Tag: Pro Football Focus

Pro Football Focus: Christian McCaffrey is the highest graded Panthers player in 2019

Christian McCaffrey is making a compelling case to prove them wrong this year. 

Some people will tell you that running backs don’t matter. They’re the most replaceable players on the roster and it’s not worth using a first-round draft pick on them, no matter who it is. Christian McCaffrey is making a compelling case to prove them wrong this year.

Coming into Week 11, McCaffrey ranks second in the NFL in yards from scrimmage – Dalvin Cook has 30 more yards and one more game played. He’s been by far the most valuable piece for the Panthers this season. Without McCaffrey’s contributions, Carolina’s offense would be effectively useless and the team’s record would certainly be much worse than 5-4.

It’s not just that McCaffrey is putting up high usage numbers – he’s playing at an extremely high level. Pro Football Focus has McCaffrey as the highest-graded Panthers player (89.3) this season.

“McCaffrey has been borderline superhuman this season. Yes, Jacobs has a higher overall grade than the Panthers back, but McCaffrey has played over 250 more offensive snaps than Jacobs in Weeks 1-10. McCaffrey has also earned an elite 92.1 receiving grade so far this season, which ranks second among qualifying backs.”

Unfortunately, it’s pretty much a one-man show for the Panthers offense. The next-highest graded player is second-year wide receiver D.J. Moore, who comes in 10 points lower than McCaffrey at 79.4. Then, there’s another significant drop down to tight end Greg Olsen, who has a 69.4 overall grade.

On defense, there’s no outlier like McCaffrey. Despite what’s been an off season by his standards, inside linebacker Luke Kuechly has the top PFF grade at 81.3. Defensive tackle Gerald McCoy is next at 79.0. First-round pick Brian Burns started the year off hot but a wrist injury has slowed him down lately and his grade has fallen to 59.2.

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Falcons LB Foye Oluokun was PFF’s highest-graded defender vs. Saints

The team nearly doubled its sack total and contained Drew Brees for most of the day. Second-year linebacker Foye Oluokun had himself a day as well, leading Atlanta with eight tackles on Sunday.

The Falcons played their best defensive game of the season by a mile on Sunday, holding the Saints to just nine points in New Orleans.

Atlanta nearly doubled its 2019 sack total and contained quarterback Drew Brees for most of the game. Second-year linebacker Foye Oluokun had himself a day as well, leading the team with eight tackles in Week 10.

While his role hasn’t been as big as it was last season when the team lost Deion Jones for most of the year, Oluokun has shown in limited time that he can be a productive part of this Falcons defense.

According to Pro Football Focus, Oluokun was the team’s highest-graded defender — earning a PFF grade of 85.5:

In just 29 snaps, Oluokun was able to make his presence felt, even though that accounted for only 43 percent of Atlanta’s defensive plays. It was the most the former Yale standout has played all season.

Oluokun’s role should grow going forward with the team currently 2-7 and unlikely to make the playoffs.

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Pro Football Focus grades Marcus Williams as the Saints’ best player

The analysts at Pro Football Focus graded Marcus Williams, not Cameron Jordan or Michael Thomas, as the best New Orleans Saints player.

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The New Orleans Saints have one of the better rosters around the league, led by a defense that’s won most of its battles this year. When prompted to suggest which single player is the best on that unit, popular picks are probably defensive end Cameron Jordan or cornerback Marshon Lattimore, or maybe even linebacker Demario Davis.

But the analysts at Pro Football Focus threw another hat into the ring: free safety Marcus Williams, who they’ve graded as the best player not just on the defense, but on the entire team — ranking him ahead of Drew Brees, Michael Thomas, and everyone else. Williams has caught three of New Orleans’ four interceptions this season, and come close to securing three others:

Everyone loves Marshon Lattimore, but it’s Williams who takes the cake for New Orleans right now. The third-year Utah product has earned an impressive 80.8 run-defense grade and an even better 91.1 coverage grade so far this season. Among the 69 safeties with 10 or more targets in Weeks 1-10, Williams ranks first in completion percentage allowed (46.2%) and total yards allowed (51). He has also recorded three dropped interceptions in addition to his three caught interceptions.

