Analysis
9/13/21
3 min read
Inside the Numbers: Week 1 Winners
Each week The 33rd Team will review Sunday's games by looking behind the box score to find the key statistics that affected the outcome of each game. Here, we will look at why these teams won:
Seattle Seahawks 28 - Indianapolis Colts 16
Seahawks Key Stat: 10.2 ADOT (Average Depth of Target) For vs 6.0 ADOT Against
The Seahawks excelled at pushing the ball down the field in this game, with Wilson going 5-7 for 159 yards and 3 TDs on throws of 10 yards or more. Meanwhile, Wentz and the Colts were doing quite the opposite, especially under pressure where Wentz had an ADOT of 3.9 in 15 throws. The Seahawks’ explosive offense played a huge role in their Week 1 victory.
Pittsburgh Steelers 23, Buffalo Bills 16
Steelers Key Stat: 37 Pressures Generated (46.8%)
Despite having the league’s 28th-highest DL cap hit and 13th-highest LB cap hit, the Steelers lived in the Bills backfield, with Melvin Ingram, T.J. Watt, and Cam Heyward combining for 21 pressures. Josh Allen was sacked three times and was forced to attempt 51 passes. If Pittsburgh can continue their defensive dominance from last year, the AFC North could be the best division in football.
New Orleans Saints 38, Green Bay Packers 3
Saints Key Stat: 0.515 Average Expected Points Added per Pass (First Half)
New Orleans did whatever they wanted against the Green Bay defense, setting the tone early with dominance through the air and on the ground. Averaging an incredible 0.192 EPA per rush through two quarters, the offensive line paved the way for 1.9 average yards before contact while the backs added 3.7 average yards after, both incredible outlays. Winston didn’t attack downfield much but didn’t need to and most importantly he didn’t turn the ball over. The post-Brees era couldn’t have started better.
Kansas City Chiefs 33, Cleveland Browns 29
Chiefs Key Stat: 0 Giveaways, 2 Takeaways
Although the Browns did a lot right in this game by getting to Mahomes consistently and dominating on the ground, Kansas City came out with the win simply by protecting the ball. Mahomes took his lumps but more importantly, he did not allow any fumbles against a ferocious defensive line and saw his only potential interception dropped. On the other side, the Chiefs defense pressured Baker Mayfield into the game-ending interception while also forcing a pair of fumbles inopportune situations. Cleveland played well, but a much improved Chiefs defense should scare the rest of the league.
Arizona Cardinals 38, Tennessee Titans 13
Cardinals Key Stat: 17:2 Pressures For vs Pressures Against
The Cardinals' ability to pressure and fluster Ryan Tannehill while protecting Kyler Murray was the key to their success. Murray was excellent in this game, and his OL helped allow that by giving him the 4th highest avgTTT (Average Time to Throw) among starting QBs in Week 1. On the other side, Tannehill was sacked 6 times, tied for the most among QBs, with Chandler Jones basically living in the backfield on his way to 5 sacks and 2 forced fumbles.
