ATLANTA VS NYJ
ATLANTA
Qb - Matt Ryan 74
Ryan played efficient quality, mistake free football in this one and finally got to where I think this offense needs him to play. He has been solid the past couple of weeks as his progressions have gotten faster in the Arthur Smith system. What really helped Ryan in this game though was his decision to simply target Kyle Pitts. This offense needs to be ran through Pitts first and if it is, they have a chance to be successful. Despite still only throwing the ball 20 yards downfield 4 times in this game, Ryan was super efficient. He spread the ball around and was exceptionally accurate in this one, going 33/45 with 3 drops credited to his receivers. Where he shined was his hot spot, the intermediate routes, where he looked smooth and dynamic. It helped he was under very little pressure all day and his running backs kept them mostly ahead of the sticks. He did a nice job of finding easy throws and it led to 342 yards and a QBR over 80. Really solid day for him and the Falcons are obviously a lot better off when Ryan is playing complementary football and isn't trying to carry the team himself.
RB - Mike Davis 64
Davis is essentially a volume back. He is going to grind out some yards and get what's blocked for him, occasionally making someone miss or falling forward but he lacks any real true skill. In this one he did what he does best, picking up solid yards and being reliable. He averaged right around 4 yards per carry, and did bust a 17 yard run, which was a change of pace for the team. He also got a big plus for a blitz pickup that led to a long pass completion. He caught two passes for 8 yards. The hard part with Davis being out there is it's pretty obvious that Patterson is just quite simply a lot better player. He's still going to have a big role though as the Falcons are battling hard.
RB - Cordarelle Patterson 74
Quite simply he's pretty much been the Falcons offense, until they finally starting targeting Pitts. He played another solid game in this one picking up 118 yards from scrimmage. The offense at this point kind of flows through Patterson and checkdowns to him. With his ability to hit the hole in the run game and create positive plays in the pass game, he's essentially what drives this offense currently.
TE - Kyle Pitts 84
Pitts was unreal in this game, as they finally started to trust the rookie to make plays. He was good the first four weeks, but showed what he's capable of and why I think he's going to be a Hall of Fame player in this game. He had 9 catches for 119 yards and ended the game for 4 ++ graded plays. The Jets had no answer for him and he simply dominated from the opening kickoff. The strange combination of Pitts, Patterson, and Ridley when he comes back might be enough to give Ryan enough easy throws for this team to get back into contention.
TE - Lee Smith 63
Smith is forgotten about a lot in this offense and it shows when he makes catches a lot of the time he's absolutely wide open. Smith had 3 catches for 30 yards in this game and it's starting to become interesting when watching tape that he simply makes positive plays in the game. He's a solid blocker and battles his tail off and then the team throws him a bone which he typically turns into a positive play. He did that again in this one.
TE- Hayden Hurst 54
This is the hardest grade of the day for me as Hurst had some really impressive plays, including a touchdown in this one. He also lost a fumble which was brutal as the game was heading toward a blowout on that drive, and he had another fumble that mercifully fell out of bounds later in the game. He also had a nice snag in this game and has developed as a better blocker. Big ++ plays but two serious knocks on the fumbles give him a below average grade in this one in terms of impact rating.
WR - Tajae Sharpe 62
Sharpe has had a strange career and when he got called here to play for Atlanta he made a good impression in this one. He had 4 catches for over 50 yards and looked solid and reliable making plays. He didn't have a drop and showed an ability to make catches in traffic and create some separation.
WR - Olamides Zaccheus 57
Not the best game from OZ as he had two short drops in this one and only had 2 catches. He also looked really good on punt returns though which bumped this grade up a bit. He has some real quickness and acceleration to his game.
WR - Christian Blake 53
Blake is someone you hope you don't have to play and when they forced him into action he looked like he was really thinking about his routes instead of playing fast. He has room to improve though so hopefully he can make some strides.
LT - Jake Matthews 67
Matthews is having a decent year but this offense doesn't completely fit his skill set. He had two really key blocks when he was asked to get out and make a play on a quick WR screen and it sprung both plays and he was solid in pass protection, obviously giving up zero sacks once again. But he was only okay as a run blocker. In week 1 he looked so good in that realm that I thought the really good left tackle might be pushing into the elite area, since then he's been good not great and average at best as a run blocker. He was solid in this one again, and gets an above average grade with 3 plus graded blocks, and a false start.
LG - Jalen Mayfield 54
The rookie has looked better than he did in his disastrous early goings this season and give the offensive coaches credit for sticking with him. He didn't allow a sack as none of the linemen did and did give up a couple of pressures as well as two negatively graded run plays but he battled once again and has shown some improvement throughout the games.
C - Matt Hennessey 65
Hennessey was pretty good in this one with three positively graded plays including some good run blocks and got some push which he has struggled with quite a bit this year. He had a run loss that hurt and gave up some delayed pressures but not much and graded out positively in this one.
RG - Chris Lindstrom 75
He's one of the better guards in the NFL and needs to start getting his due. I think he's playing at a Pro Bowl level this season. He had four positively graded plays and zero negatively graded ones as he once again proved he's the best lineman on this team. Matthews is solid, Lindstrom is very good. I marked stud down on the page twice taking notes for him as he easily gets movement in the run game and gives up very little in pass pro. He was great again in this game.
