In preparation for NFL Week 6, here are the updated PFF power rankings. As a twist on our usual presentation, each team-rank this week includes an interesting statistic about a player who is performing better in 2015 than in previous seasons.
1. Green Bay Packers
Defensive tackle B.J. Raji owns the fourth-best pass rushing productivity among defensive tackles. He currently has 10 pressures on 81 pass rushes; in 2013, he had only 13 pressures on 271 pass rushes.
2. New England Patriots
Guard Josh Kline has allowed no sacks, no hits, and three hurries this year, giving him the eighth best pass blocking efficiency among guards. In 2014, his pass blocking efficiency was 11th worst for guards with at least 100 pass blocks.
3. Cincinnati Bengals
Quarterback Andy Dalton has an accuracy percentage of 60.9 on deep passes, second-best in the league. Last year he was tied for eighth-lowest at 33.3 percent.
4. Denver Broncos
Sylvester Williams has the seventh-best run stop percentage for defensive tackles (9.3 percent) with at least 70 run snaps. Last year, his run stop percentage was 6.2 percent.
5. Atlanta Falcons
LT Jake Matthews has the fifth-best run block grade among tackles. Last year, he owned the worst grade among tackles in this area.
6. Arizona Cardinals
Last season, Patrick Peterson allowed 5 or more receiving yards in every game, and 60 or more yards in five games. In 2015, he has allowed 5 or more receiving yards in just three of five games, and has not allowed more than 60 yards in a game.
7. Seattle Seahawks
Defensive tackle Jordan Hill has a +1.0 run defense grade in each of his last four games. He had no grade that high in his previous 17 games.
8. Carolina Panthers
Right tackle Mike Remmers has a +0.8 or better run block grade in three of his four games this season. This was only true for one of his previous eight games in his career.
9. Pittsburgh Steelers
Last year, defensive end Stephon Tuitt has just two run stops on 135 run snaps, giving him the lowest run stop percentage among 3-4 defensive ends. This year, he has nine run stops on 118 run snaps, giving him an above-average 7.6 run stop percentage.
10. Minnesota Vikings
Brian Robison has the fifth-best pass rushing productivity for 4-3 defensive ends with 120 or more pass rushes. Last year, he was around the league average.
11. Indianapolis Colts
Dwight Lowery has two interceptions, one pass defense, and has allowed 20 or fewer yards in four of five games. That matches his 2014 totals of two interceptions and one pass defense, and he allowed 20 or fewer yards on four of 16 games where the played the majority of snaps.
12. New York Jets
Left guard James Carpenter has had a positive run block grade in three-of-four games this year, compared to 5-of-16 games last year.
13. New York Giants
Over the first ten games of defensive tackle Jay Bromley’s career, he had only one stop. In the last three games, he’s had five stops.
14. Oakland Raiders
When Derek Carr was blitzed in 2014, he completed 46.9 percent of his passes, averaged 4.5 yards per pass attempt, and was sacked on one in every 13.7 blitzes. In 2015, when Carr has been blitzed, he has completed 65.6 percent of his passes, averages 10.6 yards per pass attempt, and has been sacked just once on the 33 times he has been blitzed.
15. St. Louis Rams
Wide receiver Tavon Austin has forced seven player to miss tackles on his receptions, tied for eighth-most in the league. He’s the only player in the top 10 with fewer than 20 receptions. Last year, he only forced five players to miss tackles on his 32 receptions.
16. Philadelphia Eagles
DT Bennie Logan has the second-best run stop percentage in the league. Last season, his run stop percentage was only 10th best among defensive tackles.
17. Dallas Cowboys
Last year, J.J. Wilcox allowed 0.40 yards per coverage snap, which was 24th best among safeties. This year it’s at 0.02 which, third best. He allowed a 4-yard catch in Week 1, and hasn’t allowed a catch since then.
18. Buffalo Bills
Center Eric Wood allowed two or more pressures in nine games in 2014, and had just one game where he didn’t allow a pressure. In 2015, Wood has allowed two or more pressures just once, and has two games where he hasn’t allowed a pressure.
19. Tennessee Titans
Cornerback Blidi Wreh-Wilson allowed a 59.2 percent catch rate, which is around league average. This year, he has allowed a catch rate of 35.7 percent, the lowest in the league for cornerbacks.
20. Cleveland Browns
TE Gary Barnidge has 2.20 yards per route run, third-best for tight ends with at least 50 routes run. Last year, it was at a below average 0.89 yards.
21. Kansas City Chiefs
Tackle Eric Fisher allowed a sack or hit in 12-of-16 games last year. In three starts in 2015, Fisher has yet to allow a sack or hit.
22. Jacksonville Jaguars
Wide receiver Allen Hurns has 2.32 yards per route run, 11th best for wide receivers. Last year, it was at 1.31, 70th best of 90 qualifying receivers.
23. Baltimore Ravens
In 2014, receiver Steve Smith had eight dropped passes, compared to 79 made receptions in 2014, giving him a below average drop rate. In 2015, Smith only has one drop compared to 29 made catches, giving him the sixth-best drop rate among 25 qualifying receivers.
24. Houston Texans
When Brian Hoyer was not under pressure in 2014, he had an NFL passer rating of 85.1. In 2015, when not under pressure, that is up to 112.3.
25. New Orleans Saints
Defensive end Cameron Jordan has improved his pass rushing productivity from 6.9 in 2014 to 8.0 (ninth-best in league) in 2015.
26. San Diego Chargers
When cornerback Patrick Robinson was targeted in 2014, opposing quarterbacks had an NFL passer rating of 75.4. This year, that is down to 32.4 which is third best for cornerbacks who have been targeted ten or more times, behind only Josh Norman and Darrelle Revis.
27. Washington
Chris Baker owns the third-best run stop percentage among 3-4 defensive ends. Last year, he was only slightly above average in this regard.
28. Chicago Bears
In 2014, wide receiver Marquess Wilson had 0.56 yards per route run, second-worst for receivers with 200 or more routes run. This year, he is much closer to average, at 1.36.
29. San Francisco 49ers
Wide receiver Torrey Smith dropped 11 passes last year, tied for second-most in the league; Smith has yet to drop a pass in 2015.
30. Miami Dolphins
Cornerback Brent Grimes allowed seven receiving touchdowns in 2014, seventh-worst among cornerbacks. He has yet to allow a touchdown this year.
31. Detroit Lions
Safety James Ihedigbo has 10 run stops, tied for second-most among safeties. Last year, he only had 14 which was 23rd-most.
32. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Halfback Doug Martin has forced 19 players to miss tackles on him on his 90 carries. Last year, he only made eight players miss tackles on his 135 carries.