Pro Football Focus grades after 2 games

[beware_d-ware]

Keep in mind there is very little separating many of these players at this point. As of now Lawrence is graded at 74.2. The 12th rated edge-rusher is rated at 77.5 and the 30th rated edge rusher is rated at 70.2. Not a wide range.

Also I used PFF's terminology– Edge rusher.

This isn't just about DE's, it's also about OLB in the 3-4.

Finally the PFF ratings are derived from every play– not just the sacks and pressures so take that into consideration.

Looking it up, D-Law has 3 QB hits and a whopping 5 TFLs in addition to 2 sacks. For comparison, Khalil Mack has 2 sacks, 2 hits, and 2 TFLs so far. Tank is shredding.

He finished last year with a 90-some grade and a top 5 finish among edge rushers, and this year he has played at that level of better. Putting his grades in the 70s for some similarly dominant performances is eyebrow raising IMO.

 

[LocimusPrime]

They are about right for two games into the season. Everything will level out about midway

 

[CowboyRoy]

Granted, I tend to look at PFF rankings with skepticism because there is no consistency in how they grade, who does the grading, etc. There was an article on a Colts site that analyzed what PFF said about Quenton Nelson and pointed out the mistakes PFF made in their grades (for example, they apparently knocked Nelson for giving up a pressure but it wasn't his fault, the OT screwed up).

Nevertheless, here are our current rankings after two games:

OT - Smith (#25 OT)
OG - Williams (#24 OG)
C - Looney (#27 C)
OG - Martin (#13 OG)
OT - Collins (#55 OT)
TE - Jarwin (#55 TE)
TE - Swaim (U/R)
TB - Elliott (#38 HB)
QB - Prescott (#22 QB)
WR - Beasley (#22 WR)
WR - Hurns (#69 WR)
WR - Austin (U/R)
WR - Gallup (#105 WR)
WR - Thompson (#21 WR)
WR - Williams (U/R)

DE - Lawrence (#18 ED)
DT - Crawford (#96 ID)
DT - Woods (#55 ID)
DE - Charlton (#28 ED)
SLB - Wilson (U/R)
MLB - Smith (#33 LB)
WLB - Lee (#53 LB)
LB - LVE (#12 LB)
CB - Jones (#2 CB)
CB - Awuzie (#42 CB)
CB - Brown (#14 CB)
FS - Heath (#64 S)
SS - Frazier (#54 S)

Some make sense. Some are laughable. That's all I have to say.

Paints the picture of an 8-8 team or worse.

Heath #64 that is RIGHT ON THE MONEY!!! LOL

Our stud FS Captain Whiff!!!

 

[Roadtrip635]

Thanks for clarifying this isnt the 50s. I get that Zeke hasnt had an impact receiving as well. Hopefully he will actually be afforded those opportunities. Regardless its early and by any means he will be much higher on that list by seasons end. At this point in the season the list is indeed limited and its quite obvious there are not 37 other rbs who have had a larger impact on their respective teams, which is why I find it a tad silly.

Honestly, Zeke hasn't had much impact on this team after 2 games. This doesn't mean the others have more talent or better, but I know I can name at least 20 RBs having more impact than Zeke, doesn't mean those teams have won, but they are producing or getting more usage for their teams. As the season progresses, so will his ranking.

 

[DCreppinBoysfan]

Apparently there’s been 41 corners better than Chido.

This will be a leverage tools when it comes time for s new contract

 

[DCreppinBoysfan]

Honestly, Zeke hasn't had much impact on this team after 2 games. This doesn't mean the others have more talent or better, but I know I can name at least 20 RBs having more impact than Zeke, doesn't mean those teams have won, but they are producing or getting more usage for their teams. As the season progresses, so will his ranking.

We don’t win against the giants with Zeke

 

[Roadtrip635]

We don’t win against the giants with Zeke

And there's a whole bunch of other teams that wouldn't have won without their RBs. And some other RBs that produced, but the rest of the team didn't.

 

[jterrell]

this is the biggest issue with pff grades.

dallas has a top 5 defense through 2 games with a gazillion sacks.
yet you have zero top defenders at their position??
virtually impossible to pull off.

 

[Roadtrip635]

this is the biggest issue with pff grades.

dallas has a top 5 defense through 2 games with a gazillion sacks.
yet you have zero top defenders at their position??
virtually impossible to pull off.

DLaw is the big name ,but really we've been getting results from a number of different players not just 1 or 2 guys standing out. I thought Byron was one of the top rated at his position?

 

[buybuydandavis]

Apparently there’s been 41 corners better than Chido.

One of them is Brown, at 14.

LVE at 12 for LBs.

 

[erod]

Granted, I tend to look at PFF rankings with skepticism because there is no consistency in how they grade, who does the grading, etc. There was an article on a Colts site that analyzed what PFF said about Quenton Nelson and pointed out the mistakes PFF made in their grades (for example, they apparently knocked Nelson for giving up a pressure but it wasn't his fault, the OT screwed up).