RT - Kaleb McGary 58
McGary isn't great out there at right tackle but he's probably good enough. He gave up the most pressure that Ryan was under in this game, despite a good game plan that gave him some good chips and helps. In the run game he is a pusher not a punisher and it's clear to see when you watch the tape that he's so worried about making a mistake that he doesn't play free enough. He has enough talent that he makes up for it at times, but the coaching staff did a great job in this one helping him in obvious passing downs. Right now he's a slightly below average starting right tackle, which definitely has value but he has a ways to go.
EDGE - Steven Means 52
Means is quite simply a below average starter masquerading as someone who gets a ton of snaps. There are a few positions on this team that need serious attention in the offseason but the pass rushing spots are clearly close to the top of the list. Means did get a couple of quarterback hits in this one but they were delayed or off secondary moves. Means played 40 snaps and got a grand total of one tackle. He plays hard and does a solid job trying to stack the edge but he just is too inefficient to play as often as he does. Unfortunately, there isn't much help around him here or behind him to push him.
EDGE - Dante Fowler 48
Fowler was a non factor in this one. I didn't even have him on my note sheet and he only played 25 snaps in the game. He has done a pretty good job this year though and made some splash plays but was quiet in this one.
EDGE - Jonathan Bullard 55
Bullard does a nice job setting the edge and he did get a pressure on a pass rush win in this game as well. That said, he is a replacement level player.
DL - Adetokunbo Ogundeji 65
Ogundeji showed up a few times in this game. He had multiple pressures, and got a clean up sack on a play where Wilson hold onto the ball too long. He also had another quarterback hit and a couple of tackles. He looked the part in this one and had a nice game. He played 30 snaps in this one and he might see more and more looks at the season wears on.
DL - Grady Jarrett 66
Jarrett wasn't dominant in this game but he did have a couple of really nice plays and ended up with 5 plus graded plays on the game. He had three tackles but did a good job penetrating and causing problems. He was only okay in the run game in this one though and only had one pass rush win in the game. It was a good if not elite performance from the Falcons best defender.
DL - Tyeler Davison 60
A good performance from Davison for the most part. Every game he seems to make one nice play and is active around the line of scrimmage. I think this defensive scheme is solid for him and he makes it work. He's an active interior player who gets about 1-2 nice plus graded plays per game and in this one he got a TFL on a clear win in the run game.
DL - Ta'quan Graham 54
The team needs to get a real interior zero or one technique at some point. Graham was quiet and while he plays tough he's not a threat to do anything in either the pass or run game. He's simply a body. The way Dmitroff left this team top heavy and without capital means they have a lot of players of this caliber.
OTHERS:
DL Jacob Tuioti-Mariner - He got a sack and another pressure and only played 8 snaps, what the hell gives? To me he looks exceptionally athletic and deserves reps as he might be your most efficient pass rusher. Plus he can kick inside on pass rush downs if you want him to do so.
LB - Deion Jones 51
Jones was not good in this game. He wasn't a complete liability but he missed a few tackles and played below his standard. He did have a nice blitz which is where he shined but other than that was essentially off the sheet. He had 5 tackles, but I think he missed at least 3 tackles and looked mediocre at best.
LB - Foyesade Oluokon 58
He's one of my favorite players and he was okay in this one but not special. He had 5 tackles but was essentially invisible for most of the game. He wasn't bad just didn't do anything against a rookie quarterback and bad offensive personnel.
CB - AJ Terrell 69
Terrell was super impressive in this game, as he has been for a while now, obviously being Atlanta's best defensive back. He gave up virtually nothing in the back end until giving up a huge long PI penalty late in the game that caused his grade to drop massively. He's a high quality player who has the toughness to match up with big receivers and the skill to match up with quick ones. He was a blanket in coverage here.
CB - Fabian Moreau 73
I had Moreau for giving up two catches in this one when the game was in doubt, for 20 yards, he laso had 3 forced incompletions, a PBU, and a TFL in this game. He has been up and down a bit this year and has certainly given up some plays, but for a league minimum vet contract, Atlanta has to like what they've seen from their CB2.
S - Duron Harmon 55
Harmon was not great in this one and had three negatively graded plyas as well as a PI. I think he's a decent safety but was below average in this game and was the worst member of the Atlanta secondary. He wasn't bad just not active enough and gave up some plays in both the run and pass game.
S - Richie Grant 66
He was quietly very solid in this one with a PBU standing out as a solid play. He provided good coverage and wasn't picked one. The Jets didn't do a great job scheming up open plays but even when they did the coverage was good, Grant played half the snaps and looked very solid.
S - Jaylinn Hawkins 75
Hawkins was outstanding in this game and other than giving up a 15 yard reception in single coverage he had a pick, and was lights out in coverage. The team maybe found a good player here and he looks like maybe he could be the real deal in the back end. If Hawkins can emerge and Oliver comes back healthy as a much improved star position, the Falcons secondary could work its way up to respectability in 2022 which would be a huge improvement in just two years time.
