Tag: Pro Football Focus

Falcons QB Matt Ryan, WR Calvin Ridley make PFF’s team of the week

After a 1-7 start, the Falcons have turned things around over the past two weeks, defeating both the Saints and Panthers by playing complementary football.

After a 1-7 start, the Falcons have turned things around over the past two weeks, defeating both the Saints and Panthers by playing complementary football.

The defense deserves credit for Sunday’s five-sack, four-interception performance in Carolina, but Atlanta’s offense more than held its own.

Quarterback Matt Ryan and wide receiver Calvin Ridley made the Pro Football Focus team of the week for their play in Week 11.

Ryan completed 21-of-31 passes for 311 yards, 1 touchdown and a passer rating of 111.1 against the Panthers. This earned Ryan a PFF grade of 86.7.

Second-year wideout Calvin Ridley finally got the chance to show what he could do as the Falcons’ No. 2 weapon behind Julio Jones. Ridley would catch all eight of Ryan’s targets, finishing 143 yards and a touchdown.

With a grade of 91.7, Ridley earned the highest mark of any offensive player in Week 11, according to Pro Football Focus.

Tight end Austin Hooper is likely to be sidelined for another week. This will give Atlanta another chance to see what Ridley can do as a focal point in this offense.

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Kyle Allen’s rankings among 2019 QBs prove Panthers need a change

Kyle Allen rankings among 2019 NFL QBs prove Panthers need a change.

Sometimes stats can be misleading, especially with a small sample size. A lot of analysts got caught up in Kyle Allen’s win/loss record early this season when he took over for an injured Cam Newton at quarterback. Now that he’s played eight games, we have a much better idea of what Allen is all about. The numbers are not kind.

Allen doesn’t even rank among the top 32 quarterbacks by Pro Football Focus this year and he’s No. 30 in ESPN’s QB metric. He’s also been inefficient and inaccurate. Here’s a handful of devastating stats.

Ron Rivera told reporters yesterday the plan is to continue developing Allen, but this is a mistake.

Will Grier might not be any better than Allen has. However, the Panthers invested a third-round pick in him. Prioritizing the progress of an undrafted QB over a No. 100 overall pick simply doesn’t make any sense. Despite his recent struggles, Allen should have the backup job on lock-down. Now it’s time to find out what the team has in Grier.

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Joe Schobert earns the highest PFF grade of any defender in Week 11

Nobody does it better than Joe Schobert in Week 11

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Joe Schobert put on quite a show in the Cleveland Browns’ 21-7 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 11. Schobert made plays all over the field from his off-ball linebacker position, including two interceptions and a sack.

His theme song for the week comes from the underrated James Bond flick “The Spy Who Loved Me”: Nobody does it better.

According to Pro Football Focus and their player grading, Carly Simon was singing directly about Schobert,

Nobody does it better
Makes me feel sad for the rest
Nobody does it half as good as you
Baby, you’re the best

Schobert logged the highest grade of any defensive player who participated in at least 25 percent of his team’s snaps in Week 11. His 93.3 grade made Schobert the only linebacker to score above 87. Rams tackle Aaron Donald matched the 93.3 score but did it in fewer snaps.

One big reason for the lofty score was Schobert’s work in pass coverage. He allowed four reception on seven targets, but those ceded just 20 yards. Pair those with his two INTs and a PD on the other incompletion and it’s about as good of a performance as a linebacker can pull off in coverage. And that doesn’t count his sack or three QB pressures in just seven pass rush reps.

And nobody does it better
Though sometimes I wish someone could
Nobody does it quite the way you do
Why’d you have to be so good?

PFF grades Nick Easton as the Saints’ best offensive player vs. Bucs

The analysts at Pro Football Focus singled out left guard Nick Easton as the best New Orleans Saints player against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers boasted the NFL’s best run defense, but it didn’t matter against a New Orleans Saints offensive line that bullied them on Sunday. It’s not uncommon to see the Saints’ big blockers doing damage up front — four of the unit’s five starters were recognized at last year’s Pro Bowl or on the All-Pro lists. But what’s unexpected is how well the unit’s newest addition performed.

According to snap-by-snap charting from Pro Football Focus, backup left guard Nick Easton was the best Saints player on offense. Their grading system credited him with an 83.5 overall mark (third-best in the league this week, going into Monday Night Football) and a no-hitter in pass protection, with 37 snaps logged against the Buccaneers pass rush but no quarterback pressures allowed. Easton’s aggressiveness on run plays was a big part of New Orleans’ success, with the veteran often moving the man across from him before advancing to the second level.

Fans couldn’t have hoped for a better NFL debut for Easton in black and gold, especially given his lack of playing-time so far. Easton signed a four-year, $22.5 million contract with the Saints in the spring but had only played a handful of snaps on special teams going into Week 11. An unfortunate injury to starting left guard Andrus Peat opened the door for Easton to get on the field.

