Fantasy Index

Factoid

The Patriots taketh away

Year in and year out the Patriots have one of the league's top fantasy defenses. A large part of it is what they do better than any other team: Take the ball away.

New England has ranked 12th or better in takeaways in each of the last five seasons: 10th, 2nd, 3rd, 2nd and 12th from 2009-2013. Over those five seasons, their 170 takeaways is better than any other team. Just once in those five years have they finished lower than 11th in fantasy defense (in a scoring system awarding 1 point for sacks, 2 points for takeaways, and 6 points for touchdowns).

Part of it comes from playing in an offensively challenged division (sorry, Mark Sanchez). But the Patriots are just really good at forcing mistakes.

Takeaways over the last five seasons, sorted by totals, are presented below.

NFL TAKEAWAYS, 2009-2013
Team'09'10'11'12'13Total
New England2838344129170
Chicago2835314428166
NY Giants2439313529158
Green Bay4032382322155
San Francisco3322382530148
Seattle2322313139146
Carolina3729242330143
Arizona2930193330141
Atlanta2831293121140
Philadelphia3834241331140
Tampa Bay2928242631138
Buffalo3322312130137
Cincinnati2526223031134
Baltimore3227262524134
NY Jets3130312315130
Kansas City2823261336126
New Orleans3925162619125
Detroit2229341722124
Tennessee2725232425124
Washington1727213126122
Dallas2130241628119
Cleveland1928202921117
Denver3018182426116
Jacksonville2518282321115
St. Louis2026182129114
Minnesota2425232220114
San Diego2522212817113
Houston2718272911112
Pittsburgh2235152020112
Oakland2024261922111
Indianapolis2621171527106
Miami211919162499

--Andy Richardson

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