Tag: PFF Grades

Patriots veteran one of four highest-graded linebackers by PFF in 2023

Turn on the tape, and you’ll see why Jahlani Tavai was the most underrated defensive player in the NFL in 2023

New England Patriots linebacker Jahlani Tavai was the fourth-highest graded linebacker in the NFL in 2023, per Pro Football Focus.

Tavai was one of the unsung heroes of a Patriots defense that ranked in the top-10, despite the 4-13 finish by the team. The unit held up its end in keeping things competitive on the field, but they failed to overcome one of the worst offenses in the league.

Tavai was a game-changer and constant disruptor when he was on the field. Former coach Bill Belichick clearly noticed it due to the sudden uptick in snap count. Tavai’s usage rate jumped 24 percent from the previous season to him being used in 74 percent of the Patriots’ defensive snaps.

He finished the season with 110 total tackles, two interceptions, two forced fumbles and five pass deflections. His 86.6 PFF grade only ranks behind Tyrel Dodson, Fred Warner and Demario Davis.

Tavai is entering the peak of his career, and he’ll have added motivation playing in a contract year in 2024. The veteran linebacker is positioned to make some serious noise for a Patriots defense that is never mistaken for a pushover.

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PFF grades for 2023 season confirm Justin Jefferson’s dominance

According to PFF, the Minnesota Vikings’ Justin Jefferson is the only WR to achieve a 90+ grade each of the last 4 years.

Justin Jefferson has been one of the most dominant wide receivers in the league since the Minnesota Vikings selected him with the 22nd pick in the 2022 NFL draft. The latest data from Pro Football Focus are a reminder of Jefferson’s greatness.

According to PFF, Jefferson is the only wide receiver to have a grade of 90 or above in each of the last four seasons. Even this past season, when Jefferson was fighting through an ankle injury and the loss of his starting quarterback, Kirk Cousins, Jefferson put up a PFF grade of 91.1.

That grade, remarkably, is the highest of his career up to this point. While statistically 2023 wasn’t the best for Jefferson, he was clearly playing at an elite level under some exceptional circumstances. Imagine how much higher that grade could have been without the injuries to himself and Cousins.

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Lions offense finished in the top 10 in every PFF metric

The Detroit Lions offense finished in the top 10 in every PFF metric during the 2023 regular season

The Detroit Lions offense was clearly good on the surface. Ben Johnson’s unit finished fifth in scoring and third in total yards during the 2023 regular season.

The Lions offense was also very good below the surface in the analytical grading. Detroit finished in the top 10 of every single offensive metric graded by Pro Football Focus.

Detroit’s offensive rankings in the main offensive measuring sticks from PFF:

Total offense: 2nd

Passing: 5th

Pass blocking: t-8th

Receiving: 3rd

Running: 9th

Run blocking: 2nd

PFF grades are often taken with a wink or a grain of salt, but they do serve as a strong comparative tool on a more macro level. The overall grades for the teams (and also individual players) are an effective way of seeing how good–or bad–a group is relative to its peers across the league.

 

Breaking down the PFF grades from Lions appearance in NFC Championship game

Breaking down the best and worst PFF grades from Lions appearance in NFC Championship game

PFF grades are coming to an end for the 2023 season as the Lions were not able to complete their magical run. They blew a 17-point lead to the San Frcnisco 49ers and are now in position of the 29th pick in the draft. Meanwhile, he 49ers are packing their bags for Las Vegas to faceoff against the Chiefs.

A Chiefs team that these same Lions beat in week one, can’t forget that one.

As for the PFF grades, this Lions team played well and fought to the very last second. Some played and showed up much better than others, these grades will make it easy to find those players.

Here are the PFF grades from the Lions NFC Championship appearance.

Detroit Lions best and worst PFF grades from the playoff win over the Bucs

Let’s take a look at the best and worst PFF graded players for the Detroit Lions in their victorious encounter with the Buccaneers.

Following their triumph over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Detroit Lions are now on the cusp of glory, eyeing the NFC Championship game against the San Francisco 49ers.

