Sometimes players have an off day, and sometimes it may have been better for them to just stay home. In any case, a few players who often make Khaled Elsayed's Team of the Week found their way onto this roster in Week 10.
This is the PFF Worst Team of the Week.
Quarterback: Peyton Manning, Broncos (-11.7)
Was there ever any doubt? Manning was not just bad yesterday, he was historically bad. As Sam Monson explains, he earned the worst QB grade that we’ve ever given out. There isn’t too much that needs to be said about this one. Under pressure, he was two-for-nine for 25 yards and an interception. Without pressure, he was somehow even worse, going 3-for-11 for 10 yards and three interceptions. On passes that traveled over 10 yards in the air, he was 1-for-13 for 17 yards and three interceptions. This season has brought the worst Peyton Manning that we’ve ever seen, and this game was just hard to watch.
Running back: Darren McFadden, Cowboys (-2.2)
After a few weeks of resurgent play, McFadden fell back down to earth yesterday. Given the ball 17 times, he managed only 32 yards rushing. That included a mere 20 yards after contact. His longest run of the day was just 7 yards, and he only forced two missed tackles.
Fullback: Malcolm Johnson, Browns (-1.6)
He’s back: 11 snaps and a below-average grade, thanks to a couple of poor run blocking plays. With so few fullbacks left, you don’t have to do much to make this list, and Johnson has been doing it pretty consistently.
Tight end: Jimmy Graham, Seahawks (-4.2)
Graham was targeted eight times yesterday, and hauled in just three of those pass attempts for 41 yards. He gained just 20 yards after the catch, and dropped two passes. He’s been nowhere near the threat the Seahawks expected when they traded for him. He also had his usual below-average run blocking day, but it’s his struggles in the passing game that are really causes for concern.
Wide receivers: James Jones, Packers (-2.9) and Brandon Marshall, Jets (-2.6)
James Jones ran 68 routes yesterday and was targeted just twice. In a game where the Packers' offense struggled, it was almost as if Jones wasn’t even on the field. He was unable to ever get open, and the two times that Rodgers did target him? He got his hands on both attempts, dropping one and having one knocked out by a defender’s hit. Marshall was busier, as he saw 10 targets. But he caught just three of those, and dropped an equal three other passes. He gained just 23 yards, 18 after the catch, and only forced one missed tackle.
Tackles: Bobby Massie, Cardinals (-6.2) and Ereck Flowers, Giants (-5.5)
Massie was beaten like a drum by Michael Bennett and the Seahawks’ defensive line on Sunday night, mostly when trying to pass block. He allowed a sack, two QB hits, and seven QB hurries. He had a below-average game run blocking, too, but it was mostly the pass blocking that got him on this list. Flowers struggled in pass protection, as well, allowing a sack, six QB hurries, and two other plays where he was beaten cleanly. He also posted the lowest run blocking grade among all tackles this week, at -2.9.
Guards: Dallas Thomas, Dolphins (-7.2) and Matt Tobin, Eagles (-6.7)
Same game alert! One QB hit and six QB hurries allowed by Thomas, so not a great day there. But he surrendered four run stops and a couple other disruptive plays, and that led to a -5.2 run block grade, worst among guards. On the other side, Tobin allowed a hit and four hurries, and also struggled blocking the run, posting grades below -3.0 in both categories, the only guard this week to do that.
Center: David Andrews, Patriots (-4.8)
After a decent start to the season for an undrafted rookie playing center, Andrews had his worst game as a pro on Sunday. He allowed two QB hurries, but was also beaten two other times, as well, and committed holding penalty. He struggled even more in the run game, finishing with just one positively-graded play in the entire game.
Each week, we put forward a hybrid defense that features two edge rushers (4-3 defensive ends or 3-4 outside linebackers), three players on the “interior” of the defensive line (3-4 defensive ends or defensive tackles), and two linebackers (all inside linebackers and 4-3 outside linebackers).
Defensive interior – ends: Justin Ellis, Raiders (-2.9) and Datone Jones, Packers (-2.7)
Pretty much Ellis’ entire grade came from the run defense aspect of the game. He was consistently blocked out of the play, and managed to make just one solo stop the entire game. Jones came on in limited snaps, pretty much just to rush the passer, and he struggled. He finished with just two QB hurries, one of which was a clean-up play. He also committed an unnecessary roughness penalty, and missed a tackle on the day.
Defensive interior – tackle: Earl Mitchell, Dolphins (-4.9)
Mitchell actually posted a positive grade when rushing the passer, so that just shows how poorly he played against the run. A -5.7 grade in that aspect, Mitchell failed to record a single stop—or even a tackle. He was consistently blocked out of plays by the Eagles' interior line. He was basically the very definition of invisible in this game for the Dolphins.
Edge rushers: Andre Branch, Jaguars (-5.5) and Devin Taylor, Lions (-3.7)
Branch was absolutely invisible yesterday for the Jaguars. In 47 snaps, he failed to record a single tackle or even get a pressure when rushing the passer. He was completely neutralized by an average Ravens' offensive line that the Jaguars made look amazing yesterday. Taylor came on the field as a pass rush specialist for the Lions, but had just a single QB hurry in 45 pass rushes. Not enough to avoid a place on this team.
Linebackers: Malcolm Smith, Raiders (-5.7) and Stephone Anthony, Saints (-5.1)
Tough day for Smith yesterday, as he managed to make five run stops and still post a -3.0 grade in that aspect of the game. That was largely due to his three missed tackles, as well as consistently getting blocked at the second level and being taken out of plays. Anthony did not make a single solo stop all game, but did manage to miss two tackles. He also allowed three catches on three targets for 68 yards and a touchdown.
Cornerbacks: Marcus Williams, Jets (-4.3) and Kayvon Webster, Broncos (-3.7)
Not a lot of extremely poor corner play this week. Williams allowed just three catches on four targets, but was beaten easily on the fourth and was saved by an under-thrown ball. He also missed four tackles in coverage, which added to his poor grade. Webster only allowed three-of-five passes his way to be completed for just 16 yards, but on the two incompletions, he was beaten badly and the throw was off target, preventing a completion. He also took two penalties in coverage.
Safeties: Nate Allen, Raiders (-3.6) an Devin McCourty, Patriots (-2.3)
Allen had a tough time in coverage, coming out of the game with a -2.1 coverage grade. When he was actually the primary cover man, he allowed both targets to be caught for 44 yards. But he was also below-average in run defense, missing two tackles in run support. McCourty had a rare bad game, especially in coverage where he had a -2.6 grade, lowest among all safeties. That came in a large part from the poor angle he took in safety support coverage that allowed Odell Beckham Jr. to end up in the end zone 87 yards later.
Kicker: Matt Prater, Lions
Prater missed two extra points, which turned what should’ve been a safe four-point lead into a two-point one that almost cost the Lions a win.
Punter: Tim Masthay, Packers
Masthay averaged a mere 41.3 yards per punt, giving the Lions good field position almost every time he punted.
Returner: Marc Mariani, Bears
He fumbled on a punt return and generally didn’t do anything positive in any of his five returns on the day.
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