Trend Spotting - Week 13

Posted 11/28 by Chris Smith, Exclusive to Footballguys.com

All data drawn from the past four NFL seasons and into the 2007 campaign (2003 to present) unless otherwise specified.

The data has been pulled from my own boxscore database. If you notice any inaccuracies or have any feedback (which is always encouraged) please contact me at smith@footballguys.com.

Thursday Night Game - Green Bay Packers 10-1 @ Dallas Cowboys 10-1

Packers Trends

22-15 road record
5-0 road record this season
10-1 record is best start since the 1962 campaign (finished 13-1 and won the title)
Have had four straight 30+ point games
Giving up 15.1 PPG in last fifteen games (14-1 record in that stretch)
Have covered the spread in eleven of last twelve games
Ranked 5th in points scored and 5th in points against

Cowboys Trends

24-14 home record
5-1 home record this season
First time in team history the Cowboys have started 10-1
Have not scored less than 24 points in a game this season
Ranked 2nd in points for and 10th in points against
The Cowboys offense is ranked 2nd in YPA and 2nd in passing touchdowns
The Cowboys defense is ranked inside the top-eight in total yardage, YPA, PTD, YPC and RTD

San Diego Chargers 6-5 @ Kansas City Chiefs 4-7

The Chargers have won 4 of the last 9 games in this series
The Chargers have scored 21.6 PPG while the Chiefs have scored 23.6 PPG
The Chargers are 1-3 in the last four games

Chargers Trends

19-18 road record
1-4 road record this season
6-7 record in divisional road games
Have given up 24 or fewer points in six of the last seven games
5-2 record in last seven games
ranked 8th in points scored and 12th in points allowed
Have scored 27+ points in each of the last four divisional road games

Chiefs Trends

27-11 home record
2-4 home record this season
12-3 divisional home record
Have lost their last three home games and last four games overall
Have scored 17 or fewer points in four of last five games
Ranked 30th in points scored and 8th in points allowed
Have scored over 17 points in a game just three times this season

Houston Texans 5-6 @ Tennessee Titans 6-5

The Texans are 2-7 in last nine games against the Titans
The Texans are 1-3 in Tennessee

Texans Trends

10-28 road record
2-4 road record this season
3-10 record in divisional road games
Ranked 14th in points scored and 25th in points allowed
Have scored 16+ points in all but one game this season
Have given up 17+ points in nine of the eleven games this season
0-3 in divisional games this season

Titans Trends

19-18 home record
3-2 home record this season
Have lost three straight games (given up 97 points in those three games)
6-8 record in divisional home games
Ranked 22nd in points scored and 11th in points allowed
Ranked dead-last in the NFL with only 5 touchdown passes
Have scored 13 or fewer points in five games this season

Jacksonville Jaguars 8-3 @ Indianapolis Colts 9-2

The Jaguars are 3-6 in last nine games against the Colts
The Jaguars have a 1-3 record in Indianapolis

Jaguars Trends

17-20 road record
4-1 record on the road this season
Have won three straight games (given up 17 or fewer points in each of those victories)
Have scored 24+ points in five straight games
Ranked 13th in points scored and 7th in points allowed
Given up 17 or fewer points in eight of the eleven games
5-8 record in divisional road games
QB David Garrard has yet to throw an interception in 209 attempts this season

Colts Trends

31-6 home record
4-1 home record this season (only loss to the Patriots)
Have not given up more than 24 points in a game this season
Ranked 4th in points scored and 3rd in points allowed
Have scored 20+ points in all but one game this season
11-1 record in divisional home games

Buffalo Bills 5-6 @ Washington Redskins 5-6

Bills Trends

12-25 road record
2-3 road record this season
Ranked 29th in points scored and 23rd in points allowed
Have given up 92 points in the last two games
Have scored 14 or fewer points in seven of the eleven games
Have given up 15 or fewer points in five of the eleven games

Redskins Trends

18-19 home record
3-2 home record this season
Have lost 3 straight games and 4 of the last 5
Ranked 21st in points scored and 14th in points allowed
Have given up 152 points in last five games (gave up just 88 points in five six games)
TE Chris Cooley has 7 of the club's 12 touchdown catches this season

