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NFC: Most UP

Through Week 3 this stat contributed 11.7 points
to this season's 20.9-point change UP:

New Orleans Saints

Opponent Tot Rushes with Winning Margin
Yearly 2000 to 2006

New Orleans Saints

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NFC: Most DOWN

Through Week 3 this stat contributed -12.6 points
to this season's -15-point change DOWN.

Tampa Bay Bucs

Total Rushing Plays with Winning Margin
Yearly 2000 to 2006

Tampa Bay Bucs

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Week 3
Are the New Orleans Saints for real?
The running game stats will make a difference in this week's game with Carolina. The stat graphic above pictures the New Orleans' Saints rush D which exploded in the season's first 3 games.
Coach Sean Payton knows football statistics. If the two teams play to statistical form his rush D should make it tough on Coach Fox and the Carolina running game. With the Saints on defense the electronic hardware shows the rush stats alone give the Saints a 12-point advantage.
The Tampa Bay Bucs are the NFC's most down team. In the journalistic sense of Who, What, When, Where and Why, the objective stat reason why the Bucs are in trouble is their running game. It has gone AWOL. This modest ground game cost the Bucs 12.6 points per game in their scoring differential (BLUE line).
The two stat graphics picture the importance of the running game to the Winning Margin. Years in which the running game improves are years the scoring differential improves.
And the Bucs need help.
Bud Goode