I posted the Belichick factoid earlier in the day. It was actually a series of four charts.
Upon further review, I think it looks better if it's presented this way.
Over the last 12 years, look at all games played inside divisions. That is, for the 2002-2013 seasons, there are 72 games for each team inside their division (36 initial matchups, and then 36 rematches).
So for these, you've got the same teams playing each other twice.
The Patriots have done the best job of getting better in these games. Somehow in those 36 rematches, through film study, coaching, etc., they've managed to improve by 198 points -- 5.5 per game.
In their 36 initial games against teams inside their division, the Patriots (on average) have won by about a 26-18 score. In the rematches, that expands to about a 29-16 advantage. They tended to make adjustments and get better.
Love him or hate him, you must concede that Belichick has tended to take the talent he has and make it better.
| BEST REMATCH TEAMS SINCE 2002 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Team | First G | Rematch | Diff |
| New England | 25.7-17.9 | 28.9-15.6 | 5.5 |
| San Diego | 26.0-23.3 | 25.2-18.3 | 4.2 |
| Seattle | 22.4-17.8 | 26.3-17.9 | 3.8 |
| Oakland | 17.4-23.8 | 19.7-22.3 | 3.8 |
| Cincinnati | 19.5-23.4 | 20.5-20.9 | 3.6 |
| Washington | 16.4-21.9 | 19.4-21.6 | 3.2 |
| Detroit | 18.0-26.3 | 19.1-24.2 | 3.2 |
| Philadelphia | 23.7-20.8 | 23.7-17.7 | 3.1 |
| Indianapolis | 24.5-19.0 | 26.1-18.8 | 1.9 |
| Pittsburgh | 22.1-17.1 | 22.1-15.2 | 1.9 |
| New Orleans | 24.0-21.5 | 23.7-19.6 | 1.6 |
| Tennessee | 20.4-23.1 | 19.2-20.3 | 1.6 |
| Buffalo | 17.9-24.3 | 18.3-23.4 | 1.3 |
| Arizona | 18.1-21.6 | 22.3-24.8 | .9 |
| Minnesota | 23.2-23.8 | 22.7-22.5 | .8 |
| Green Bay | 25.8-20.3 | 25.2-19.2 | .6 |
| Carolina | 20.0-19.9 | 22.5-22.3 | .1 |
| Atlanta | 20.6-22.6 | 21.2-23.3 | -.1 |
| Jacksonville | 18.5-20.8 | 20.7-23.3 | -.3 |
| Baltimore | 21.3-17.2 | 20.9-17.9 | -1.1 |
| Kansas City | 20.6-23.2 | 19.5-23.4 | -1.3 |
| Tampa Bay | 18.9-19.5 | 20.5-22.7 | -1.6 |
| St. Louis | 18.2-22.9 | 17.8-24.2 | -1.7 |
| Dallas | 24.3-24.8 | 17.7-21.0 | -2.8 |
| San Francisco | 22.4-18.9 | 21.7-21.2 | -3.0 |
| Houston | 22.9-23.5 | 19.2-22.9 | -3.1 |
| Miami | 18.8-20.2 | 17.8-22.6 | -3.4 |
| NY Jets | 20.1-20.0 | 19.4-22.7 | -3.4 |
| NY Giants | 24.3-21.3 | 20.6-21.0 | -3.5 |
| Cleveland | 17.1-22.3 | 14.9-24.4 | -4.4 |
| Chicago | 24.2-20.7 | 19.9-21.0 | -4.5 |
| Denver | 26.5-20.3 | 22.7-23.1 | -6.6 |
—Ian Allan