Redemption for Packers kicker Mason Crosby
Sports Stats ‘on Tapp’ is a sports statistics blog published with a focus on stats that go beyond the numbers.
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)
For a player who was literally run out of town because of a terrible 2012 season, Green Bay placekicker Mason Crosby has certainly turned things around. After fighting off competition for his job during the pre-season, Crosby, now in his seventh season with the Packers, has made all nine of his field goal attempts this season, including four from 40 yards or more. In fact, if you go back and include the last two weeks of the 2012 season and add the two playoff games, Crosby is on a run of 15 straight made field goals.
This past week Crosby had five field goals against the Lions (most he’s ever made in a game) and added an extra point for 16 points in the Pack’s 22-9 win over Detroit. For his efforts, Crosby was selected as the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week.
Let’s take a look at the 16 points Crosby scored in last week’s game. The 16 points tied Crosby’s career high (he scored 16 points in a December 11, 2011 game against the Raiders). It also made Crosby the 10th Packers player since 1966 (start of the Super Bowl era) to have two or more games with 16 points. Here’s a look at the players since 1966 who scored 16 or more points in a game for the Packers in two or more games.
Three games: Chris Jacke, Sterling Sharpe
Two games: John Brockington, Mason Crosby, Antonio Freeman, Ahman Green, Dorsey Levens, James Lofton, Ryan Longwell, Jordy Nelson
If we go back a little further in Packers history, that list grows with a pair of Packers legends. Paul Hornung, who performed double-duty as running back and kicker, had 10 games with the Pack where he scored 16-plus points in a contest. Fellow running mate Jim Taylor had seven such games in his career with Green Bay. Hornung holds the Packers record with 33 points scored in a game. He did it on October 8, 1961 in Green Bay’s 45-7 win over Baltimore.
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No turnovers: 75-80% chance of victory in the NFL
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Sports Stats ‘on Tapp’ is a sports statistics blog published with a focus on stats that go beyond the numbers.
Last week I posted an article that noted the chances of winning an NFL game where a team commits four or more turnovers was about 20 percent. Let’s take a look at the other end of the turnover spectrum… no turnovers in a contest.
Last week’s games featured 10 teams that did not commit a turnover. Those teams were 8-2 (the two teams that lost even though they did not commit a turnover were Miami and Detroit). That 80% winning percentage last week is pretty close to what we’ve seen since 2010. In the last three-plus years of NFL play, teams with no turnovers in a game have won 298, lost 79 and tied once. That’s a .790 winning percentage.
Since 2010, the New England Patriots have played the most turnover-less games, 27. The San Francisco 49ers are the only other team with 20 or more such games; they have played in 21 turnover-less games in the last three-plus seasons. At the bottom of the scale are the Arizona Cardinals who have had no turnovers in only five of their last 54 games.
Following are the number of games since 2010 that each NFL team has played without committing a turnover (the team’s record in those games is also noted).
Team, Turnover-less games (Record)
New England, 27 (25-2)
San Francisco, 21 (19-1-1)
Atlanta, 16 (15-1)
Baltimore, 16 (15-1)
Houston, 16 (15-1)
Kansas City, 16 (11-5)
Tennessee, 16 (12-4)
Green Bay, 15 (13-2)
Tampa Bay, 15 (9-6)
Detroit, 12 (8-4)
Indianapolis, 12 (11-1)
New Orleans, 12 (11-1)
Cincinnati, 11 (9-2)
New York Giants, 11 (9-2)
Pittsburgh, 11 (10-1)
San Diego, 11 (9-2)
Seattle, 11 (8-3)
Cleveland, 10 (6-4)
Dallas, 10 (7-3)
Minnesota, 10 (7-3)
Philadelphia, 10 (7-3)
Carolina, 9 (8-1)
Jacksonville, 9 (5-4)
Miami, 9 (7-2)
New York Jets, 9 (8-1)
St. Louis, 9 (5-4)
Buffalo, 8 (3-5)
Chicago, 8 (5-3)
Oakland, 8 (5-3)
Washington, 8 (5-3)
Denver, 7 (7-0)
Arizona, 5 (4-1)
Note: there have been 35 times this season that a team has gone without a turnover in a game. Teams are 26-9 in those games, a .743 winning percentage.
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