Well sort of. But they are more than an excuse…they matter a lot more than people think.
1. Injuries, or their absence, have a drastic effect on a team’s success.
Huge shifts in a team’s won-lost record are almost always supported by a similar shift in their health. The formula suggests that 26 percent of a team’s change in wins from year to year can be attributed to the change in its rate of injury.
Injuries played a huge role in determining success in 2008. Of the 10 healthiest teams in the league by H.G.L., seven made the playoffs, including the surprising seasons enjoyed by Atlanta (second-healthiest team in the league), Carolina (third), Miami (fourth), Tennessee (sixth) and Arizona (eighth). Meanwhile, only 2 of the 10 most-injured teams in the league made the playoffs: Indianapolis (sixth-most-injured team in the N.F.L.) and Baltimore (seventh).
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