There was some debate among fans about who would start in Peat’s place, though Easton was the popular pick. The doubt surrounded his lack of appearances going into Sunday’s game. Easton was a healthy scratch in six of the Saints’ first nine games, with backups Will Clapp and Patrick Omameh ahead of him on the depth chart. Clapp and Omameh have the versatility to play both guard and tackle (and Clapp has proven he can hold it down at center in a pinch), but Easton’s limitations at guard and center kept him on the bench until the Saints needed him.

And they’re happy to have him. Saints coach Sean Payton can be counted among the group that was impressed by Easton’s performance, saying after the game, “He has been getting a lot of practice reps, but there wasn’t a lot of discussion. We felt like he was going to be the starting left guard. That gave us the ability to keep Will Clapp in his role. Nick [Easton] has played a lot of football in our league — he has started a lot of games. I am anxious to see the film because I think he played pretty well.”

Peat is going to be out about five more weeks while recovering from surgery on his broken arm, so that gives Easton plenty of opportunities to make plays for New Orleans. If he keeps up the pace he started with against Tampa Bay, he might just hold onto the starting job if Peat leaves in free agency in the offseason.

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Who are the experts taking in Chargers vs. Chiefs?

NFL experts have made their game predictions on the matchup between the Chargers and Chiefs.

The Los Angeles Chargers (4-6) are considered 4.5-point home underdogs to the Kansas City Chiefs (6-4) in Week 11 of the 2019 regular season. The over/under line is set at 52.5 points, per BetMGM.

That means oddsmakers are taking bets on whether the two teams will combine to score more than or fewer than 52.5 points.

Our score prediction for the game is a 31-27 win for the Chargers, with a combined total of 58 points. So if we were putting money behind our prediction, we’d bet the over.

As for game picks, the majority of the experts are rolling with the Chiefs.

Expert Pick
Nate Davis (USA Today) Chiefs
Mike Jones (USA Today) Chiefs
Mike Clay (ESPN) Chiefs
Sporting News Chiefs
Pete Prisco (CBS Sports) Chargers
Will Brinson (CBS Sports) Chiefs
Steve Palazzolo (PFF) Chiefs
Bleacher Report Chiefs

Monday’s game will begin at 5:15 p.m. PT and will be televised on ESPN.

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P.J. Williams’ stats in covering the slot versus lining up outside

The New Orleans Saints have to start P.J. Williams in place of injured cornerback Marshon Lattimore, but his NFL experience should help out.

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Marshon Lattimore may be the most important player on the New Orleans Saints defense, but they’ll be without him on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Lattimore injured his hamstring last week versus the Atlanta Falcons and missed practice throughout the week, with New Orleans ruling him out for their road game in Tampa. When Lattimore is playing at his best, there isn’t a receiver in football who can beat him — including Falcons superstar Julio Jones and Buccaneers big-play threat Mike Evans.

So the Saints have to adapt to life without him, at least temporarily. That means a change of responsibilities for starting slot corner P.J. Williams, who slides into Lattimore’s spot. While he’s definitely best suited to defending routes from the inside, Pro Football Focus charting over the last few years suggests Williams is hardly helpless when lined up outside.

When defending the slot in his last 24 games (including the playoffs), Williams has allowed 68 of 102 passes (66.7%) thrown into his coverage to be completed, gaining 810 yards (11.9 yards per catch). He’s forced 11 incomplete throws (11.8% of his total targets) in that time. That’s a passer rating allowed of 103.0.

The presence of Lattimore and the Saints’ other starting cornerback, Eli Apple, has limited Williams’ exposure outside of the slot. But during that same time frame he’s allowed 11 of 19 targets (57.9%) to be completed when playing out on the boundary, totaling 182 yards (16.5 yards per catch) with two forced incompletions (10.5%); all summed up in a 129.8 passer rating allowed.

So the numbers prove that, yes, Williams is better playing from the slot. That backs up what can be seen firsthand in his game tape. But they also that he’s unlikely to be a total liability, which we also saw last week when he stepped in against Atlanta. Williams was one of several defensive backs responsible for Jones’ big 54-yard grab-and-go, but he chipped in as part of a team effort to limit Jones to just three catches on nine targets in that game. He can play in this league.

What does this mean as far as Saints fans’ expectations for him against Tampa Bay, which boasts a strong one-two punch between Evans and Chris Godwin? The potential for big plays is there but Williams should give as good as he gets. He has the ability, and now the opportunity, to go out and help make a difference in an important NFC South game.

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Russell Wilson continues to excel when facing pressure

Despite facing pressure at the third highest rate in the NFL, Russell Wilson has the league’s second best passer rating against pressure.

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson has always handled being under pressure well, and the 2019 season is no different.

So far this season, Wilson has a passer rating of 108.7 when under pressure, which ranks second in the NFL behind Derek Carr of the Oakland Raiders (109.2).

The key difference, however, is that Wilson has still seen the third highest rate of pressure (41.8 percent of dropbacks) this season – despite clear evidence that he succeeds when faced with it.

