Tag: nfl stats

Lions run defense continues to smother opposing RBs

The Lions run defense has been very good all season, but the recent run of stuffing RBs has been even better

One of the overlooked facets of Saturday night’s controversially officiated game between the Lions and Cowboys is just how well the Detroit run defense played. For the second week in a row, the Lions turned in an elite defensive performance in stopping opposing running backs.

In this case, it was Tony Pollard. The lead Cowboys RB managed just 49 yards on 16 carries, 18 of which came on one run. Even more impressive than holding Pollard to just over 3.0 yards per carry is that the Lions did so without stacking the box a single time, per Next Gen Stats. Base defense suffocated the opposing running back in Dallas, just as it did one week earlier against the Vikings. Minnesota, Detroit’s Week 18 opponent, gained 16 yards on 10 carries by running backs in Week 16 against the Lions.

It has been an unheralded strength of the Lions defense all season, but especially since the Week 9 bye week. In the eight games since the bye, Detroit’s defense has allowed opposing running backs just 474 yards on 151 carries. That’s an average of just 3.18 yards per handoff. Quarterbacks and wideouts, as well as whatever you want to call Taysom Hill, have fared quite a bit better against the Lions, but the run defense has been great at stopping running backs.

It looks even better on first-down carries by running backs. The Lions have more tackles-for-loss on running backs (10) than runs of five or more yards (9) on 1st-and-10 runs in the last six games.

For the year, Detroit’s overall run defense ranks third (tied with Chicago) in total yards per carry allowed (3.7) and fifth in rushing yards per game (88.8).

 

Where the Chargers rank statistically after Week 17

Looking at the major metrics, here is where the Chargers stand after Week 17.

The Chargers fell to 5-11 after losing to the Broncos on Sunday.

Now that Week 17 is in the rearview, we now know how the Bolts rank statistically compared to the rest of the NFL. Looking at the major metrics, here is where L.A. stands.

Where the Bucs rank statistically after Week 17

Here’s how the Bucs stack up to the rest of the NFL heading into the final game of the 2023-24 season:

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers came into Week 17 having won four games in a row with a blistering offense, and that didn’t seem to show up when they played the New Orleans Saints at home in a division-clinching matchup.

The Bucs largely got demolished 23-13 at home, only scoring points in the fourth quarter when the game was all but over. As a result, the team now has to defeat the Carolina Panthers on the road in Week 18 to go to the playoffs as the No. 4 seed.

With a putrid offense and a sieve for a defense, Tampa Bay didn’t do too much to boost any of their rankings amongst the NFL against the Saints. Here is where the Bucs currently stand statistically, according to Team Rankings:

Where the Chargers rank statistically after Week 16

Looking at the major metrics, here is where the Chargers stand after Week 16.

The Chargers fell to 5-10 after losing to the Bills on Saturday.

Now that Week 16 is in the rearview, we now know how the Bolts rank statistically compared to the rest of the NFL. Looking at the major metrics, here is where L.A. stands.

Where the Chargers rank statistically after Week 10

Looking at the major metrics, here is where the Chargers stand after Week 10.

The Chargers are now 4-5 after falling to the Lions on Sunday.

Now that Week 10 is in the rearview, we now know how the Bolts rank statistically compared to the rest of the NFL. Looking at the major metrics, here is where L.A. stands.