The Brady-Belichick Patriots weren’t merely an outlier. They were operating on a different planet. From 2012 to 2019, on 1st downs outside the red zone with 3:30 to 1:40 left before halftime: • New England posted a 68.1% run rate, 89% higher than the average of the other 31 teams (36.1%). • The Patriots ran 77 times versus a 41.2 average for the other 31 teams. In that same situation across 1st and 2nd downs, they attempted only three total passes of 20+ air yards (80% fewer than the average of the other 31 teams). This is what playing keep away looks like: drain the clock and reduce the opponent’s opportunity to answer before halftime. This strategy helped set up one of the Patriots dynasty’s signature advantages: securing the final possession before halftime and creating opportunities to score on both sides of the break. Just look at the separation on this chart. We explain the entire strategy in much greater detail in the video below. 👇