Williams has improved his tackling technique as the season has gone on, though his early outings saw the same bad head-down technique that led to the Minneapolis Miracle a few years ago. So credit him for that big improvement. Until his teammates start to help out with some turnovers of their own, the Saints may have to continue relying on his ability to intercept passes from the center-field spot. In the meantime, maybe he can change into a better jersey number?

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PFF Week 10 TOTW: Taylor Decker is NFL’s best LT in consecutive weeks

Pro Football Focus released their Week 10 Team of the Week and the Detroit Lions Taylor Decker repeats as the top left tackle in NFL.

The Detroit Lions were without Matthew Stafford in Week 10, turning to Jeff Driskel in Chicago. One of the main reasons Driskel had time to put together a solid outing was because of the performance of left tackle Taylor Decker.

Decker had a terrific outing in pass protection and gave the young quarterback plenty of opportunities to sit comfortably in the pocket and examine the field.

Decker’s performance didn’t go unnoticed and Pro Football Focus (PFF) named him as the week’s top left tackle in the NFL, placing him on their Week 10 Team of the Week. This is the second week in a row that Decker has been recognized by PFF on their TOTW.

“Decker earned a 74.3 overall grade and an 82.9 pass-blocking grade against Chicago on Sunday,” PFF’s Austin Gayle said, “allowing zero total pressures across 59 pass-blocking snaps in the process.”

Zero total pressures are a surefire way to help settle a young quarterback and Decker did all he could.

While Decker was the Lions’ highest-graded player on offense by PFF, Jarrad Davis was the team’s highest-graded defender.

Davis accomplished this by producing one of the best games of his career, on his lowest snap counts of the season. It appeared the Lions took some responsibilities off Davis’ plate — rookie Jahlani Tavai was relaying the defensive calls at times — and let him focus on just playing football and it paid dividends.

Vikings TE Kyle Rudolph named to Pro Football Focus Team of the Week

The tight end had two touchdowns in the team’s 28-24 win over the Cowboys on Sunday night.

Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph has been less involved as a receiver this season, but he made the most of his opportunities in Week 10 against the Cowboys in Dallas.

Rudolph caught four passes for 14 yards, scoring on two of the catches. His first touchdown was insane.

The veteran tight end finished with a Pro Football Focus grade of 86.8 on the week, landing him a spot on PFF’s Team of the Week.

No other Viking made the team from their 28-24 primetime win.

Rudolph has been more of a blocking tight end this season, and it shows his professionalism that he hasn’t really complained about it.

On the season, Rudolph has 24 catches on 30 targets for 184 yards and four touchdowns. That puts him on pace for 38 catches for 294 yards and six touchdowns. Those aren’t the numbers you’d expect from Rudolph, but he’s doing more than what’s simply on the box score.

4 takeaways from the Eagles signing Brandon Brooks to massive contract extension

4 takeaways from the Eagles signing Brandon Brooks to a massive contract extension

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The Philadelphia Eagles rewarded Brandon Brooks for his dominant play, signing the Pro Bowl right guard to a four-year, $54.2 million extension.

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According to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport, the deal makes Brooks the highest-paid guard in the NFL.

With the Eagles set to battle the New England Patriots at home on Sunday, here are four takeaways from the massive deal.

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1. Brooks has been ELITE

The Eagles star is currently ranked number one among guards with a 93.4 overall grade this season and he’s only allowed just one sack in his last 59 games played.

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Notre Dame Lands One on Pro Football Focus All Week 11 Team

there is Notre Dame representation on it and as you’d probably assume after watching Saturday’s 38-7 destruction of Duke, it was a defensive player.

Pro Football Focus has named its team of the week for this past weekend of games and there is Notre Dame representation on it and as you’d probably assume after watching Saturday’s 38-7 destruction of Duke, it was a defensive player.

Asmar Bilal recorded five tackles without missing any, a quarterback hit and didn’t allow a catch in his coverages.

The man in the middle for the Fighting Irish, Bilal was dominant in all facets for Notre Dame in their win against Duke. He recorded a QB hit, five total tackles without a miss and didn’t allow a catch into his coverage. He spent double-digit snaps in all facets and put forth great grades, leading the team in overall grade while finishing with elite grades in run defense. – Pro Football Focus on Bilal

You can see who else joined the Indianapolis (Ben Davis) product on the PFF All Week 11 team here.