Here’s a brief summary of the highlights and lowlights of Strat-O-Matic’s new football ratings:

 

Offense:

Oh Yeah!           QB Palmer’s very low INTs … Finally, an OL who can block: LT Veldheer (7,5) … WR Floyd’s max Long Pass card; WR Fitzgerald has his LGs back

Oh No!              Zero run-blockers at C, RG in front of stay-at-home runners

 

Oh Yeah!           6s for LE Campbell, LCB Peterson, three sub 4s in secondary

Oh No!             Three of four LBs are 0 in pass D … Long Pass 0 Men looks like a kid punished at school: “Write Long Gain six times” (20+ chances)

 

Oh Yeah!           PR TD … FG 2-9,12 from 32 yds … +3 penalty differential

Oh No!             Blocked punt, wimpy KO returns

 

Offense:

Oh Yeah!           QB Ryan’s completion chances Wrong: FP-25, SP-19, LP-13 … Three 7s, three 5s for pass block

Oh No!             Three 0s, three 4s for run block in front of uninspiring runners

 

Oh Yeah!           Matt Ryan can keep the D off the field; kickers can provide field position

Oh No!             Poor vs. pass / Average to Poor vs. run … SG at #7 across the board w/0 LB … no 6s anywhere

 

Oh Yeah!           PR TD … strong all-around kicking, including FG 2-7, 12 from 37 yd line and 24 deep kickoff chances

Oh No!             Complaints here would be nit-picking

 

Offense:

Oh Yeah!           Center Kalil (7,5) … QB Newton’s 16 chances of SG or better on ER, 15 chances of 10 or better on Must Run … RB Stewart makes up for Williams’ ghastly card … TE Olsen: max FP, SP and he can go deep

Oh No!             LT Bell (2,0), one of three 0 run blockers in front six … 1-4 Fumble Rtg … As passer, Newton still looking for some touch

 

Oh Yeah!           LBs Kuechly (66) and Davis (64)

Oh No!             Generous yards on run D cards – the twin 5s at DT will have to stuff

 

Oh Yeah!           PR TD … 26 deep KO chances … +3 penalty differential

Oh No!             Matador kick coverage (+51, 49, 44 on KR; +18, 26, LG on PR) … Blocked punt

 

Offense:

Oh Yeah!           RG Long (7,5) … QB Cutler’s MR (+10 at #6) … WR Jeffery’s max SP, LP … HB Forte can catch, go deep, is YAC-A … TE Bennett’s career year … Marshall is the only WR with a run block-4

Oh No!             QB Cutler’s INTs … Forte’s big runs are almost gone

 

Oh Yeah!           LE Young (1*)12 leads DL pass rush with 9, 8, 7

Oh No!             Very Poor pass D: LG on SP #4 w/a 0 at LCB, 04 at FS … A 0 at RT, too

 

Oh Yeah!           KR TD … strong KR coverage

Oh No!             Blocked punt … PK Gould is ghoulish: missed XP on #11, short leg on FGs

 

Offense:

Oh Yeah!           Romo-Murray-Bryant-Witten invoke memories of Aikman-Smith-Irvin-Novacek … Four 6s, three 5s for run block; LT Smith, RG Martin = 7 pass block

Oh No!             Great OL’s pass block includes a 3, two 4s

 

Oh Yeah!           Fumble 2-5,11,12 OT w/0 LB … MLB McClain (65)

Oh No!             Once-prized LCB Carr (0); 8 starters = 0 or 4 vs. pass and run

 

Oh Yeah!           2-6,11,12 FG from 39 yd line highlights strong kicking + coverage

Oh No! Blocked punt … Longest return of any kind is +42 … 22 penalty chances (combined) means longer games with lots of plays coming back

 

Offense:

Oh Yeah!           Elite WR Megatron … QB Stafford keeps INTs in check … YAC-A for HB Bell, HB/FB Riddick, WR Tate … RG Warford (7,5)

Oh No!             Thrill is gone for C Raiola (2,0) … HB Bush’s longest run = +26, YAC-C … Weak receiving TE’s … WR Johnson’s YAC-D despite big plays

 

Oh Yeah!          Excellent vs. run / Good vs. pass … Nothing worse than +4 at rolls 6-8 vs. run … RT Suh (6), RLB Levy (66), FS Quin (65) … All 5s, 6s vs pass in Lions secondary – since when, the early ‘60s?

