Angus
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March 13, 2009
The numbers say Reeves better than fans think
Thanks to everyone who participated in my last blog on what one starter you would like to get rid of. Although you mentioned a lot of players, most of your attention was directed at defensive tackle Travis Johnson, center Chris Myers, right guard Mike Brisiel and cornerback Jacques Reeves.
Have I got some interesting stats for you Reeves haters. Remember during the season when fans and media were killing him, and I went to STATS, Inc., to find out just how bad he was, and it turned out he wasn't so bad after all?
As I said then, and I'm saying now: I'm not portraying Reeves as a great player or a good player; I'm just using evidence to show he played better than a lot of fans thought.
I wondered during the season why the coaches kept playing Reeves and why they kept telling me he was playing better than many of us thought, so I went to STATS, Inc., which charts just about everything in the NFL.
I remember when I wrote it during the season, and some of you said, "Yeah, so what? He's still terrible,' because you didn't want to believe the statistics that showed he wasn't terrible and that he was playing a lot better for the Texans than he played in Dallas.
Reeves haters remember the plays he didn't make and not the ones he made. And because he doesn't look for the ball on many of the plays, it infuriates a lot of fans even more.
Anyway, here's an example of what I'm talking about, thanks to STATS, Inc.: How many touchdowns do you think Reeves allowed?
Three, tying him for 64th most in the league. Surprised? I am. He had 109 passes thrown at him, and he gave up only three touchdowns - the same as Dunta Robinson, who was thrown at 49 times.
Here are some defensive backs who had fewer passes thrown at them and surrendered more than twice as many touchdowns as Reeves: Ellis Hobbs (nine), Rod Hood (nine), Ronde Barber (eight), Dwight Lowery (eight), Nate Clements (seven), Deltha O'Neal (seven), Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (seven) and Marcus Trufant (seven).
Here are some defensive backs who allowed twice (six) as many touchdown passes as Reeves: Quentin Jammer, Lito Sheppard, Anthony Henry and Eric Green.
Here's the stat I find the most shocking: Reeves was thrown at 109 times, and he allowed 53 completions. That's a percentage of 48.6.
Check out some cornerbacks who had a lot of passes thrown at them and allowed a lot higher percentage of completions: Antonio Cromartie (69.0), Dre' Bly (67.0), Sheppard (65.9), Barber (64.9), Aaron Ross (64.6), Henry (64.0), Charles Tillman (63.9), Jammer (62.7), Trufant (60.2), Terance Newman (59.7), Cortland Finnegan (57.1), Clements (56.0), Rodgers-Cromartie (55.4) and Asante Samuel (52.8).
Here are some other interesting statistics to compare to Reeves (53 of 109 for 48.6 and three touchdowns): He was booed out of Dallas, and Cowboys fans laughed at the Texans for signing him. Henry, who was traded to Detroit for backup quarterback Jon Kitna, had 89 passes thrown at him. He allowed 57 completions for 64.0 percent and six touchdowns. Newman, the Cowboys' best defensive back, was thrown at 72 times. He allowed 43 completions for 59.7 percent and two touchdowns.
Dunta Robinson, who played at about 90 percent after coming off the physically unable to perform list, was 33 of 49 for 67.3 percent and three touchdowns. Fred Bennett was 39 of 66 for 59.1 percent and three touchdowns.
By the way, Finnegan, who went to the Pro Bowl for the Titans, didn't allow a touchdown even though 91 passes were thrown at him.
And if you're wondering why Oakland signed Nnamdi Asomugha to a new contract that averages $28 million a year, here's why: He's the best corner in the league. Here's how much respect he got last season. Opponents threw only 35 passes at him all season. They completed 18 (51.4 percent) with no touchdowns.
