Tag: NFL Week 1

PFF: Where the Bills offensive line ranks after Week 1

PFF: Where the #Bills offensive line ranks after Week 1 (via @TejasVemparala):

Buffalo Bills fans expected to see improvement by the Bills offensive line from last year. Despite center Mitch Morse’s Pro Bowl nod along with Dion Dawkins and Rodger Saffold, the unit were ranked 23rd in the 2022 NFL season.

As the preseason ended, the Bills’ season opener was the first chance to see whether the offensive line had indeed progressed from last year. However, following Monday’s overtime loss to the New York Jets, the stats highlight that the Bills offensive line was more of what we have seen – not any worse but not any better.

According to Pro Football Focus, who ranked the performance of all 32 NFL teams’ offensive line units during Week 1 of the 2023 NFL season, the Bills ranked No. 23  after Week 1. PFF listed the ranking of each team in order from best to worst performing, and the Bills are sandwiched in between the Arizona Cardinals and Cincinnati Bengals, both of whom lost on Sunday.

Here is the full excerpt from the football analytics outlet:

Projected Week 2 starters:

LT Dion Dawkins
LG Connor McGovern
C Mitch Morse
RG O’Cyrus Torrence
RT Spencer Brown

Rookie right guard O’Cyrus Torrence was solid in his NFL debut, letting up three pressures on 50 dropbacks and earning the highest run-blocking grade on the Bills’ offensive line.
The Bills needed right tackle Spencer Brown to take a step forward in 2023; however, the third-year player gave up five pressures against the Jets, which was tied for the fourth most he has allowed since the start of the 2022 season.

Best player: Dion Dawkins
Dawkins was the only Buffalo offensive lineman not to allow either a sack or a quarterback hit against the Jets.

For each team, Pro Football Focus highlighted players that were determined to be the weakest links. The three for the Bills, Morse, Torrence, and Brown, were highlighted by PFF as the Bills’ weakest links in WEek 1.

It is only one game, but the first impressions of the offensive line seem to be more of what we saw last season. The Bills offensive line unit should have an easier time in Week 2 with a Las Vegas Raiders defense that many predict will not be good.

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LB Denzel Perryman was Texans’ most impactful free agent in Week 1

Linebacker Denzel Perryman led the way among new Houston Texans free agents in the Pro Football Focus grades from Week 1.

Prior to the Houston Texans’ investments in the 2023 NFL draft, the club spent salary cap space to acquire key veterans to add credibility to their rebuild.

Khaled Elsayed from Pro Football Focus took a look at the Texans’ free agent acquisitions who played in the 25-9 loss to the Baltimore Ravens in Week 1. While receiver Robert Woods may have impressed with six catches for 57 yards, one of the new faces on defense actually had the highest PFF grade among the new free agents.

Dalton Schultz (46.7) ended up with just four yards on his four targets in a quiet start, but Robert Woods (64.1) was more productive with 57 yards (although his two drops were uncharacteristic of a receiver who has never dropped more than eight in a single season). At running back, Devin Singletary (44.3) is very much a secondary option after being outsnapped 36-16 by Dameon Pierce. Denzel Perryman (69.7) is still dangerous against the run, as evidenced by his five defensive stops, but it was a quiet start for Sheldon Rankins (38.5). His only mention on the stats sheet was a quarterback hurry.

The former Pro Bowler collected a game-high 11 combined tackles and a tackle for loss as the Texans held the Ravens to 263 yards total offense, the fifth-fewest for Baltimore in a season opener since 1999.

Houston hosts the Indianapolis Colts Sunday at 12:00 p.m. Central Time at NRG Stadium. If the Texans are able to get higher-graded performances out of their free agents in Week 2, it could give coach DeMeco Ryans his first career win.

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C.J. Stroud seeks improvement, Texans remain confident in rookie QB

QB C.J. Stroud desires to improve his game following a middling Week 1. The Houston Texans still remain confident in the rookie’s performance.

Houston Texans rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud is a perfectionist. He prides himself on making the right plays every time he touches the football field.

That is why Sunday’s season opener loss against the Baltimore Ravens bothered him so much after the game. Stroud took his first NFL career defeat very personally because he believed he could have done a better job while on the field.

“Got to just be better overall myself,” said Stroud during his postgame press conference. “I have to make more plays. We had some positive things, but we just have to keep going from here and keep getting better.”

