Something we all know

[SgtJoo]

We're better than our record indicates.

http://fifthdown.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/12/20/week-16-n-f-l-game-probabilities-the-case-for-carolina/

[fieryprophet]

We better blow Oakland away with a 77% chance of winning.

[panthers55]

Actually we are not better than our record indicates. John Madden frequently says that you are what your record says you are. Now if you want to say that we have the potential to be better than our record, then that might be the case. Our offense has yet to show that they can come back and win a close game. Our defense has yet to show that we can create turnovers and shut down other teams in the 4th quarter like we did in the past. We are fine if we get a big lead but how are playing from behind???

The reasons above are why we are 5-9. Until we can show that we can finish games, we are a 5-9 team trying to improve to 7-9 which is still a losing record.

[SgtJoo]

Actually we are not better than our record indicates. John Madden frequently says that you are what your record says you are. Now if you want to say that we have the potential to be better than our record, then that might be the case. Our offense has yet to show that they can come back and win a close game. Our defense has yet to show that we can create turnovers and shut down other teams in the 4th quarter like we did in the past. We are fine if we get a big lead but how are playing from behind???

The reasons above are why we are 5-9. Until we can show that we can finish games, we are a 5-9 team trying to improve to 7-9 which is still a losing record.

I beg to differ.

http://www.boltsfromtheblue.com/2012/12/19/3786210/2012-nfl-power-rankings-consensus-week-16

[Marguide]

If this team comes out strong and sharp against the Raiders, the debate about Rivera should continue.

If they come out flat and uninspired, the debate should end imo.

I expect the former, but fear the latter.

[fieryprophet]

Actually we are not better than our record indicates. John Madden frequently says that you are what your record says you are. Now if you want to say that we have the potential to be better than our record, then that might be the case. Our offense has yet to show that they can come back and win a close game. Our defense has yet to show that we can create turnovers and shut down other teams in the 4th quarter like we did in the past. We are fine if we get a big lead but how are playing from behind???

The reasons above are why we are 5-9. Until we can show that we can finish games, we are a 5-9 team trying to improve to 7-9 which is still a losing record.

That's actually not true. There's only a 58% correlation between a statistically better team and its win-loss record.

http://www.advancednflstats.com/2010/11/randomness-of-win-loss-records.html

[panthers55]

I beg to differ.

http://www.boltsfrom...nsensus-week-16

Honestly that doesn't mean anything. Those rankings are subjective and show nothing.

That's actually not true. There's only a 58% correlation between a statistically better team and its win-loss record.

http://www.advancedn...ss-records.html

But the only statistic that matters is win-loss record. You can lead the league in scoring points but if you give up more than you score you end up with a poor record. You can have more yards than another team but if you have fewer points then it doesn matter.

So win- loss record at the end of the day is all that matters.

[philp]

Ny1

[TheRed]

It's always comical when someone on here tells another that wins are all that matters, like they're talking to some alien from another planet who has no concept whatsoever of the sport of football or sports in general.

There is no reason we should lose to the Raiders. The Saints finale will make or break this staff.

[Salvo]

The win-loss record doesn't tell the whole story. The problem I have with placing all emphasis on the record is that not every team plays under the same circumstances or goes against the same competition. Football (and sports in general) are not black and white like that.

Case in point...the Colts. Not taking away anything from what they've done this season but they played an extremely vanilla schedule while getting whipped by the Patriots, Jets, Bears, and the Jaguars early on. Their 9-5 record indicates that they are a very successful team, but not necessarily a better one compared to most other teams with comparable records.

On the flip side, we had a very tough schedule, especially early on. We only had two blow out losses while losing most others within one score against teams like the Bears, the Bucs (twice), Falcunts, Seattle, and Dallas. Are we a very successful team this year? Hell no...but are we better than our record indicates while taking everything into consideration? I believe so.

[panthers55]

It's always comical when someone on here tells another that wins are all that matters, like they're talking to some alien from another planet who has no concept whatsoever of the sport of football or sports in general.

There is no reason we should lose to the Raiders. The Saints finale will make or break this staff.

What is actually comical is someone who uses stats and numbers to prove that although their team loses every week, they are really a pretty good team. That shows me they have no concept of football or sports in general. Too many people are so focused on things like fantasy points or individual and team stats that they forget that winning or losing as a team is the only measure that counts in the long run.

[TheRed]

What is actually comical is someone who uses stats and numbers to prove that although their team loses every week, they are really a pretty good team. That shows me they have no concept of football or sports in general. Too many people are so focused on things like fantasy points or individual and team stats that they forget that winning or losing as a team is the only measure that counts in the long run.

Aw poo, well let's pack it in then guys. We suck and there's no hope.

Who's going to be the first to drink the poisoned punch?

[panthers55]

The win-loss record doesn't tell the whole story. The problem I have with placing all emphasis on the record is that not every team plays under the same circumstances or goes against the same competition. Football (and sports in general) are not black and white like that.

Case in point...the Colts. Not taking away anything from what they've done this season but they played an extremely vanilla schedule while getting whipped by the Patriots, Jets, Bears, and the Jaguars early on. Their 9-5 record indicates that they are a very successful team, but not necessarily a better one compared to most other teams with comparable records.

On the flip side, we had a very tough schedule, especially early on. We only had two blow out losses while losing most others within one score against teams like the Bears, the Bucs (twice), Falcunts, Seattle, and Dallas. Are we a very successful team this year? Hell no...but are we better than our record indicates while taking everything into consideration? I believe so.

That is true that schedule strength can vary quite a bit from conference to conference and even somewhat among teams in the conference

But since there is no weighing for schedule and differences as far as what we are left with is wins and losses.

Atlanta played many of the same teams we did this year and won where we lost. Why are they 12-2 and we are 5-9? They didn't seem to suffer from a tough schedule. And much of the difference between schedule strength between us and them is that we have to play them twice based on their record last year and they play us twice and we are considered a weak team based on last year's record. Otherwise the difference is 2 games based on division rankings. So honestly much of the schedule differences argument are what losers say to justify why they are losing. Good teams beat other good teams and bad teams.

[Fox007]

What do all your fancy stats do for you? Make you feel better?

Actual players and coaches only care about 1 stat(2 if you count salary), and it doesn't take a genius to figure out what that is.