WEEK 2 GAME BY GAME RESULTS
San Francisco 49ers vs Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
QB - Jalen Hurts - 66
Not a bad overall game by Hurts but his second half was just so pedestrian. He tried hard to push the ball down field but didn’t have much success. His outside receivers didn’t do a great job separating and other than a bomb to Watkins he had very little success in the passing game. He made a beautiful throw that was called back due to illegal touching and he ran the ball with success in this game, but 11 points and only 12 completions isn’t going to get it done at the NFL level. Hurts was okay in this one but didn’t do enough to lead his team to victory. He hung onto the ball a bit longer than he did in week 1 as the play calling didn’t do him any favors. He looked much more comfortable in week 1 when he was able to get it out quickly and the RPO and quick check down game was working well, it wasn’t as easy in week 2 and while he played decent football, he regressed from the first game. An issue that Hurts had in this one that showed up on tape a couple of times as well, including on the first drive of the game was his deep ball hangs in the air a bit too long, not sure his arm strength is anything more than average at best. A rough series he had in the 4th quarter where he underthrew a deep ball (again), threw one into coverage that was almost picked, and then took a sack when his first read was gone was a tough sequence to watch.
RB - Miles Sanders - 65
Sanders was okay in this game and essentially got what was blocked for him. He had nothing in this game that truly impacted the game in a big way and it seems like he’s not as involved in the passing game as he was last year. I think Gainwell looks like he has some acceleration and burst in the open field that Sanders doesn’t quite have at this point. A mediocre game without much that stood out upon film review. His biggest run of the game came on a speed option on 3rd and short. Not much of a tackle breaker at this point in his career.
RB - Kenneth Gainwell - 55
Gainwell has a bit of burst and I think he projects as the obvious third down back for this team. That said there wasn’t much running room in this one and he didn’t create much on his own anyway. Not much to say other than that. He lacks a bit of patiences in the run game but hits the hole and gets upfield hard.
TE - Dallas Goedert - 55
Not a great game here from Goedert as he ended up with only 2 catches and struggled to gain much separation in the passing game. He also is typically an excellent blocking tight end but wasn’t as good in this game as he is typically. While he had a couple of decent blocks on wham concepts he had 2 negative blocks in pass pro and just wasn’t as effective as he usually is.A huge hit to his score in this game was giving up the Nick Bosa sack where he gave up a wide pass rush, not an easy matchup but it was a poor play.
TE - Zach Ertz - 57
Non factor in this game, there was a lot of the time I wondered if he was even in the game. He played 64 snaps and there were huge periods in this game that I didn’t know that he was on the field. He’s just not the same player that he was and now is more of a TE2 in a traditional offense.
WR - Devonta Smith 54
Smith was silenced. He does a fairly decent job of finding spots inside of zone coverage but in this game he just didn’t gain separation in a way that he usually does. In 7 targets he only had two catches, and as a WR1 you have to have more of an impact, particularly against a defensive backfield that just isn’t that good.
WR - Jalen Reagor - 52
Struggles to separate are dogging Reagor through two weeks. In a traditional receiver role he just doesn’t have the ability to create real separation unless it’s schemed up for him. He will do all of his damage as a screen guy and deep threat. He had a really nice touchdown called back because he got pushed to the sideline by Lenoir and if he had ran a tighter route he probably ends up with a higher grade and this could end up being a totally different grade, but that lack of touchdown because he got pinned is a major detriment to his grade.
WR - Quez Watkins - 72
Watkins only played 50 percent of the snaps but he is without a doubt a big play threat and has established himself through two weeks. The deep ball that he caught in the first quarter could have been a huge play in this game but they didn’t find paydirt after the play, but still a big time play. He also ran a dirty 7 route earlier in the game for a long completion. He is someone that they need to get more incorporated into this offense because he’s a dynamic player.
LT - Jordan Mailata - 82
Mailata was impressive in this one. He matched up with Bosa on a majority of snaps and really did an excellent job of holding him down. The contact he got seemed excessive a couple of weeks ago but through two weeks this season Mailata has been exceptional. The rest of the line wasn’t great in this one but that didn’t have anything to do with how this guy has played.
LG - Isaac Seumalo - 61
Seumalo has played pretty well through two weeks and this one he was solid if unspectacular. He allowed a bit of push a couple of times and a pressure that was obviously on him but he did a nice job. I think that he’s played more physical through two weeks this year than he has in the past seasons. This offense might fit him a bit better than the last ones he’s been on.
C - Jason Kelce 57
Kelce has been one of the best centers in the NFL but through two games this year he’s only been okay. In this one he gave up a couple of bad plays in the run game and some up field pressure in the pass game. He had his fair share of wins as well but the two bad run blocks that cost his team negative plays where blatant and rough. He’s still good but maybe he’s finally starting to slow down.
RG - Brandon Brooks N/A Injured
He was not playing very well before he got hurt and he’ll likely miss a long time this season.
RG - Landon Dickerson 50
This is a rough start to his NFL career. He only played about half the snaps in this one but he had his hands full. He started off pretty well early in the erd quarter and had a streak of about 4 solidly graded plays earlier on. He also got stood up a couple of plays and lost leverage on multiple occasions. When they brought blizes he just seemed to struggle with recognition and when he wasn’t given help it was a bit much. He held up okay considering he was thrown into the fire.
RT - Lane Johnson 63
Johnson was okay in this one but had only a handful of positive and negative plays and was held to a stalemate on a lot of reps. He’s a really good player but through two weeks much like Kelce he’s only been okay and not fantastic. They really need him to be great and he was good but not elite today. He gave up some push and wasn’t much of a factor in the run game. Considering I didn’t have him marked down much he gets a slightly above average grade but nothing special from Johnson in this one. Gave up a couple of pressures on this game where Hurts was able to escape and make big plays with his legs.
DE - Derek Barnett 52
Slow quiet game for Barnett as he had a couple of plays but in the 49ers quick passing game he didn’t do a ton. They held up fairly well against the run but Barnett was only okay in this one. Not a reason they lost but no impact plays. In the fourth quarter, him getting a personal foul on what would have been a 3rd and very long was an awful decision that was brutal, they fumbled the next play but it’s something you just can’t do.
DE - Ryan Kerrigan 50
He did virtually nothing. I had him with one positive run play where he stacked the lineman but he had zero other plays or stats on the game. With 32 snaps that’s a rough day.
DE - Brandon Graham NA Injured
Brutal injury for the Eagles. Graham is going to be out for the season. He’s an underrated player and a really active defender and this is going to be a huge blow.
DE - Josh Sweat 62
Sweat was decent in this game but not nearly as good as he was in the first game. I had him with a quick pressure win and a handful of stacks in the run game. He didn’t have a huge impact but was okay in this one if a bit quiet.
DT - Milton Williams 55
Quiet game for the rookie as Philadelphia seems intent on getting him reps. He had a couple of tackles in this one but was quiet and didn’t have a pass rush win that I remember on two viewings.
DT - Hassan Ridgeway 63
Ridgway had a really nice TFL in this one and showed a couple more quick run wins in this game. He has been explosive the first two weeks and while he mixes in some bad reps, with a DL this deep he’s made an impact through two games.