NEW YORK JETS
QB - Zach Wilson 28
Wilson was awful in this game. He had 7 negatively graded throws and took two sacks that were both at least partially on him holding the ball too long. One of his worst plays of the game was there was a screen to the right, a super gimme throw that he one hopped to his receiver. Looking at the All-22 the guy had two blockers and only two defenders out there to stop the ball. It could have been a walk in touchdown and instead he threw it like a short stop from his knees one hopping it to the guy. It was a microcosm of his day where he simply was awful. The hard part about this one too was that his line gave him time to throw! He wasn't pressured often in this one, he was just simply bad, that's the most disconcerting part if you like the Jets.
RB - Michael Carter 63
Carter is a player. The Jets have to like what they've seen out of him so far and it's clear he's the best option they have in the backfield. He had 58 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown in this one and showed good burst and acceleration and the thought that he couldn't run between the tackles is getting slowly erased. The team has a very bad offensive line and is down their best lineman in Becton, and yet he did a nice job of grinding out positive yardage. He had a chance to make someone miss on a screen play in this game though and couldn't do it, and it would have probably been a first down play or his grade would have been higher. As it is, 58 yards and a TD and he looked like the Jets best offensive weapon.
RB - Ty Johnson 60
Johnson just kinda is what he is. The Jets can't block but he picks up some grimy yards and looks solid catching the ball. He's someone who probably should be a RB3 or RB4 but kinda works and slides and falls forward enough to keep you somewhat close to the sticks.
TE - Ryan Griffin 52
Griffin showed some promise here and there throughout his career but simply lacks the consistency. The Jets have to go out and spend big money or draft capital and get Wilson a tight end who can give him some easy throws. The inaccuracy that Wilson has played with early on in his career is a bit scary if you're a Jets fan. One catch for four yards when tight ends are typically a young quarterback's number one option is not good enough. He played 90% of the snaps too and honestly you couldn't tell he was out there.
FB/TE - Trevon Wesco 50
Nope. I get that you want your Jusczyzk type guy in this offense but Wesco isn't going to do it.
WR - Corey Davis 62
Davis is a good player but this offense is struggling mightily, and a lot of isn't in Davis' hands as Wilson is struggling to put the ball on the receivers. Davis had 4 for 45 yards and did have a "mini drop" as I like to call them where he could have made an outstanding catch but didn't. He was okay in this one but didn't do anything to separate himself.
WR - Elijah Moore 50
Moore didn't play a ton of snaps in this one but when he did he was completely ineffective, catching zero passes, and even on a Wilson great throw, Moore had stepped out of bounds before the ball got there. For all the superlatives heaped on him before the season started, Crowder is still clearly better in the slot, and it sure looks like Mims is better out wide.
WR - Keelan Cole 58
Cole is a quietly good player who is an obvious solid fit in this offense. He had two catches for 38 yards and shows an ability to create some separation in this offense, whether it's through scheme or his ability to glide and get open. Wilson just couldn't find him enough.
WR - Jamison Crowder 57
Quiet game for him with 4 short catches. Nothing he could really do though in this one as Wilson couldn't get him the ball.
OTHER - Denzel Mims - he played just 8 snaps and yet had two catches for 33 yards. What the hell is going on here? Why doesn't he play. His size and speed jump off the screen on tape.
T - George Fant 70
Fant was really good in this game. He had three positively graded plays and did lose one pass rushing rep but was good in this one. He got solid push in the run game and I only had him for one pressure allowed in the entire contest. He's typically not a dynamic or great player but flashed numerous times on tape collapsing down running lanes. High quality game from Fant.
G - Alijah Vera-Tucker 73
He has really started to come on for them and AVT was clean in this one. I had him for zero pass rush losses in the game and he and the OL got 3 positively graded plays as a group, giving him a really good game. When you have a clean sheet regardless of your impact blocks it's a high quality game.
C - Connor McGovern 65
McGovern is a decent player and he battled in this one. He had a plus 2 overall grade and only had two run losses on the game. He got knocked down a couple of points for a bad snap that didn't cost them but he was decent. He had zero immediate pressures allowed.
G - Greg Van Roten 49
Van Roten is not a very good lineman. In this one he had a negative 5 overall grade and gave up two pressures and three bad run losses. He can complain about Wilson not getting the ball out all he wants but in this game the Jets line was pretty damn good but he was the clear outlier.
RT - Morgan Moses 63
Moses was okay in this game. He did allow a sack (although that was more given to Wilson than to Moses in my opinion. He also had a run loss but was overall solid if unspectacular in this one.
NOTES - The offensive line for the Jets was pretty damn good in this game. They aren't great run blockers but they did get solid push on a number of occasions when they just did the super common "duo duo" blocks as I call them where they double the two DT's and push. They gave up very little pressure and were overall pretty damn good in this one. The Falcons had two sacks but both were on Wilson.
DT - Quennin Williams 62
Williams was okay in this one, with 3 positively graded plays but ultimately he didn't make much of an impact on the game. He had one quick pass rush win and two solid run plays with a cleanup QB hit.
