Aaron Schatz's blog

The Chiefs hit the DVOA sweet spot against Cleveland on Sunday, shooting their ratings up so they now rank among the best teams ever in both offensive and total team DVOA after nine weeks. The Patriots, Falcons, and 49ers also rise this week.

This week on the Off The Charts podcast: Discussion of the trade deadline and the Cleveland Browns coaching change; giving out some midseason awards to players such as Dee Ford, Adam Thielen, and Marlon Mack; previews of the Rams at Saints, Packers at Patriots, and Steelers at Ravens.

The legendary football writer Paul Zimmerman, Dr. Z, died this afternoon at the age of 86. Dr. Z was the first national writer to really bring play-by-play breakdown to the masses. He was breaking down games when there was no Internet, no coach's film available to the public, just your TV and a VCR. His Thinking Man's Guide to Pro Football is a seminal work that helps explain the game and is valuable even now, over 30 years later.

This week's ESPN Upset Watch looks at the close Baltimore-Pittsburgh rivalry, where the road team is 11-8 over the last 19 games. Tight ends could be key for both teams in this matchup, while the running game is likely to be bottled up on both sides. Cover Watch analyzes Green Bay at New England.

The Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Rams still are on top of our DVOA ratings, but this week the Chiefs pass the Rams as our new Super Bowl favorite. The reasons? Schedule strength, fumble recovery luck, and the presence of the best first-year starting quarterback in NFL history.

Hey, it's the NFL trade deadline today. And some big trades are getting made. We'll catalog them here and let the readers discuss.

This week's Off The Charts podcast discusses the Giants' decision to go for 2 down 8, and their decision to start liquidating the roster. Does a midseason dump mean it's time to move on from Eli Manning? Plus, previews of Seahawks-Lions, Vikings-Saints, and Chiefs-Broncos. (Click for audio link.)

In this week's Upset Watch: Pass pressure will be key to Seattle's chances against Detroit. You can also expect to see a lot of rushing yardage, from both sides. Cover Watch looks at Miami, where Brock Osweiler has not been the problem.

A look at the 2018 Buffalo Bills and the ten worst offenses ever by DVOA. The Bills are on pace to pass them all.

The Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Rams remain on top of the DVOA ratings, far ahead of the rest of the league. But below these top teams, there's a lot of movement up and down. What on earth are the Denver Broncos doing at No. 5? We explain. Plus: Buffalo is now the worst offense in DVOA history.