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Factoid

New England Patriots

Brady has New England's passing game humming

The Patriots have reached the halfway point of the season, and their offense sure looks unstoppable – like they’ll cruise through the rest of the league on their way to another Lombardi trophy. Nobody seems to be able to stop them.

They’ve been good all along, but with Tom Brady back in the lineup, they look pretty much unbeatable.

Since Brady came back from his suspension, the Patriots have passed for 1,319 yards and 12 touchdowns in four games. That’s an average of 377 passing yards per game, and a pace that would end with 48 touchdown passes in a 16-game season.

Looking at how other teams in the NFL have performed in their 5th through 8th games over the last 10 years – the second quarter of the season, if you will – only five teams have put up better passing numbers (using standard fantasy scoring – 4 points for TD passes and 1 for every 20 yards). And two of those teams were also quarterbacked by Brady.

Pretty remarkable stuff. New England’s offense looks like one that will carry a lot of fantasy teams to championships this year.

Below are the top 50 second quarters (games 5-8) by teams in the last 10 years. Note that of the top 15 on this list, they’re all authored by Hall of Fame type quarterbacks – Brady, Peyton Manning, Aaron Rodgers, Ben Roethlisberger and Philip Rivers.

Note that some 2016 teams haven’t yet made it to the halfway point of their seasons (so aren’t eligible for this list). But San Diego and Atlanta come in around 60th. The The Colts, Titans and Washington finish 69th thru 73rd.

BEST PASSING NUMBERS, 5th THRU 8th GAMES (last 10 years)
YearTeamYardsTDPoints
2007New England1,35617135.8
2013Denver1,44913124.5
2014New England1,29014120.5
2015New Orleans1,43811115.9
2015San Diego1,50510115.3
2016New England1,31912114.0
2011Green Bay1,28812112.4
2009New England1,28712112.4
2014Denver1,27912112.0
2012Green Bay1,10914111.5
2012Denver1,25012110.5
2015New England1,32211110.1
2014Pittsburgh1,29111108.6
2012New Orleans1,19912108.0
2014Indianapolis1,4269107.3
2012Tampa Bay1,25711106.9
2015Oakland1,17212106.6
2006Pittsburgh1,4119106.6
2013Cincinnati1,24611106.3
2007New Orleans1,24611106.3
2013New Orleans1,23811105.9
2015Jacksonville1,19711103.9
2013Detroit1,3559103.8
2011Pittsburgh1,18711103.4
2006Indianapolis1,17911103.0
2011New Orleans1,3369102.8
2015Arizona1,24110102.1
2010N.Y. Giants1,07012101.5
2013Dallas1,19910100.0
2015Detroit1,267999.4
2009Green Bay1,1721098.6
2015Houston1,1631098.2
2014New Orleans1,321898.1
2015N.Y. Giants1,1501097.5
2009Dallas1,225997.3
2009New Orleans1,305897.3
2014San Diego1,0581196.9
2009Houston1,295896.8
2008Houston1,289896.5
2006New Orleans1,1281096.4
2016Green Bay1,1251096.3
2014Green Bay1,1231096.2
2012New England1,198995.9
2012Oakland1,278895.9
2014Philadelphia1,192995.6
2007Pittsburgh9491295.5
2006St. Louis1,261895.1
2016Oakland1,255894.8
2015Indianapolis1,0891094.5
2010Detroit1,0031194.2

—Ian Allan

Fantasy Index