Tag: next gen stats

Packers WR Christian Watson had NFL’s fastest play of Week 12

Christian Watson hit 21.53 miles per hour on his 53-yard catch against the Lions on Thanksgiving.

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson was the fastest ball-carrier of Week 12 (through games on Sunday) thanks to the deep shot that hit to open Thanksgiving Day at Ford Field.

Per Next Gen Stats, Watson hit 21.53 miles per hour on his 53-yard catch on the first play of the Packers’ 29-22 win over the Detroit Lions.

Watson ran a deep post on a play Matt LaFleur wanted to change pre-game. The Packers kept it in, and Jordan Love connected with Watson — who got a free release and flew by the coverage — for the big play to kick off the holiday showdown. The completion set up an opening drive touchdown for the Packers, who scored on their first two possessions, led 20-6 in the first half and eventually closed out the win late.

Watson finished the upset win with five catches, 94 yards and a 16-yard touchdown. It was a breakout performance for the second-year receiver, and it could have been so much more.

Watson’s speed on the 53-yard catch is currently the 18th fastest play in the NFL this season and the fourth fastest play by a Packers player, trailing Jayden Reed (32-yard TD in Week 11), Aaron Jones (35-yard TD in Week 1) and Keisean Nixon (51-yard kickoff return in Week 9). The Packers (4) and Miami Dolphins (9) are the only teams with three or more plays in the top 20 this season, per Next Gen Stats.

Last year, Watson hit his top speed — 21.72 miles per hour — on a 46-yard touchdown run against the Chicago Bears in Week 13.

Can Watson’s elite speed help fuel another Packers run to end the 2023 season?

Sam Howell is posting some impressive numbers in his second NFL season

Some impressive stuff from Sam Howell recently.

Washington Commanders quarterback Sam Howell is a hot topic each week. Washington fans love to debate a quarterback’s future. If Howell performed well the week before, fans are ready to crown him. If he struggles, the other segment of the fan base is making images of Caleb Williams in a Commanders’ uniform.

What most fail to understand is that Howell has started 10 NFL games. There will be ups. There will be downs. Sometimes, that means a bad game; sometimes, that means a play that makes you ask yourself, “What the bleep was that?”

That’s every young quarterback.

The truth is, Howell can play. Is he Washington’s franchise quarterback? He has certainly earned the right to be in that conversation. Howell is improving each week, making multiple high-level throws; he is taking fewer sacks and continues to learn how to manipulate the pocket.

We’re halfway through the 2023 NFL season. There are some impressive data points available for Howell now.

Here are some of the best stats/numbers from Howell after Week 9.

WATCH: Commanders QB Sam Howell’s 4 most improbable completions from Week 9

Sam Howell had some “improbable” completions last week. Check them out.

Washington Commanders quarterback Sam Howell seems to have a knack for making some of the NFL’s more “improbable” completions each week.

According to Next Gen Stats, Howell had several of these throws in Washington’s Week 9 win over the New England Patriots. Here are Howell’s four most improbable throws from Sunday’s game.

This is some high-level stuff from Howell. Each of these four throws displays something different from the second-year quarterback. On the completion to Brown, you see Howell making an accurate throw on the move.

The throw to Terry McLaurin on the sideline was a terrific route from the star wideout and an even better throw from Howell while he was drifting back and under pressure.

The touchdown to Jahan Dotson was a dime. He laid it out in front of Dotson where the defender couldn’t make a play on the ball, allowing Dotson to run under it for the catch. Just a terrific throw.

What’s incredible is that Next Gen Stats didn’t even give us the completion probability on the following throw:

That was one of those throws where you cover your eyes and hope for the best. Howell showed a little “Mahomes magic” on that one to Byron Pringle.

Jarran Reed ranked second at nose tackle by Next Gen Stats

Perhaps the biggest surprise of all is Jarran Reed having the best year of his career by light years at nose tackle. 

The Seahawks are 5-2 heading into a huge road game today against the 6-2 Ravens. They wouldn’t have gotten here without some pleasant surprises on defense in the early part of the season. For one thing, Boye Mafe has blossomed into one of the NFL’s most potent edge rushers. For another, Jordyn Brooks has suddenly become one of the game’s most well-rounded off-ball linebackers. Perhaps the biggest surprise of all is Jarran Reed having the best year of his career by light years at nose tackle.

