PART 1:
- For regular season performance, of the top ten rushing defense teams in 2018, only two made the playoffs (Chiefs, Rams). The BOTTOM ten rushing defenses produced eight teams that went to the playoffs (Bears, Saints, Texans, Ravens, Cowboys, Eagles, Colts, Chargers). I’m not suggesting Run Defense makes your team bad, but that premium resources such as early draft picks or high cap space dollars should be spent on pass defense or a passing game, as those two categories much more strongly correlate to qualifying for the playoffs than run defense. This is why the PFF crowd criticized the Giants and Raiders for drafting run defense talent like Dexter Lawrence and Jonathan Abram when players like CB Greedy Williams or DE Jaylon Ferguson would have pushed their respective teams closer to the playoffs than the run-stop specialists who were drafted.
- A statistic that slaps traditional NFL analytics in the face; The New York Giants had the number one scoring offense in the NFC East (23.06 points per game) and were their last place team (5-11).
- The Miami Dolphins are my dark horse pick for wild card surprise of 2019. Everyone seems to be under the impression Brian Flores is tanking 2019 but they upgraded at QB from Ryan Tannehill who earned a number thirty-eight overall grade out of eligible QBs and went to Ryan Fitzpatrick with a number nine overall PFF grade (that’s including all of his pick-sixes). The Dolphins are also quietly building one of the league’s better pass defenses with Xavien Howard recently signing a big contract, newcomer Christian Wilkins as a disruptive interior defender, and starting DB Eric Rowe joining Miami after winning a championship in New England. The ‘Phins finished 7-9 last season. Screenshot this and save it for after 2019 when the Dolphins finish 3-13 so you can roast me on social media.
PART 2:
Nonsense QB stat comparisons:
(Boston College) Matt Ryan College Stats – 59.9%, 6.9 YPA, 9,313 Passing yards, 56 TD 37 INT, 1.5 TD/INT Ratio. 11 Rushing TDs.
(Duke) Daniel Jones College Stats – 59.9%, 6.4 YPA, 8,201 Passing yards, 52 TD 29 INT, 1.79 TD/INT Ratio. 17 Rushing TDs.
(OU) Baker Mayfield College Stats – 68.5%, 9.8 YPA, 14,607 Passing yards, 131 TD 30 INT, 4.36 TD/INT ratio. 21 Rushing TDs. (Started approx. 3 1/2 seasons)
(OU) Kyler Murray College Stats – 67.4%, 10.4 YPA, 5,406 Passing yards, 50 TD 14 INT, 3.57 TD/INT ratio. 13 Rushing TDs. (Started approx. 1 1/2 seasons)
(Michigan State) Kirk Cousins College Stats – 64.1%, 8.1 YPA, 9,131 Passing yards, 66 TD 30 INT, 2.2 TD/INT ratio, 1 Rushing TD.
(Ohio State) Dwayne Haskins College Stats – 70.0%, 9.1 YPA, 5396 Passing yards, 54 TD 9 INT, 6.0 TD/INT ratio, 4 Rushing TD.
PART 3:
DRAFT AUSTIN EKELER
THE 49ERS DIDN’T UPGRADE THEIR CRIPPLED-ASS SECONDARY AND WILL BE BAD AGAIN THIS YEAR. NICK BOSA CAN’T COVER ROBERT WOODS. WE’LL HAVE ROBERT SALEH AS INTERIM COACH IN 2020. JAQUASKI TARTT IN A WHEELCHAIR AIN’T COVERING ANYBODY.
The Bears can’t sustain their level of success and Mitchell Trubisky is just Taysom Hill but younger. I’m expecting 9-7.
Vic Fangio on Depression Drew Lock: “I was hoping for more, but I’m not surprised.”
The Eagles will have the highest scoring offense in the NFL (barring a Carson Wentz injury) . Their receiving depth is silly.
THE LIONS, TEXANS, AND TITANS ARE ALL STARTING TO RESEMBLE THE SAME TEAM FOR SOME UNKNOWABLE REASON. TRULY A QUANDARY.
Daniel Jones may actually, really have a better career than Haskins as the Giants have a QB-friendly system and are working with him to slowly improve. The Redskins seem to randomly attack their players with hammers to the knee every 10 weeks or so.
Gridiron Seasonal 