DT - Sheldon Rankins 64
Rankins flashed a couple of times in this game, showing off some good athleticism for his size. He also got a couple of nice stack up of lineman double teams. He did a good job in run stuffing and also forced a hold on a quick win.
DT - Foley Fatukasi 66
Fatukasi might be one of the best run defenders in the entire NFL. He is so tough to move even with a double team and did a nice job in this one, collecting four tackles and essentially being consistently disruptive in the run game.
DL - Nathan Shepherd 54
Shepherd is an active player but he made some mistakes in this one, including a roughing call that really strung and getting a random defensive holding call, which you'll see occasionally against zone blocking schemes. He also got a quarterback hit and 3 tackles in an okay showing for him. He seems to be probably a bit outside his scheme comfort zone in this but he plays pretty hard.
DE - John Franklin-Myers 58
Okay, so the extension they signed him to was WAY too much money and goes to show you why bad organizations continue to be bad. He's a good player who is much better than people think but to give him the money they did (four years 55 million with 30mm guaranteed) is just absurd. He's a good football player but that amount of money for someone who, yes he's played very well lately, is just way too much. That said in this one he did get two pressures in this game and shows that he can be a consistent pass rusher which this team desperately needs. He also inexplicably was tasked with covering Kyle Pitts on a TD throw and also committed way too early to a Matt Ryan boot that gave up a big play. He had 3 tackles and did a nice job in this one but giving up those two plays and getting zero sacks, he kind of was forgotten in this one.
EDGE - Shaq Lawson 63
Lawson was pretty much a non factor in this game until he came up with a big fumble recovery. He did have another tackle for loss in the game but didn't provide much pressure wise. The fumble recovery bumped up his impact grade dramatically though.
EDGE - Bryce Huff 53
He got a good pressure in this game on a pass rush win but also for some reason was also caught in coverage in this one and gave up a touchdown. Both of those TD's are mostly on coaching but Huff was in coverage and did give it up. Other than that you couldn't really tell he was on the field, not a good sign for someone who played 53 snaps.
LB - CJ Mosely 60
Mosely had a decent game in this one, but isn't very good in coverage at this point. He did have a huge forced fumble that kept the Jets in the game, but he got picked on when he was asked to cover out in space. He had 8 tackles and two positive graded plays in the run game but he gave up a lot of easy catches.
LB - Quincy Williams 65
He's starting to play really good football for this team, forcing a fumble in this game and making quite a few defensive stops in the game. He flashed a number of times on defense, closing up holes and running sideline to sideline. He had 8 tackles and many of those were around the line of scrimmage.
LB - Jamien Sherwood 66
Sherwood is pretty damn impressive in coverage for the most part and looks comfortable in that role. He had not serious negative grades against him and did have a plus play in coverage as well as 6 tackles. He is a solid player and for a more positionless league, he looks like he could be a nice piece.
S - Sherron Neasman 60
Neasman played a nice game and while he's obviously not Marcus Maye he looks like he might be a decent player. He had 5 tackles and a PBU and didn't give up much in coverage throughout the game.
S - Ashtyn Davis 54
He played 37 snaps but was virtually non existent in terms of making plays. He had some tackles but nothing really in coverage.
S - Jarrod Wilson 56
He had a PI called against him and was essentially the same as the other players in the secondary, quiet. He didn't make any real big plays on the ball but did end up with a QB hit and 4 tackles.
DB - Javelin Guidry 49
He has played all over the secondary so far this season but literally did nothing this game. No tackles, no PBU, I didn't even know he played until I looked up the snap counts. Considering how open the middle of the field was, that doesn't speak well to him.
CB - Brandin Echols 48
Echols was picked on in this one pretty consistently and it didn't turn out well for him. He gave up two big catches including an 11 yarder on 3rd down and a 35 yarder. He did force an incompletion toward him in coverage though.
CB - Michael Carter II 51
Carter II was inconsistent in this one to say the least and he got picked on badly by Kyle Pitts but he did force two incompletions in this one and also had a big fumble recovery. He's still learning the position and his bads were pretty bad but he also made 3 big time plays and the fumble recovery was massive.
CB - Bryce Hall 64
Hall is going to get thrown at a ton but he hangs in there. I had him for 5 completions given up directly into his coverage on real contested situations with 62 yards given up. He also had two forced incompletions and made 7 tackles. He's their best corner by far, but he has a long ways to go. He made the most impact of the DB's in this one.
OTHERS - DL Tim Ward - He needs to see more snaps, he had two passes batted down and 2 tackles in just 4 snaps. He and Mims were the most productive players per snap in the counting stats and yet combined played only 16 snaps. The coaching and quarterback play were serious problems in this one and the main reasons the Jets lost the game.