Of course, Wilson’s passer rating without pressure is still much better, so teams may just be taking the lesser of two evils by applying pressure. Wilson does end up getting sacked quite a bit, as a veteran offensive line has battled injuries and ineffectiveness for much of the season, which has forced Wilson to use his legs more than in years past.

The Seahawks are 8-2 thanks almost exclusively to Wilson’s heroics throughout the season, and the MVP candidate will take a much deserved break this weekend before heading to Philadelphia to take on the Eagles in Week 12.

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PFF names Bills’ Leslie Frazier NFL’s second-best defensive play-caller

Buffalo Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier named one of NFL’s best defensive play-caller by Pro Football Focus.

The Buffalo Bills defense is Sean McDermott’s baby. But defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier plays his part, too.

Pro Football Focus recently recognized this by naming Frazier the second-best defensive play-caller in the NFL recently.

Here’s how PFF explains his selection:

LESLIE FRAZIER, BUFFALO BILLS
While the Patriots and the 49ers get all the attention with notable defensive leaders on the sideline and on the field, the Buffalo Bills are very quietly one of the best defenses in the NFL without the star power. The highest-graded Bills defender is Micah Hyde, and he ranks just 62nd among all defensive players with 300-plus snaps this season. This emphasizes exactly how this metric for coaching is built: a team constructed of players who are good but not great is not expected to have consistently great results, and when they exceed expectations as a team, that credit goes to the defensive play-caller. Compare this with a 49ers team that has been great but is also getting exceptional play from a bevy of players at all levels of the field and has faced an easier slate of games to this point.

Despite the lack of star power, the Bills’ defense is on par with the best in the NFL. On first- and second-down passes, the Bills’ opponents are getting closer to scoring next just 44% of the time, which ranks third to the Patriots and 49ers. On all passing plays, the Bills are allowing the fourth-lowest expected points added and have done so without a whole slew of turnovers, forcing just nine, which is below the league average of 11.3.

Buffalo’s defense has left some room for improvement in recent weeks against the run, but their secondary and second level of their defense is amongst the best in the NFL, which is why they’re ranked as the NFL’s third-best defense in terms of yards allowed.

The Bills’ coaching staff certainly deserves their fair share of credit for the unit’s successes so far this season. Because of this, could Frazier be considered a future head coaching candidate?

Frazier only ranked behind the Patriots’ Bill Belichick on PFF’s list of best defensive play-callers. You love to hate him, but that’s some good company.

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Vikings NT Linval Joseph could be back sooner rather than later

It’s probably fair to wonder if Joseph could play in Week 13 when the Vikings travel to Seattle to play the Seahawks.

Vikings nose tackle Linval Joseph missed Sunday night’s game against the Cowboys after undergoing knee surgery last week, the Star Tribune reported.

When will we see Joseph? Could it possibly be in Week 11 against the Broncos?

“I don’t know yet,” Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said. “Could be back this week. We’ll see.” 

It seems very unlikely that Joseph would be back so quickly, but considering the team has a bye in Week 12, it’s probably fair to wonder if Joseph could play in Week 13 when the Vikings travel to Seattle to play the Seahawks.

Per Pro Football Focus, Joseph has a player grade of 74.9, a mark that ranks 35th out of 121 interior defenders.

If Joseph can’t play in Week 11, we’ll see a few players fill his spot with Jaleel Johnson likely starting.

Justin Houston, Quenton Nelson named to PFF Team of the Week

Justin Houston and Quenton Nelson made an impression in Week 10.

The Indianapolis Colts suffered a horrendous loss at home against the Miami Dolphins, but there were some lone bright spots on both sides of the ball in Week 10.

Pro Football Focus was particularly keen on the performances of defensive end Justin Houston and left guard Quenton Nelson—both of which were named to their Team of the Week in Week 10.

LG QUENTON NELSON, INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

Nelson has now earned 70.0-plus overall grades and run-blocking grades in three consecutive games. Against Miami on Sunday, he earned an 84.2 overall grade, 89.6 pass-blocking grade and 77.1 run-blocking grade. He also allowed zero pressures across his 41 pass-blocking snaps.

EDGE JUSTIN HOUSTON, INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

Houston recorded six total pressures against Miami on Sunday, including four hurries, one hit and a sack. He also logged four defensive stops in the affair.

While the offensive line had some question marks in the upset loss, Nelson held his own for the most part. He was stout in pass protection and was solid when the Colts tried to run the ball—though they struggled to get much going in the latter area.

Houston has been the MVP for the Colts defense through nine games. He’s already up to 7.0 sacks and has one in each of his last five games. The veteran has been well worth the two-year deal he signed this offseason.

There is a bit of a snub, though. Linebacker Darius Leonard had one of the better performances at the position in recent memory, but somehow he didn’t grade high enough to make the list. He finished with 13 tackles (11 solo), one sack, one interception, two passes defended, two tackles for loss and a forced fumble.