DT - Fletcher Cox 69
Cox was strong in this one. He had a couple of big time defensive plays and was able to get push and stack offensive lineman throughout the game. He had four tackles and a couple of big time run stuffs and pileups in this game.
DT - Javon Hargrave 88
Hargrave was outstanding again in this game, one week after being one of the best players in the NFL. He ended the game +9 in impact plays and quite simply was big time again. He had 7 tackles including multiple for loss, a big time quarterback hit, and at times just dominated the Seattle interior. It took the 49ers 38 carries to gain 117 yards in this game with a linebacker crew that isn’t very good and a big reason was Hargrave eating up blockers and making plays all around the line of scrimmage. Through two weeks he’s an All-Pro DT.
EDGE LB - Genard Avery 67
Avery was rock solid in this game. He’s more known as a pass rusher but in this one he played more off the ball. It’ll be interesting to see if he gets more reps as a pure pass rusher with Graham being out. Avery had 7 tackles and looked like the best Eagles linebacker in this one.
LB - Alex Singleton 64
Singleton made a couple of nice plays in this one but he plays a bit too out of control. He puts himself in position to make a lot of plays but missed a handful of tackles in this one. I had him for some positive plays as well but he’s not much of an impact player at this point. He sits back and allows a lot to happen and reacts to it instead of initiating plays. He had 11 tackles and was solid if unspectacular.
LB - Eric Wilson 68
Wilson is a good football player who does a little bit of everything for the Eagles second unit. I thought he provided solid coverage on Kittle throughout the contest, although he was a focal point of the defense. He made a ton of tackles, and I had him for 10 stops himself and had him for zero negatively graded plays and 3 positively graded ones. He was a good add for this Eagles defense and did his job throughout this game.
LB - TJ Edwards 64
Nice game from Edwards who didn’t play a ton of snaps but was active with 6 tackles. I couldn’t find much negative or positive on the game tape with him in terms of big plays but he was around the ball a lot for someone who didn’t play a ton of snaps. Step in the right direction here.
S - K’von Wallace 63
Wallace was okay in this one and plays a robber type role in this defense fairly well. I liked his game but he had a big personal foul that cost the team some serious yards. He’s an interesting pick in this defense.
S - Marcus Epps 58
Had no idea he was on the field in first review. Couldn’t see him anywhere and yet apparently he played 32 snaps. Not a great sign when you have no idea someone is out there.
S - Anthony Harris 65
Harris had a really nice football game but had a major negative grade that could have become a huge play. Early in the game, on the first drive I think it was, there was a Jimmy G overthrow that went right through Harris’ hands. An easy pick and a lot of green grass in front of him could have changed this game and made SF throw the ball more and not play ball control as much in the second half. Harris was pretty darn good throughout this game with only one other negative play but dropping an interception is the same as a turnover in my book.
CB - Darius Slay 77
Slay was outstanding in this one, as he only allowed a couple of catches and simply was not challenged much by these receivers. He also had a big fumble recovery to give Philly a chance late in the contest.
CB - Steven Nelson 73
Nelson has been a welcome addition to this Eagles team through two weeks. Nelson had a PBU and a forced incompletion and was stingy in coverage again. He also was physical in the run game.
CB - Avonte Maddox 63
The primary nickel was pretty darn good in this one, although somehow PFF says he didn’t allow a catch or a first down it was Maddox who allowed the first half touchdown to Jennings and he also had an obvious Pass interference in this one as well. He was okay in this game though and other than those two plays he played a decent game.
SAN FRANCISCO 49ers
QB - Jimmy Garoppolo 63
Not the best game I’ve seen Jimmy G play in his career but it turned out to be just enough. He used his legs on a couple of instances that helped the team get third downs and even got a QB sneak in for a touchdown. The deep crossing route play that is the obvious staple of the Shanahan offense to Samuel at the end of the first half was a big time play in this game. He didn’t make many big time throws and even his touchdown to Sherfield was a wide open one where the corner got mixed up. He played point guard fairly well but also missed a handful of wide open throws early in the game and had a pick dropped by Anthony Harris. It wasn’t a thing of beauty but it was a win.
RB - Elijah Mitchell 55
Nothing fantastic from Mtichell in this one as he couldn’t find any running room and lacks the big time physicality to move the pile much in this offense. Sermon is a better fit but got injured and fumbled in his big league debut. Mitchell needs to have more patience to run this wide zone blocking scheme and despite not much room today he didn’t hit the hole with the same pop as he did in week 1.
RB - Jaymycal Hasty 66
Hasty has some serious juice to his game. He looks quick and has big time acceleration from the running back position. He looks natural catching the ball as well and seems to see the hole a bit quicker than the other backs here. Hasty had more production in this game than the others and while he probably can’t handle a full load, he’s a nice complementary piece back there and gives them some juice on third downs.
HB - Kyle Juszcyzk 64
KJ was good in this one and had a couple of solid blocks on wham concepts and plays where he was able to cross the formation but wasn’t as good in tight without movement for the second straight week. It’s pretty obvious he’s a move blocker and not a stock-gap blocker as he doesn’t get movement inline and needs an angle to make a play. Quiet day for KJ but some solid plays along with some misses in the blocking game.
TE - George Kittle 65
Kittle isn’t quite back yet. He caught all 4 of his psses but didn’t break any of them and while he made one guy miss in space he was tackled immediately after that. He doesn’t have the same speed that he had last year and while he had a couple of big time blocks, one HUGE pancake block in the run game as well, he hasn’t shown that he’s a threat receiving this year like he has been in the past. He may just have to get it rolling a bit but so far he’s been less than stellar through two weeks. Still a tenacious run blocker though.
WR - Deebo Samuel 82
Deebo is absolutely special in this offense. He’s one of the best players in the NFL with the ball in his hands and running the deep cross he’s as deadly as there is in this game. He played another really solid game and with the offense seemingly losing trust in Aiyuk and Kittle trying to work his way back into form, it looks like the 49ers offense is going to run through Deebo this season. There are worse ideas for sure as he’s turning into a special player.
WR - Brandon Aiyuk 44
This was another really rough showing for the former first round pick. He played in over 30 snaps and yet could not find separation from the Eagles corners, getting just 6 yards on two targets. He also made a boo boo on special teams in not fielding a punt and got lucky it bounded into the endzone. He’s really struggled through two weeks and you wonder what happened over the summer.
WR - Trent Sherfield 52
Nothing much going here for Sherfield either who supposedly has been outplaying Aiyuk in practice. Pretty boring outing here with just one catch.
WR - Jauan Jennings NA
Didn’t play enoiugh to warrant an actual write up but good for him getting a touchdown! Ran a nice route to get it done as well and caught a tough one away from his body. Could be a nice move piece as a big receiver to give this team a different look outside.
LT - Trent Williams 80
Williams was a rock in this game. He wasn’t at his absolute best in the run game but he was still solid and he gave up essentially nothing as a pass protector. The team only really set back and threw the ball on a pure pass set about half a dozen times in this one so not much to grade there but Williams was the teams’ best run blocker and pass blocker in this one.
LG - Laken Tomlinson 61
Not a great game for him but he wasn’t the culprit to why this team had trouble running the ball consistently in this one. Tomlinson hung in there and battled at left guard and had essentially a neutral game against a very talented Eagles front.