Oh No!             No double-digit pass rushers … LLB Palmer (04)

 

Oh Yeah!          25 deep KO chances … 2-6, 12 FG from 37 yd line … P Martin: Still 41 yds at #10 w/no block

Oh No!             Poor kick coverage (LG on PR) … Nothing longer than +41

 

Offense:

Oh Yeah!          All-world QB Rodgers’ INTs are on #12 w/25 SP, 14 LP completes Wrong … HB Lacy gets tough yards, has LG OT and is YAC-A … WR Nelson LG or better chances Wrong: FP-3, SP-5, LP-12 … WR Cobb would be #1 on most teams … Both guards and FB Kuhn are 7,6 …

Oh No!             LT Bakhtiari (4,0)

 

Oh Yeah!           Inside or out, LB Matthews (56) with (6*)12 pass rush … Three sub 4s in secondary

Oh No!             SG parade vs. run (#7 and 8 OT w/0 LB; #7 Linebuck even w/1 LB) … Eight 0s or 4s vs. run, pass … LE Boyd’s 0 pass rush

 

Oh Yeah!           PR TD on #4 for Hyde! … 2-6, 12 FG from 38 yd line

Oh No!             Blocked punt … missed XP … LG on both KR/PR coverage … Wimpy KR

 

Offense:

Oh Yeah!           Bridgewater is best rookie QB w/strong FP, decent LP … Blank Rec&QB Fumble Rating … Deep threat WRs Wright, Johnson

Oh No!             LT Kalil, LG Johnson both (2,4) … All but two receivers are YAC – C,D,E

 

Oh Yeah!           LT Floyd (6), both safeties 6 vs. run … RE Griffin: (1*)12 pass rush

Oh No!             Poor vs. run / Average to Poor vs. pass … Will force no fumbles

 

Oh Yeah!           Excellent kick coverage … 2-6,11,12 FG from 38 yd line

Oh No!             Blocked punt … 2-8, 11, 12 FG from 3 yd line

 

Offense:

Oh Yeah!           QB Brees complete chances Wrong: FP-25, SP-20, LP-11 … WR Stills’ max LP w/11 chances for LG or better Wrong … 7 pass block at both OT

Oh No!             Turnovers (F 2-6, 11, 12 running Right; Brees’ INTs Right) … Stills, Cooks = YAC-E (no WR or TE is better than YAC-C)

 

Oh Yeah!           ROLB Galette: (3*) 12 pass rush

Oh No!             Poor vs. run AND pass … Opposing RBs go marching in: SG #7,8 OT w/0 LB; SG #7 LB w/1 LB … Pass coverage: Four 0s, three 4s in back seven

 

Oh Yeah!          99 (not TD) for KR Cadet … P Morstead (still 41 yd at #10) supported by +1,2,3 PR coverage … +3 penalty differential

Oh No!             Cowardly #1 PR Cooks … Missed XP, sub-par FG beyond 22 yd line

 

Offense:

Oh Yeah!          QB Manning: 22 completes SP Wrong … LT Beatty (7,6) and RT Pugh (7 pass block) … Max SP, LP for WR Beckham w/11 chances at least +50 LP Wrong

Oh No!             No push: 0 run block at C, both G

 

Oh Yeah!           RE Pierre-Paul: (2*) 12 pass rush and 5 vs run; twin 5s at CB

Oh No!             Poor vs. run (SG across the board at #7 w/0 LB) … where ISN’T there a LG in LP 0 Men? Oh, I see it: #12 … NT Jenkins (0)

 

Oh Yeah!           Fab KR coverage (+10,11,12) … 2-6,12 FG from 37 yd line

Oh No!             Blocked punt … LG on punt coverage

 

Offense:

Oh Yeah!           6 run block at TE, RT, C, LG, LT; LT Peters, LG Mathis are 7,6 … HB Sproles’ FP Wrong: +57, +51, YAC-A … WR Maclin: max SP, LP w/12 chances of LG or better LP Wrong … Three TE’s can go deep           

Oh No!             Haste makes waste: Fast offense turns it over – a lot. Sanchez, Foles throw too many to the bad guys. RB fumbles 2-6, 11, 12 Right … Only Sproles better than YAC-C

 

Oh Yeah!           Good to Excellent vs. run … LOLB Barwin: (56) with (7*) 12 pass rush

