Each year I dedicate one week of the 32 Observations to create a unique All-Pro team. The rules are I must select one player from each team to form this team of 22 starters, eight situational players and four special teams’ players. There were nine players selected in the front seven that can play a hybrid 4-3/3-4 defense. These might not be the best player from each team or the best player at each position, but it was the best combination I could come up with for this team. For each player you will see the usual interesting statistic as well as what the player's role is on this team if necessary.
The 32 Observations Team:
AFC East
Buffalo Bills: Safety Jairus Byrd is the only defensive back in the league with just as many interceptions as catches allowed with three each. He will play safety in the nickel and dime defense.
Miami Dolphins: Cornerback Brent Grimes has the most coverage snaps this year for a cornerback without allowing a touchdown at 450.
New England Patriots: Safety Devin McCourty leads all safeties in passes defended at six and also leads all safeties (with at least 400 coverage snaps) in Tackling Efficiency in the pass game at 33.0 tackles per miss.
New York Jets: Nose tackle Damon Harrison has a Run Stop Percentage of 13.4% which leads all defensive or nose tackles. From 2008-2012, the highest Run Stop Percentage for a DT/NT was 12.4%. He will play nose tackle in the base defense.
AFC North
Baltimore Ravens: Outside linebacker Elvis Dumervil has a Pass Rushing Productivity of 14.3 when rushing from the left side. That is tied for the highest for all edge defenders with at least 100 pass rushes from the left.
Cincinnati Bengals: Linebacker Vontaze Burfict has a Yards Per Coverage Snap of 0.63 which is the lowest for a 4-3 outside linebacker with at least 350 coverage snaps over the last four years.
Cleveland Browns: Safety T.J. Ward has a Run Stop Percentage of 8.6%, which is the best for all safeties with at least 200 run snaps over the last five years. He will play safety in the base defense as well as the dime defense.
Pittsburgh Steelers: Wide Receiver Antonio Brown has a Drop Rate of 3.61 which is the best in the league for those with more than 55 catchable passes.
AFC South
Houston Texans: Defensive End J.J. Watt is averaging getting pressure on 18.0% of his pass rushes, which is more frequently than he was getting pressure last year at 13.2%. He will play defensive end in the 3-4 defense and defensive tackle in four-man fronts.
Indianapolis Colts: When the offense has 65 or fewer yards to go for a touchdown and decides to punt, then Pat McAfee averaged 45.2 yards per punt on non-touchbacks which leads the league.
Jacksonville Jaguars: Kick returner Jordan Todman has averaged 28.2 yards per kick return, which is the third highest in the league for those with at least 20 returns.
Tennessee Titans: When quarterbacks throw at a receiver that Alterraun Verner is covering, they have an NFL Passer Rating of 26.4, which is the lowest in the league for any cornerback.
AFC West
Denver Broncos: When quarterback Peyton Manning is under pressure, he averages 8.2 yards per pass attempt which is the best for all quarterbacks with at least 20 attempts under pressure.
Kansas City Chiefs: Linebacker Derrick Johnson is the only inside/middle linebacker that ranks in the Top 10 in both Run Stop Percentage at 11.4% and Yards Per Coverage Snap at 0.63.
Oakland Raiders: Center Stefen Wisniewski has the second highest Pass Blocking Efficiency for centers at 98.9%. He also has the second highest Run Block Grade for centers at +8.8.
San Diego Chargers: Running back Danny Woodhead’s 2.17 Yards Per Route run this year is the third highest for all backs with at least 200 pass routes in a season over the last four years. He will play on third downs.
NFC East
Dallas Cowboys: Dan Bailey is one of just three kickers to make over 90% of their field goals from over 40 yards and also have fewer than 40% of his kickoffs returned. Bailey has made 90.9% of his kicks beyond 40 yards, and has had just 38.7% of his kickoffs returned.
New York Giants: Fullback John Conner has a Blocking Rating of +6.0 which is fourth highest for fullbacks. In his six games with the Giants, he has yet to have a negative rating in either pass blocking or run blocking in a game.
Philadelphia Eagles: Since joining the Eagles in 2011, left guard Evan Mathis has received a positive Run Block Rating in 41 of 42 games. For the third straight year he leads all guards in PFF Run Block Rating. This year he is at +29.4.
Washington Redskins: Running back Alfred Morris has 8 or more rushing yards after contact on 9.2% of his carries, which is the most for all running backs with at least 20 carries. He will play on first and second downs.
NFC North
Chicago Bears: Wide receiver Brandon Marshall has a blocking grade of +7.9 which is the highest for any wide receiver over the past four years. He will play both wide receiver in the base defense, and either out wide or in the slot in three receiver sets.
Detroit Lions: Linebacker Stephen Tulloch is the only inside/middle linebacker to rank in the top six in terms of both run stops at 29 and stops in the pass game at 18.
Green Bay Packers: When wide receiver Jordy Nelson lines up in the slot, he has a Yards Per Route Run of 2.28 which leads the league. He will play either out wide or in the slot in three receiver sets.
Minnesota Vikings: Right guard Brandon Fusco has a Run Block Rating above +1.0 in eight of his 11 games. In his first two years in the league, he achieved that in just three games.
NFC South
Atlanta Falcons: Year after year tight end Tony Gonzalez has slowly moved up the tight end Drop Rate leaderboard, and this year he has finally made it to the top. He has dropped just one of 59 catchable balls for a Drop Rate of 1.69. This leads all tight ends who have more than 20 catchable passes. He will play in passing situations.
Carolina Panthers: There have been just five times this season where a tight end has earned a +3.0 Run Block Grade or better in a game. Ben Hartsock has two of those games which has led to a +12.1 Run Block Rating which dominated all other tight ends. He will play in running situations.
New Orleans Saints: Right tackle Zach Strief has a Pass Blocking Efficiency of 96.8% which is the best for all tackles with at least 400 pass blocking snaps.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: There have been five times this season where a defensive tackle has recorded eight pressures in a game which is tied for the lead. The only one to do so twice is Gerald McCoy who has done so each of the last two weeks.
NFC West
Arizona Cardinals: Cornerback Tyrann Mathieu has played well recently both in coverage and against the run, but he also has the most pressure for all cornerbacks at 10. He will play in the slot in the nickel and dime defense.
St. Louis Rams: So far this season Robert Quinn has a Pass Rushing Productivity of 16.2 which leads all 4-3 defensive ends since 2008 with at least 250 pass rushing snaps.
San Francisco 49ers: Left tackle Joe Staley for the second straight year has been our top rated offensive tackle. He has only allowed 12 pressures which is the lowest for all tackles who have started every game this season, and his Run Block grade of +10.1 is the second best in the league.
Seattle Seahawks: Of the punt returners with at least 25 returns, Golden Tate leads the league in yards per return at 12.9. He will be the punt returner and fourth wide receiver.
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