Joe Mixon, Justin Fields Rush into History Books
NFL Week 9 - The stars of Week 9 in the NFL were a trio of runners. Joe Mixon had the best running back game in 16 years. Josh Allen had one of the 10 best rushing performances we have ever seen from a quarterback. And Justin Fields? All he did was break a rushing record for his position that has stood for two decades.
We have gotten so numb to QB rushing totals that this record-breaking performance has largely flown under the radar. https://t.co/NkEdOUPmeJ
— Vincent Verhei (@FO_VVerhei) November 7, 2022
We'll start with Fields, since he broke Michael Vick's regular-season quarterback rushing record. (Colin Kaepernick's 181 rushing yards against Green Bay in the 2012 playoffs remains untouched.) The Chicago scrambler's raw totals against Miami—15 carries, 178 yards, an 11.9-yard average, and one touchdown—are impressive enough. Then you open up the play-by-play data and your jaw hits the floor. Thirteen of Fields' 15 carries picked up first downs, including seven conversions in eight carries on third or fourth down. Eight of his runs gained 10-plus yards, the longest a 61-yard touchdown on third-and-5. His median carry was an 11-yard gain. Fields was unstoppable on designed runs (seven carries, each of which gained a first down, for 69 yards and a 9.9-yard average), and he was nuclear on scrambles (five first downs in seven carries, a total of 110 yards, a 15.7-yard average), a fact that caused Mike McDaniel no end of consternation.
Mike McDaniel sarcastically explaining why he told Bears QB Justin Fields “stop it” on the sideline during Sunday’s game:
“I just wanted him to stop scrambling, and it was pretty irritating because he didn’t listen at all.” 😂
(🎥 @MiamiDolphins) pic.twitter.com/cV2NjqfNqE
— Will Manso (@WillManso) November 7, 2022
Put it all together and Fields had 79 rushing DYAR. That's more value on the ground than Kaepernick, Daunte Culpepper, Robert Griffin, Russell Wilson, Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, Steve McNair, Donovan McNabb, Steve Young, or Randall Cunningham ever had in a game. Only Vick (who averaged nearly 20 yards per carry and also scored twice) has ever had a rushing day better than Fields.
| Best QB Rushing Games, 1981-2022 | |||||||||
| Year | Player | Team | Rush DYAR |
Runs | Yds | Avg. | TD | Wk | Def |
| 2002 | Michael Vick | ATL | 82 | 9 | 173 | 19.2 | 2 | 13 | MIN |
| 2022* | Justin Fields | CHI | 79 | 14 | 179 | 12.8 | 1 | 9 | MIA |
| 2000 | Daunte Culpepper | MIN | 68 | 8 | 81 | 10.1 | 3 | 1 | CHI |
| 2012 | Colin Kaepernick | SF | 63 | 14 | 183 | 13.1 | 2 | 19** | GB |
| 2012 | Robert Griffin | WAS | 61 | 11 | 140 | 12.7 | 2 | 6 | MIN |
| 2014 | Russell Wilson | SEA | 59 | 10 | 122 | 12.2 | 1 | 5 | WAS |
| 2014 | Russell Wilson | SEA | 58 | 7 | 106 | 15.1 | 1 | 7 | STL |
| 2010 | Michael Vick | PHI | 57 | 9 | 131 | 14.6 | 1 | 15 | NYG |
| 2020 | Lamar Jackson | BAL | 56 | 9 | 124 | 13.8 | 2 | 14 | CLE |
| 2022* | Josh Allen | BUF | 55 | 9 | 86 | 9.6 | 2 | 9 | NYJ |
| 2006 | Michael Vick | ATL | 54 | 14 | 127 | 9.1 | 1 | 2 | TB |
| 2011 | Joe Webb | MIN | 53 | 7 | 109 | 15.6 | 1 | 14 | DET |
| * Opponent adjustments through Week 9. ** Playoff game. |
|||||||||
We should mention that the gap between Fields and Vick is tiny, and that we're still barely halfway through the season. Fields is currently getting a boost of 2 rushing DYAR for playing the Dolphins, but opponent adjustments can and will fluctuate, and he could easily find himself at the top of this table when all is said and done. (Fields' three passing touchdowns were also a career high, but that's a subject for another essay.) Sadly for Fields, Tua Tagovailoa was once again the top overall quarterback in Quick Reads this week, and his Dolphins beat Fields' Bears 35-32.
Of course, Fields is not the only quarterback from Week 9 of 2022 in that table. Josh Allen also qualifies for his nine-carry, 86-yard, two-touchdown day against the Jets. That's a 9.6-yard average, which is underwhelming when compared to The Best QB Rushing Games of the Last Four Decades, but seven of those carries gained first downs, and he also had a 9-yard gain on first-and-10; by success rate, he was even more reliable than Fields. That includes conversions on five of his six carries on third down, the longest a 36-yard touchdown. Unfortunately for Allen and the Bills, he wasn't nearly as effective throwing the ball (and he'd be the first to tell you that), and New York beat Buffalo 20-17.
Whatever other ups and downs the Bears and Bills have seen this year, they have been able to count on Fields and Allen to make plays with their legs; after Sunday's games, the two quarterbacks rank first and second at the position in rushing DYAR this season (though Lamar Jackson is in third place and could pass one or both of them with a big game on Monday night). Not so for Joe Mixon, whose own struggles were somewhat overlooked as Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow was getting sacked every other down early in the year. We listed Mixon as one of the worst running backs in football in Week 1 and Week 3, at which point he was averaging only 2.8 yards per carry. He has turned things around since then, however, making our top five in Week 4 and Week 6.
And then Mixon took the field against Carolina. Nearly 20 minutes of game time elapsed before Mixon was stuffed for a loss; by that time, he had already run the ball seven times for 58 yards and five first downs, and the Bengals were up 14-0. The next time Mixon was stuffed, the score was 42-7 late in the third quarter. In between those two stuffs, Mixon carried the ball a dozen times, picking up 96 yards and seven more first downs. His final totals: 22 carries for 153 yards and a 7.0-yard average with a dozen first downs, including four touchdowns. He was nearly perfect in short yardage: the Bengals handed off to Mixon 10 times with 4 yards or less to go for a first down, and he moved the chains nine times.
With that kind of efficiency on the ground, the Bengals didn't need to throw often against the Panthers … but when they did, they often threw to Mixon. He finished with five targets, catching four of them for 58 yards and three first downs: a 35-yard gain on first-and-10, a 3-yard gain on second-and-2, and a 12-yard touchdown on third-and-10.
