NFL News & Analysis

32 Observations, Week 3

OAKLAND, CA - DECEMBER 4: Center Rodney Hudson #61 and guard Gabe Jackson #66 of the Oakland Raiders prepare to snap the ball in the second quarter on December 4, 2016 at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, California. The Raiders won 38-24. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)

Another week, another 32 Observations by Nathan Jahnke finding an interesting piece of information about all 32 teams after one week of football. If you would like to make some observations of your own, you can do so with PFF Elite, where you can find several signature statistics for every offensive and defensive position in football.

AFC EAST

Buffalo Bills: Linebacker Lorenzo Alexander has only rushed the passer on 58.6 percent of pass plays, but when he has he’s been effective. He’s gotten pressure on 24.4 percent of his pass-rushes, which is the third-highest rate for all defensive players with 40 or more pass rushes.

Miami Dolphins: While defensive end William Hayes has primarily been used as a run defender, when he has rushed the passer he’s been effective. He’s gotten pressure on one in every 4.2 pass-rushes which is the fourth-best rate for edge rushers in the league.

New England Patriots: Tight end Rob Gronkowski had 36 yards after the catch this week. That was the most for tight ends, putting him at 99 for the season which leads tight ends, and 2,943 for his career. This week he passes Greg Olsen for most YAC by a tight end over the last 12 years.

New York Jets: Rookie safety Jamal Adams had his second pass breakup this past week. He is just the seventh rookie safety in the PFF era to have two or more pass breakups over the first three weeks of the season. The most recent rookie safety to do the same was Landon Collins.

AFC NORTH

Baltimore Ravens: Defensive tackle Carl Davis played in 65.8 percent of snaps against the Jagaurs; the most playing time for him in a game since being drafted by the Ravens in 2015. On the season he has a run stop percentage of 20.0 percent which is the best for interior linemen this season.

Cincinnati Bengals: Prior to the 2017 season, in every game where wide receiver A.J. Green had two or more players miss tackles on his catches, he’s followed that up with a game where one or fewer defenders missed tackles on him. To begin the 2017 season, he’s had three straight games with two defenders missing tackles on him in each game.

Cleveland Browns: Second-year safety Derrick Kindred has eight run stops and an 11.3 run stop percentage. Both of those are those are the highest rates for safeties to start each game this season.

Pittsburgh Steelers: Defensive linemen Cameron Heyward has 15 pressures on the year after a two-pressure performance in Week 3, which is tied for second-most with all interior defenders on the season.

AFC SOUTH

Houston Texans: Five different defenders on the Texans have six or more pressures, including J.J. Watt, D.J. Reader, Whitney Mercilus, Jadeveon Clowney and Benardrick McKinney. They are one of just four teams to have that many pass rushers with that many pressures.

Indianapolis Colts: Quarterback Jacoby Brissett has a career adjusted completion percentage of 77.8 percent. The only quarterbacks since 2006 with 100-plus attempts and a higher adjusted completion percentage are Teddy Bridgewater, Cody Kessler and Drew Brees.

Jacksonville Jaguars: Left guard Patrick Omameh didn’t allow a pressure for the second straight week. Dating back to 2016 Week 10, in 159 pass blocks he’s allowed just one pressure. His 99.53 pass blocking efficiency over that time is the best for guards.

Tennessee Titans: Against Seattle, backup outside linebacker Erik Walden has a sack and two hurries. Dating back to the start of 2016, Walden has converted 32.4 percent of his pressures into sacks which is the highest rate for edge defenders.

AFC WEST

Denver Broncos: Right guard Ron Leary is the only right guard to start every game and not allow a pressure this season. The only other guard to do the same is former teammate Zack Martin.

Kansas City Chiefs: Over the last eight weeks of regular season games, Travis Kelce has 2.62 yards per route run. That is by far the best for tight ends, with second-best having a mark of 2.23, and nearly double the league average of 1.37.

Los Angeles Chargers: Cornerback Trevor Williams has been thrown at just eight times on his 90 coverage snaps. He’s been thrown at one in every 11.3 of his coverage snaps, which makes him the third-most avoided cornerback in the league behind Patrick Peterson and Desmond Trufant.

Oakland Raiders: Center Rodney Hudson is the only center to start every game this season and not allow a pressure. Since the beginning of the 2016 season, he hasn’t allowed a sack or hit.

NFC EAST

Dallas Cowboys: Wide receiver Dez Bryant had two players miss tackles on his catches on Sunday night. That moved him to 82 for his career, which brings him up from 13th- to eighth-most in the PFF era.

New York Giants: Quarterback Eli Manning has attempted 87 passes where the time to throw on those passes was 2.5 or less. That is 11 more than any other quarterback. He has completed 67 of those passes for 613 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions.

Philadelphia Eagles: All four of the Eagles starting defensive linemen have three or more sacks and hits combined. They are one of just two teams where each of the primary four pass rushers each have gotten to the quarterback that many times.

Washington: Over the last two seasons combined, Chris Thompson has avoided being tackled on first contact on 38.3 percent of his carries. That is the second-best rate for running backs in that time.

NFC NORTH

Chicago Bears: Running back Jordan Howard had 11 players miss tackles on his carries. It was just the 16th time in the last 12 years someone had 11 or more players miss tackles on a players rushing attempts.

Detroit Lions: Over the last two seasons combined, Ameer Abdullah has averaged 3.48 yards after contact per carry, second-best for all backs with 50 or more carries in that time.

Green Bay Packers: Safety Josh Jones had eight stops in his first NFL start last Saturday. It was just the 12th time in the last 12 years that a safety had eight or more stops in a game, joining the likes of Ronde Barber, Troy Polamalu and Eric Berry.

Minnesota Vikings: The new offensive tackle duo of Riley Reiff and Mike Remmers have allowed zero sacks, zero hits and 11 hurries on the season. Only the Vikings and Titans haven’t allowed a sack by their offensive tackles this season.

NFC SOUTH

Atlanta Falcons: Cornerback Desmond Trufant has nine tackles and two assists on the season with no missed tackles. He is one of many cornerbacks this season not to miss a tackle yet. In his career he’s made 196 tackles with 13 assists, and only ten missed tackles. His 21.9 tackling efficiency is the best for cornerbacks with at least 2000 snaps in the PFF era.

Carolina Panthers: When Luke Kuechly has been the man in coverage, opposing quarterbacks have an NFL passer rating of 54.5. That is the lowest mark for any linebacker who has been thrown at ten or more times this season.

New Orleans Saints: Quarterback Drew Brees completed 2-of-3 deep passes for 66 yards and a touchdown this past week. That pushed his deep adjusted completion percentage up to 50.5 percent since 2006. He is the only quarterback with more than 25 dropbacks since 2006 to have an adjusted completion percentage above 50 percent during that time.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: After a five run stop performance against the Vikings, William Gholston has a run stop percentage of 19.1 percent on the season

NFC WEST

Arizona Cardinals: When safety Tyvon Branch has lined up across from a slot receiver on 31 pass plays. On those plays he’s been thrown at twice, and allowed one reception for a three-yard loss. He is the only defender with a negative yards per coverage snap in the slot.

Los Angeles Rams: Since joining the Rams, Andrew Whitworth has allowed just one pressure on 86 pass blocks. He is the only left tackle with more than 50 pass blocks and only one pressure allowed.

San Francisco 49ers: Over the last eight weeks of NFL regular season games, Pierre Garcon has 2.69 yards per route run, which is second best for wide receivers with 200 or more routes in that time.

Seattle Seahawks: Dating back to the start of the 2016 season, Bobby Wagner has 53 run stops. That is the most for any linebacker in the league.

 

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