The picture as painted by the data is mixed and, as a consequence, open to different interpretations.
For coach John Kirwan, what he sees is a team a few good decisions from bursting into life. They are winning enough ball; they are playing in the right areas of the field but in four games so far, they haven't been able to convert that into victories.
That's no reason to rip everything up says Kirwan. "We just need to get a win," is his theory.
"What we are doing is working hard. If we can execute our game plan on Friday night then we will be in the hunt. We can control getting ourselves ready for a big game. We just need to execute well for 80 minutes.
"Things haven't gone our way. Some of it within our control, some of it outside our control. In these situations you just need to stay solid, stay positive and keep doing what you are doing."
There is a less optimistic interpretation, however: a view that says the statistics highlight the depth of the problems rather than alluding to the proximity of a revival.
The Blues are second in the competition for clean breaks and still, despite so much possession and endeavour, their average of 17 points and just 1.3 tries per game is among the worst in the competition.
What else does this say other than the Blues' backs are running aimlessly? There is so little authority or direction coming from numbers nine, 10 and 12. Opposition defences are not being fixed. There is no deception; no delayed passes; no variation in the lines of attack; no obvious ploys to work some of the powerful ball carriers in the pack into the wider channels.
More of a concern still is that as the game against the Lions was slipping away, three times players took tap penalties rather than points. Such rash and instinctive decision-making reeks of desperation and perhaps even a disconnection between the players and Kirwan's gameplan.
"We need a bit more buy-in on our attack from everyone," said stand-in skipper Luke Braid. "We got held up four times over the line on the weekend but obviously if you are being held up over the line, you should be walking it in in other areas. Our decision-making from go-forward ball - we need to get that right."
That the Blues have identified the problem is one thing, fixing it is another.
Jimmy Cowan and Ihaia West haven't given any sense so far this campaign that they are forming a memorable partnership. Neither individually nor collectively do these two appeal as heroes in waiting.
West in particular has looked like a player with fancy software but a faulty hard drive.
Francis Saili hasn't found the direct and incisive running that won him All Black caps in 2013 and poor old Charles Piutau is being hurled the ball and told to work miracles.
The spreadsheet might say a brighter future awaits but there are of course lies, damned lies and statistics.
... things the Blues need for a victory
Use space
As Luke Braid said during the week, if the Blues are being held up over the line as they were four times against the Lions, there must be space elsewhere on the field. The trick is to use it more efficiently. They have some powerful and skilful runners in Patrick Tuipulotu, Luke Braid and Steven Luatua - there's no point in sending them into brick walls, they must be used wider, in the seam between the opposition forwards and backs. Similarly, there's no point using miss-passes when the Blues find they have an overlap, doing so will just cut down their own space.
Don't let teams off hook
Cross-kicks and grubbers are low-percentage plays - don't use them when you have teams on the rack. Be patient, but be ruthless. When the opposition is on the back foot and defending over multiple phases they will eventually crack - either by missing a tackle or by transgressing in terms of a breakdown offence or being caught offside. And when that happens, the Blues must quickly take stock and choose the right option, which is normally ...
Take the points
In the aftermath of the Lions defeat at North Harbour, John Kirwan was either unwilling or unable to be too specific into what went wrong, but the one thing he did point the finger at was his team's decision to take quick penalty taps rather than a shot at goal in the second half. Being up on the scoreboard creates its own pressure - it can force other teams to take extra risks, to do things they wouldn't normally do, and extra points can be scored on the back of those.
Make tackles
There is a feeling among some at the Blues that although their attack has yet to fire, it is their defence which is truly letting them down. The Lions, content all game to soak up the pressure seemingly without an attacking bone in their bodies, scored their try through Ruan Combrinck far too easily. All it took was a break by nippy halfback Faf de Klerk and they were away in the corner. In their first loss to the Chiefs they conceded two tries far too easily and that was the case a week later, too, against the Stormers, where wing Dillyn Leyds was allowed to run in virtually unhindered from 50m after fielding a Charles Piutau kick.
Bring the fun back
When was the last time you saw a Blues team cut the opposition to shreds? I'll tell you when, it was against the Reds at Eden Park in early May last year, a week after they had beaten the Waratahs at the same venue. There was an excitement among the backs that night which was reminiscent of Blues' teams of yesteryear. They looked a threat every time they got the ball, with Jackson Willison, Lolagi Visinia, Bryn Hall, Tom Donnelly and Ihaia West cashing in. These days they looked more confused than excited. It's time to bring the fun back.
- Patrick McKendry
Hurricanes v Blues
Palmerston North, 7.35 tonight
Hurricanes
N Milner-Skudder
Matt Proctor
Conrad Smith (c)
Ma'a Nonu
Julian Savea
Beauden Barrett
TJ Perenara
Victor Vito
Ardie Savea
Brad Shields
James Broadhurst
Mark Abbott
Ben Franks
Dane Coles
Reggie Goodes
Hurricanes: Motu Matu'u, Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, Chris Eves, Jeremy Thrush, Blade Thomson, Chris Smylie, Rey Lee-Lo, James Marshall
Blues
Lolagi Visinia
Frank Halai
Charles Piutau
Francis Saili
Melani Nanai
Ihaia West
J Cowan/J G-Park
Steven Luatua
Luke Braid (c)
Brendon O'Connor
Patrick Tuipulotu
Josh Bekhuis
Charlie Faumuina
James Parsons
Tony Woodcock
Blues: Keven Mealamu, Ofa Tu'ungafasi, Angus Ta'avao/Sam Prattley, Hayden Triggs, Akira Ioane, Jamison Gibson-Park/Bryn Hall, Simon Hickey, George Moala.