TEXANS VS PATRIOTS
TEXANS
QB - Davis Mills 85
Mills bounced back in a big way from his horrible performance against the Bills with one of the better games a rookie passer will have against Bill Belicheck. Mills had 3 plus plus graded throws including a dime on the sideline to Chris Moore into double coverage on the move that led to a touchdown. He was incredible on third and fourth down completing almost everything he threw. He didn't toss a pick, and had a QBR of 28. The other thing that people don't remember was that the team had another TD early in the game but Moore, who was outstanding in this one, dropped a crossing route in the back of the endzone. If not for that Mills would have had 4 TD, 0 INT and a perfect passer rating. He was that good in this one. The only thing that got him, was his team lost, but that was through zero fault of his own. The Texans have gotten a lot of good and bad from Mills, but he's shown enough to maybe have the Texans give him more of an extended look.
RB - Mark Ingram 50
The Texans offensive line is bad, but so are its running backs. Ingram essentially runs himself into the pile and tries his best to fall forward, there aren't many holes but he also doesn't make anyone miss. Another week for the power running back another game averaging under 3 yards per carry.
RB - Phillip Lindsay 48
Lindsay has essentially fallen off a cliff this season. He did have the Texans lone big run of the day, a 10 yard jaunt that helped the numbers. That said, he looks soft this year, rarely breaking tackles, and he gives you very little in the passing game. I almost never have him listed on the plus side, and he wasn't there again in this one. They need more production from their backs.
RB - David Johnson 63
Johnson is playing the best of the backs, and yet they are almost exclusively using him in passing situations. He's running routes and out trying to make plays and he looks better than the others out in space. He had 47 yards receiving in this one and did make some guys miss and got to the edges on some passing plays. It sure looks to me like he needs more and more reps than he's getting.
WR - Brandin Cooks 58
Cooks was a bit of a non factor in this game but that's to be expected as New England always takes away your number one option. Cooks had 3 catches on 5 targets and was used more as a decoy in this one. He did have a clutch third down catch and forced a PI on another third down, something he's done with increasing regularity this year as he's been by far the Texans biggest offensive threat. I know people are asking Houston to deal him, but he sure looks like your best offensive player, I think you try to keep him there long term unless you can get a very high draft pick like a 2 or more. Personally though I want him in Houston for a long time.
WR - Chris Moore 73
Moore would have had a grade in the 80s except for the dropped TD on a holding call early in the game that cost them 4 points. He was outstanding in this one though and sure looks like the real deal. He's a plus blocker in the run game, has tremendous speed and above average size. He made an incredible catch on a sick throw from Mills in double coverage and then showed the wheels to pull away from the defenders. The dropped TD was a glaring miscue but he had 4 other plus rated grades and a plus plus on the TD. Moore might be a sleeper star for the offensively challenged Texans.
WR - Chris Conley 70
Conley has long been an underutilized player on offense for numerous teams as he's big, fast, and an excellent blocker. The fit in Houston seems like a good one, he had 3 long catches in the game including a flea flicker touchdown. Conley is going to be an ancillary piece for this team, but in this offense he could end up playing a key role. If I were an NFL GM a player like Conley who could also likely help on ST, is a good blocker, and has wheels would be an ideal player for a $2m roster spot as my WR3-5.
TE - Jordan Akins 56
Akins shows a lot after the catch and still every once in a while looks like a player who could emerge. That said it's too inconsistent and therefore you don't know how reliable he is. He looks like he's most comfortable when he's in the flat and can run after the catch, he shows a bit here and there as a blocker too. In this game he played about 50% of the snaps but was underwhelming as a blocker but had two catches for 17 yards on two targets.
TE - Anthony Auclair 64
Auclair has shown up on tape here and there in terms of being a blocker and showing better than advertised hands as well. In this one, on an excellent throw from Mills Auclair caught a difficult ball, a bit behind him making a twisting TD catch. He also had two solid blocks in the run game. He graded out with 3 plus grades and only one minus on a bad block.
TE - Pharoah Brown 54
Brown I thought might emerge for Houston as a pass catcher but he's slowed down and just doesn't have the pop in his pads to be a good run blocker. He played 37 snaps in this one and is getting an extended look from Houston and he flashes but lacks the ability to deliver movement blocks in the run game. Kind of a replacement level guy at this point.
LT - Laremy Tunsil 55
Tunsil has been underwhelming this year and ended up getting injured in this one and will now be out for four weeks. That said the trade that brought him to Houston is looking more and more like a bad one for Houston, for the record using two first round picks on any player and then having to give him the highest contract in the sport is just bad business. Tunsil hasn't been impactful this year despite playing decent, in this one he was once again mediocre in the run game and did little to improve upon what I would say is an average at best start to his season.
LT - Geron Christian 63
Christian actually came in and played some decent snaps for Houston in this one when Tunsil went down. I had him for zero pure losses in the pass game although there was a tiny bit of delayed pressure. He didn't dominate as a run blocker of course but held his own in this one and actually looked solid in relief of Tunsil.
LG - Tytus Howard 68
Howard is starting to figure it out a bit at guard and in this one he was probably the Texans best lineman. While he still has some serious technique issues that he has to work through he allowed zero pressures in the pass game and got two positive graded run blocks. He also had a false start at the 2 that really hurt the grade here but this one was arguably his best game at guard in terms of pass pro. He might have found a home here.