C - Alex Mack 57
He’s definitely not the player he used to be as he had a slightly negative game in this one. He wasn’t bad but just doesn’t have the push and strength that he used to and isn’t as quick in the screen game as he used to be. He may be good enough at center at this point but to expect a Pro Bowl caliber year, that isn’t coming.
RG - Daniel Brunskill 44
This was a bit of a train wreck for Brunskill who ended up with a -6 grade in terms of big time negative plays graded out. Obviously he didn’t give up a sack as the team got the ball out too quickly but most of the negative run plays that happened in this one were a direct result of Brunskill getting beaten up. He needs to add play strength. Hargrave beat him numerous times early in this one and it was a pretty bad showing there.
RT - Mike McGlinchey 56
Another okay showing from McGlinchey who had a couple of negative plays including an obvious hold on a passing down that wasn’t called against Graham early in the game. He hung in and battled and did a decent job in pass pro for what you can grade there. He was below his usual standards in the run game. Nothing special here.
DE - Nick Bosa 78
Bosa is a flipping stud. He got fortunate on a sack in this one where he was supposed to be doubled by two tight ends but the inside guy for some reason crashed down to help and left Bosa one on one on a deep passing concept with Goedert, oops. Another looping sack in the game as well where he went speed to power on a longer concept got him a second one. He was fairly quiet in terms of pressures other than that but had a big impact with two sacks and was clearly an x factor in the game.
DT - Javon Kinlaw 66
Kinlaw seems like he had a quiet game but this grade goes up a ton because he blocked a field goal in this one that was a critical play in the game. He also was tough and stout against the run and did a nice job of creating piles. He was okay and not overly impressive but you help your team keep 3 points off the board in a close defensive game and your impact score goes up.
DT - DJ Jones 75
Jones was a man in this game. He was the best run defender in this game for the 49ers and caused massive problems for the Eagles run game. He made some big time plays against Jason Kelce and created push and ate up doubles with nice stunts and slants inside. He was very good here.
DL - Arik Armstead 74
Armstead was another player who had a really nice game. I thought he provided more consistent pressure than even Bosa did from the outside but didn’t end up getting the finishes that Bosa did. Nice game from Armstead in this one flushing out Hurts on numerous occasions.
DL - Kentavius Street 65
Street played a nice game in this one, with a couple of big time run plays and a big TFL. He got solid push in the pass game as well, getting a nice delayed rush.
LB - Fred Warner 84
Warner was only okay in week 1 but damn did he bounce back in week 2. He was all over the field, and gave up very little in coverage as well. A big time stop in the redzone followed up with nice converage in that area was the main reason for the Eagles getting stopped down there after the Watkins play. He was as good as can be in this one and was exceptional in coverage as well, taking away what the Eagles did so well in week 1 by not allowing the short quick completions, he gave up one catch but nothing after it in the second half but was otherwise outstanding.
LB - Azeez Al-Shaair 68
Al-Shaair was good in this one. He seems to have good acceleration sideline to sideline and sometimes he’ll lose sight of something throughout the game but he plays with a ton of energy. I like his coverage skills and he seemed to make some plays throughout this game. He’s a nice complementary piece to Warner.
SS - Jaquiski Tartt 70
Tartt was solid in this one. He came up to make plays and did what he typically does which is play really solid football in all phases. Nothing stood out on tape except it seemed like he was around the football and covering closely on most snaps.
FS - Jimmie Ward 78
I thought Ward was really good in this one. On the deep passes Ward seemed to be around the ball a lot. He ended up with just one PBU according to the stat sheet but it sure felt like he was playing quality center field throughout the game. He ended up with a half dozen tackles and a PBU but he let nothing get around him throughout the game and looked like a really quality player back there.
CB - Josh Norman 60
Not the best game from Norman who was flagged twice for PI. He gets grabby out there and wants to play an extremely physical brand of football, but it’s going to cost them at times. Honestly though he battled hard and despite giving up some stuff he played a decent football game. There wasn’t a ton of separation out there for Philly receivers.
CB - K’waun Williams 72
Williams was really good in this one. He didn’t allow much in coverage and as always plays tough and physical football. I think people underestimate how he can play but I almost don’t even remember him being out there because he wasn’t challenged much.
CB - Deommodore Lenoir 70
This would have been a much higher grade again if he hadn’t given up that 91 yard completion in man coverage to Watkins early in the game. Obviously that one hurt the grade but the Eagles kept on challenging him over and over and over and he gave up next to nothing. He had 3 PBU and forced another incompletion in the game including 3 times on 3rd down. It sure looks like the 49ers have found a young stud corner late in the draft. Through two weeks I think he’s the DROY.
HOUSTON TEXANS VS. CLEVELAND BROWNS
QB - Tyrod Taylor 73
Taylor was nothing short of spectacular and was playing incredible football. I think the Texans win this game if Andre Roberts hangs on to a punt and Taylor doesn’t get hurt. However, he did and that ended the Texans chances in this one.
QB - Davis Mills 35
The game was a bit too quick for Mills. He threw a pick, although Roberts certainly could have helped him on that play, and tossed a rub route touchdown. He also missed some throws, bailed from the pocket way too quickly, and tried to force the ball down field quite a bit. The speed was a bit much for him but considering the situation he was in, it could have been worse.
RB - Mark Ingram 66
Another gutsy and physical effort for Ingram who continuously pushes piles and gains tough yards. His ability to keep the Texans ahead of the sticks and battle for tough first downs is going to be key to their ability to stay in ball games this year. He’s a good fit for this offense.
RB - David Johnson 70
Johnson looked superb in this game. He only touched the ball 8 times but was nimble and quick and is clearly this team’s best third down back. I think they’ll likely look to incorporate him more if Taylor is out for an extended period as he looks good in the open field.
RB - Phillip Lindsay, 61
Lindsay was a complete non factor in this game, grading out negatively for most of the contest except he scored on a long screen touchdown. That said literally every back on the Texnas would have walked that one in as it was a breakdown by the Browns defense and some easy blocking up front.
Rex Burkhead - Non Factor
TE - Pharoh Brown 53
I really thought he was set to become a bigger player in this offense and as of now he looks like the clear TE1 here. He showed up more as a blocker than I thought he was capable of in this one though, ceiling the edge and showing something in the chipping and pass blocking game. But he was a non factor in the pass game.
TE - Jordan Akins 50
Akins made a big catch on the best throw of the night from Davis Mills, he picked up 17 big yards beating good slot corner Troy Hill to do it and then like an idiot spun the ball and cost the team 15 yards. Big mistake in a close game.
WR - Brandin Cooks 77
Cooks was outstanding again in this game, getting shadowed by a really good corner in Denzel Ward, Cooks made him look bad. Cooks caught 9 passes for 74 yards and had the Browns beat deep when Mills led him too far inside. He also forced a 25 yard PI, and had a touchdown in the game. Through two weeks Cooks looks like the WR1 he obviously is.
WR - Andre Roberts 35
Roberts was arguably the biggest factor in why Houston lost this game. The Texans had a big stop early in the contest and Roberts muffed the punt, giving the Browns a short field in which they scored a TD. He was also targeted on the intercpetion that Mills threw and while it wasn’t a good throw, a good WR may have caught it or at worst broke it up. He made a big play late in the game on a long catch and run but was the scapegoat in this one.
