"The Mudders of the NFL"

[Teach]

The data was overwhelming. I couldn't believe my eyes. Tom Brady and the New England Patriots are pro footballs version of "The Mudders". There's no denying it. The facts speak for themselves. The evidence is irrefutable.

To take this pro football legal brief was step further, I'm going to provide the data that will corroborate my findings.

As we all know, the Broncos and Patriots will be battling for the AFC "Crown" in mile-high Denver this coming Sunday afternoon. Here are the facts. But first, an overview:

Since 2007, the New England Patriots have won 14 out 15 games played on a wet playing surface. That is an out-of-worldly 93%. I must admit that doesn't include an overtime loss in Denver this year in a game played with snow on the ground.

Let's take a closer look:

Date Opponent Weather Score

10/07/2007 Cleveland Cloudy, Showers W 34-17

12/16/2007 NY Jets Rain W 20-10

12/23/2007 Miami Cloudy, Rain Expected W 28-7

9/27/2009 Atlanta Rain W 26-10

10/18/2009 Tennessee Mixed Rain/Snow W 59-0

12/06/2010 NY Jets Windy, snow flurries W 45-3

1/2/2011 Miami Occasional Rain W 38-7

10/7/2012 Denver Showers W 31-21

12/10/2012 Houston Rain W 42-14

121/16/2012 San Francisco Rain L 34-41

9/12/2013 NY Jets Cloudy, Rain W 13-10

12/29/2013 Buffalo Rain W 34-20

1/11/2013 Indianapolis Rain W 43-22

10/16/2014 NY Jets Cloudy, chance rain W 27-25

1/18/2015 Indianapolis Cloudy, rain likely W 45-7

Now, before you say, "Deflategate," this is still an outstanding record. With showers expected in Denver at game-time, can "The Mudders" of the NFL do it once again?

[tucker6]

I'm trying to understand how games with 'snow flurries' and 'cloudy with a chance of rain' fit into a wet surface scenario? Honestly, it seems like cherry picking. Unless it can be proven that the surface was wet, you can't actually count it as wet. Besides, a frozen surface can mimic a wet surface as far as traction goes, as does a foggy, damp day without rain.

All that said, the sample size is very small, and NE beat those same teams over the 8 year stretch at a 78% clip. If I were to remove those games from your analysis where it isn't proven that the surface was wet, then NE won 10 of 11, or 90%. If NE had lost just one more of those 11 games, they'd be statistically even with their long term win rate against those very same teams.

So no, I do not believe you've found any statistical relevance that NE is a mudder team. They just win a lot regardless of weather. :)

[Stillriledup]

One of the Patriots greatest strengths is psychological warfare. More teams than not have little or no heart, so when the going gets rough, most of these teams pack it in. I've always said that the Pats biggest fear is teams who aren't scared of them. Think of the times the Pats lost big games, to the Giants in the SBs, Ravens, Jets these were teams who were either not afraid or just didn't know any better to NOT be afraid.

There was a stat on the Herd yesterday that teams who throw 80 pct passes or more as their total play allotment are 3-53 but Brady is 4-1, but you can see why this is a 'loaded' stat. Many of those 53 losses were teams who were already down by 2 or 3 TDs so their throwing was a product of getting crushed v's an actual gameplan. Brady throwing 80 was part of the gameplan.

[MutuelClerk]

I'm glad you didn't count the tuck rule game/sham as a win.