C - Justin Britt 44
Britt has been okay this year but was bad in this one. He gave up three pressures, had a hold, and gave up a sack when he clearly missed his assignment. His run blocking has been subpar and in this one it was flat out bad. He's not an awful player but he's replacement level at best for Houston and with his run blocking taking up residence in the zero push palace, and playing next to a bad starter in Scharping, it's going to be very tough to generate yards in the middle for this Houston offense.
RG - Max Scharping 60
Scharping played fairly well in this game actually. He struggles big time in the run game and had a negative grade there but he only had one actual pressure given up in this one and had zero truly bad run blocks. He isn't going to get push but he looks to be much more of a capable backup than a starter. Scharping and Howard both played pretty well in this game and it could be a big upgrade if both guys could level up like this for the rest of the season. He had a nice block out in space as well in this one.
RT - Charlie Heck 58
Heck battles out there on the island at right tackle and ended up with a decent game. He gave up a sack that was half on him and half on Mills, and gave up an additional pressure but also had 3 positively graded run blocks and may have been Houston's best run blocker in this game. I'm not sure what he's going to be long term for Houston but he deserves an extended look out there.
DE - Demarcus Walker 54
Walker got a true pressure in this one with a pass rush win, and then did virtually nothing else despite palying a lot of snaps. He had two tackles but was non existent despite some delayed pressure.
DE - Jonathan Greenard 65
Greenard is starting to play better and better for Houston and looks like he's someone who can give this team a spark on the defensive line. He was the only Texans player other than Mills to record two double plus plays in the game and also had another plus play in the run game. He had a sack and blew a run play up in the backfield. The more he plays the better he's getting, he looks like he's going to be a good piece.
DE - Whitney Mercilus 50
30 snaps, one pressure, one tackle. Pretty much what we expect from Mercilus, a bunch of underwhelming play. He looks washed to me and it seems like it's time to move on from the one time really good edge player.
EDGE - Jacob Martin 61
Martin has some juice to his game and typically makes a couple of good plays every week. In this one he had a serious pressure win that led to a qb hit and also had a TFL. He flashes at least twice every week and he has some serious bend and explosion off the edge, his technique is still raw but there's a lot to work with here.
EDGE - Jordan Jenkins 60
Jenkins was okay in this one and it was telling that they elected to bench Omenihu to play JJ on the edge. It's possible he was the best run defender of the edge players in this one as he had a TFL, 4 tackles and a quarterback hit. While it all happened fairly quietly, he played a solid game. He's an underrated consistent player and had a nice contest in this one.
DT - Maliek Collins 53
Collins has been by far Houston's best interior defensive lineman this season but his costly penalties have started to add up and the one he had in this game was by far the worst of the season. His late him on 3rd&17 on an incompletion would have probably won the game for Houston but the hit gave the Pats second life and they went on to win the game. His grade would be in the 40s except he had two plus run stops and is super active and aggressive inside.
DT - Jaleel Johnson 61
Johnson gives you very little as a pass rusher and didn't do great against double teams in this game but did have two plus graded run plays. He also made a huge play when he recovered the fumble in the endzone on Harris' fumble. He's a decent run defender inside and consistently clogs things up. I think he's a nice 3rd rotational DT.
DT - Roy Lopez 62
Lopez is going to be a good player and it sure looks like Houston has found a late round player in the rookie. Lopez played very well in this one, yes he had a bad rep where they picked up big yardage when he played too high, which he does a bit more often than you'd like. He also had a pressure that led to a Lonnie Johnson pick, and had a big push that led to a TFL. Lopez looks like a keeper.
LB - Christian Kirksey 51
Kirksey looks like he fits this defense fairly well but he got abused in coverage in this game and was one of the major issues with the Texans defense in this game. Kirksey gave up 44 yards in single coverage, including two big third down conversions. He also was in charge of four other catches in his zone. While he did an okay job against the run he wasn't a dynamic player. He was in coverage on most of his snaps and struggled to contain anything, although he did have a nice PBU. He's been good this year but wasn't great in this contest.
LB - Kamu Grugier-Hill 58
Grugier Hill was productive in this one and made some plays but not much in terms of impact. He was better in coverage than Kirksey in this one but did give up a 20 yard completion and bit hard on play action that led to an easy first down completion. He also had two nice run stops including a TFL and looked active with 5 tackles.
LB - Zach Cunningham 60
Cunningham is a very good run defender but this system doesn't fit his skill set well. He did in this game get a PBU and he's starting to look cleaner in pass coverage. He missed a couple of tackles in this one but did make a number of plays right at or behidn the line of scrimmage, getting two plus plays in run defense and a PBU. He was solid playing about half the snaps for Houston. It wouldn't surprise me at all to see the team shop him before the deadline.
S - Justin Reid 62
Reid is a guy Houston has to lock up long term. Reid had 6 tackles and a PBU and only allowed one real catch in his zone throughout this game. He's a quality player who is learning the system but is someone who could 100% be a piece to build around for Houston.
S - Lonnie Johnson 67
Johnson was only targeted in man coverage once in this game and picked that play off. He's still a bit slow in diagnosing routes in the intermediate level but he's got some talent and has good size and shows plus physicality.