Mixon finishes with 92 rushing DYAR, 37 receiving DYAR, and a total of 129 combined DYAR—and that's without recording a single carry or target in the fourth quarter of Cincinnati's 42-21 win. That combined DYAR total is among the best we have ever recorded, and the most since Indianapolis' Joseph Addai had 145 against the Eagles in 2006.
| Best RB Games, Total DYAR, 1981-2022 | |||||||||||||
| Year | Player | Team | Runs | Yds | TD | Rec | Yds | TD | Total DYAR |
Rush DYAR |
Rec DYAR |
Wk | Def |
| 2002 | Priest Holmes | KC | 23 | 197 | 2 | 7/7 | 110 | 1 | 152 | 101 | 52 | 12 | SEA |
| 2006 | Joseph Addai | IND | 24 | 171 | 4 | 2/3 | 37 | 0 | 145 | 121 | 24 | 12 | PHI |
| 1997 | Corey Dillon | CIN | 39 | 246 | 4 | 2/2 | 30 | 0 | 135 | 126 | 9 | 15 | TEN |
| 1985 | Lionel James | SD | 7 | 51 | 1 | 11/12 | 168 | 1 | 133 | 37 | 96 | 10 | LARD |
| 2005 | LaDainian Tomlinson | SD | 21 | 192 | 3 | 6/7 | 28 | 0 | 133** | 117 | -14 | 3 | NYG |
| 1991 | Barry Sanders | DET | 23 | 220 | 4 | 4/4 | 31 | 0 | 133 | 116 | 16 | 13 | MIN |
| 1998 | Marshall Faulk | IND | 17 | 192 | 1 | 7/8 | 75 | 1 | 131 | 89 | 42 | 13 | BAL |
| 2022* | Joe Mixon | CIN | 22 | 153 | 4 | 4/5 | 58 | 1 | 129 | 92 | 37 | 9 | CAR |
| 2021 | Jonathan Taylor | IND | 32 | 185 | 4 | 3/3 | 19 | 1 | 125 | 117 | 9 | 11 | BUF |
| 1983 | Tony Collins | NE | 23 | 212 | 3 | 1/1 | 5 | 0 | 124 | 124 | -1 | 3 | NYJ |
| 2000 | Marshall Faulk | STL | 32 | 220 | 2 | 7/8 | 41 | 1 | 123 | 95 | 28 | 17 | NO |
| 1993 | Thurman Thomas | BUF | 33 | 186 | 3 | 2/2 | 22 | 0 | 121 | 110 | 11 | 21*** | KC |
| * Opponent adjustments through Week 9. ** Totals include 30 passing DYAR for one pass attempt, completed for a 26-yard touchdown. *** Playoff game. |
|||||||||||||
There has been quite a rushing resurgence around the league in 2022. The NFL as a whole is averaging 4.5 yards per carry, which would be an all-time record, and the average team is running for over 120 yards per game for the first time since 1988. And while the Bills, Bengals, and Bears could hardly be more different in our playoff odds (Buffalo remains our favorites to win the AFC, Cincinnati has a 50-50 chance to make the playoffs, and Chicago will likely be drafting in the top 10), in about three hours on Sunday afternoon, they each produced some of the best rushing performances we have ever seen.
| Quarterbacks | |||||||||||
|
Rk
|
Player
|
Team
|
CP/AT
|
Yds
|
TD
|
INT
|
Sacks
|
Total
DYAR |
Pass
DYAR |
Rush
DYAR |
Opp
|
|
1.
|
Tua Tagovailoa | MIA |
21/30
|
302
|
3
|
0
|
0
|
205
|
225
|
-20
|
CHI
|
| Despite a crummy rushing day (two carries for zero yards, with a fumble) Tagovailoa finishes as our top-ranked quarterback, the third time in his seven Quick Reads appearances this year that he has ranked first or second. Though he is not among the top 20 quarterbacks in total passing plays, he has now overtaken Patrick Mahomes for the season lead in passing DYAR and has a DVOA of 50.5%. Only four quarterbacks have ever qualified in a full season with a DVOA of 50.0% or higher: Dan Marino in 1984, Peyton Manning in 2004 and 2006, and Tom Brady in 2007. Tagovailoa is having a good year, is what we're saying. This week, he was the NFL's best passer on deep balls, going 6-of-8 for 139 yards and a touchdown, plus two DPIs for 79 more yards. | |||||||||||
|
2.
|
Justin Fields | CHI |
17/28
|
123
|
3
|
0
|
2
|
99
|
20
|
79
|
MIA
|
Fields was tremendous as a passer in Dolphins territory (7-of-8 for 72 yards and three touchdowns, plus a 28-yard DPI), but struggled as a passer on his own side of the 50. That's OK, though, because he could always do things like this:
|
|||||||||||
|
3.
|
Trevor Lawrence | JAX |
25/30
|
235
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
98
|
94
|
4
|
LV
|
| Lawrence loses 48 DYAR to opponent adjustments. He was successful on a league-best 70% of his dropbacks. In one stretch from the second quarter to the fourth, he completed 15 passes in a row for 135 yards and a touchdown. | |||||||||||
|
4.
|
Baker Mayfield | CAR |
14/20
|
155
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
91
|
91
|
0
|
CIN
|
| Mayfield came into this game with Carolina trailing 35-0 in the third quarter. He was the week's best passer in the fourth quarter/overtime, when he went 10-of-12 for 121 yards and a touchdown. | |||||||||||
|
5.
|
Patrick Mahomes | KC |
43/68
|
446
|
1
|
1
|
4
|
87
|
51
|
36
|
TEN
|
| Mahomes was the week's best passer on third/fourth downs, going 9-of-15 for 128 yards with seven conversions, including a touchdown, plus two sacks. That's more impressive than it sounds because most of his failures came in long yardage—he converted seven of nine third downs with 7 yards or less to go, but none of his eight plays with 8 yards or more, including faillures on third-and-16, third-and-18, and third-and-20. | |||||||||||
|
6.
|
Joe Burrow | CIN |
22/28
|
206
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
86
|
81
|
5
|
CAR
|
| Burrow was the week's best passer on throws to running backs, going 5-of-7 for 61 yards and a touchdown. Yes, most of those throws were to Joe Mixon, although Samaje Perine did catch one ball for a 3-yard gain on third-and-5. | |||||||||||
|
7.
|
Lamar Jackson | BAL |
12/22
|
133
|
1
|
0
|
3
|
76
|
34
|
42
|
NO
|
|
8.
|
Zach Wilson | NYJ |
18/25
|
154
|
1
|
0
|
2
|
62
|
46
|
16
|
BUF
|
| Wilson had the week's best DYAR on throws to receivers at or behind the line of scrimmage, going 6-of-7 for 28 yards and a touchdown. | |||||||||||
|
9.