So what do you make of all this? My point this time as it was last time is that Jacques Reeves played better than a lot of his critics want to believe. Anyway, let me know what you think, please.
http://blogs.chron.com/nfl/2009/03/the_numbers_say_reeves_better_1.html
The numbers say Reeves better than fans think
Thanks to everyone who participated in my last blog on what one starter you would like to get rid of. Although you mentioned a lot of players, most of your attention was directed at defensive tackle Travis Johnson, center Chris Myers, right guard Mike Brisiel and cornerback Jacques Reeves.
Have I got some interesting stats for you Reeves haters. Remember during the season when fans and media were killing him, and I went to STATS, Inc., to find out just how bad he was, and it turned out he wasn't so bad after all?
As I said then, and I'm saying now: I'm not portraying Reeves as a great player or a good player; I'm just using evidence to show he played better than a lot of fans thought.
I wondered during the season why the coaches kept playing Reeves and why they kept telling me he was playing better than many of us thought, so I went to STATS, Inc., which charts just about everything in the NFL.
I remember when I wrote it during the season, and some of you said, "Yeah, so what? He's still terrible,' because you didn't want to believe the statistics that showed he wasn't terrible and that he was playing a lot better for the Texans than he played in Dallas.
Reeves haters remember the plays he didn't make and not the ones he made. And because he doesn't look for the ball on many of the plays, it infuriates a lot of fans even more.
Anyway, here's an example of what I'm talking about, thanks to STATS, Inc.: How many touchdowns do you think Reeves allowed?
Three, tying him for 64th most in the league. Surprised? I am. He had 109 passes thrown at him, and he gave up only three touchdowns - the same as Dunta Robinson, who was thrown at 49 times.
Here are some defensive backs who had fewer passes thrown at them and surrendered more than twice as many touchdowns as Reeves: Ellis Hobbs (nine), Rod Hood (nine), Ronde Barber (eight), Dwight Lowery (eight), Nate Clements (seven), Deltha O'Neal (seven), Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (seven) and Marcus Trufant (seven).
Here are some defensive backs who allowed twice (six) as many touchdown passes as Reeves: Quentin Jammer, Lito Sheppard, Anthony Henry and Eric Green.
Here's the stat I find the most shocking: Reeves was thrown at 109 times, and he allowed 53 completions. That's a percentage of 48.6.
Check out some cornerbacks who had a lot of passes thrown at them and allowed a lot higher percentage of completions: Antonio Cromartie (69.0), Dre' Bly (67.0), Sheppard (65.9), Barber (64.9), Aaron Ross (64.6), Henry (64.0), Charles Tillman (63.9), Jammer (62.7), Trufant (60.2), Terance Newman (59.7), Cortland Finnegan (57.1), Clements (56.0), Rodgers-Cromartie (55.4) and Asante Samuel (52.8).
Here are some other interesting statistics to compare to Reeves (53 of 109 for 48.6 and three touchdowns): He was booed out of Dallas, and Cowboys fans laughed at the Texans for signing him. Henry, who was traded to Detroit for backup quarterback Jon Kitna, had 89 passes thrown at him. He allowed 57 completions for 64.0 percent and six touchdowns. Newman, the Cowboys' best defensive back, was thrown at 72 times. He allowed 43 completions for 59.7 percent and two touchdowns.
Dunta Robinson, who played at about 90 percent after coming off the physically unable to perform list, was 33 of 49 for 67.3 percent and three touchdowns. Fred Bennett was 39 of 66 for 59.1 percent and three touchdowns.
By the way, Finnegan, who went to the Pro Bowl for the Titans, didn't allow a touchdown even though 91 passes were thrown at him.
And if you're wondering why Oakland signed Nnamdi Asomugha to a new contract that averages $28 million a year, here's why: He's the best corner in the league. Here's how much respect he got last season. Opponents threw only 35 passes at him all season. They completed 18 (51.4 percent) with no touchdowns.
So what do you make of all this? My point this time as it was last time is that Jacques Reeves played better than a lot of his critics want to believe. Anyway, let me know what you think, please.
http://blogs.chron.com/nfl/2009/03/the_numbers_say_reeves_better_1.html