Most Important Factor to winning football game

• Ironman92

  

  Besides points scored or any other smart ass reply.
  
  Running game
  Turnover differential
  O-line play
  D-Line play
  athletic skill positions
  QB play
  Offensive play calling
  Field position
  
  Other?
  
  I think in today's game it's pressure on the QB as most all teams pass a ton and few QB's do much of anything when the defense is running him around, getting hits and sacks on him.
  
  The O-line can keep the QB safe AND be great at run blocking....so that could outweigh I guess
  
  Turnover differential seems huge but often comes from the defensive pressure on the QB.
  
  Almost every QB looks pretty good when they have time.
• like_that

  

  QB play, then pass rush.
• Iliketurtles

  

  I'd go QB play then LB/Secondary play.
• Ironman92

  

  like_that;1528756 wrote:QB play, then pass rush.

  Ok.....I think an argument for all and you have Weeden to support for sure.
  
  But Roethlisberger in his first SB was terrible....and Payton Manning can't seem to win despite being phenomenal
• like_that

  

  Ironman92;1528759 wrote:Ok.....I think an argument for all and you have Weeden to support for sure.
  
  But Roethlisberger in his first SB was terrible....and Payton Manning can't seem to win despite being phenomenal

  He was terrible in the game, but not all year.
• Sonofanump

  Turnover differential.
• Ironman92

  

  like_that;1528766 wrote:He was terrible in the game, but not all year.

  Fair enough....he managed.
• Heretic

  

  Ironman92;1528769 wrote:Fair enough....he managed.

  Meh, in the two games before that Super Bowl, he was pretty good. Kind of a "manage the game" during the year, but he stepped up in the playoffs before the Super Bowl.
  
  I agree with you on OL play, though. I mean, you have to be competent to succeed at QB no matter what, but if you get good protection, any type of competent QB can succeed. Bad line play and you need to have great awareness and a very quick release to succeed. And it doesn't hurt to be large, too (as Ben's shown throughout his career), and able to withstand contact.
  
  QB play would be second.
  
  Good pass rush and good secondary are 3 and 4. Need the pass rush because without it, even good CBs will have trouble. But with the importance of the passing game, you need good pass defense no matter what.
  
  Turnover differential to me is a bit overrated. Yeah, if you have a 4-1 edge, you USUALLY will win, but all those games in the 2-1 or 1-0 or 3-2 margin...it doesn't matter that much. Turnovers, to me, are more of a situational deal than a numbers deal. Where did you force it, was it returned all the way...or did you go three-and-out deep in your territory, punt the ball and they got it back in great position, so all you did was slightly delay them scoring?
• Laley23

  

  Turnover differential. But forced turnovers come from pressure a good portion of the time, so I guess you could go with that.
• Pick6

  

  execution.
• se-alum

  

  QB, then d-line play. A d-line that can get pressure with four, makes it very difficult on offenses. I think we saw this when the Colts played the Broncos.
• thavoice

  On offense, it is the play of the OL. Plain and simple. Always has been. Good OL play gets you time to pass, opens holes for the run and then the next thing you know the whole offensive playbook is wide open.
  It is becoming a passing league and the run pretty much is being set up by the pass and spreading out teams.
  
  
  On defense it is pressuring the QB. In the past it was stopping the running game, but now with the passing of the league it is pressuring the QB. It is geting increasingly important to do so with the front four and not relying on an elaborate and overload blitz. QB preparation is at an all time high and I think that is a testament to what PM has brough to the league. Up until he took over it seems like the QB was going to audible to get you out of a good play. Now the QB surveys the defense and calls a play..not just to get you out of a bad one,but into the best play possible.
  
  Offenses for the most part are not getting fooled by overload or elaborate blitzes. You need guys who can just beat their guy on the OL and with inside stunts.
• Classyposter58

  

  Win in the trenches and you generally win the game
• queencitybuckeye

  In the NFL, the most important word is "at". Home teams win 57% of the time. The best all-time winning percentage for any team is the Bears at ironically 57%.
• lhslep134

  

  queencitybuckeye;1529067 wrote:In the NFL, the most important word is "at". Home teams win 57% of the time. The best all-time winning percentage for any team is the Bears at ironically 57%.

  
  Extremely applicable to the Super Bowl :rolleyes:
• queencitybuckeye

  lhslep134;1529071 wrote:Extremely applicable to the Super Bowl :rolleyes:

  Which would matter if that were the subject here, slapdick.
• Sonofanump

  queencitybuckeye;1529067 wrote:In the NFL, the most important word is "at". Home teams win 57% of the time. The best all-time winning percentage for any team is the Bears at ironically 57%.

  The team that wins the turnover margin wins 72% of the time, that 15% more than home team.
• ernest_t_bass

  

  Scoring more points than the other team has got to be up there, IMO.
• queencitybuckeye

  Sonofanump;1529294 wrote:The team that wins the turnover margin wins 72% of the time, that 15% more than home team.

  Then a team should just take a knee every down.
• Sonofanump

  queencitybuckeye;1529317 wrote:Then a team should just take a knee every down.

  Brilliant.
• mhs95_06

  queencitybuckeye;1529067 wrote:In the NFL, the most important word is "at". Home teams win 57% of the time. The best all-time winning percentage for any team is the Bears at ironically 57%.

  57% doesn't seem that great. How does that compare to other major pro sports?
• Rotinaj

  

  Its either who scores more points or who has the least amount of gingers at QB. I cant decide which.
• Classyposter58

  

  mhs95_06;1529596 wrote:57% doesn't seem that great. How does that compare to other major pro sports?

  It's second.
  
  NBA 61%
  NFL 57%
  NHL 56%
  MLB 53%
• lhslep134

  

  queencitybuckeye;1529143 wrote:Which would matter if that were the subject here, slapdick.

  The subject here is most important factor to winning a football game. You said home field advantage. I brought up home field advantage's relevance in the Super Bowl (none), which is, ahem, a football game
  
  But I guess a football game isn't the subject here?
• Me?

  

  Turnovers. I bet if you found someone to break it down and do some pretty insane research, turnovers would win going away.