Our team is better than we think

[Doughboy88]

According to team efficiency rankings. This was even published pre week 15 by Advanced NFL Stats, probably the best and most informative NFL stat site. These rankings are based on GWP or Game Winning Probability- The probability that a team would win a game against a notional league-average opponent at a neutral site.

We are rated 3rd highest in GWP and our opponents are 6th highest in the league. They rank our offense and defense 7th in the league as well. These rankings really determine how strong a team is (not their record).

Top 5:

1) Denver

2) SF

3) Carolina

4) Seattle

5) Houston

Notables:

ATL- 8

Wash- 9

TB- 17

NO- 20

IND- 25

Link: http://www.advancednflstats.com/2012/12/team-efficiency-rankings-week-15.html

[Rubi]

Yet we have won 5 games

[Doyle]

Too bad record is all that counts.

[Salvo]

Rankings mean little to a lot of people. It's all about that win-loss stat of ours.

All that tells me is that we have great potential...something we theorized last year as well.

We can compete with the best of them but can't get over the hump.

No more fussin' around. Whether we're with Rivera or someone else, the team needs to drop the hammer next year.

[RelaxImaPro]

Our team success is in direct correlation with the outcome of the coin toss.

[CarolinaNCSU]

Yeah I saw these rankings a few weeks ago...just hurts even more thinking about what could have/should have been.

[Doughboy88]

Rankings mean little to a lot of people. It's all about that win-loss stat of ours.

All that tells me is that we have great potential...something we theorized last year as well.

We can compete with the best of them but can't get over the hump.

No question, basically this stat is saying who is the best right now. I wish the season was just starting..

[RelaxImaPro]

And so we're the 3rd best team in the league? Well that's... good to know. :(

[mr beauxjangles]

Wow.

[rayzor]

i guess the only thing missing from this team is the wins.

the team doesn't suck. it can beat any team in the league. closing is the tough thing and i think part of it is rivera's desire to trust his defense to keep the opposing team from coming back, which they have failed at more often than not.

i know the old school "by the book" approach is to punt the ball away and let your defense keep the other team from scoring, but in an era with rules that make it so easy for an offense to drive down the field and then either get themselves in the endzone or in field goal range...you can't trust a prevent defense. you can't trust any defense. the only way to prevent the other team from scoring is to keep the ball in your own hands. the only way to protect your win is to pile on as many points as possible regardless of the other team's ability or inability to score.

i can't believe that i was the only one looking at us leading by 31 points early in the 4th quarter and thinking, "if there's any team that can give up a 31 point lead in just a few minutes, it's us."

[Happy Panther]

Same thing here.

Plenty of talent maybe 4 players away from being elite. And a coach.