|
Tom Brady | TB |
36/57
|
280
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
54
|
54
|
0
|
LAR
|
| Brady threw 10 failed completions, tied for most in the league this week. He was the week's best passer out of the no-huddle, going 15-of-20 for 112 yards, plus two DPIs for 38 more yards. | |||||||||||
|
10.
|
Jalen Hurts | PHI |
21/27
|
243
|
2
|
0
|
4
|
51
|
87
|
-36
|
HOU
|
| Hurts' rushing numbers: seven carries for 25 yards, with one fumble. He was the week's best passer in the red zone (4-of-5 for 42 yards and two touchdowns). | |||||||||||
|
11.
|
Geno Smith | SEA |
26/34
|
275
|
2
|
1
|
2
|
43
|
26
|
17
|
ARI
|
| Smith's average pass traveled only 3.0 yards beyond the line of scrimmage, shortest in the NFL in Week 9. But his average completion gained 8.0 yards after the catch, most of anyone who completed 10 or more passes. Regardless, he was the week's worst passer on throws to running backs (6-of-7 for 45 yards with a pick-six) and out of a no-huddle (3-of-5 for 1 yard, singular, with zero successful plays). | |||||||||||
|
12.
|
Derek Carr | LV |
21/36
|
259
|
2
|
0
|
2
|
41
|
41
|
0
|
JAX
|
| Carr's 38-yard touchdown pass to Davante Adams put Las Vegas up 17-0 less than 20 minutes into the game. He only threw for three first downs after that, none of which came in the last 10 minutes of the fourth quarter. In those 10 minutes, he went 2-of-9 for 11 yards with a sack. | |||||||||||
|
Rk
|
Player
|
Team
|
CP/AT
|
Yds
|
TD
|
INT
|
Sacks
|
Total
DYAR |
Pass
DYAR |
Rush
DYAR |
Opp
|
|
13.
|
Jared Goff | DET |
14/26
|
137
|
2
|
1
|
0
|
17
|
17
|
0
|
GB
|
| Aaron Rodgers (SPOILER!) had a bunch of turnovers in scoring range, which often left Goff trying and failing to dig the Lions out of poor field position. Inside his own 20-yard line, he went 2-of-7 for only 8 yards. Those two completions went for no gain on first-and-10 and 8 yards on second-and-20. | |||||||||||
|
14.
|
Marcus Mariota | ATL |
12/23
|
129
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
13
|
5
|
7
|
LAC
|
| Mariota's average throw traveled 14.9 yards downfield, most in the NFL this week by over 2 full yards. Mind you, just because he threw deep often doesn't mean he threw deep well. He only completed one of his seven deep balls, and even that one completion—a 19-yard gain on first-and-20—failed to pick up a first down. | |||||||||||
|
15.
|
Davis Mills | HOU |
13/22
|
154
|
2
|
2
|
3
|
9
|
10
|
-1
|
PHI
|
| Mills gains 50 DYAR due to opponent adjustments. He failed to complete a single pass down the middle of the field, going 0-for-2 with an interception. | |||||||||||
|
16.
|
Kirk Cousins | MIN |
22/40
|
265
|
2
|
1
|
2
|
-9
|
-8
|
-1
|
WAS
|
| Cousins was the week's worst passer from under center (6-of-9 for 32 yards, with three completions that lost yardage and a sack) and on throws to receivers at or behind the line of scrimmage (4-of-9 for a net LOSS of 8 yards, with no completions that actually gained yardage), but the best on throws to his left (7-of-8 for 138 yards and a touchdown, plus a 14-yard DPI). | |||||||||||
|
17.
|
Josh Allen | BUF |
18/34
|
205
|
0
|
2
|
5
|
-21
|
-75
|
55
|
NYJ
|
Allen gains a league-high 55 DYAR due to opponent adjustments. He had a very bad day as a passer inside the Jets 40, going 2-of-6 for 8 yards with one interception, one sack, and zero touchdowns. The good news is, you are also allowed to run the ball inside the opponents' 40.
|
|||||||||||
|
18.
|
Justin Herbert | LAC |
30/43
|
245
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
-23
|
-20
|
-3
|
ATL
|
| Herbert loses 53 DYAR to opponent adjustments. He was the week's worst passer in the third quarter, when he went 1-of-7 with an interception; that one completion was a 3-yard gain on third-and-10. | |||||||||||
|
19.
|
Andy Dalton | NO |
19/29
|
210
|
1
|
1
|
4
|
-30
|
-29
|
-1
|
BAL
|
|
20.
|
Mac Jones | NE |
20/30
|
147
|
1
|
0
|
4
|
-35
|
-35
|
0
|
IND
|
| Jones didn't have a lot of luck on second downs, when he went 9-of-12 for 38 yards with one sack and only one first down: a 3-yard touchdown to Rhamondre Stevenson. | |||||||||||
|
21.
|
Kyler Murray | ARI |
25/35
|
175
|
2
|
0
|
5
|
-42
|
-49
|
8
|
SEA
|
| Murray threw 10 failed completions, tied for most in the league this week. Two of them came on first down, when he lost 21 yards on three sacks and gained only 17 yards on six completions, with four incomplete passes mixed in. | |||||||||||
|
22.
|
Matthew Stafford | LAR |
13/27
|
165
|
1
|
0
|
4
|
-44
|
-28
|
-16
|
TB
|
| Stafford gains 39 DYAR due to opponent adjustments. His only run was a 5-yard loss on an aborted snap. He had a rough day on throws to his right, going 7-of-15 for only 26 yards. | |||||||||||
|
Rk
|
Player
|
Team
|
CP/AT
|
Yds
|
TD
|
INT
|
Sacks
|
Total
DYAR |
Pass
DYAR |
Rush
DYAR |
Opp
|
|
23.
|
Malik Willis | TEN |
5/16
|
80
|
0
|
0
|
3
|
-60
|
-56
|
-4
|
KC
|
| Willis' average dropback came with a league-high 11.3 yards to go for a first down. His average completion gained 12.4 yards after the catch, most of any qualified passer this week, but … well, there were only five of them. He picked up three first downs and 82 yards on his first five dropbacks, but then didn't pick up another first down for the rest of the game, going 2-of-11 for a loss of 2 yards, and that's before accounting for his three sacks that lost 23 more yards. | |||||||||||
|
24.
|
Taylor Heinicke | WAS |
15/28
|
149
|
2
|
1
|
3
|
-78
|
-77
|
-1
|
MIN
|
| Heinicke's average completion gained a league-low 2.8 yards after the catch. In possibly related news, he was the week's worst passer on throws to backs and tight ends, going 5-of-10 for 10 yards with an interception. | |||||||||||
|
25.