According to Next Gen Stats, Reed has been among the best in the league at that position this year. In fact, heading into Week 9 only Dexter Lawrence of the Giants is ranked higher.

Indredible work from Reed. While he’s been a solid starter his entire career he’s hasn’t made a Pro Bowl team yet. That will likely change this year if he keeps this up and he may even have a shot at second-team All-Pro. That remarkable development this late in Reed’s career is more proof that there’s something special about these 2023 Seahawks…

More Seahawks Wire stories

53-man roster tracker: Jason Peters elevated from practice squad

8 things to know about Seahawks and Ravens going into Week 9

Jahmyr Gibbs’ touchdown vs. Raiders made the (almost) impossible happen

Jahmyr Gibbs had less than a half-percent chance of scoring on his TD run against the Raiders according to Next Gen Stats

As Han Solo once said, “Never tell me the odds.”

Nobody told Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs that he had less than a one percent chance to score when he took a handoff from the Raiders’ 27-yard line in Detroit’s Week 8 win. Less than half of one percent, according to Next Gen Stats, based on play call, formation and the defensive alignment at the snap.

Next Gen Stats determined that the play had just a 0.4 percent chance of resulting in a touchdown when Gibbs got the ball. One sweet bounce cut to the right and instant acceleration away from several would-be tacklers proved that the odds mean nothing to the talented Lions rookie.

Zebra Technologies, the folks behind Next Gen Stats, added this context on the Gibbs touchdown run,

Jahmyr Gibbs had just a 0.4% probability of reaching the endzone on his 27-yard score. He gained +23 RYOE on the play. The width of the Lions offensive formation was 15.6 yards. The Raiders defense matched with a width of 19.6 yards.

The offensive line and receivers deserve credit for blocking the play well, and Gibbs cashed in the extremely unlikely lottery ticket of a touchdown.

[lawrence-related id=98205]

 

This key metric proves Patrick Mahomes is NFL’s best QB on third down

Next Gen Stats broke down #Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes’ success in third-and-long situations.

To say that Patrick Mahomes has played stellar football since taking over as the Kansas City Chiefs’ starting quarterback in 2018 would be an understatement of epic proportions.

He has not only delivered the team Super Bowl wins but has also achieved spectacular statistical success that places him entirely in a league of his own. Mahomes’ accomplishments on third down are well documented, but one analysis done by Next Gen Stats proves that when it comes to the most crucial situations, the reigning MVP is more likely to deliver than any other signal-caller in the league.

His average time to throw, throw past sticks percentage, yards per attempt, and pass EPA are all the best of any quarterback in the league in third and seven-or-more-yard situations.

While some of these marks could be attributed to Andy Reid’s offensive scheme, Mahomes’ ability to process, react, and deliver accurate balls to receivers on time is truly second to none in one of the game’s most difficult situations.

Lions defense had the best pass rush game of any NFL team in the last five years

The Detroit Lions defense recorded the highest QB pressure rate by any team in a game since 2018 in win over the Raiders

Aaron Glenn dialed up a fantastic game plan to attack Raiders QB Jimmy Garoppolo and the Las Vegas Raiders offense. The Detroit Lions defensive coordinator was in his bag all night long in Monday night’s 26-14 win.

Glenn’s unit, coming off a lousy game in the Week 7 loss in Baltimore, had one of the most dominating performances by any NFL defense in years. The pass rush was the best by any team since 2018 in terms of generating pressure.

From Next Gen Stats,

“The Lions defense generated pressure on 71.4% of Jimmy Garoppolo’s dropbacks, the highest pressure rate by a defense in a game since 2018. Five different Lions defenders generated 3+ pressures. Garoppolo was sacked 6 times on the night.”

Defensive tackle Alim McNeill had six of those pressures and two sacks. Linebacker Alex Anzalone added two sacks and five pressures of his own, the same number as DE Aidan Hutchinson.

Garoppolo threw for 126 yards in completing just 10 of his 21 pass attempts. That lousy rate also reflected very well on the Lions’ defense, this time the coverage.