WR - Nico Collins NA Injured
Collins looked explosive and ready to roll in this game but was injured early.
WR - Chris Conley 53
Conley couldn’t shake Greg Newsome in this game and struggled to generate much. He did a nice job of blocking for the most part but was a non factor in the pass game as the rookie Newsome looks the part.
LT - Laremy Tunsil 75
Tunsil was really solid in this one. Myles Garrett was a pretty much non factor in this game and it was in large part due to Tunsil. That said Tunsil just isn’t that good of a run blocker and it showed up in this one. I think he only got beat once by Garrett in pass pro but got not much movement in the run game. He had one really nice collapse down block that led to a decent gain but he just isn’t much of a pile mover. They pay him to pass pro and he was exceptional in this one though against one of the best in the game on the edge.
LG - Tytus Howard 62
A pretty good game in pass protection and a pretty weak game in run blocking for Howard. The Texans front generated very little movement in the run game and it led to some longer distances for them on third down. Howard is settling in nicely at guard though and while he wasn’t great in this one, he wasn’t noticeable and that’s a big key. He looks like at least a league average starter over there.
C - Justin Britt 66
Thought Britt did a nice game here, including a couple of plus blocks and generally some good time to throw for the quarterbacks. A quiet game for him here as well is a good game. He has been solid through two weeks.
RG - Max Scharping 58
Scharping is the weak link on this Texans O-Line and he had some negatively graded plays in this one including giving up two TFL to Jadeveon Clowney alone. He also had a hold. But came up with a key block on the Lindsay screen touchdown. He just is not a good enough run blocker and doesn’t have the power to hold up inside.
RT - Marcus Cannon 63
Cannon was good again in pass pro this week but was only okay as a run blocker. He wasn’t a liability by any stretch and was good again in pass protection allowing just one obvious loss and failing to come off on the nickel blitz, but that sack was 100% on Mills. He was solid in this game but failed to generate big movement against Clowney who is an exceptional run defender.
DT - Maliek Collins 71
Collins was the Texans best DL in this game and made a few big time plays. He caused some problems for an excellent Browns OL and while it looks like he only had two tackles on the stat sheet he was constantly causing disruption and forced a hold during the game.
DT - Ross Blacklock 52
A week after looking like he had taken a step forward Blacklock was mostly a non factor in this one. He generated no pressure and didn’t play much of a factor in the run game. Getting pushed around and allowed to be washed out too easily.
DT - Jaleel Johnson 50
Same deal as Blacklock for Johnson. He just didn’t have the power to stand up and make plays on the line. The Browns didn’t get huge push but they were able to create movement and that was because the DT’s couldn’t stack and create piles as well as they should. That paired with little pressure leads to the low grades.
DE - Whitney Mercilus 54
Mercilus has a tackle for loss in this one and had a delayed pressure that forced a checkdown but was otherwise the same Mercilus from last season, not much of a factor.
DE - Jacob Martin 62
Martin at least made a play in this one getting an early sack and finishing the play. Martin can flash ability and in this one he made a big time play. They need more pressure though as the rest of the game the Texans got very little.
DE - Charles Omenihu 54
Nothing in this one from Omenihu although he did cause some problems for Conklin in terms of forcing a hold and stacking up one run off that side. Other than that though he was silent and I had to look back at the roster once to see if he had gotten hurt as he was a non factor other than that one play.
DE - Jordan Jenkins 55
Jenkins had two delayed pressures that forced Mayfield to run in this one but really didn’t do anything else. He didn’t win a rep quickly and kind of faded into the background as the Browns quick passing game and stretch run game didn’t allow him to make many plays.
LB - Christian Kirksey 67
Kirksey has played well for Houston during its first two games. He looks like the real deal and showed a pretty good ability to cover in this one again. While Mayfield dinked and dunked other than one deep pass to a tight end, the Texans rallied to the football and kept things in front of them. Kirksey got blocked a few times due to the Texans DT’s being unable to hold up against the run but he was active again making some nice plays.
LB - Kamu Grugier-Hill 70
He was the best Texans LB in this one flying around and making plays. I had him in for 40 snaps and he was super active. He got a sack by running a dog blitz on the fullback and bringing down Mayfield. He also got a stuff on an outside run play. He was solid in this one.
LB - Zack Cunningham 65
Nothing special from Cunningham in this one but he did make a couple of nice key 3rd down plays in this game. He made a key 3rd down stop in the red zone to hold Cleveland to a FG and made a tackle short that forced a punt late in the game. This defense isn’t as easy for him to run around in as the last one but he’s starting to get a feel and in this one while he did allow some short catches he was right there to make the play. The longer this season goes on the more he’ll feel at home in this spot.
CB - Vernon Hargreaves 58
Hargreaves is an okay player but in this one he gave up a couple of bigger plays down the field. The longest pass play of the game he was too close to the line and didn’t get the depth in the cover 2. There was nobody he should have been shadowing close to the line and it cost the Texans 30 yards. He just isn’t an elite corner, but in his defense he does look better than he did last year and is clearly better on the outside.
CB - Terrance Mitchell 68
Mitchell has been really good through two weeks for Houston and it’s going under the radar. They didn’t really target Mitchell in this game and when they did in the zone he came up and made the play. He was quietly very effective again in about ⅔ of the teams’ snaps.
CB - Tremon Smith 69
I think the Texans may have found a hidden gem in this season. Smith only played 18 snaps on defense but I had him in for a +2 grade and he looked tough and physical. I think he may get more reps as the season wears on.
S - Eric Murray 56
The Texans really need an upgrade at the spot opposite Justin Reid. Murray is fine but nothing special and he just gives up too much in the passing game as he’s too reactive. He had 5 tackles and nothing else and gave up some catches.
FS - Justin Reid 76
Reid is a really good football player and he was the biggest reason the Texans defense was in this game throughout as he personally forced two turnovers. The big hit early in the game caused a turnover and the pick just a couple drives later set them up with good field position. The reason his grade isn’t higher is he missed the tackle on the Felton screen that blew the game wide open. Other than that though Reid is good player and one the Texans NEED to extend this offseason.
CLEVELAND BROWNS
QB - Baker Mayfield 72
Mayfield was fine in this game but wasn’t anything special despite putting up solid numbers. The pick he threw was a bad one but he completed over 90% of his passes, almost all of which were easy throws to check downs and open receivers. The Texans didn’t get much pressure on him as most of his throws were out quick, and when he was asked to look downfield he really only completed one ball, a nice cover 2 beater to Harrison Bryant. Mayfield played point guard in this game and despite a bad pick, he used his legs well and managed the game at a nice level. He’s not a special player, but with this line and these backs he doesn’t have to be.
RB - Nick Chubb 84
Chubb is a special runner of the football. While analytics guys might not love him as he doesn’t give you much in the passing game, other than Derrick Henry this guy is the best pure runner in the NFL. Chubb has tremendous vision, power, and shows off a great burst when he gets to the open field. His vision separates him though as he figures out easily how to get to that second level and then uses strength and being more shifty than people think to pick up big chunks. He’s a really impressive player, and in that offense the only thing that will stop him is Stefanski splitting carries.