CB - Desmond King 49
King was bad in this one, and the fact that Houston is playing him a majority of the snaps at outside corner is just bad coaching. He's a good slot corner and got abused outside in this game. I had him for 67 yards given up including 3 different third down situations. He just struggles to cover on the outside where big time speed gives him fits. It's not his fault, and he's battling but that's not his jam.
CB - Terrance Mitchell 64
Mitchell has been good for Houston, probably underratedly so. He had a huge play in this game where he forced a fumble at the goal line that really gave Houston a massive boost in the game. He also had a nice PBU and forced another incompletion. The downside for him is he did allow an 18 yard touchdown. His physicality in the run game and screen game shows up as well as he had 7 tackles. He's been a plus player for Houston and this system seems to truly fit his skillset.
DB - Tavierre Thomas 55
A replacement level player who makes a few tackles out there. You don't notice him much defensively.
DB - Tremon Smith 58
He shows some instances of being a useful player for Houston. I think particularly as a 6th or 7th DB and a special teams player he carries some value.
NEW ENGLAND
QB - Mac Jones 63
Jones was okay in this one and did essentially what was required of him to get the "w". He threw a pick and should have thrown two others, one that was just mistimed by Cunningham. He threw a pretty bad pick to Lonnie Johnson but generally took what the defense gave him and tossed a TD. He isn't a dynamic player but he delivers the ball well and does a good job at avoiding negative plays for the most part. He looks the part of a really good game manager at this point and that's more than can be said for the other rookie signal callers.
RB - Damien Harris 52
Harris played a good game, and grinded out tough yards on his carries, but a huge fumble at the goal line was an atrocious time for that and dropped his grade over 20 points in terms of impact. In fact despite a solid game grinding out tough yards, the fumble which would have put the Patriots up or at least tied the game, could have cost them the contest. Harris is a good runner with power, falls forward, and keeps the team ahead of the chains, but honestly he's not a difference maker. He looks like a mediocre starter who is a decent piece but not special.
RB - Brandon Bolden 52
Bolden just isn't James White, and the team misses him dearly. Bolden had 4 catches for just 6 yards and puts zero fear into the opposing defense. The Pats are decent on third down due to the interior pass catchers but used to be scary because White on options routes is deadly, you now WANT the Patriots to throw the ball to the backs. Quite a change. He did have the biggest run of the day though, a 24 yarder that really helped the Pats yards per carry average
RB - Rhammadore Stevenson 46
Not a good player. Stevenson provides very little as a runner except falling forward and pushing piles. He's a below average power back and could he emerge and get better sure, but he lacks patience now and looks lumbering instead of powerful. He averaged 2 yards per carry on 11 totes.
TE - Hunter Henry 77
Henry was outstanding in this game, picking up numerous first downs and then also adding a big touchdown catch. Kirksey in particular had trouble covering Henry as he looked like one of hte best players on the field in this one. He finished with three big time plays. It was the best he's looked as a member of the Patriots.
TE - Jonnu Smith 59
Smith didn't have much of an impact in this one but he did a decent job blocking and he battles out there. He had a couple of catches for 27 yards and was solid if unspectacular.
WR - Jakobi Meyers 63
Meyers had a nice game until a critical drop on a deep ball that probably would have gone for 25+ yards. He's been so good for New England this season though and sure looks like the team's most improved player. He had four catches for 56 yards and is one of the more consistently open players on the team. He looks like a perfect fit for the offense and was good here. The drop really killed his score though as it probably would have been the Patriots longest gain of the day.
WR - Kendrick Bourne 61
Bourne was okay in this game earning three plus plays and a minus play in which he committed what was a bad hold on a play that would have been an easy first down. He's a good solid fit for this offense and did okay but honestly he's not a needle mover. Solid game.
WR - Nelson Agholor 63
Agholor had 3 catches in this one and was okay, nothing really special here either. I get the Pats wanted to get weapons but they paid a lot for two receivers who are complementary pieces and not big time players.
WR - N'Keal Harry 53
He just isn't a difference maker in this offense and they really need to move him. He got about 20-25 snaps in this game (22) and had one catch. The team needs to find a new home for him and a late round pick is enough to move on from the underachieving former first rounder.
T - Justin Herron 62
Herron wasn't bad in this one. He had a couple of good run blocks and didn't give up much pressure on the outside. The Pats are great at getting decent performances from lineman and Herron actually looked pretty damn capable in this game.
G - James Ferentz 48
Ferentz was the worst of the 5 linemen in this one as he struggled to get any movement in the run game, was credit for the sack given up as he lacked the power and quickness to get over to make a wham block, and ended with zero positively graded run blocks.
G- Ted Karras 64
Karras was good in this game and played a nice quality clean game. He had a negative graded run block that caused a TFL but didn't allow a single pressure in one on one situations and generally kept the quarterback clean. He was solid in this one.
C - David Andrews 58
Andrews was good in pass protection netting very few wins against him but he got beaten up in the run game, giving up two negatively graded run plays that led to stuffs. He also got little movement and struggled to get to the second level or disengage from power run plays.