Stroud finished the game with 242 yards passing but could not lead the Texans into the end zone as they settled for three field goals on the day. Although he did not get the desired outcome, he was reassured by the veterans on the team that there were more games on the schedule, so take the positives into Week 2 against the Indianapolis Colts.

“I know the mentality that he comes to practice with every single day,” Texans defensive end Jonathan Greenard said about Stroud. “Seeing a guy like seven [Stroud], I will play for him any day. He is my quarterback, and I have the utmost confidence in him because he cares about it that much. You see how down he is on himself because he is a perfectionist.

“But if you look in the grand scheme of things, bro [Stroud], you just played your first NFL game in one of the most hostile environments in the NFL against one of the best defenses in the NFL. Take your punches and roll with them, but also understand the small victories you had in within there so you don’t get down on yourself. You can always critique things, but by the same token, you are a great player and deserve to be here [NFL].”

The Ravens made sure they left a lasting impression on the rookie as they constantly pressured him, eventually leading to five sacks on the day and one fumble. Even with the constant chaos, Stroud was able to complete 63.6% of his passes, which garnered the praises of Ravens linebacker Patrick Queen.

“Poise,” Queen responded when asked about Stroud’s demeanor. “Obviously, it is his first real game, and he made some great throws and scrambles, stepping up in the pocket, doing all those things to try and help his team win. I think in the future they have themselves a great quarterback.”

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Patriots’ top 10 defensive players in Week 1, per PFF grades

What Patriots defensive players had the highest Pro Football Focus grades in Week 1?

It was a defensive effort for the ages for the New England Patriots in Sunday’s regular season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles.

They ultimately weren’t able to come away with the victory, but they did hold quarterback Jalen Hurts and the explosive Eagles offense to 251 total yards in the 25-20 loss.

Two of the touchdowns scored by Philly came on a pick-six on Patriots quarterback Mac Jones, along with a fumble by running back Ezekiel Elliott putting the defense in compromised field position.

It has been made obvious once again that the defense will be the strength of the Patriots. Let’s take a look at the top 10 defensive players, per Pro Football Focus grades.

5 statistic takeaways from Texans’ 25-9 loss to the Ravens

Here are five key observations regarding the Houston Texans’ 25-9 loss to the Baltimore Ravens in Week 1.

The Houston Texans and coach DeMeco Ryans opened up the season on Sunday with a 25-9 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. The contest featured the NFL debut of first round picks C.J. Stroud and Will Anderson and was also the first look for fans at the new schemes from offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik and defensive coordinator Matt Burke.

Despite the results, there were some encouraging signs and potential signs of trouble within the game that are worth discussing moving forward. Here are four interesting developments per NFL Next Gen that fans should pay attention to as the Texans look to turn the corner at home against the Indianapolis Colts.

Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs led the NFL in forced missed tackles in Week 1

Gibbs wound up breaking more tackles than any other player in Week 1 despite getting just 9 touches

Jahmyr Gibbs proved worthy of the excitement and playmaking hype in his first NFL game. The Lions first-round running back didn’t get a lot of opportunities, but he still wound up breaking more tackles than any other player in the entire league in Week 1.

On just nine touches (7 carries, 2 receptions), Gibbs managed to force six missed tackles, per PFF. That’s one more than a group of other players that includes 49ers star Christian McCaffrey and the Chargers’ versatile Austin Ekeler. It helped key the Lions’ 21-20 win in Kansas City.

Gibbs accomplished the feat by using his quick feet, excellent contact balance and his ability to bounce off contact. It’s why head coach Dan Campbell indicated Gibbs will get more opportunities to show what he can do in upcoming games.

 

Best photos from the Patriots’ Week 1 loss vs. Eagles

Here are the best photos from the Patriots’ regular season opener.

The New England Patriots came within a foot of sustaining a red zone drive that might have led to a game-winning touchdown in Sunday’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Quarterback Mac Jones attempted to connect with rookie wide receiver Kayshon Boutte on a sideline throw on a fourth-and-11 in the waning seconds of the fourth quarter. Boutte came up with the football, but he failed to keep both feet inbounds for it to be ruled a catch.

That ended an incredible rally attempt from the Patriots in a 25-20 loss at Gillette Stadium.

There were still a bunch of positive takeaways from what ended up being a great football game. Former Patriots legend Tom Brady was in the building to be honored by the team at halftime. So it was clearly a big afternoon for the organization both on and off the field.

Here are the best photos from the game:

Texans earn C grade from CBS Sports after 25-9 loss to Ravens

The Houston Texans were able to at least earn a passing grade following their Week 1 performance against the Baltimore Ravens.

