Stats Are for Losers

After watching the Green Bay Packers lose in the biggest way possible to the struggling Tampa Bay Buccaneers, there is one thing that sticks in my mind and that is the quote from Tampa coach Raheem Morris:

These guys played passionate. I don’t have the official stats. Stats are for losers and this week we’re winners.

I think this is going to be the soundbyte that will be played again and again for weeks (and possibly years) to come. And rightly so.

You forget how important wins are until you have a team that struggles. Before Sunday, Tampa Bay was 0-7 this season. More than that, they had not won a game since November 2008. One year! Add to that the fact that Sunday was the very first game ever from quarterback Josh Freeman, and you’ve got a much needed turning point in the moral and potential of a team.

Raheem Morris’ quote also reminds me of just how poorly the Packers have played. After all, stats of quarterback Aaron Rodgers are all the fans of the Packers have received these days. Rodgers may have good stats, but they don’t translate to wins. As the players, fans, and coaches of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers experienced on Sunday, wins are what matter in this league.

Image: Zuma Press