“The Lions defense also allowed the lowest completion percentage over expected (-20.1%) in a game this season. Garoppolo finished 10 of 21 for 126 yards & INT.

🔹 Jimmy G Comp Pct: 47.6%
🔹 Avg Completion Probability: 67.7%
🔹 Comp Pct Over Expected: -20.1%”

After the game, head coach Dan Campbell gave Glenn the game ball. He earned it with one of the best single games by any Detroit defense in the Super Bowl era.

[lawrence-related id=98120]

Bills’ Von Miller on Ed Oliver: ‘One of the best guys in the league’

Von Miller called Ed Oliver one of the best in the NFL:

The Buffalo Bills defense was missing some key pieces in their loss against the New England Patriots on Sunday.

With several defenders added to the injured reserve list in the last couple weeks, it was compounded with news that starting defensive tackle Ed Oliver would be out in Week 7 due to a toe injury.

Oliver has been one of the best interior pass-rushers in the NFL this season. It was a difference-making blow for the Bills (4-3).

Drafted in 2019, he has consistently pressured opposing quarterbacks into mistakes, and in 2022 had the second-highest pressure rate among his position in the NFL. As for this season, Oliver is on pace to set his career-best sack mark. He had five all the way back in his rookie year, but already has four in 2023.

Teammate Von Miller (knee) is working through his own injury situation. But he knows rushing the passer and he thinks Oliver ranks among one of the best in football at it.

“He’s the point guard – it goes as Ed goes. He’s one of the best guys in the league.” said Miller via video conference.

The All-Pro edge defender recently rejoined Buffalo’s defense after being one of the key injuries at the start of the season–but his stemmed over from 2022 which ended his year.

Such a serious injury takes time to get back in form, but Buffalo will hope to see peak Oliver and Miller firing on all cylinders as soon as possible this season.

But will that happen on Thursday?

First, one step at a time.

With such a short turnaround between the loss on Sunday and Buffalo’s next game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-3), coach Sean McDermott said on Oliver’s return “it’s going to be close” in terms of Oliver being able to play.

So far this week, both Oliver and Miller have been listed as limited participants in practice on Monday and Tuesday, as Miller was held to only six snaps played last week.

With such a short timeline, they could go either way by Thursday.

Bills Wire will continue to provide all injury updates ahead of kickoff.

[lawrence-related id=125180,125178,125170]

Bills’ Stefon Diggs’ route tree vs. the Giants looks crazy

#Bills’ Stefon Diggs’ route tree vs. the #Giants looks crazy:

Stefon Diggs is known as one of the best receivers in the NFL because he’s the full package. But if the Bills’ No. 1 is potentially better than anyone in the league at one thing, it’s his route running.

Diggs caught 10 of 16 targets for 100 yards against the New York Giants in a 14-9 win in Week 6. In order to get there… Diggs did a lot of work.

NFL’s Next Gen Stats tracked Diggs’ routes ran in the contest. Of all the passes he was targeted on… it was a very wide variety, reflecting his superior talent in running routes.

Could you manage to remember all these and pull in 65 percent of passes thrown your way in the NFL?

Check out Diggs’ Next Gen Stats target/routes chart below:

[lawrence-related id=124631,124627,124612]

Bills put together pass-rush fest among best ever recorded by NFL Next Gen Stats

Bills put together pass-rush fest among best ever recorded by NFL Next Gen Stats:

Yes, the Buffalo Bills defense was that good.

After the Bills’ blowout win over the Washington Commanders on Sunday, it was clear to see the pass rush has been legit in 2023.

According to NFL Next Gen Stats, when Howell dropped back 39 times during the game, the Bills pressured him 27 times. That is the 2nd-highest pressure rate in a game in the Next Gen Stats era (since 2018):

After last week when the Bills defense put pressure on the Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo but failed to sack him. This is more of what we have come to expect of the Bills pass-rush and it’s going to be tough to keep it going moving forward.

Buffalo hosts the Miami Dolphins in Week 4. Miami quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has only been sacked once through three games thanks to his quickness in getting the ball out.

The Bills have their work cut out for them.

[lawrence-related id=123323,123293,123265]