RB - Kareem Hunt 56
Hunt was mediocre in this one. He didn’t gain much separation in the passing game where he usually shines and was clearly the third best option in the run/screen game for the Browns in this one. Hunt had 23 snaps but was essentially held in check during his carries and touches, averaging less than 4 yards per touch. Not his best work
RB - Demetric Felton 74
If he had played any more than 3 offensive snaps his grade would have been in the 90s because his impact in this game was enormous. It started from the word go on an electric kick return to start the game. He made a nice catch in another scenario but the special play was his insane screen pass when the team was behind the sticks. He made two guys miss then flipped a crazy spin move on Justin Reid and exploded into the endzone for a score. It should have been an 8 yard gain and instead it changed the game. His 33 yard screen was paired with that nice return and another 18 yard catch. The guy needs to see the field more.
WR - Donovan Peoples-Jones 49
DPJ had an interesting game when watching the tape. On one hand he’s an excellent blocker and had some blocks that really sprang plays, including Chubb’s late round icing run for a touchdown. He’s clearly a top tier blocker. On the other hand he still can’t get separation in the passing game and the one catch he did have, he went right ahead and fumbled. One catch, one fumble and he played 90% of the snaps. That’s a rough one. But if you’re watching this and you’re a Browns fan you have to watch that tape and think he’s a good fit in this offense with his ability to make impact blocks.
WR - Rashad Higgins 55
Played 43 snaps and had two catches. Quiet day at the office.
TE - Harrison Bryant 70
Bryant is playing with two other tight ends who are highly compensated, but this guy is clearly the best of the bunch. He has really good acceleration and gets in and is physical in the run game. He had 4 catches for 49 yards including that C2 beater we talked about up top. The other guys might get paid more but Bryant’s ability and movement skills in the passing game as well as physicality in the run game really stand out on film.
TE - David Njoku 67
He’s a good solid tight end but probably never should have gone in round 1. He’s a good blocker, and has improved at that throughout his career, to the point now where it’s a major attribute.
TE - Austin Hooper 68
Hooper is a good pass catcher and found some soft underneath spots in the Texans zone. He had 5 catches for 40 yards and he’ll be relied on to move the chains for this offense. He had a key block on the Chubb touchdown run and is showing that he can block a bit better than people give him credit for. He’s not elite there by any stretch but he had some key blocks in this movement run game.
LT - Jedrick Wills 68
Wills was pretty good in this one despite playing hurt. He didn’t play all the snaps but he hung in there and did his job. There were a couple plays where he gave up a bit in terms of initial push but there weren’t many true pass sets in this one and even in those he didn’t give up much. He’s a solid player.
LG - Joel Bitonio 77
I never even knew Bitonio was out there in pass pro because he gave up nothing and he got consistently good push in the run game. He moves with ease and is one of the better interior blockers in the game.
C - JC Tretter 72
Tretter is a solid center and this blocking scheme does a lot to help him out. He got some solid movement although nothing special in this one but he just seems to allow people to wash out and plays with really high football IQ. Good quality game here and I didn’t have him with one pressure allowed directly.
RG - Wyatt Teller 77
Teller is a stud. He had no seriously negative grades allowed in this one that I noticed. He also had a huge block on the Chubb run at the end of the game and had an excellent seal block on another double digit yard run earlier in that quarter. He’s a really good run blocker and in this one also only gave up one delayed pressure. He’s going to make a lot of money soon.
RT - Jack Conklin 61
Not a great game from Conklin who graded out with 3 negative plays and had a hold in this one. This to me is the most obvious one PFF got wrong from week 1. He gave up a sack in this one and had a hold that would have led to a TFL and he gave up a TFL when he couldn’t get around and pull of a reach block. The rest of the game was mostly positive though but he did have some misses and yet PFF has him at an 80 grade through two weeks. Baffling shit to me.
DE - Myles Garrett 63
Garrett didn’t really have an impact in this game. The Texans Laremy Tunsil did a really nice job against him and while Garrett did have one true pressure in this game and was okay against the run, he had 4 tackles and essentially one pass rush win for the week. Big game from Tunsil.
DE - Jadeveon Clowney 70
Clowney was really impressive in this one against the run. He had multiple run stops in this game and caused some others to bounce outside leading to short gains. He also had some pass rushes as well as a couple quarterback hits although most were on secondary rush. As usual he doesn’t finish with sacks but he was disruptive and as always really good against the run.
DE - Takk McKinley 62
Kind of a boring game for him but he had a TFL and one pretty solid secondary pressure that led to a forced throw.
DT - Malik Jackson 69
Jackson was really good in this one with secondary pressure and one or two really quick pass rush wins that forced some sideways movement. He didn’t always get directly to Taylor or Mills but did cause them to get off their spot a few times. He was active and made things more difficutl for the Texans passers.
DT - Malik McDowell 65
It’s good to see him back playing football again. He has some pop and some movement and you can tell Cleveland is relying on him. He played a decent game against the run here and showed some good pile up movement and held the line fairly well against a mediocre Texans interior.
DT - Jordan Elliott 55
You could tell when Elliott was in the game versus the other Browns DL as he just doesn’t have the strength to hold the point quite as well yet. He is supposedly super quick but didn’t show much pass rush in this game either. Kind of quiet. Needs more reps in nickel and obvious passing downs.
LB - Malcolm Smith 73
Smith was pretty good in this one but the main reason for his solid impact grade was the interception he had. No it wasn’t a great throw but Smith essentially took the ball away from Andre Roberts and it pretty much ended the game for the Browns. It was a huge play and his day in coverage was buoyed by that play. He was decent the rest of the contest.
LB - Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah 59
They haven’t figured out how to use him best yet as he was pretty much in the box throughout the game. He needs to be kept cleaner in order to play at his best but he was okay in this one, particularly once Taylor left the game. He started a bit rough with Tyrod in there. He was credited with a PBU as well.
LB - Mack Wilson 63
Wilson is pretty good against the run in this contest, playing downhill and making quite a few tackles for the lower number of snaps he played. When he’s kept clean and can read and react he’s a solid player.
LB - Sione Takitaki 69
No he didn’t play a ton in this one but he was effective when he did and he made one of the biggest plays of the game falling on the ball that Roberts dropped on the punt return. He also had a really nice tackle for loss and brought someone down in front of the sticks. It wasn’t many snaps but they were quality and the fumble recovery was a huge play in the game.
S - John Johnson 68
Johnson is an outstanding player and in this defense while he’s not asked to do quite as much as in LA he’s still responsible for a lot. He was fairly quiet in this one but had 4 tackles and kept the ball in front of him for the most part.
S - Ronnie Harrison 66
Harrison was good in this one, and better in coverage than he usually is. He came downhill hard a couple of times disrupting running lanes as well including getting a TFL. He’s not a special safety but he’s going to hit you and he’s a pretty decent tackler. He had a nice game
S - Grant Delpit 64
Delpit didn’t play many snaps but did have an excellent slot blitz that rocked Davis Mills. He’s going to get more and more time as this season wears on and I think he’ll end up replacing Harrison at some point.
CB - Greg Newsome 75
Newsome was outstanding in this game, essentially giving up next to nothing important in coverage. He looks like the real deal at corner. That said, he did give up a big PI call down the sideline on Brandin Cooks that cost the team. Overall though wow this kid can really play and there’s a case to be made he’s already better than Denzel Ward.
