Stat of the Day: Half-time Scores
I'm a big believer in winning football games one half at a time. If you can head into the locker room with a lead, the rest of the game is tilted in your favor. The opposing offense has to give up their gameplan and their defense has to start playing desperate. For a team like the Chargers, that means playing right into their hands.
Earlier this season (around the time of 2-2), I was harping on this team for constantly coming out flat in the first half. By time the Chargers came back for the third quarter, it was them who had to abandon their offensive philosophy and start playing more desperate defense. Sometimes it worked (@OAK), sometimes it didn't (BAL). While there have been many different reasons for the Chargers' current winning streak, I think that coming out strong and winning the first half has been the most important.
To back up my unresearched claim....research! After the jump I go game-by-game and look at the score at the half as opposed to the final score.
Week 1 - at Oakland
- Score at the half: 10-10
- Final score: 24-20, Chargers
Week 2 - Baltimore
- Score at the half: 21-16, Ravens
- Final score: 31-26, Ravens
Week 3 - Miami
- Score at the half: 3-3
- Final score: 23-13, Chargers
Week 4 - at Pittsburgh
- Score at the half: 21-0, Steelers
- Final score: 38-28, Steelers
Week 6 - Denver
- Score at the half: 20-17, Chargers
- Final score: 34-23, Broncos
So what have we learned up to this point? In 3 out of the first 5 games, the Chargers had 10 points or less at the half. In only 1 out of the first 5 games did the Chargers have a halftime lead. That's not a dominating team in anybody's book. Now, let the winning streak commence...
Week 7 - at Kansas City
- Score at the half: 20-0, Chargers
- Final score: 37-7, Chargers
Week 8 - Oakland
- Score at the half: 21-10, Chargers
- Final score: 24-16, Chargers
Week 9 - at New York (N)
- Score at the half: 7-7
- Final score: 21-20, Chargers
Week 10 - Philadelphia
- Score at the half: 14-6, Chargers
- Final score: 31-23, Chargers
Week 11 - at Denver
- Score at the half: 13-0, Chargers
- Final score: 32-3, Chargers
Week 12 - Kansas City
- Score at the half: 28-7, Chargers
- Final score: 43-14, Chargers
Week 13 - at Cleveland
- Score at the half: 13-7, Chargers
- Final score: 30-23, Chargers
Week 14 - at Dallas
- Score at the half: 10-3, Chargers
- Final score: 20-17, Chargers
Week 15 - Cincinnati
- Score at the half: 14-13, Chargers
- Final score: 27-24, Chargers
Wow, okay...time for a summary. Let's take a look at the Chargers first-half records.
First 5 games: 1-2-2
Not surprisingly, the Chargers lost more halves than they won during this timespan. I think you'd have to to get to a 2-3 record. What stands out to me is that they went 1-2-2 in the first half. That's one game with a lead at the half, two trailing and one tied.
Next 9 games: 8-0-1
It's much easier to win 9 games in a row when you never, not once, have to fight from being behind at halftime. This team has learned that a fast start makes winning at the end of the game much, much easier.
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Pretty compelling numbers
to say the least.
We’re making adjustments constantly – some major, as in injury replacement, & some much more minor, as changing a defensive look mid-game.
To me, the guys who can adjust are the ones who ultimately survive. This team, by necessity, has been in a constant state of flux.
The main constant, as John has shown, is that we have been getting off to a much faster start. We went from having not scored on the 1st possession in forever to it being a fairly regular occurrence (like those numbers? ;-) ).
Pittsburgh was a slap in the face.
We responded.
If the thunder don't get ya then the lightning will!!
Robert Hunter
I think if you look
I think if you look, but the year they were 14-2 they had jumped out to early leads. One thing that happened in Marty ball is early leads. Playing downhill of the scoreboard allows for more risk and blitz’s; the other team generally has to get out of their game plan, jump out of running the ball and now have to throw….but hey I like it. I do think this team has a better balance and better maturity
Do you mean first halves?
Because we’ve lost several second halves.
"I aim to misbehave." - Mal Reynolds
by Zach (maestro876) on Dec 22, 2009 2:54 PM PST reply actions
We’re 14-2-2 during the 9 game win streak. Not sure what John’s looking at.
Bolts from the Blue // "I have got to be the most boring GM in the league." - A.J. Smith
Bloody Elbow // " looks like your comment violated rule #4. and it’s a heck of a rule, rule #4" - Kid Nate
by Richard Wade on Dec 22, 2009 5:39 PM PST up reply actions
We lost a half to Oakland and a half to Dallas. We tied a half each to New York and Philadelphia.
Bolts from the Blue // "I have got to be the most boring GM in the league." - A.J. Smith
Bloody Elbow // " looks like your comment violated rule #4. and it’s a heck of a rule, rule #4" - Kid Nate
by Richard Wade on Dec 22, 2009 5:40 PM PST up reply actions
Fixed
"I did not invent the wheel, I was the crooked spoke adjacent." - Aesop Rock
by John Gennaro on Dec 23, 2009 2:21 AM PST up reply actions
Crap
I was just looking at first halves and then final scores. Shows you what happens when I try to rush things.
"I did not invent the wheel, I was the crooked spoke adjacent." - Aesop Rock
by John Gennaro on Dec 22, 2009 5:50 PM PST up reply actions
This is still
Pretty dominant. I wonder how it compares to the other form teams?
Follow the annual quest for the premiership in all its horror and glory - Passion Play (http://spunc.com.au/members/hunter/product/9780980517965/)
Here are some slightly outdated stats
In 2007 the team leading at half time won %77.4 percent of the time (and covered the spread %74 of the time).
In each of the seasons from 2000 to 2007 the team leading at the half has won at least %75 percent of the games in the NFL.
Not sure these are worth a lot, but here they are.

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