Nevertheless, here are our current rankings after two games:

OT - Smith (#25 OT)
OG - Williams (#24 OG)
C - Looney (#27 C)
OG - Martin (#13 OG)
OT - Collins (#55 OT)
TE - Jarwin (#55 TE)
TE - Swaim (U/R)
TB - Elliott (#38 HB)
QB - Prescott (#22 QB)
WR - Beasley (#22 WR)
WR - Hurns (#69 WR)
WR - Austin (U/R)
WR - Gallup (#105 WR)
WR - Thompson (#21 WR)
WR - Williams (U/R)

DE - Lawrence (#18 ED)
DT - Crawford (#96 ID)
DT - Woods (#55 ID)
DE - Charlton (#28 ED)
SLB - Wilson (U/R)
MLB - Smith (#33 LB)
WLB - Lee (#53 LB)
LB - LVE (#12 LB)
CB - Jones (#2 CB)
CB - Awuzie (#42 CB)
CB - Brown (#14 CB)
FS - Heath (#64 S)
SS - Frazier (#54 S)

Some make sense. Some are laughable. That's all I have to say.

Prime example #1 why PFF is an absolute waste of time. This is what happens when a bunch of fat kids who ate paste through school decide they understand football.

 

[Roadtrip635]

Apparently there’s been 41 corners better than Chido.

And at least a couple other of them on on his own team

 

[jterrell]

DLaw is the big name ,but really we've been getting results from a number of different players not just 1 or 2 guys standing out. I thought Byron was one of the top rated at his position?

Dallas has been outstanding on a per play basis so if they are grading each play they should see a number of defenders "succeed" per play with VERY FEW failures.

Thus the defenders should rank highly as compared to their peers.

At some point the only real test for their or anyone;s algorithm is whether or not it mirrors reality.

A team with a top 3 scoring defense should then be somewhat close to being rated a top 3 defense by PFF grading.
OR their grading is broken.

You can excuse an individual grade collectively they should be accurate to the results of the game.

 

[Sydla]

this is the biggest issue with pff grades.

dallas has a top 5 defense through 2 games with a gazillion sacks.
yet you have zero top defenders at their position??
virtually impossible to pull off.

Jones is the #2 CB.

 

[Roadtrip635]

Dallas has been outstanding on a per play basis so if they are grading each play they should see a number of defenders "succeed" per play with VERY FEW failures.

Thus the defenders should rank highly as compared to their peers.

At some point the only real test for their or anyone;s algorithm is whether or not it mirrors reality.

A team with a top 3 scoring defense should then be somewhat close to being rated a top 3 defense by PFF grading.
OR their grading is broken.

You can excuse an individual grade collectively they should be accurate to the results of the game.

I could see where that Panthers game could be an issue. Cam did run on us pretty good for awhile and there was some pretty poor tackling going on. That game alone is going to take Lee a few extra games to overcome and climb higher in the seasonal rankings.

 

[KingintheNorth]

FS - Heath (#64 S)

Impossible. I've heard he's elite.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Looking it up, D-Law has 3 QB hits and a whopping 5 TFLs in addition to 2 sacks. For comparison, Khalil Mack has 2 sacks, 2 hits, and 2 TFLs so far. Tank is shredding.

He finished last year with a 90-some grade and a top 5 finish among edge rushers, and this year he has played at that level of better. Putting his grades in the 70s for some similarly dominant performances is eyebrow raising IMO.

I would suggest reading how PFF grades. You're discussing a handful of plays out of the 101 snaps he's had so far. How did he perform on the rest of those?

 

[MichaelWinicki]

this is the biggest issue with pff grades.

dallas has a top 5 defense through 2 games with a gazillion sacks.
yet you have zero top defenders at their position??
virtually impossible to pull off.

Here are some of their top guys on defense:

Jones #2 CB
Brown #14 CB
Law #18 DE
LVE #12 LB
Smith #33 LB
Ross #4 DT
Taco #28 DE

 

[CT Dal Fan]

This is total and complete crap.

The Cowboys rank second in the NFL allowing just seven big plays and are second only to the Bears in sacks, yet look how low their defenders rank.

These guys are brainless narcissists. They come up with their own formula for determining if a player is good or bad and force it upon everybody as fact. Zeke the number 38 running back? Let's watch Sunday night's game again and see how he did compared to Saquon Barkley (who padded his numbers catching a bunch of meaningless dump off passes).

 

[CWR]

Honestly, Zeke hasn't had much impact on this team after 2 games. This doesn't mean the others have more talent or better, but I know I can name at least 20 RBs having more impact than Zeke, doesn't mean those teams have won, but they are producing or getting more usage for their teams. As the season progresses, so will his ranking.

I think alot of Zekes impact is decided during the week when D coordinators are having to game plan and adjust around the threat that he is. Then on Sunday our QB has the good fortune of defenses always having to account for Zeke.

I believe you though, hes not off to a roaring start and there probably are close to 20 rbs who have had more of a statistical impact. However, 37 sounds like alot to me.

Dont get me wrong I like PFF and appreciate the guys on here that break it down, but sometimes stats don't tell the whole story.