CB - Troy Hill 65
Hill didn’t give up much of a ton in this one but he did miss a tackle, and gave up a longer catch for about 17 yards and another one for double digits as well. He’s a solid player though and in today’s NFL if you are giving up a couple of catches it’s not a huge deal. He was okay in this game.
CB - Denzel Ward 47
This was not a game that Ward wants replayed in the locker room. I had him for 7 catches given up , although one was tough to say whether it was him or another guy but i watched it 3 times and am crediting Ward with the catch. He got beaten up by Brandin Cooks for a number of first downs including a couple of third and longs. This was a rough game for Ward, and one of the worst I’d seen him play. Collins smoked him for about 30 on the first play of the game too.
GREEN BAY VS DETROIT
Green Bay
QB - Aaron Rodgers 80
Rodgers was a hell of a lot better in this one than he was in the first game he played this season. His touchdowns were mostly schemed up including a pop pass, a clear out that was a really nice play by Aaron Jones and a great schemed up play, and a nice easy pitch to the flat. His touchdown throw to Tonyan was an absolute dime though, and he had another big time throw down the right sideline to Adams, and a little jump pass over the middle to him that were all incredible throws. On the throw to Tonyan he actually has his slot receiver underneath completely uncovered and still decided to toss a laser down the seam in the Cover 2 look. He made a ton of good decisions, took care of the football and ended up with a really nice stat line. He didn’t need to do a lot in this one but played sound football. He got away with a throw that would have been a pick because Adams drove on the ball and played DB and he hung onto the ball a little long that resulted in a sack, but ultimately, Rodgers was very solid in this game and put up great numbers thanks in part to terrible defense and tremendous coaching. Three really big time throws aid the grade as well.
RB - Aaron Jones 88
Jones was arguably the player of the game in this one, putting up 4 touchdowns, running with attitude and vision, and showing why he got that big pay day in the offseason. He isnt the route runner that CMC or Kamara are but he’s super reliable and has good vision and burst after the catch. He’s a more subtle route runner, and on the play where there were trips to the left and he jab stepped out to the right in the backfield to create a hesitation on Jamie Collins, it created enough room for him to go in untouched into the endzone. He isn’t a super powerful back but he gets low and uses leverage to his advantage, and in this sense ran effectively in this game despite not getting to 4 yards per carry. He made his mark in the passing game, showing reliable hands and getting to paydirt 4 times.
RB - AJ Dillon 54
Dillon was just okay in this one as he didn’t have a ton of room to run and was bottled up for less than 4 per carry. The Lions run D actually had a nice game. He also got beat on a blitz by Collins at the end of the game where he came over to make a block but gave ground and Rodgers was ultimately sacked on the play. He was essentially a non factor in this one.
WR - Davante Adams 76
Adams had another really solid game and ended up with over 100 yards again. The Lions don’t have the horses to cover him and while Rodgers wasn’t looking to throw down field much in this game, because he didn’t have to and the Lions played a ton of shell coverage, when he did Adams was the guy. He got deep on a go route in the contest for a big play, showed tenacity in the middle of the field making a nice leaping grab, and maybe his biggest play of the night was breaking up what should have been an interception. I had him for 3 plus blocks as well. Rock solid night for arguably the best receiver in the NFL. He also forced a PI in the endzone on 2nd down that led to a touchdown.
WR - Allen Lazard 62
You may think this is insane that I gave Lazard a better than average grade in this game even though he literally didn’t even get a target and played over 40 snaps, but what he did was show up over and over again as a blocker. There are a ton of facets to the game and multiple times in this one he made key blocks on plays that ended in touchdowns for Green Bay. No he’s not a WR2 on any other team in the league but he has a role here and he does it quietly but well. He can’t get open in the NFL but he battles and helped his team win in this one.
WR - Marquez Valdes-Scantling 51
MVS is the team’s biggest deep threat and his combination of height-weight-speed is elite. He just can’t figure out how to truly get open on a regular basis. He did have a step on the corner at one point in the game but Rodgers just missed the deep toss. MVS was targeted 4 times and didn’t have a catch and wasn’t a factor again.
WR - Randall Cobb 63
Cobb didn’t play a ton in this one but did manage 3 catches including a big first down. He’s going to get some important snaps in this season for Green Bay as Rodgers trusts him.
TE - Robert Tonyan 69
Tonyan is turning into a quality tight end. Some of this is due to the simple opportunity of being there with one of the best quarterbacks to ever play the game and another part is that he’s a reliable physical player. He blocked fairly well in this game and obviously caught the big touchdown pass down the seam. He also forced a really big pass interference call to move the chains on 2nd and long. In 4 targets he had 3 receptions and forced about a 20 yard PI call. He’s efficient and effective for this Packers team.
TE - Marcedes Lewis 64
He’s not going to show up on the stat sheet often for this Packers team but he’s a very good run blocking tight end who just does his job game in and game out. I think he’s about 58 years old but he just keeps showing up and moving piles. He actually outsnapped Tonyan in this one as he gives this team a ball control element with his blocking abiilty that most teams don’t get out of the tight end position.
LT - Elgton Jenkins 50
Jenkins is one of my favorite players in the NFL but this was not a good game for him. I had him with two plus graded plays but way too many negatively graded ones. He gave up a sack, had a hold, and then gave up a half a sack at the end of the game that I also credited Dillon with part of that one. He got beat on another two plays that caused flushes out. The Lions do not have a good pass rush and yet Jenkins really struggled in this one.
LG - Jon Runyan 72
Runyan was good in this football game. He was consistently stout in pass protection and hung in all game long. He got some movement in the run game and was out front to lead some screens and downfield plays and had a key block on one of the few long runs in the game. This game was one of the better ones for him this season.
C - Josh Myers 68
Very nice effort in this one from Myers who was stout in pass protection. Detroit didn’t do much to mix up things and played in a deep shell without much blitzing but Myers held his own and did a nice job of giving help when it was needed. He’s doing a good job of recognizing things so far, and while he gave up a bit of push a couple of times, he was steady in this one.
RG - Royce Newman 52
Newman was not as good as his fellow rookie Myers. I had him for two positive plays but also a sack allowed, a hold, and a tackle for loss given up as well as a missed assignment that allowed a pressure. He was out front in a couple of key screen plays in this game but Nick Williams power in particular gave him troubles throughout this contest.
RT - Billy Turner 65
Turner was decent in this game in pass protection, giving up some delayed pressure but nothing major in the contest. He had a couple of nice run blocks and did a decent job there. Okwara set the edge and stacked him on a few plays as he was much better in pass pro than run blocking in this one but he had a nice game.
DT - Kenny Clark 73
Clark was the Packers best defensive player in this one, stacking and shedding blockers on the interior and making plays along the line. He got a nice quarterback hit and a pressure and pushed the pocket on numerous occasions although not ever getting close to a sack. He was very good against the run, particularly in the 3rd quarter where he was the best player on the field for half of that quarter. He’s a really solid player and against good running teams he’s going to have to control the line.
DT - Dean Lowry 56
Lowry is a decent player who gets a lot of run in Green Bay. He’s consistent but doesn’t give you a ton and good lineman push him around. He was okay in this one but generated no real pressure and kind of blended in despite playing a majority of the snaps.
