Will whoever wins the Super Bowl need an exorcist?
There have been 10 postseason games played to date in NFL 2018. And there’s one very overwhelming set of numbers that has favored the winning teams.
Cue “Tubular Bells.”
You will recall that in the early 1970s, there were those who had a devil of a time in one of the more celebrated suspense films of any generation. It was up to “The Exorcist” to rid young Regan MacNeil of a demon that had possessed her.
Now back to football. For many, it was a game that ushered in this latest era of offense and a belief that defense was no longer required (by some) to win championships. A memorable 54-51 win by the Los Angeles Rams over the Kansas City Chiefs at the Coliseum on a Monday night in Week 11.
These clubs would finish as the top two scoring teams in the league. Both clubs scored 30-plus points in their opening-round playoff wins. And Sean McVay’s squad and Andy Reid’s team were each one win away from meeting in Super Bowl LIII.
As it turned out, the Rams were able to hold up their end of the bargain – albeit without major controversy. Meanwhile, the defensively-challenged Chiefs simply could not stop the New England Patriots enough times at Arrowhead Stadium in the AFC title game.
But here’s a look at the big picture when it comes to this 2018 postseason. All 10 games have been won by the team with the most running plays and the greater time of possession. Nine of the 10 victors finished with at least 26 running plays. All 10 of the losing clubs failed to total at least 25 running plays.
Seven of the prevailing teams totaled at least 130 yards on the ground and the 10 winners averaged exactly 149 yards rushing per game.
Owning the football also meant controlling the clock. Take a look at the time of possession of the winning squads so far in the playoffs:
Wild Card Playoffs:
Colts: 31:14
Cowboys: 34:50
Chargers: 33:40
Eagles: 30:48
Divisional Playoffs:
Chiefs: 39:49
Rams: 36:13
Patriots: 38:20
Saints: 37:50
Championship Games:
Rams: 32:36 (OT)
Patriots: 43:59 (OT)
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Yes, it really hasn’t been a big year for defense in these playoffs. It’s been more about keep away for the winning clubs. And that may be the way of it when the Patriots and Rams square off in Super Bowl LIII at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium. And perhaps it’s the right building for two teams that would like to win the time of possession battle with some a few sustained “drives.”