|
P.J. Walker | CAR |
3/10
|
9
|
0
|
2
|
0
|
-120
|
-121
|
1
|
CIN
|
| Walker's average dropback came with a league-low 7.6 yards to go for a first down … which makes it even more appalling that he was only successful 10% of the time, worst of any qualifier this week. And that one successful play was a 5-yard gain on second-and-8—Walker failed to throw for a single first down. In just one half of action, he was the week's worst passer on throws to wide receivers (0-for-4 with an interception), on deep balls (two throws, both intercepted), and on throws to his right (2-of-5 for 4 yards with two picks). | |||||||||||
|
26.
|
Aaron Rodgers | GB |
23/43
|
291
|
1
|
3
|
1
|
-142
|
-150
|
8
|
DET
|
| Rodgers loses a league-high 59 DYAR due to opponent adjustments. He's the first quarterback to throw three interceptions against the Lions since Kyler Murray in Week 3 of 2020. It was Rodgers' first three-interception game since Week 5 of 2017, and he has already thrown seven this season, the most he has thrown since 2016. And all three of those interceptions came inside the Detroit 40 (two of them within the Detroit 5), where he went 7-of-19 for 61 yards with one touchdown, plus a 17-yard DPI. He was also the week's worst passer on throws to tight ends (9-of-11 for 89 yards and two interceptions) and down the middle of the field (6-of-11 for 59 yards with two interceptions). | |||||||||||
|
27.
|
Sam Ehlinger | IND |
15/29
|
103
|
0
|
1
|
9
|
-172
|
-185
|
13
|
NE
|
| Ehlinger gains 54 DYAR due to opponent adjustments—without them, this would have qualified for our Worst QB Games Ever table. He was the week's worst quarterback in the first quarter, going 0-for-2 for three sacks, and then he failed to throw for a first down in the second half, going 10-of-17 for 51 yards with four more sacks and a pick-six. Finally, he failed to convert a single third or fourth down, going 2-of-8 for 19 yards with a half-dozen sacks and a pick-six. Good luck, Mr. Saturday. | |||||||||||
| Five Best Running Backs by DYAR (Total) | ||||||||||||
|
Rk
|
Player
|
Team
|
Runs
|
Rush
Yds |
Rush
TD |
Rec
|
Rec
Yds |
Rec
TD |
Total
DYAR |
Rush
DYAR |
Rec
DYAR |
Opp
|
|
1.
|
Joe Mixon | CIN |
22
|
153
|
4
|
4/5
|
58
|
1
|
128
|
92
|
37
|
CAR
|
|
||||||||||||
|
2.
|
Tyler Allgeier | ATL |
10
|
99
|
0
|
1/1
|
24
|
0
|
46
|
33
|
13
|
LAC
|
| Each of Allgeier's 10 carries gained at least 2 yards. Four went for first downs, including gains of 10 and 44 yards. His one catch was a 24-yard gain on first-and-10. | ||||||||||||
|
3.
|
Kenyan Drake | BAL |
24
|
93
|
2
|
2/2
|
16
|
0
|
41
|
25
|
15
|
NO
|
|
4.
|
Derrick Henry | TEN |
17
|
115
|
2
|
0/0
|
0
|
0
|
29
|
29
|
0
|
KC
|
| The Chiefs only stuffed Henry twice while allowing him to run for five first downs, including gains of 24 and 56 yards. | ||||||||||||
|
5.
|
Michael Carter | NYJ |
12
|
76
|
1
|
1/1
|
10
|
0
|
27
|
20
|
7
|
BUF
|
| Carter ran for four first downs against the Bills, including gains of 15, 17, and 25 yards, while being stuffed only twice. His one reception also gained a first down. | ||||||||||||
| Five Best Running Backs by DYAR (Rushing) | ||||||||||||
|
Rk
|
Player
|
Team
|
Runs
|
Rush
Yds |
Rush
TD |
Rec
|
Rec
Yds |
Rec
TD |
Total
DYAR |
Rush
DYAR |
Rec
DYAR |
Opp
|
|
1.
|
Joe Mixon | CIN |
22
|
153
|
4
|
4/5
|
58
|
1
|
128
|
92
|
37
|
CAR
|
|
||||||||||||
|
2.
|
Tyler Allgeier | ATL |
10
|
99
|
0
|
1/1
|
24
|
0
|
46
|
33
|
13
|
LAC
|
|
3.
|
Derrick Henry | TEN |
17
|
115
|
2
|
0/0
|
0
|
0
|
29
|
29
|
0
|
KC
|
|
4.
|
Kenyan Drake | BAL |
24
|
93
|
2
|
2/2
|
16
|
0
|
41
|
25
|
15
|
NO
|
|
5.
|
Kenneth Walker | SEA |
26
|
109
|
2
|
3/4
|
20
|
0
|
18
|
24
|
-6
|
ARI
|
| Mr. Boom-or-Bust is back! The Cardinals stuffed Walker four times, but also allowed him to run for seven first downs, including gains of 12, 12, and 15 yards. He was very quiet through three quarters, then went off in the fourth, with 11 carries for 62 yards and two touchdowns in the final 15 minutes. | ||||||||||||
| Worst Running Back by DYAR (Total) | ||||||||||||
|
Rk
|
Player
|
Team
|
Runs
|
Rush
Yds |
Rush
TD |
Rec
|
Rec
Yds |
Rec
TD |
Total
DYAR |
Rush
DYAR |
Rec
DYAR |
Opp
|
|
1.
|
AJ Dillon | GB |
11
|
34
|
0
|
2/4
|
10
|
0
|
-53
|
-23
|
-30
|
DET
|
| It wasn't all Aaron Rodgers' fault. Dillon was stuffed three times while running for only three first downs, with a long carry of only 9 yards. His two receptions were a 7-yard gain on second-and-17 and a 3-yard gain (with a fumble, recovered by Green Bay) on third-and-5. | ||||||||||||
| Worst Running Back by DYAR (Rushing) | ||||||||||||
|
Rk
|
Player
|
Team
|
Runs
|
Rush
Yds |
Rush
TD |
Rec
|
Rec
Yds |
Rec
TD |
Total
DYAR |
Rush
DYAR |
Rec
DYAR |
Opp
|
|
1.
|
J.J. Taylor | NE |
10
|
9
|
0
|
1/1
|
8
|
0
|
-24
|
-29
|
6
|
IND
|
| Zero first downs, zero successful plays, four stuffs, and a long gain of 5 yards (on second-and-12, at that). | ||||||||||||
| Five Best Wide Receivers and Tight Ends by DYAR | ||||||||||
|
Rk
|
Player
|
Team
|
Rec
|
Att
|
Yds
|
Avg
|
TD
|
Total
DYAR |
Opp
|
|
|
1.