The victory was the result of a collective effort from all three phases, reflecting the Lions’ characteristic resilience in close matches. This team is built to adapt, with each phase compensating when one aspect takes a moment to find its rhythm. While key players delivered outstanding performances that propelled the Lions to victory, there were also areas where improvement is needed as they prepare to face San Francisco.

Let’s take a look at the best and worst PFF graded players for the Lions in their victorious encounter with the Buccaneers.

Alim McNeill has the best PFF grade of any remaining defensive lineman

Alim McNeill has the best PFF grade of any remaining defensive lineman still playing in the postseason

The NFL playoffs are down the the elite eight. Blessedly, the Detroit Lions are one of those eight remaining teams. One of the reasons why the Lions are still playing is their effective pass rush. And one of the keys to that is defensive tackle Alim McNeill.

In fact, McNeill is the top interior defensive lineman still playing in the playoffs, based on Pro Football Focus grades. McNeill’s 88.6 overall season grade. The third-year pro edges out Kansas City’s Chris Jones (among others) in the PFF grades.

The improvement from McNeill in both run defense and pass rush win rate elevated him to the top of the PFF heap.

AFC Divisional Round picks: Who the experts are taking in Ravens vs. Texans

The NFL experts have made their picks, and the Baltimore Ravens are favored to defeat the Houston Texans in the AFC Divisional Round

We’re a little over 30 hours away from the Ravens (13-4) and Texans (11-7) kicking off the AFC divisional round of the playoffs on ESPN.

Houston advanced to the Divisional round of the NFL playoffs for the fifth time in franchise history with a 45-14 win over the Browns in Super Wild Card Weekend.

The playoff win earned the Texans a rematch against the Ravens, and they’ll return to M&T Bank Stadium hoping to avenge a 25-9 loss in Week 1.

With kickoff fast approaching, here’s the NFL expert picks.

The top offensive players for Tampa Bay in the Wild Card, per PFF

Bucs pass catchers feasted against Philadelphia’s woeful secondary in the two teams’ wild card matchup.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers stifled the Philadelphia Eagles defensively, but when it came to the offensive side of the ball, they also put up the points.

The Bucs drubbed the Eagles 32-9 on Monday in the Wild Card round, getting a big win and shifting their focus to the Divisional. Tampa Bay’s offense fired, as not only did quarterback Baker Mayfield bake, Tampa Bay’s pass catchers feasted on Philadelphia’s secondary. Pro Football Focus released their recent grades for the game, and they were particularly impressed with the wideouts and tight ends in Tampa Bay.

Here are the 10 highest-graded Bucs offensive players from the Wild Card round, per PFF:

Vikings final defensive PFF grades for 2023 season

The final Pro Football Focus grades for the Minnesota Vikings defense shed light on a unit that over achieved due to scheme.

With the first weekend of the 2023 NFL playoffs now complete, we are looking back on the season that was for the Minnesota Vikings.

Despite a 7-10 record, the Vikings played well during the 2023 season. The defense improved from 31st in the National Football League to 16th in a very impressive turnaround. The scoring defense also improved to 13th in the NFL, which would have easily been top 10 in the league if it weren’t for the unit imploding at the end of the season.

There is a lot of hope for the future, as the unit was overall really good despite having a talent void.

The final grades from Pro Football Focus are in and reflect a unit that played well despite their late-season struggles.

Dolphins’ best and worst PFF grades from wild-card game vs. Chiefs

A look at PFF grades from the wild-card loss.

The Miami Dolphins lost their final game of the 2023 season on Saturday, as they were defeated by the Kansas City Chiefs 26-7 at Arrowhead Stadium.

Mike McDaniel’s team dropped their second postseason game in their two chances during his tenure. This time, between the weather and the injuries, the Dolphins didn’t have enough to squeak out an upset over the league’s best coach-quarterback combination.

On Tuesday, just three days after the loss, we take a look at Pro Football Focus’ grades to see how the advanced analytics determined the Dolphins did on Saturday against the Chiefs.