99 Stats Until Kickoff (#63) NFL Playoff Seeds: Does it really matter… part 2
From May 30 and every day until September 5… the start of the 2013 NFL season… Sports Stats ‘on Tapp’ will publish “99 Stats Until Kickoff” a daily dose of NFL stats that will get you ready for the 2013 NFL season.)
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)
In the previous item we looked at the playoff records of each of the seeds in both the AFC and NFC, and the combined records of the seeds since 1990.
In this item we look at individual seed match-ups and see how well seeds have done when they faced certain seeds. The following reflect records of AFC and NFC playoff games since 1990 (the last 23 post seasons).
#1 Seed vs. #2 Seed… #1 Seed is 14-9
#1 Seed vs. #3 Seed… #1 Seed is 5-1
#1 Seed vs. #4 Seed… #1 Seed is 15-7
#1 Seed vs. #5 Seed… #1 Seed is 8-3
#1 Seed vs. #6 Seed… #1 Seed is 11-5
#2 Seed vs. #3 Seed… #2 Seed is 23-7
#2 Seed vs. #4 Seed… #2 Seed is 8-7
#2 Seed vs. #5 Seed… #2 Seed is 6-3
#2 Seed vs. #6 Seed… #2 Seed is 2-2
#3 Seed vs. #4 Seed… #3 Seed is 1-0
#3 Seed vs. #5 Seed… No games
#3 Seed vs. #6 Seed… #3 Seed is 30-16
#4 Seed vs. #5 Seed… #4 Seed is 31-15
#4 Seed vs. #6 Seed… #4 Seed is 1-0
#5 Seed vs. #6 Seed… No games
Did you know? Of the 230 playoff games in the last 23 years (excluding the Super Bowl games) the team with the higher seed has won 155 and lost 75 (a .674 winning percentage).
“99 Stats Before Kickoff” (Stats you need to know before the start of the 2013 NFL season) is available from e-book publisher Smashwords. Go to www.smashwords.com to download a copy, including a pdf version which can be viewed on your home computer. Cost is $2.99.
99 Stats Until Kickoff (#62) NFL playoff seeds: Does it really matter?
From May 30 and every day until September 5… the start of the 2013 NFL season… Sports Stats ‘on Tapp’ will publish “99 Stats Until Kickoff” a daily dose of NFL stats that will get you ready for the 2013 NFL season.)
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Back in 1990, the NFL went to a 12-team playoff system with six teams making the post-season from the two conferences; each conference is seeded from the top seed to the #6 seed. So with all this jockeying for playoff position, the question becomes… does it really matter what seed a team is in the playoffs? The obvious answer is “Yes.”
To back up that statement, let’s look at how well each seed has done in the playoffs since 1990 when the current 12-team playoff format was put in place.
Division Seed 1990-99 2000-12 Total
AFC #1 11-9 13-12 24-21 .533
AFC #2 11-10 16-10 27-20 .574
AFC #3 10-10 14-12 24-22 .522
AFC #4 15-9 14-11 29-20 .592
AFC #5 4-10 7-13 11-23 .324
AFC #6 1-10 9-12 10-22 .313
NFC #1 22-4 16-12 38-16 .704
NFC #2 15-8 12-12 27-20 .574
NFC #3 5-10 11-13 16-23 .410
NFC #4 7-10 14-12 21-22 .488
NFC #5 3-10 8-12 11-22 .333
NFC #6 6-10 9-12 15-22 .405
Here’s a look at the win-loss records if we combine the seeds for the two conferences.
AFC/NFC combined W-L, Pct
#1 Seed 62-37 .626
#2 Seed 54-40 .574
#3 Seed 40-45 .471
#4 Seed 50-42 .543
#5 Seed 22-45 .328
#6 Seed 25-44 .362
Did you know? Thirty-four of the 46 Super Bowl teams since 1990 have either been a #1 or #2 seed. The NFC #1 seed has won seven Super Bowls since 1990, most during that time. The AFC #2, NFC #2 and AFC #4 have each won three during that time. The NFC #1 seed has played in 12 of the 21 Super Bowls since 1990.
Did you know? (Part 2) The AFC #5 seed and the NFC #3 seed have not won a Super Bowl since 1990; in fact, an AFC #5 seed has not appeared in the Super Bowl since the NFL went to the current playoff format in 1990.
“99 Stats Before Kickoff” (Stats you need to know before the start of the 2013 NFL season) is available from e-book publisher Smashwords. Go to www.smashwords.com to download a copy, including a pdf version which can be viewed on your home computer. Cost is $2.99.
Max Scherzer looks to join ‘double-digit pitching wins with only one loss’ list
Sports Stats ‘on Tapp’ is a sports statistics blog published with a focus on stats that go beyond the numbers.
Max Scherzer (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Arizona Diamondbacks’ pitcher Patrick Corbin will not be joining the list. His 1-0 loss to the San Diego Padres yesterday took care of that. It dropped his record for the year to 12-2.
Detroit Tigers’ pitcher Max Scherzer, on the other hand, is still on the list. Whether or not he stays there will be decided between now and the end of the season. His win on Saturday, however, raised his record for 2013 to 15-1.