DL - Kingsley Keke 55
Keke didn’t really show up on tape often in this game. He was involved in some pile ups throughout but failed to get off blocks and Ragnow on a couple of occasions controlled him. Not much pass rush or run stuffing in this game.
EDGE - Preston Smith 66
Smith was solid in this game. He got a big pressure early leading to a throwaway, and on another instance early in the game he forced an intentional grounding that for some reason doesn’t count as a sack, but for all intents and purposes is. He wasn’t super active in the run game but did set the edge fairly well. He’s a good player who is playing much better football than he did in 2020.
EDGE - Rashan Gary 67
Gary may get credit for the “sack” that occurred when Goff dropped the ball and fell on it late in the game and he did get a pressure there as well. He also got some really good push causing flushes on Goff on two other occasions, and landed one more quick pass rush win that caused a throwaway. He was good in this one and was somewhat disruptive. They need more from him with Zadarius out but he flashed a couple of times in this one. Not a breakthrough performance but more positive plays than we typically see from Gary.
LB - De’vondre Campbell 68
Campbell was pretty good in this game but also had a couple of big negatives on his scorecard. He gave up the touchdown to Hockenson early, but honestly I didn’t knock him down too much for that, it was a great catch he was in good coverage and it was a wonderful throw. He also got a facemask that cost his team 15 yards. Campbell got a garbage time pick with his team up 18 that is a positive play but impact score wasn’t changed too much from that. He played well and ran all over the place collecting tackles. I think he helps this team in coverage but it’s clear Hockenson and Swift are better players than he is and he wasn’t exactly dominating them in coverage. He played fairly well but the stats were somewhat misleading.
LB - Krys Barnes 61
Barnes was quiet but made the plays he needed to when he was out there. I don’t think he’s much more than a second fiddle on this team but Green Bay is going to play a ton of big nickel and dime moving forward it looks like and so Barnes may not see a ton of snaps. He’s okay as a player but not special at this point.
S - Adrian Amos 63
Amos was decent in this game but through two weeks he’s been good not great. He played every snap in this one and other than coming in late to clean up plays and making tackles after the catch he wasn’t fantastic. He’s made quite a few tackles but not much big impact plays at this point. He’s still playing quality football and no huge mistakes in this one but I’m waiting for him to force some incompletions or take the ball away.
S - Darnell Savage 60
Savage is a center fielder and the Lions decided not to take shots down the field in this one. This Detroit offense is built around taking what’s there and Goff wasn’t going to force the ball into tight windows down the field, until the game was decided late and he threw an ill advised pick. Savage was okay and did his job but had little impact in a game where the Lions weren’t going to test him.
CB - Jaire Alexander 78
Alexander is a flat out stud. Alexander only gave up one catch I can remember in this game and it was for about 8 yards, the Lions just didn’t challenge him, and when they did he forced an incompletion deep down the field. Corners are almost like offensive linemen, if you don’t notice them, that’s because people aren’t getting open. The Lions don’t have quality receivers and Alexander is a star corner, made sense not to challenge him.
CB - Eric Stokes 70
Stokes played a really good game and it’s pretty obvious to everyone that he’s a better player than Kevin King. King moved into the slot for this game and that’s where he’s going to stay most likely. Stokes had a couple of nice pass breakups and forced incompletions. He did get turned around a bit on the touchdown throw into the endzone and that cost him a much better grade in this one. Yes the Lions receivers are the worst in the league, but he played a really quality game here.
CB - Kevin King 52
King got smoked early and I had him for giving up almost 80 yards in coverage but he did do some good things when he got kicked inside. Maybe despite being long and fast he’s going to be better inside than outside, which wouldn’t take a hell of a lot because he’s not a good corner. Paying him $5m to come back this season was laughable.
DETROIT
QB - Jared Goff 64
Goff played a quality football game and had his grade beaten up because of a mishandled snap late in the contest. I don’t really ding him too much for the Campbell interception because the game was out of hand and he had to try to make a play. That said he really did play a nice football game. The touchdown throw to Hockenson in the first half was an absolute dime and he distributed the ball well, getting it out fairly quickly, and diagnosed and moved the chains with ease. He seems comfortable in this offense despite not having any outside threats. He even had two super long runs that really are going to give coordinators something else to chew on each day. Goff looks like the right answer for this football team with where they are currently. The fumbled snap was a brutal play, and the pick and “team” sack he gave up by having the ball slip out of his hands were rough, but he hung in there and battled again, and I think he’s played pretty damn good football considering through two weeks.
RB - D’andre Swift 68
Swift was very efficient when he was given an opportunity but he just isn’t given the ball enough right now. He’s absolutely dynamic when he gets space to operate and in the pass game he looks like a legit Pro Bowl caliber player. While he doesn’t run between the tackles at an elite level he still helps stay in front of the chains and runs with solid vision. It’s clear to see when he gets the ball in checkdowns or in the flat that he has some elite acceleration and drive. He had 12 touches for 78 yards and I feel like if you really want to give your team the best chance he needs to see closer to 20 touches.
RB - Jamaal Williams 60
Williams battles in there at running back and fights hard between the numbers. He just lacks the explosion and quickness that Swift runs with. I think he’s a nice complementary piece to him and with the way the Lions want to grind clock and control the ball he’s going to play a big role for this team. He’s just not as good as Swift is and I get that they want this to be a two headed monster, but if they want to win, it needs to be 75/25 Swift. Williams also made a mistake in this game by catching a ball on the sidelines and couldn’t break a tackle to stop the clock. It didn’t cost the team points but it did cost them another shot or two at the end zone.
TE - TJ Hockenson 76
Hockenson gets better every single time I watch him play. He’s becoming a very good blocker, and he was in college but he can truly get movement in the run game, particularly in move and wham concepts. He did a nice job collapsing the edges on a couple of plays as well. I keep saying I think he has a chance to lead the league in receptions this season and I’m not being hyperbolic, Hockeson might end up with 130 or more receptions. The Lions are clearly using him as the focal point of the offense and it makes sense. He’s an excellent short and intermediate route runner and the grab on the touchdown was outstanding. He’s an absolute building block for this team.
TE - Darren Fells 60
Not going to get into this one too much, he’s a replacement level player at this point in his career and he’s a great guy to grab for the league minimum. Decent blocker, fairly reliable pass catcher, but ain’t moving the needle.
WR - Quintez Cephus 68
I was begging the Lions to give him more run last week and guess what, they must have read my article because Cephus was out there for 89% of the offensive snaps and he delivered. Even when passes were broken up on contested throws Cephus was getting his hands on them and causing problems. He had a really nice deep route down the sideline for 46 yards and got open in the end zone for a touchdown. He isn’t fast nor quick but somehow he finds a way to get open, he plays a physical brand of football and obviously he’s not NEARLY as good as he is but he’s a poor man’s Anquan Boldin for this Lions team. He should start and play most of their snaps this season.
WR - Amon-Ra St. Brown 57
I think he’s going to be a decent piece in this offense but the fact that he wasn’t gaining consistent separation against Kevin King is a bit worrisome. I just don’t know if he has the pure speed and acceleration to really thrive in the slot. Three receptions for 18 yards is tough to handle. I think he’s going to continue to get better though and he seems reliable, I just need to see if he can really use his quicks enough to gain separation as it’s been more miss than hit the first two weeks of the season.