|
Tyreek Hill | MIA |
7
|
8
|
143
|
20.4
|
1
|
86
|
CHI
|
|
| Each of Hill's seven completions gained a first down, and aside from his 3-yard touchdown, all of them gained at least 16 yards. He also gained 32 more yards and another first down on a DPI. | ||||||||||
|
2.
|
Dallas Goedert | PHI |
8
|
9
|
100
|
12.5
|
1
|
57
|
HOU
|
|
| Seven of Goedert's catches picked up first downs, and six gained 10 yards or more; the other was a 7-yard gain on first-and-10. He also gained 8 yards on a DPI. | ||||||||||
|
3.
|
Jaylen Waddle | MIA |
5
|
7
|
85
|
17.0
|
1
|
49
|
CHI
|
|
| Four of Waddle's catches moved the sticks, the longest a gain of 26, and he added a fifth first down and 47 more yards on a DPI. | ||||||||||
|
4.
|
Justin Jefferson | MIN |
7
|
13
|
115
|
16.4
|
1
|
42
|
WAS
|
|
| Jefferson's totals include 11 rushing DYAR for his one carry for 10 yards. Only four of his catches picked up first downs, but one of them was a 47-yard gain on third-and-7, and he added 14 more yards on a DPI. | ||||||||||
|
5.
|
Curtis Samuel | WAS |
3
|
4
|
65
|
21.7
|
1
|
38
|
MIN
|
|
| Samuel's totals include 11 rushing DYAR for his one carry for 16 yards. His three catches: a 2-yard gain on third-and-6, a 49-yard touchdown, and a 14-yard gain on third-and-2. And if you're wondering why the best receivers were so lukewarm this week, I'll refer you to the first of these player tables, where outside of Miami there was hardly a good passer to be found. | ||||||||||
| Worst Wide Receiver or Tight End by DYAR | ||||||||||
|
Rk
|
Player
|
Team
|
Rec
|
Att
|
Yds
|
Avg
|
TD
|
Total
DYAR |
Opp
|
|
|
1.
|
Kendrick Bourne | NE |
3
|
4
|
11
|
3.7
|
0
|
-35
|
IND
|
|
| Bourne's totals include -2 rushing DYAR for his one carry for 1 yard. His three catches: 10-yard gain on third-and-15; 1-yard gain on second-and-10; no gain and a fumble (recovered by New England) on first-and-10. | ||||||||||
Comments
102 comments, Last at 10 Nov 2022, 8:15am
#1 by Will Allen // Nov 08, 2022 - 7:04am
Glad to see that Cousins outdueled Heinicke, giving The Kirkster his 3rd DYAR victory over opposing qbs this season.
One question; how much DYAR did Heinicke get, when the zebra threw a block on a Viking safety poised for an int., so Heinicke could get a 49 yard td pass? If that pass had been intercepted, how much DYAR would have Heinicke lost?
#7 by peterplaysbass // Nov 08, 2022 - 8:21am
Captain Quirk now has four DYAR victories: Rodgers, Goff, Fields and Heinicke. He's up to .500!
Great question on the 49 yard TD pass. I read someone's opinion that a DPI could've been thrown on Harrison Smith even if the back judge hadn't been in the way, but I'm not sure how I feel about that.
#93 by Moridin // Nov 08, 2022 - 5:57pm
I completely agree, but I do thank you for going ahead and running the numbers for such a unique play. I'm very happy that refs rarely get 100 DYAR swing plays. Obviously, they do have similarish plays where a penalty reverses an INT or TD, causing a huge outcome swing. But that plays out so differently than actually accidentally setting a pick play.
#99 by Will Allen // Nov 09, 2022 - 10:04am
Thanks. I seldom am curious about such things, but it ain't often you get such a swing in play value by having a zebra block a player. Also, one trend I might be seeing in the Vikings over the past couple weeks is improvement in pass defense, so I wanted some feel for how that oddball play may have had on the metrics in a small sample.
#4 by andrew // Nov 08, 2022 - 7:59am
Taylor Heinicke's numbers are bad... but how bad would they have been if that long touchdown to Samuel had been picked, like it likely would have been had the back judge not collided with Cam Bynum as he was tracking down the ball?
Even though it was a touchdown even the Commanders radio call of the game were like "why would you throw that?" don't get me wrong they were delighted, but they still couldn't believe that he decided to throw there.
#9 by JonesJon // Nov 08, 2022 - 8:37am
The defense probably wasn't good to begin with and now it is abysmal. The Bears played a lot of below average QBs to start the season. The defense looked decent against Trey Lance, Davis Mills, Daniel Jones/Tyrod Taylor, Carson Wentz, and Mac Jones/Bailey Zappe. The defense looked horrible vs Aaron Rodgers and Kirk Cousins and Roquan Smith was still out there when they got picked apart by Dak. Pretty good chance that every decent offense has a big day vs the Bears the rest of the way
#14 by Aaron Brooks G… // Nov 08, 2022 - 9:09am
When we took the best WR in the league and gave him to Tua and took him away from Mahomes, on the year Mahomes is still better than Tua. But you think Tua is the MVP.
\ain't happening if the Dolphins finish 3rd in their division.
#16 by anthonytwotimes // Nov 08, 2022 - 9:31am
He had all day to throw against the Bears and still somehow managed to under throw receivers.
Bears front 7 consists of journeymen, UDFA’s, and late round picks still on rookie deals. It has zero NFL starting level talent across the board. Guys that probably wouldn’t get elevated from most practice squads in the league.
Every QB will look like an MVP from here on out against this Defense.
#57 by theslothook // Nov 08, 2022 - 12:09pm
And that spectrum is ginormous. Goff is in that spectrum. The ideal version of Russell Wilson is in that spectrum. That's why the discourse on Tua is becoming so divisive. Is he closer to Goff or is he closer to Wilson or perhaps even better than that? You could ask the same question for Hurts.
And I just don't think we will know either way this year.
#68 by fyo // Nov 08, 2022 - 1:21pm
I would be shocked if he didn't regress at least a bit, but the simple fact is that he has outplayed pretty much everyone so far. Will he continue to do that? Probably not, but that doesn't change what he's done so far this year.
#18 by takeleavebelieve // Nov 08, 2022 - 9:51am
By precisely which measures has Mahomes been better?