San Francisco 49ers 3-8 @ Carolina Panthers 4-7

49ers Trends

8-30 road record
2-4 on the road this season
Scored 37 points in Arizona last week (had scored just 35 combined points in the previous four games)
Ranked 32nd in points scored and 22nd in points allowed
Have given up 31+ points in four of eleven games this season
Have given up 17 or fewer points in four of eleven games this season

Panthers Trends

19-18 home record
0-5 home record this season
Have averaged just 10 PPG over last five games (all losses)
27th in points scored and 17th in points allowed
Have given up 20+ points in five straight games
Have been outscored 133 to 50 in the last five games
Think QB matters…
- first three games with Delhomme at the helm… 8 touchdowns, 1 interception
- last eight games with three different QBs… 6 touchdowns, 11 interceptions

Detroit Lions 6-5 @ Minnesota Vikings 5-6

The Lions are just 1-8 against the Vikings in last nine meetings
The Lions haven't won in Minnesota since 1997 (10 straight road losses)
The Lions beat the Vikings 20 to 17 earlier this season

Lions Trends

8-29 road record
2-3 on the road this season
Have lost three straight games
2-11 record in divisional road games
3-1 divisional record so far in 2007
9th in points scored and 26th in points allowed
Have given up 31+ points in two of the last three games

Vikings Trends

23-14 home record
3-2 at home this season
Have won 3 of the last 4 games (averaged 35 points in the three wins; shutout in the loss)
8-5 in divisional home games
16th in points scored and 13th in points allowed
Averaging just under 6.0 YPC (NFL high in 2007)
Giving up just 2.9 YPC on the season (ranked 2nd)
Have 13 rushing touchdowns and just 5 passing touchdowns

New York Jets 2-9 @ Miami Dolphins 0-11

The Jets are 6-3 against the Dolphins in the last nine games
The Jets are 2-2 in Miami

Jets Trends

12-25 road record
0-5 on the road this season
Have given up 107 points in last three road games
4-9 in last thirteen divisional road games
26th in points scored and 28th in points allowed
Have scored 14 or fewer points in six of eleven games this season

Dolphins Trends

16-20 home record
0-4 at home this season (not including game in England)
Have now lost 14 games in a row. Eight of those games were by 5 or fewer points
6-8 in last fourteen divisional home games
Are 24th in points scored and 27th in points allowed
Are giving up only 11.5 PPG over last four games. Unfortunately the club has averaged less than 8 PPG during that same stretch

Atlanta Falcons 3-8 @ St. Louis Rams 2-9

Falcons Trends

16-21 road record
1-4 on road this season
The Falcons are now guaranteed their third consecutive non-winning season
Are ranked 31st in points scored and 19th in points allowed
Have given up 31 points in each of the last two games
Have only 13 offensive touchdowns this season

Rams Trends

21-16 home record
0-5 at home this season
Have given up 22+ points in all but one game this season
Have scored 89 points and given up 89 points over last four games
Ranked 28th in points scored and 29th in points allowed
Have scored under 20 points in eight of the eleven games
Have only 13 offensive touchdowns on the year

Seattle Seahawks 7-4 @ Philadelphia Eagles 5-6

Seahawks Trends

17-20 road record
2-3 road record this season
The Seahawks have won their past three games
Are ranked 12th in point scored and 4th in points allowed
Have now scored 24+ points in five straight games
QB Matt Hasselbeck has tossed at least one touchdown in ten of eleven starts this season

Eagles Trends

23-14 home record
2-3 home record this season
Have given up 16 or fewer points in five games this season but 25+ points in three of the last four games
Are ranked 17th in points scored and 9th in points against
Haven't scored less than 17 points in last seven games. Prior to that it happened 3 out of the other 4 games

Cleveland Browns 7-4 @ Arizona Cardinals 5-6

Browns Trends

10-27 road record
2-3 road record this season
Have scored 24+ points in nine of the last ten games
3rd in points scored but last overall in points allowed
Have given up 30+ points in seven of eleven games
Need to win 3 of last 5 games to finish with best mark since 1996 (when Bill Belichick was the head coach)
The Browns have scored 34 touchdowns but surrendered 31 touchdowns on defense

