Here’s some numerical ammo for those who claim the New England Patriots are destined for glory.
NFL research shared two statistical similarities between the 2019 Patriots and past Super Bowl winners Monday night during and after New England’s 33-0 destruction of the New York Jets in Week 7.
The first involves the exceptional Patriots defense, which intercepted Jets quarterback Sam Darnold four times to increase its season total to 18. No NFL team has picked off that many passes in the first seven weeks of the season since the all-conquering 1996 Green Bay Packers.
With 4 interceptions on #MondayNightFootball (so far), the @Patriots are up to 18 INT this season.
That is the most by a team through 7 games in a season since the Packers had 20 in 1996.
Those Packers went on to win Super Bowl XXXI 35-21 over … the New England Patriots.
— NFL Research (@NFLResearch) October 22, 2019
The Patriots’ win over the Jets also was their second thirty-plus-point shutout victory of the season. Only the 1991 Washington Redskins and the present-day Patriots have enjoyed two wins in the first seven weeks of a season in the Super Bowl era (since 1966).
The @Patriots scored 30+ points and shut out their opponent for the 2nd time this season.
They join the 1991 Redskins — who won Super Bowl XXVI — as the only teams in the Super Bowl era to have multiple 30-point shutouts in their first 7 games of a season.#MondayNightFootball
— NFL Research (@NFLResearch) October 22, 2019
Patriots don’t need Bill Belichick to tell them these stats don’t represent a guaranteed Super Bowl win. Nevertheless, the numbers will add a useful perspective to the Patriots’ undefeated start. Now on to Cleveland.