WR - Kalif Raymond 45
He played a ton of snaps and had two catches, one of which was a quick hitter. He’s just not someone you can rely on to make plays and yet the Lions are running him out there over and over again.
WR - Trinity Benson 58
Benson looks like he has a shot to turn into something but he’s too raw in his technique at this point. He’s a good blocker though and I think he could turn into a core special team’s player so there’s some value here. More and more reps and he could develop and that’s the entire point of the Lions season in 2021.
LT - Penei Sewell 79
Speaking of developing, my goodness is Sewell a stud or what? He had a couple of only okay run blocking assingments but for the most part he was a quality run blocker in this game and outstanding in pass protection. I know that Decker is going to kick Sewell over to the right side and he’s an excellent Left Tackle but Sewell has first team All-Pro potential over there and is playing at a super high level right now. I had him for two delayed hurries given up in this entire game and neither I would consider lost reps. He lost one run rep that gave him a negative where he committed a hold although it was borderilne. I’d keep Sewell there, he’s a star.
LG - Jonah Jackson 65
Jackson was pretty solid in this game and while he wasn’t getting huge movement in the running game he didn’t give up much in pass protection. I only had him for one big positive block to spring someone but I didn’t have him for a negative or a major loss all game. He’s been kind of hit and miss along the line throughout his young career but this one should go in the win column.
C - Frank Ragnow 76
Ragnow is a really good player, there’s not much more to write here. Yes Kenny Clark made some plays in this one and held his own but Ragnow allowed essentially nothing in pass protection and created some running lanes inside. He’s one of the best centers in the NFL and played like it in this game. He just didn’t quite get the huge running lanes thanks to the outstanding play of Clark but he was damn good.
RG - Hal Vaitai 64
Vaitai has had his shares of struggles and why they decided to pay him that insane contract I’ll never freaking know, but in this one he was decent. I had him for one obvious pressure given up and his run blocking wasn’t tremendous in this one although it wasn’t bad. He battled throughout this contest and didn’t have many major negative plays.
RT - Matt Nelson 64
You could do a lot worse at swing tackle than Matt Nelson. Gary did get two pressures on him, including one that ended up being a team sack, but Goff was tossing that football and dropped it so I’m counting that as on Goff. He gave up no sacks in this one if you discount that play and battled to a stalemate more often than not. He’s not going to be a dynamic run blocker and he’s not a future star, but he’s a quality valuable swing tackle and he’s definitely not a liability out there, that’s what you’re looking for. The Detroit Line was really good in this game.
DT - Nick Williams 68
Williams was the most active and disruptive interior defensive lineman in this game. He gave Royce Newman a hell of a time with penetration and power moves consistently. He ended the game with quite a few tackles and was the main disruptor on a sack as well as getting a TFL and he also forced a hold in the redzone. Williams stood out on tape.
DT - Alim McNeill 55
McNeill was quiet in this one and just needs to continue to get snaps. He had a couple of tackles and was decent throughout the contest but just hasn’t made an impact yet. He’s not a liability either though and that transition to the NFL is a tough one for interior defensive players, it’s not like he’s getting pushed around. Just needs to figure out how to 2 gap a bit better and hold that line while getting off blocks when he’s singled, the more reps the better he’ll get.
DT - Michael Brockers 63
Brockers played a ton of snaps and hung in there pretty well, he also registered a sack and was fairly disruptive in the run game. I don’t think he really did a ton in the run game and the one sack was really the only true pressure he provided but any time you get a sack and battle inside with that many snaps you get an above average grade.
DT’s - Penisini and Onwuzurike both played some snaps but were completely forgettable.
DE - Charles Harris 67
I actually thought Harris in fairly limited snaps looked pretty good. He had a big time quick win pressure that caused a hold and another one that led to an incompletion. He also had a sack in this one. He’s not great against the run but the team needs pass rushers and he provided a spark against a pretty good offensive line in this one.
OLB - Romeo Okwara 48
Okwara was not good in this game. He got some delayed pressure, but only one time did I see him win quickly and beat the tackle and in that instance the ball was already out with ease when he got there. He had one tackle and did manage to hit Rodgers once on a slow developing play. I thought his tape last year was impressive but so far in 2021 it hasn’t been a smooth transition to this Aaron Glenn defense. He played 97% of the snaps in this game and had one tackle and one good qb hit, that’s just not good productivity.
OLB - Trey Flowers 63
Flowers is one of the best edge setting run defenders in the NFL. He’s not worth 18 million dollars per season to do that but he’s a quality football player. He did manage half a sack in this game and a quarterback hurry on a somewhat decent pass rush win. Flowers was active against the run and constantly battled to shorten rush lanes and yardage. With bad linebacker play around him, Flowers helped hold runs down in this one. His impact always feels muted when watching the game live, but when you put the tape on, he’s a good player.
LB - Alex Anzalone 35
Anzalone sucks. He was in decent coverage but gave up the Tonyan touchdown and he simply gets torched in coverage too often. He’s late on getting to run plays and while he “plays with a lot of energy” according to Dan Campbell, he’s not playing well at all right now. Most of the easy throws and simple plays that are being made in the game he’s late to the party. He’s been awful through two weeks.
LB - Jamie Collins
I’m not going to give him a serious grade in this one becuase he’s going to get traded this week. That said, he still has some juice but got torched on a touchdown pass and looked a bit disinterested in this one. He still flashed and made some plays around the line of scrimmage and is clearly still a talented player. He needs to work in a hybrid defense though and this Detroit scheme is not built for Jamie Collins. I’m very excited to see more Derrick Barnes in week 3 as he really flashed in limited snaps. He might be a good one.
S - Will Harris 48
Harris isn’t very good. He makes quite a few tackles but they are down the field and he’s usually there late. Green Bay’s offense in this game wasn’t complex they just took what was there and there was a lot there. Harris is a non impact player and below a replacement level safety and needs to be replaced in the near future.
S - Tracy Walker 61
Walker looked decent in this game. He made a really nice play around the line of scrimmage and flashed as a cover guy a couple of times making Rodgers hold the ball on the first read. He’s not an elite type player but he’s a lot better than Harris is back there.
CB - Amani Oruwariye 45
Oruwariye wasn’t targeted as much in this one but when he was he gave up some catches and had two pass interference/holding penalties called against him. He doesn’t give in and battles super hard it’s just he may not be quite ready for this outside full time role at this point. He’s really struggled in weeks one and two.
CB - Ifeatu Melifonwu NA Injured
He was struggling out there but this was going to be so important for him to get those snaps and those reps and the injury came at a terrible time. Wanted to see what he could do.
CB - Bobby Price 54
Price was battling his butt off out there and actually forced an incompletion in coverage. I think he’s a converted safety so it makes his battling outside even more impressive. He got beat deep on a ball that Rodgers just missed but he was giving it what he could. We’re really going to see what he’s made of this next week as I think he’ll get the majority of the outside reps.
DB - AJ Parker 55
He flashed in this game. I kept writing down 41 with a ? by it because he seemed like he was showing up trying to make plays. I had him with two plus graded plays. I want to see this guy play more reps and I think he will moving forward as he showed some flashes.
Falcons VS Buccaneers
QB - Tom Brady 73
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