Tua has more DYAR than Mahomes despite 120 fewer pass attempts, and FWIW Tua also has a slightly higher PFF grade than Mahomes. Miami also has a higher passing DVOA than KC, which includes 2.5 games of Bridgewater and Thompson.
Tua won’t win MVP, but the reality is a lot closer than you’re suggesting.
#24 by Noahrk // Nov 08, 2022 - 10:18am
Tua has more DYAR than Mahomes after this week, but let's be reasonable. Nobody should be discussing whether Tua is better than Mahomes, and MVP has a strong team success requirement the Dolphins are not likely to meet. But OPY is on the table right now.
Tyreek to the Hall should be gaining steam, too.
#27 by colonialbob // Nov 08, 2022 - 10:39am
MVP isn't about who's "better" but who has had the best season, and Tua is certainly in the discussion there. Leading in passing DYAR (in fewer games), leading in DVOA , team offense basically tied with KC... As for team success, those lowly 6-3 Dolphins are far behind the... 6-2 Chiefs.
Not saying Tua is or should be the favorite right now but all this dismissal is just silly. If he keeps up his current level of play over the second half of the season, he certainly deserves consideration for MVP (especially with the Bills and Chiefs looking suddenly mortal and no single player really standing out in the NFC).
#37 by RickD // Nov 08, 2022 - 11:14am
Tua's having a nice season, but he's QBing for a 2nd place team, his numbers have suspiciously gone up a lot with Hill's arrival, and there are a few QBs who simply pass the eyeball test a lot better.
As long as the Eagles keep winning, Jalen Hurts will be the leader in the MVP race. Because MVP voters think QBWinz is the best stat.
Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, and Patrick Mahomes could all have a say in this race. Whereas it's hard to imagine Tua will keep up this pace. One of the other three will get the #1 seed in the AFC and thus be an automatic MVP finalist.
#42 by Pat // Nov 08, 2022 - 11:25am
his numbers have suspiciously gone up a lot with Hill's arrival,
We've literally never seen Mahomes with a bad set of receivers: Kelce was already an All Pro when Mahomes got there. So it's extremely unfair to say "hey, when he got a top tier receiver, his numbers got better" because Mahomes has always had one.
As long as the Eagles keep winning, Jalen Hurts will be the leader in the MVP race.
That... runs completely opposite to the tone of the above statement. Player tracking data has Brown as literally the best WR in the league over the past 4 years (well, behind the salary cap accounting trick known as Michael Thomas).
#44 by Aaron Brooks G… // Nov 08, 2022 - 11:32am
Narrative matters. Hurts last year was seen as having substantially improved on a team not much better than the 4-11-1 mess he was on as a rookie. (Remember, linemen don't exist in the minds of media voters)
Tua, as recently as August, had gotten his coach canned and his owner had tampered trying to get a better QB.
Now, mind you, living in Philly -- if you offered me Mahomes or Allen for Hurts, I'd agree and be gone so fast I'd red-shift.
#47 by colonialbob // Nov 08, 2022 - 11:43am
Maybe I spend too much time around here vs "mainstream" football media, but the narrative around Hurts seems more "he's improved from an afterthought to pretty good!" not "he's one of the best QBs in the league!"
#63 by Pat // Nov 08, 2022 - 12:31pm
If you mean in the minds of MVP voters, I agree, of course.
I'm just really doubtful that the negative narrative on Tua makes as much sense as people are making it out to. I mean, Mike Tanier's opinion on Tua is super-low, for instance, and that makes zippo sense to me. I mean, less than zippo. Tua's extension-eligible this offseason and I cannot tell you how fast I'd throw money at him. Roll it into the 5 year extension and pull agent-speak to make it sound nice, but basically make it around Kyler or Allen's level.
#77 by Noahrk // Nov 08, 2022 - 2:09pm
I don't think Tanier's opinion of Tua is that low anymore. In that last article he acknowledged part of the offensive success of the Dolphins is due to Tua and not in spite of Tua, which is a lot more than many posters here give him credit for.
I used to be baffled by how divided opinions were on Tua, but now I believe it's got a lot to do with him being a lefty. When you watch his film inverting the vertical he looks like a completely different player. There's something about being left-handed that weirds our brains out.
#83 by Noahrk // Nov 08, 2022 - 2:51pm
To be honest, I don't think Tanier truly has a good opinion of Tua, but he's also pretty smart and he knows how to choose his moments. At some point in the offseason he started hedging his bets, saying of course Tua would do better. But if Tua falters, you just know he'll be saying "it's what we knew all along".
#80 by Noahrk // Nov 08, 2022 - 2:24pm
Context matters. Of course players look better when they have better teammates.But then, Hill is playing better than he ever did with Mahomes. That's something that needs a fair amount of explaining, no matter how you view Tua.
I think in time it will become clear that McDaniel is a really, really good coach. We know about strategical inefficiencies, that's why sites like this exist, and McDaniel is on top of that. But what really blows my mind is that he's also on top of technique inefficiencies. That's why I think he's taking good players like Hill, Waddle and, yes, Tua and he's making them look even better.
#88 by Aaron Brooks G… // Nov 08, 2022 - 4:04pm
But then, Hill is playing better than he ever did with Mahomes.
More volume. His efficiency is about the same as it was in 2017 and 2018 in KC.
(2017 was with Alex Smith)
He's no longer competing with Travis Kelce.
#22 by Noahrk // Nov 08, 2022 - 10:10am
Realistically, he's a candidate for OPY, but MVPs need to be on teams that get a top two seed. It's not impossible, but it doesn't seem likely right now. Not until and unless the defense rights the ship. Which I'm not ready to rule out, when she if they get healthier.
#38 by RickD // Nov 08, 2022 - 11:17am
Teddy Bridgewater's shortcomings don't make a good MVP case for Tua.
And, really, to a great extent Tua's time missed is partly his own fault. And it hurt his team. As they say, availability is also important.
MVP isn't a contest in the contrast between a starter and his replacement. (Or it shouldn't be.)
#41 by ImNewAroundThe… // Nov 08, 2022 - 11:24am
Especially when a ton of yall were saying there was basically no difference.
And, really, to a great extent Tua's time missed is partly his own fault. And it hurt his team. As they say, availability is also important.
Really? Yeah it's greatly his fault he was hit, unlike other QBs. You're corny.
Yall really gonna make me post the list again just to ignore and go "tHaT dOeSn'T mAtTeR. AlL tYrEeK. My EyE tEsT."
Let's learn instead.
#46 by colonialbob // Nov 08, 2022 - 11:40am
"it's all the receiver, except that receiver didn't really make Bridgewater look very good at all." Like sure obviously having Hill helps Tua, but you don't just have a great receiver and instantly become a good QB. Jefferson and Kupp aren't putting Cousins or Stafford atop the leaderboards, after all.
