show you the importance of this stat, the Saints and Falcons grade out very well in this category.
The Bucs and Panthers, the NFC South’s two teams with losing records, don’t fare well here at all.
Atlanta is tied for fourth in the league with 12 takeaways (five interceptions and seven fumble recoveries). The Bucs are tied for 17th with nine takeaways (six interceptions and three fumble recoveries).
The Panthers are tied for 28th with seven takeaways (three interceptions and four fumble recoveries).
Some further proof that the Saints are no longer a finesse team: New Orleans is leading the NFL in takeaways.
You’ve got to be an aggressive defense to do that and the Saints are. They’ve got 15 takeaways (11 interceptions and four fumble recoveries). To show you the importance of this stat, the Saints and Falcons grade out very well in this category.
The Bucs and Panthers, the NFC South’s two teams with losing records, don’t fare well here at all.
Atlanta is tied for fourth in the league with 12 takeaways (five interceptions and seven fumble recoveries). The Bucs are tied for 17th with nine takeaways (six interceptions and three fumble recoveries).
The Panthers are tied for 28th with seven takeaways (three interceptions and four fumble recoveries).
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ABOUT THIS BLOG
Pat Yasinskas
Yasinskas joined ESPN.com in January 2008 after covering the Carolina Panthers for The Charlotte Observer for nine seasons. He began his journalism career with The Tampa Tribune in 1990.
