This a game where the statistics indicate it was a lot closer than it actually was. The total yards and penalties were similar. Arizona had a slight advantage in time of possession. The reason behind Kurt Warner's record setting day was his offensive line. They allowed only one QB hit. And they were 100% on red zone opportunities, where Jacksonville was only 50%.
Give San Francisco credit, they took care of the football- zero turnovers- had about 100 more yards than Seattle, and dominated in time of possession. That's a recipe to win games. The Seahawks had their opportunities to close in the red zone, three to the 49ers one, but only capitalized on one. I'm sure they missed Matt Hasselbeck in the second half of the game, because leadership from a three-time Pro Bowl quarterback is impossible to quantify.
Both Tampa Bay and Buffalo put significant pressure on its opponent, as both teams had very high QB hit totals. This led to the high yardage each team gained. The turnovers and time of possession were even. Tampa Bay even had 100% on their red zone chances, compared to a zero for four for Buffalo. Where the Bills won the game was in total yards, as they had about 100 yards more than their opponent, and had seven less penalties called on them.
I mentioned I saw the Pittsburgh-Chicago game. The stats indicate this game was every bit of a close game as the score indicated. The Steelers had a clear edge in total yards and penalties, and the time of possession was even. The Bears put slightly more pressure on Ben Roethlisberger and didn't turn the ball over. In the red zone, the Steelers were 67% on their opportunities, while the Bears were 100% in their two chances.
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