It's not that the contrast between the starter and the replacement decides MVP, it's that looking at how a replacement performed can help give a little insight into the relative responsibility of the various players for the team performance. If the Dolphins hadn't missed a beat with Bridgewater, then clearly it would've been the system/players elevating the QB. The fact that it didn't implies (but obviously doesn't conclusively prove) that Tua is a significant part of the success.
#54 by colonialbob // Nov 08, 2022 - 12:01pm
Oh, I'm not trying to say Tua is suddenly a top 3 QB going forward or anything. But like, he's undeniably had one of the best QB seasons thus far and deserves to be in the conversation for an award which effectively recognizes the best QB seasons.
#56 by theslothook // Nov 08, 2022 - 12:07pm
Sure I agree. MVPs are not entirely(or even remotely?) based on questions of intrinsic value and have always been about numbers. I think if Tua lands first across the board on the advanced metrics, he should win; the standings be damned.
#58 by KnotMe // Nov 08, 2022 - 12:10pm
That is fair. He probably gets votes but I don't think he has much of a shot unless Miami wins their division. Which is possible.
Honestly, it's not unknown for QB to have one year where they do waaay better than their baseline due to everything comming together. (Matt Ryan). Would have to wait till next year to see if Tua is gonna be awesome going forward or this is career year.
#70 by Aaron Brooks G… // Nov 08, 2022 - 1:32pm
If the Dolphins hadn't missed a beat with Bridgewater, then clearly it would've been the system/players elevating the QB. The fact that it didn't implies (but obviously doesn't conclusively prove) that Tua is a significant part of the success.
It is interesting to observe that Tua was struggling (or being asked to do little) in the games in which he was hurt, and Bridgewater did better against Cincinnati than Tua did. Tua got to miss the Jets game, who are the 3rd best defense the Dolphins have played.
Bridgewater hasn't looked great, but three of the four games he's come into have been against good defenses. He's basically played as many good defenses as Tua, but has gotten three fewer games against bad ones.
#10 by jwilkey82 // Nov 08, 2022 - 8:47am
And then Mixon took the field against Carolina and chose violence.
I know this is a common turn of phrase, but maybe not the best choice when discussing Joe Mixon. I know it's not intentional, and I don't want to be all "cancel culture", but at the same time, yikes.
At least the violence stayed on the field this time?
#25 by Kaepernicus // Nov 08, 2022 - 10:22am
Seeing the CHI coaching staff lean into Fields strengths has been pretty incredible. He may actually be tough/talented/smart enough to overcome his horrendous awareness and turn into an above average starter. I am starting to think that toughness may be one of the most underrated traits of a QB. Everyone talks about availability being the greatest ability but I think there is something to being able to play at a high level while banged up. Fields made it obvious he could do that in college against Clemson in the CFP and it seems to be translating to the NFL.
Mac Jones is the most confusing to me from the 2021 class. He was playing extremely well through the first 10 weeks as a rookie and has essentially fallen off a cliff since then. Did NE cut down the RPO/PA heavy system they had last year after the coordinator swap? His pressure rate has not gone up much and somehow his on target rate has fallen below Trey Lance. Mac's only potentially elite trait is his accuracy/touch. If that is below average then there is no reason to even start him over Zappe. In the limited games I have watched with him he seems to have great accuracy and poor timing. He's like a bizarro Jimmy G. Still seems to be pointing and shooting which would help explain why a QB with his profile would have such bad YAC numbers, even with a mediocre set of weapons. Maybe this is just a perfect storm of a bad OC swap and a sophmore slump coming together at the same time with an ankle injury. Either way Mac does not have the arm talent to be this inaccurate and continue starting in the NFL. I mean Zappe was significantly more accurate and was generating an extra yard of YAC with the same weapons for roughly 3 games.
The biggest news of the weekend was the Colts hiring Jeff Saturday as HC. Irsay is officially off the reservation. This is the most insane coaching change I have ever seen. It's somehow dumber than the Texans attempting to make McCown their new HC the last few years. The worst part about the choice was all the people they decided not to move at the trade deadline. This looks like a tank move and the roster is still constructed to win now. There is no way they get the same value for Nelson/Buckner in the off-season. If the Colts were in any division other than the NFC/AFC South they would be staring down 2-3 years of purgatory. They are a worse version of the NO Saints.
Then there is Josh Allen's elbow. It's tough to decide which other NFL team is as reliant on their starting QB playing great than Buffalo. I think it probably comes down to him and Lamar. If he is out for 2-4 weeks they might be chasing a wildcard spot because of the strength of the AFC East and their poor division record. If he needs TJ surgery this could alter the NFL landscape for multiple years. What a crazy week of football.
#29 by colonialbob // Nov 08, 2022 - 10:42am
The biggest news of the weekend was the Colts hiring Jeff Saturday as HC. Irsay is officially off the reservation. This is the most insane coaching change I have ever seen. It's somehow dumber than the Texans attempting to make McCown their new HC the last few years.
Trying to hire McCown is fairly standard NFL dumb - hire the way underqualified guy because the owner likes him / he's a "good guy". Hiring Saturday is like something out of the 1920s barnstorming NFL days.
#72 by Kaepernicus // Nov 08, 2022 - 1:37pm
I think Jim's drugs of choice are of the opioid pill variety, but your comp is right on in general. Literally the most insane thing I have seen in decades of NFL fandom. I have been trying really hard to find a dumber move. Irsay's press conference was nuts too.
"Jeff has been chilling in High School FB so he hasn't been exposed to all this analytics mumbo jumbo. That stuff scares adult men more than anything else."
I feel bad for Colts fans. Irsay may need to stop owning the team before they are a contender again.
#73 by theslothook // Nov 08, 2022 - 1:43pm
I think Irsay has been an OK owner. He runs his mouth a lot and the recent headlines suggest hes not above doing wacko things. But for the most part, he's given the braintrust a good amount of time to execute their vision. OTHO, I've also argued that he likely played a part in the Colts embarking on this ridiculous QB carrousel; an end game Ballard and Riech must have seen coming the minute they signed Philip Rivers.
Perhaps age is now starting to affect him but unlike the other terrible owners, Jim has also tasted a SB victory and has seen what a good coaching staff and organization looks like; so hopefully that should check his tempetations to assume he knows best.
#81 by Pat // Nov 08, 2022 - 2:39pm
and has seen what a good coaching staff and organization looks like
No, he hasn't. Any team led by Peyton Manning is not what a good coaching staff and organization looks like, because no quarterback in the league was (or even is) anything like what Peyton was.
