You're either getting better or getting worse.

[MHSL82]

Disclaimer: Not my work, but thought it would be good to share. It has only been three games and it was against better offenses, despite their struggles.

You can look at 2011 vs how they're doing so far in 2012. You can compare the offense, the defense, and break it down by rushing defense, passing defense, etc.

Defense
Sacks: #22 in 2012 (#7 in 2011) - Much worse
Rushing: #8 in 2012 (#1 in 2011) - Much worse
Passing: #13 in 2012 (#16 in 2011) - A little better
Defense: #11 in 2012 (#4 in 2011) - Worse
Scoring: #11 in 2012 (#2 in 2011) - Much worse
Tackles: #13 in 2012 (#30 in 2011) - Much worse
Interceptions: #15 in 2012 (#2 in 2011) - Much worse

Offense
Total yards: #21 in 2012 (#26 in 2011) - A little better
Passing: #24 in 2012 (#29 in 2011) - A little better
Rushing: #7 in 2012 (#8 in 2011) - About the same
Receiving: #26 in 2012 (#30 in 2011) - A little better
Offensive line: #27 in 2012 (#26 in 2011) - About the same
Touchdowns: #16 in 2012 (#21 in 2011) - Better

Special teams
Field goals: #8 in 2012 (#1 in 2011) - Do we call this better or worse?
Kick returns: #3 in 2012 (#1 in 2011) - I'll say about the same

Specific positions/players...

Defense
Defensive Lineman: Justin Smith - #37 in 2012 (#9 in 2011) - Much worse
Linebacker: NaVorro Bowman - #1 in 2012 (#7 in 2011) - Much better
Linebacker: Patrick Willis - #20 in 2012 (#30 in 2011) - Much better
Defensive back: No 49er has made the top 50 this year or in 2011 - ???

Offense
RB: Frank Gore - #8 in 2012 (#14 in 2011) - Better
QB: Alex Smith - #7 in 2012 (#9 in 2011) - Better
QB: ESPN QBR #4 IN 2012 (#22 IN 2011) - Much better
TE: Vernon Davis - #12 in 2012 (#8 in 2011) - Worse
WR: Michael Crabtree - #8 in 2012 (#16 in 2011) - Much better
WR: Mario Manningham - #38 in 2012 (Not among top 50 while at NYG) - Much better

Special teams
Field goal kicker: David Akers - #8 in 2012 (#1 in 2011) - Worse
Kickoff kicker: David Akers - #6 in 2012 (#8 in 2011) - Better
Punter: Andy Lee - #26 in 2012 (#11 in 2011) - Worse
Kick returner: Ted Ginn - Injured so far in 2012 (#17 in 2011) - Pass
Kick returner: Kendall Hunter - #27 in 2012 (#25 in 2011) - About the same
Kick returner: Kyle Williams - #1 in 2012 (#25 in 2011) - Much better

Overall Win/Loss Record
After Week 3: 2-1 in 2012 (2-1 in 2011) - The same

 

[joshuar56]

This is stupid, you can't take your league rank and say the offense or defense is better. Show the stats through 3 games or shut up.

 

[abaskin18]

While I agree with the thread title, I've never believed it could/should be demonstrated statistically regardless of sample size.

Eyeball test works a lot better with that old sayin. First two weeks they looked like they'd gotten better, last week not as much.

 

[MHSL82]

You guys are right, I had that as the title because Harbaugh says that all the time. And I agree that this information is not worth much because 1) sample size 2)stats are better than rank 3) Look at where Aaron Rodgers is ranked in QB rating (traditional and BSPN'S) and tell me that that's the whole story - you can't. He's much better than that and he's played better defenses. So I understand that this is reliable. This year has been a little weird for QB ratings, half or more of those who are there you know won't sustain it and half that are not there are surprising. Slow start. Three games in any year is misleading anyway. I passed along the information because I found it on the niner board but should have extended my disclaimer.

 

[MHSL82]

This is stupid, you can't take your league rank and say the offense or defense is better. Show the stats through 3 games or shut up.

 

[mem49er]

This is stupid, you can't take your league rank and say the offense or defense is better. Show the stats through 3 games or shut up.

I would have used a finger.

 

[Geraint]

Someone said in another thread that we have one of the best Offensive lines in the league this season. Here's the proof

Receiving is up to #26. Having so many WRs that most of them have to sit on the bench is really paying off.

 

[SY8goat]

You guys are right, I had that as the title because Harbaugh says that all the time. And I agree that this information is not worth much because 1) sample size 2)stats are better than rank 3) Look at where Aaron Rodgers is ranked in QB rating (traditional and BSPN'S) and tell me that that's the whole story - you can't. He's much better than that and he's played better defenses. So I understand that this is reliable. This year has been a little weird for QB ratings, half or more of those who are there you know won't sustain it and half that are not there are surprising. Slow start. Three games in any year is misleading anyway. I passed along the information because I found it on the niner board but should have extended my disclaimer.

Aren't rankings based on stats?

 

[MHSL82]

Aren't rankings based on stats?

What I think they/he means is look at what our stats were last year and what they are now as opposed to where they were in relation to others last year compared to now. So 213.67 yards per game versus 196.5 yards per game last year instead of 24th this year versus 29th last year.

 

[wartyOne]

How is 7 down "MUCH" worse, but 5 up "A LITTLE" better?"

Is 6 the barometer between "MUCH" and "A LITTLE?"

 

[Flyingiguana]

How is 7 down "MUCH" worse, but 5 up "A LITTLE" better?"

Is 6 the barometer between "MUCH" and "A LITTLE?"

6-7 has a larger compounding factor

 

[MHSL82]

How is 7 down "MUCH" worse, but 5 up "A LITTLE" better?"

Is 6 the barometer between "MUCH" and "A LITTLE?"

Beats me. Getting better or getting worse The author on this link is not me.

 

[joshuar56]

Can we get an update on this?

 

[MHSL82]

Can we get an update on this?

Nah, it'd be meaningless. You said as much before. I'll look at it at the end of the year but focus more on totals, comparing us to us, unlike the guy who compiled this. I might look at our team in a different statistical way than rankings at the bye.

 

[joshuar56]

Nah, it'd be meaningless. You said as much before. I'll look at it at the end of the year but focus more on totals, comparing us to us, unlike the guy who compiled this. I might look at our team in a different statistical way than rankings at the bye.

Yeah, I was joking. I would like to see our stat totals through 4 games last year compared to this year though.