The Houston Texans are 0-1 on the season, but some national media consider their performance in Week 1 to be middle of the pack.

According to John Breech from CBS Sports, the Texans earned a C grade following their 25-9 loss to the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium Sunday afternoon.

In C.J. Stroud’s first career game, the rookie QB wasn’t bad and he might have been better if he didn’t spend half the day running for his life. Stroud was sacked five times by the Ravens, but despite the pressure, he was still able to complete 28 of 44 passes for 242 yards. Although the scoreboard says blowout, this was close for a while. It was only 7-6 at halftime and the Texans might have been able to put a scare into the Ravens if they had done a better job of converting on fourth down (They failed on two different fourth-and-ones). The Texans defense played surprisingly well, holding the Ravens to under 270 yards of offense while also forcing two turnovers. The Texans might not win a lot of games this year, but don’t be surprised if they’re able to keep most of them close.

Houston went 0-2 in the red zone along with 0-1 in goal-to-go. If the Texans were able to convert both of their red zone trips, or even cashed in on their goal-to-go, the tenor of the game may have been different.

The Texans’ defense also showed up as the 265 yards total offense were the fifth-fewest by the Ravens on Opening Day since 1999. Although there is still room for improvement, there are already identifiable suggestions that the Texans defense has improved over the little time with DeMeco Ryans and new defensive coordinator Matt Burke.

Houston gets back into action Sept. 17 for a Week 2 encounter with the Indianapolis Colts Sunday at NRG Stadium.

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Texans coach DeMeco Ryans ‘happy’ with Josh Jones’ guard performance

Houston Texans coach DeMeco Ryans was pleased with what Josh Jones showed at left guard against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 1.

The Houston Texans aren’t where they would like to be with the offensive line.

Houston has lost three starters at left guard, center, and right tackle throughout the course of training camp and preseason. Instead of Kenyon Green at left guard, the Texans went with former Arizona Cardinals guard-tackle Josh Jones to take the former 2022 first-rounder’s place.

“With our offensive line, we’ve been shuffling guys a lot,” coach DeMeco Ryans told reporters Monday. “As you guys know, we’ve had multiple injuries on the line, and we’ve had to shuffle guys.”

Jones’ flexibility between guard and tackle gave him the advantage to plug at left guard, even though the Texans have been evaluating their line for position flex.

The former Houston Cougar saw his first action with the Texans amid the 25-9 loss to the Baltimore Ravens Sunday in Week 1 at M&T Bank Stadium.

“I thought Josh did a good job in his first time at guard,” said Ryans. “He hasn’t been with us long, so being in a tough spot for him, I thought he accepted the challenge, and he went out and he played good ball for us. So, I’m happy with what Josh was able to do for us on Sunday.”

As the Texans continue to cobble together solutions at guard — at least until Tytus Howard and Juice Scruggs return from injured reserve — Jones will have to do.

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Texans coach DeMeco Ryans would go for it again on fourth downs against the Ravens

Houston Texans coach DeMeco Ryans says he would still go for it on fourth down against the Baltimore Ravens following their 25-9 loss.

The Houston Texans made a statement in the first quarter against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 1.

After the Ravens committed a running into the kicker penalty against Ty Zentner to move Houston into a fourth-and-1 from their own 47-yard line with 10:59 to go in the first quarter, coach DeMeco Ryans sent the offense back onto the field at M&T Bank Stadium.

Rather than punt and play an early game of field position, Ryans went with his rookie quarterback and decided to push his chips to the center of the table.

Ryans’ gamble didn’t pay off as quarterback C.J. Stroud was sacked for an 11-yard loss, resulting in a turnover on downs. The Ravens took over at the Texans’ 36-yard line with a favorable pathway to score first.

With 7:40 to go in the third quarter, the Texans went for it again as running back Dameon Pierce took a handoff for no gain on fourth-and-1 from the Houston 42-yard line. The Texans were down 15-6 and the resulting possession led to a Ravens touchdown.

Despite Houston coming up short on both fourth down attempts, Ryans told reporters Monday after the 25-9 loss that he would have still had the same course of action.

“I was being aggressive with our team on fourth down, and both decisions, I’ll do it again,” said Ryans.

The Texans were 1-4 on fourth downs throughout the afternoon. While the success rate may be below the median, Ryans’ decisions to go for it are part of an overarching belief in the offense that they hope pays off down the road.

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