Prior to this weekend, Corbin and Scherzer were the only two pitchers in the majors who had double-digit wins and only one loss. If Scherzer can end the season with only one loss, he would become the 14th pitcher in major league history to have 10 or more wins in a season with only one loss.
Here’s a look at the 13 pitchers who had 10-plus wins in a season with only one defeat.
Pitcher, Record, Year, Team
Roy Face, 18-1, 1959, Pittsburgh
Johnny Allen, 15-1, 1937, Cleveland
Phil Regan, 14-1, 1966, L.A. Dodgers
Jim Nash, 12-1, 1966, Kansas City
Terry Leach, 11-1, 1987, N.Y. Mets
Steve Sundra, 11-1, 1939, N.Y. Yankees
Kris Medlin, 10-1, 2012, Pittsburgh
Alfredo Aceves, 10-1, 2009, N.Y. Yankees
Mike Remlinger, 10-1, 1999, Atlanta
Aurelio Lopez, 10-1, 1984, Detroit
Kent Tekulve, 10-1, 1977, Pittsburgh
Tom Hall, 10-1, 1972, Cincinnati
Stan Williams, 10-1, 1970, Minnesota
There were also four pitchers who won 10 or more games in a season and did not lose a game. The last to accomplish this rare feat was Aaron Small, a pitcher with the New York Yankees in 2005. Small ended the ’05 campaign with a 10-0 record. The three other pitchers to win 10-plus games without a defeat in a season: Tom Zachary, N.Y. Yankees, 1927, 12-0; Howie Krist, St. Louis Cardinals, 1941, 10-0; Dennis Lamp, Toronto Blue Jays, 1985, 11-0.
All of the pitchers listed above finished their season with a winning percentage over .900. Two other pitchers finished a year with a .900 or better winning percentage, ironically both happened in 1995. Greg Maddux was 19-2 (a .905 winning percentage) with Atlanta; Randy Johnson was 18-2 (a .900 winning percentage) with Seattle in ’95.
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99 Stats Until Kickoff (#61) The Eagles are the kings of the Wild Card
From May 30 and every day until September 5… the start of the 2013 NFL season… Sports Stats ‘on Tapp’ will publish “99 Stats Until Kickoff” a daily dose of NFL stats that will get you ready for the 2013 NFL season.)
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In 1970, the National Football League added a new element to the playoffs: the Wild Card team. In that season, the league allowed one non-division winning team in the postseason in addition to the three divisional champs. In 1978, two Wild Card teams were eligible for the playoffs; in 1990, the postseason included three Wild Card teams and the three divisional champs. In 2002, the league expanded to four divisions in each conference and added two Wild Card teams from each conference in the postseason. (Enough of the history lesson!)
Since 1970, every team except the Houston Texans has been a benefactor of a Wild Card playoff berth. The Cincinnati Bengals were the only repeat Wild Card teams this season from 2011.
Here’s a quick look at which teams have made the most playoff appearances as a Wild Card team since 1970.
11: Philadelphia
10: Tennessee
9: Dallas, New York Jets
8: Miami, Minnesota, St. Louis
7: Indianapolis, Washington, Denver, New York Giants
6: Detroit, Atlanta, Buffalo, Oakland, Kansas City, Green Bay
5: Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Seattle
4: Cleveland, New England, Chicago, San Francisco, New Orleans, Jacksonville
3: Cincinnati, Tampa Bay
2: Arizona
1: San Diego, Carolina
0: Houston
These teams have not been a Wild Card team in this century (year listed is their last appearance as a Wild Card team): Oakland, 1993; Chicago, 1994; San Diego, 1995; Arizona, 1998; New England, 1998; Detroit 1999; Buffalo, 1999.
“99 Stats Before Kickoff” (Stats you need to know before the start of the 2013 NFL season) is available from e-book publisher Smashwords. Go to www.smashwords.com to download a copy, including a pdf version which can be viewed on your home computer. Cost is $2.99
99 Stats Until Kickoff (#60) Falling one game short of the Super Bowl
From May 30 and every day until September 5… the start of the 2013 NFL season… Sports Stats ‘on Tapp’ will publish “99 Stats Until Kickoff” a daily dose of NFL stats that will get you ready for the 2013 NFL season.)
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Falling one game short of making the Super Bowl is a tremendous loss for any NFL team. Since the 1966 season when the Super Bowl made its debut, the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders franchise has been the NFL team that has been disappointed the most when it comes to falling one game short of the big game. The Raiders have lost nine championship games, most during this timeframe.
Following are the NFL teams that have lost two or more conference championship games since the 1966 season, thus missing out on an opportunity to play in the Super Bowl.
Team Championship Game losses since 1966 season
Oakland/L.A. Raiders 9
St.Louis/L.A. Rams 6
Tennessee Titans/Houston Oilers 4
Chicago Bears 3
Indianapolis/Baltimore Colts 3
San Diego Chargers 3
Atlanta Falcons 2
Buffalo Bills 2
Carolina Panthers 2
Denver Broncos 2
Jacksonville Jaguars 2
Miami Dolphins 2
New England Patriots 2
“99 Stats Before Kickoff” (Stats you need to know before the start of the 2013 NFL season) is available from e-book publisher Smashwords. Go to www.smashwords.com to download a copy, including a pdf version which can be viewed on your home computer. Cost is $2.99
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