Postseason contenders and pretenders

Cold, Hard Football Facts.com

But those final numbers don’t tell the whole story. The Patriots have been absolutely scorching hot over the second half of the year, and especially in the past six weeks.

New England’s Defensive Passer Rating over the past six weeks is a tremendous 56.2. Tom Brady’s passer rating over that period? Try 130.4 on for size.

That adds up to a truly unbelievable Passer Rating Differential of +74.2 down the stretch! That’s the kind of territory inhabited only by the 1940s Bears in the shock & awe era of the early T-formation. (Cap tip to reader Lyford Beverage for sending us the 411 about the PRD down the stretch).