Let’s look at the key stats behind some overachieving teams and some disappointing outfits in this season’s NFL.  What’s different for these teams?

Buffalo Bills: The Bills improvement is largely in their defense.  They’ve improved from 5.6 yards per play to 4.9 yards per play, as well as 361 yards allowed to 299 yards.

Tennessee Titans: The offense ain’t much, but what a D.  The Titans defense has improved from an excellent 5.0 yards per play to an unbelievable 4.4.

Denver Broncos:   Denver’s winning some games, but statistically their defense has been horrendous.  It wasn’t a strength last year at 5.6 yards per play, and that has skyrocketed to 6.4 yards per play this year.

New York Giants:  Eli Manning and the Giants offense are cooking, both running and passing effectively.  They’ve gone from 4.6 yards per rush last year to 6.1 this year.  And 5.7 yards per pass last year to 7.4 yards per pass.  Their 2008 offensive stats are extraordinary.

New England Patriots: 6.4 yards per play last year on offense.  Brady-free, they’re 4.9 this year.  A huge decline for an obvious reason.

Green Bay Packers:  The Pack are having trouble stopping the run, from allowing 3.9 yards per rush last year to allowing 5.1 this year.

Seattle Seahawks:  The Seahawks are an opposing quarterback’s dream.  After allowing 6.0 yards per pass last year, they allow 7.7 this year.

Indianapolis Colts:  The Colts are worse both offensively and defensively.  They had a 5.9 to 4.7 yards per play edge last year, it is only 5.5 to 5.4 this season.

Note:  You’ll notice that a lot of these statistical changes have mitigating circumstances.  The Titans have played some poor offensive teams.   The Giants had a couple of home games where their opponents didn’t show up.  The Colts have had injuries on both sides of the ball, especially offense.

So some of the improvement and decline has a reason behind it.  Determining which teams have excuses, which don’t and what it all means as we go forward will make a big difference in your bottom line.