Oh No!             Very Poor vs. pass shows on D cards, and with twin 0 CBs … Have to replace a 5 with a 0 to get a pass rush from front 3

 

Oh Yeah!          Sproles PR TD on #3; Both #1, #2 KR men have TDs … 2-6, 12 FG from 37 yd line

Oh No!             LG on punt coverage

 

Offense:

Oh Yeah!          Rookie HB Mason’s +89 ER Wrong, YAC-B … WR Britt’s LG or better chances Wrong: FP-3, SP-5, LP-10

Oh No!             LT Robinson (2,0) one of three OL 0s for run block … High turnovers Right make it vital to out-guess the D … No WR, TE better than YAC-C

 

Oh Yeah!          Good run D forces fumbles … All 5s up front in 4-3 D, two (Donald, Quinn) with double-figure sack rates

Oh No!             Both OLB (04) with 0 sacks … twin 4s at CB

 

Oh Yeah!          TD on #5 (!) for PR2 Bailey; TD on #2 for PR1 Austin … PR coverage (+6,2,3) … 2-6, 11,12 FG from 39 yd line

Oh No!             Blocked punt, missed XP … -4 penalty differential … LG on KR coverage

 

Offense:

Oh Yeah!           6 run block at LG, LT … Kaepernick’s +90 Must Run (with 12 MR chances) … RB Gore gets the tough yards and can break loose

Oh No!             C Martin (0,0) and generally weak pass block … Kaepernick’s mere 7 complete chances LP Wrong … Only Gore (B) is better than YAC-C

 

Oh Yeah!          Good INTs, SS-6, CB-5s responsible for Average to Good vs. pass (not the catches and yards) … Retiring RE Justin Smith goes out with a 6

Oh No!             Move your FS up and it’s English muffins – toast with holes

Oh Yeah!           2-7 FG from 38 yd line

Oh No!             Block blemishes Lee’s booming punts … LG on PR coverage … Kickoffs shorter than most; SF’s KO returns, too … 28 penalty chances combined means longer games, many plays called back

 

Offense:

Oh Yeah!          QB Wilson’s running: 25 chances of SG or better ER Wrong, MR: +55, +40, +22, +14, +13 … HB Lynch runs inside, outside, for power and distance (33 chances SG or better across card Wrong)

Oh No!             Wilson’s passing, receivers don’t look like champs in today’s NFL

 

Oh Yeah!           Excellent vs pass / Good vs run and will force fumbles … Six 6s vs. pass and run

Oh No!             Ordinary pass rush and INTs will limit big plays

 

Oh Yeah!           Not so special, though kicking is solid

Oh No!             Worst in set (-7) penalty differential … Blocked punt … Kick returners seldoom help field position

 

Offense:

Oh Yeah!           WR Evans’ max SP, LP … WR Jackson not far behind

Oh No!             WRs almost make it worth letting McCown throw to them … Giveaway City: McCown’s INTs, RBs fumbles … All WR, TE are YAC-D or E

 

Oh Yeah!           LT McCoy: 6 with 11 pass rush

Oh No!             Poor vs pass and plenty of yards vs run … FS Goldson (00) and two 4s in secondary

 

Oh Yeah!           2-6, 11, 12 FG from 38 yd line

Oh No!             Blocked punt … LG on punt coverage … KR #1’s longest is +28 … Only 14 deep KO chances … Only 2-9 FG from 1-12 yd lines … -5 penalty differential

 

Offense:

Oh Yeah!           WR Jackson’s LG or better chances Wrong: FP-6, SP-7, LP-15 + YAC-A … QBs Griffin and McCoy’s FP … 3^rd-down back Helu: 15 chances of +13 or better ER Wrong, max FP, YAC-A … LT Williams … (5,6)

Oh No!              RT Compton (0,0), LG Lauvao (3,0) … 1-4 Rec&QB Fumble

 

Oh Yeah!           Good vs run … LOLB Kerrigan: (9*)12 pass rush

Oh No!             Very Poor vs pass is politically correct D.C. language – SP 3 Men: LG on SP #4, no incompletes and a secondary with three 0s and a 4

 

Oh Yeah!           +4 penalty differential

Oh No!             Blocked punt, missed XP, LG on both KR, PR coverage … FG only 2-3 beyond 32 yd line … Yellow flag days: Only 6 blank penalty chances