Cardinals Trends

18-19 home record
3-2 home record in 2007
Are 10th in points scored but 19th in points against
Have scored 31+ points in each of the last three games
Have given up 20+ points in nine of eleven games
WR Larry Fitzgerald has caught 25 passes and 5 touchdowns over last three games

Denver Broncos 5-6 @ Oakland Raiders 3-8

The Broncos are 8-1 against the Raiders in last nine games
The Broncos are a perfect 4-0 against the Raiders in Oakland

Broncos Trends

20-17 road record
2-3 road record this season
7-6 in divisional road games
Have scored at least 27 points in last three games
Are ranked 19th in points scored and 31st in points allowed
The worst a Mike Shanahan-coached team has ever finished in points against in 23rd overall.

Raiders Trends

12-25 home record
1-4 in home games this season
Haven't scored more than 22 points in a game since week four
Are 23rd in points scored and 15th in points against
Scored 102 points in first four games of season and just 98 points in last seven games

New York Giants 7-4 @ Chicago Bears 5-6

Giants Trends

19-18 road record
Have won last four road games
Have surrendered exactly 10 points in each of the last three road games
Are 11th in points scored and 16th in points allowed

Bears Trends

23-14 home record
2-3 home record this season
The Bears up and down season continues. They have yet to win back-to-back wins but are hanging around the playoff picture
Are 18th in the NFL in scoring but 20th in points allowed
Have allowed 30+ points in nine of eleven games on the year

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 7-4 @ New Orleans Saints 5-6

The Buccaneers are 5-4 against the Saints in last nine meetings
The Buccaneers are 3-1 as the road team against the Saints

Buccaneers Trends

13-24 road record
2-3 on road this season
20th in points scored and 2nd in points allowed
Have allowed just 33 total points in last three games (all wins)
Have outscored opposition 63 to 30 over last three games
8-6 road record in divisional games

Saints Trends

15-22 home record
2-3 home record this season
15th in points scored and 21st in points allowed
Averaging 27.4 PPG over last seven games
Averaging 18.6 points against per game over last eight games
5-2 record over last seven games
5-9 divisional home record

Cincinnati Bengals 4-7 @ Pittsburgh Steelers 8-3

The Bengals are 3-6 against the Steelers in last nine games
The Bengals are a surprising 3-1 on the road in Pittsburgh since 2003
The Bengals lost at home to the Steelers earlier this season, 24 to 13

Bengals Trends

17-20 road record
1-4 on road this season (only victory against the Ravens)
Are 6th in points scored and 30th in points allowed
Have yet to win two games in a row this season
Have given up 7 points or less in two of the last three games
9-5 record in divisional road games
Interesting stat (a): The Bengals haven't finished better than 14th in points allowed in a season since 1989

Steelers Trends

28-10 home record
6-0 home record this season and have won 9 of the last ten
7th in points scored and 1st in points allowed
Have given up 13 or fewer points in six of the eleven games this season
Interesting stat (b): The Steelers haven't finished worse than 16th in points allowed in a season since 1992
In five of the six home games, the Steelers have given up a total of 25 points. The sixth was a 28-point explosion from the Browns

Monday Night Game - New England Patriots 11-0 @ Baltimore Ravens 4-7

Patriots Trends

30-8 road record
6-0 on the road this season
Are 1st in passing yardage, YPA and passing touchdowns on the year
Are 1st in points scored and 6th in points allowed
Have scored 31+ points in all but one game this season (24 points against the Colts)
Have now won 14 straight regular season games and 17 of the last 18
Now sporting a 61-14 record over last five seasons (81.3% winning pct)

Ravens Trends

29-8 home record
3-2 home record this season
Are 25th in points scored and 18th in points allowed
Have finished outside the top-10 in points allowed just once since 1999 (back in 2002)
Have lost five consecutive games, being outscored 149 to 72
The Ravens offense is ranked 31st in YPA while the defense is ranked 26th in YPA