You saw this in both Indy and in Denver. The OC didn't matter, it was Peyton's offense.
I do agree that Irsay was patient with Polian's team building considering how long it took to win a Super Bowl, but that's because they were still winning every year.
#84 by theslothook // Nov 08, 2022 - 3:09pm
I think this comment is a bit extreme.
Tony Dungy was the paragon of professionalism and Polian was a football lifer way prior to coming to Indy.
That's as solid a brain trust as you're going to find outside of Baltimore or 80s 49ers
#87 by Pat // Nov 08, 2022 - 3:39pm
I'm not insulting either Dungy or Polian. What I'm saying is that Peyton completely changed the entire dynamics of that organization. Same thing happened in Denver as well. You just didn't need to worry about certain things anymore. You had a head coach that could focus entirely on one side and not even have to review the success of the other side. Plus you had an elite QB who was dramatically underpaid (relative to actual value, not the league) so even cap constraints weren't actually serious.
You literally had an entire power dynamic (playcaller/quarterback) which was missing.
#101 by Pat // Nov 09, 2022 - 10:33am
To give a counterexample, the Eagles had Pederson and Reich and won a Super Bowl with Wentz looking like an MVP and Foles actually earning Super Bowl MVP (...undeservedly, but I digress). Reich left, and the offense struggled afterwards: when Pederson tried to switch away from Wentz, there was backlash because the owner didn't trust that Pederson was actually the important piece of the '17 Super Bowl win. That led to a complete disintegration of the coaching staff, and led to the owner hiring someone from the coaching tree of the guy who he did want to credit for the Super Bowl win (Reich).
That's what I'm talking about. Philly had an solid organizational structure, but the power dynamic behind "who's really responsible for the offense" blew things up, and with Manning on a team, that entire power dynamic is just missing. Manning's the offense, and the head coach is defense/organizational. Once Manning left, the Colts immediately fell into that power dynamic issue with Caldwell being tossed.
#40 by RickD // Nov 08, 2022 - 11:22am
Mac just doesn't seem to be meshing with the current coaching staff. Also, the O-line is noticeably worse this year.
Well, with the bye week hopefully David Andrews will be able to return. And maybe he can get Strange back into shape. Strange has fallen off a cliff the past two weeks with Andrews out.
#76 by Kaepernicus // Nov 08, 2022 - 2:04pm
Where has this sudden inaccuracy come from though? Looking at the pfref on target rate stats he has dropped from 76% to 57% this year . 57% is insanely low. That is below PJ Walker and Baker Mayfield. I see based on his ALEX that he seems to be pushing the ball further downfield. He is also taking a lot more sacks with a very similar pressure rate. This makes it seem like the struggles are tied to scheme more than anything. But the bigger issue for Patriots fans is all of this seems to confirm that Mac is very much going to be a system QB who needs specific schemes and players to succeed.
#95 by takeleavebelieve // Nov 08, 2022 - 6:47pm
It seems like Mac wants to read deep to short, whereas Zappe reads short to deep. Mac’s tendency to do that is exacerbating the two major weakness of the offense - pass pro, and the receivers being unable to create separation. The approach is just fundamentally at odds with what the offense is suited for.
#65 by tjb // Nov 08, 2022 - 12:54pm
Allen threw the ball 70 yards in the air on the final play - there's no way he does that with even a partial tear. It's pretty unlikely he'll need TJ surgery.
Whether or not he misses some time is still up in the air, though.
#50 by Paul R // Nov 08, 2022 - 11:52am
Aaron Rodgers -142 DYAR. "Rodgers loses a league-high 59 DYAR due to opponent adjustments..."
Sam Ehlinger -172 DYAR "Ehlinger gains 54 DYAR..."
Those two sentences are painful to read one after the other.
Poor Sam. But, hey, you know Joe Burrow got sacked 70 times last year and made it to the Super Bowl.
#51 by theslothook // Nov 08, 2022 - 11:53am
When was the last time a Bears QB finished 2nd in DYAR in any week? I suppose maybe McCown did it or maybe when Trubisky threw for 6 tds. Either way, are Bears fans now giddy about all of this or what?? I mean, I know the defense is now thoroughly unwatchable, but hey, the games are fun no??? After years and years of the reverse, don't bears fans want to enjoy good offense even if it came through a monkey's paw tradeoff?
#64 by DSafetyGuy // Nov 08, 2022 - 12:40pm
It's strange. I can't help but wonder what will happen when he has better talent around him (line and receivers, specifically).
But, the catch is that I don't trust the front office to get that better talent. I understand the teardown of the defense at the trade deadline and why they are taking a swing at Claypool. I do think that Fields' recent play helped nudge them to trade Quinn and Smith, as I don't think most fans really care about losing shootouts if Fields is a highlight reel... and they get the bonus of staying high in the draft next year.
Their plan to help Fields this past offseason was to spend resources on defense in free agency (Larry Ogunjobi was their first free agent signing, but failed his physical and they had to sit out a couple days waiting for that to unfold) and the draft (two defensive backs, then a 25-year-old kick returner/gadget WR whom they have pulled off return duties and was inactive last week with Claypool added, then a bunch of late-round lottery ticket offensive linemen). They could have very easily focused resources on the offense to help lift Fields up, and now he would be lifting up those additions with his recent level of play.
I also don't really trust the coaching staff. Eberflus is a first-time coach coming from the defensive side of the ball. Getsy is a first time offensive coordinator and first-time play-caller. Everyone's excited about how Fields has taken off the last three weeks, but my question is what took them so long to include the designed runs as part of their offense.
Sigh. And so it goes.
#91 by Steve in WI // Nov 08, 2022 - 5:16pm
I'm cautiously optimistic. The previous regime left the team in a really bad spot that was going to take years to crawl out of, and also traded up to draft Fields on the way out the door. I'm not really worried about how bad the defense gets (temporarily...I want to see some improvement starting next year) because they were going to decline no matter what. I'm not saying Poles and company are beyond reproach but so far there's no move that I can point to and say "clearly these guys are idiots" like I could with the previous regime.
#60 by theslothook // Nov 08, 2022 - 12:14pm
I think it says something about the state of the AFC South that the Titans can probably start a running back at QB and still manage to win the division. That's not meant to throw any shade at Malik Willis(who really wasn't given a fair shot to play QB last week); but more the sad reality of life in the AFC South/a bit of a hat tip to Mike Vrable, who I really didn't think would be any good or even around by now.
But geez, the AFC South is a tragedy. The Colts are considered a complete joke and they are 2nd!!!!! in the division. The Texans are sitting at 1 win on the season and the Jaguars somehow look more competently run and coached than both of them.