T - Yodny Cajuste 54
Cajuste got his first real extended action and while he wasn't great, he wasn't bad by any stretch either. He gave up one immediate pressure that caused a throwaway and wasn't clean in the run game. But, for a first real start out there he more than held his own. I've long been a fan of his game and this did nothing to dispel that for me. He needs more time and way more seasoning, but the kid can play a bit and did a nice job for the most part despite some technique issues that need to be cleaned up. He has some tools.
DT - Davon Godchaux 62
Godchaux is a solid interior player and he did a nice job in this game, making it extremely difficult to run inside. While he didn't give them much as a pass rusher in this game he was good against the run, earning a plus one grade and clogging up lanes and avoiding push. The Texans couldn't run, again, and some of that credit has to go here. Four tackles from a DT is also a nice bonus.
DT - Christian Barmore 56
Barmore is going to be a good player, and he's a great rotational player and piece for this defensive scheme. In this one he was quiet though but also wasn't pushed around. He had two tackles but was mostly forgettable, that said his job at times is to hold the point of attack and he did that well against Houston's weak interior offensive line.
DL - Lawrence Guy 64
Guy was tough to block in his game. He forced a quick pressure in the game and was tough to move off the ball in the run game. It felt like he was either setting a hard edge or resetting/holding the LOS consistently. He only had 3 tackles but felt like his impact was much higher. He's a good player. He got beaten on a wham block that he didn't disengage on though and that led to Houston's biggest run of the day, not a major loss but a negative for him.
DL - Deatrich Wise 57
Wise battles up front and is one of my favorite quietly underrated players. In this one though he was really quiet other than solid run defense, which he is really good at playin. I didn't have him for a single pressure in this one but once again he did his job not allowing any push in the run game. He had 3 tackles but was not much of a factor despite a lot of run in this game.
EDGE - Matthew Judon 80
Judon has been outstanding for New England coming over from Baltimore and he was great in this game. He got a big sack on a pass rush win, then got another on an extremely athletic play where they tried the scary method of not blocking him on a half boot. He also won a 3rd pressure that led to a quick checkdown later in the game. He's the defender you have to plan for in the Patriots front and he caused havoc to a bunch of mediocre Texans lineman.
OTHER OF NOTE:
Carl Davis DL - He had a couple of pass rush wins in this one. He's been a really nice roational piece defensively for a long time and he played very well in this one on about 15-20 snaps.
Jamie Collins - LB - I think he only played like 3 snaps but timed up a blitz perfectly to get a sack of Mills. He's going to help this defense as a moveable chess piece.
LB - Ja'whaun Bentley 60
Bentley was okay in this one and kind of blended into the game but he did a nice job witha plus one overall grade. I don't know if he's going to be a long term difference maker but he's a decent player.
LB - Dante Hightower 64
Hightower was really good in this game against the run, adding 5 tackles in what seems like a quiet game but he had two big run stops right at the line and allowed not much after the catch in the passing game. He's a high IQ player and did a nice job playing downhill.
LB - Kyle Van Noy 62
Van Noy played a lot in this one and had a couple of tackles and a plus one on a nice tackle where he shucked someone near the line and made a nice tackle. He's good for this system and was okay in this game but didn't really stand out, the lack of Texans run game gives all the linebackers a small bump.
CB - JC Jackson 42
Jackson has always been a ballhawk go for it type player, and it usually works out well for him, but not in this one. Jackson got smoked in this game, he did force two incompletions, but he also gave up a 60 yard touchdown, and four other first downs including a holding call that saved a TD. It was one of his worst games I've watched on tape.
CB - Jonathan Jones 64
Jones was solid in this game as he got some help from safeties and only allowed a couple of catches. Jones is kind of an underrated player as he's asked to do quite a bit and while he's not a ballhawk or a turnover machine like Jackson he does his job well. They didn't target Jones much in this one and he gave up about 30 yards.
S - Devin McCourty 47
McCourty is one of the better players in the NFL at his position but he's started to slow down a bit, and this game was no exception. McCourty gave up multiple long receptions in this one including 3 for first downs. He didn't make many plays and seemed late or long to anticipate routes. He looks like he's lost a step.
S - Kyle Duggar 48
Duggar is a nice player but he really struggled to defend the pass in this game. Duggar gave up 5 catches and a touchdown in this one and it sure seemed like Mills was looking for who he was guarding and attacking. He is a solid tackler and plays well downhill typically but he struggled to stop people through the air in this one.
S - Adrian Phillips 66
Phillips was solid in this game forcing two incompletions into his coverage, and getting a plus play on a run stop. He plays an interesting role in this defense kind of moving between roles and he did a nice job in this game. The only two catches he allowed in his coverage were both under ten yards and he looked solid.
CB - Joejuan Williams 45
He didn't play a ton, but he played enough to bite on a flea flicker and give up a long touchdown to Conley. They were interested in grabbing him for his size and potential out there but he isn't developing well.
OTHER:
Myles Bryant - He flashed in this game for sure, getting a tackle for loss, but he also gave up a 23 yard pass completion.
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