2017 NFL Thrills and Chills, Part I
By Glenn Guzzo
Here’s a brief summary of the highlights and lowlights of Strat-O-Matic’s new football ratings:
ARIZONA
Offense:
Oh Yeah! WR Fitzgerald’s max FP/SP + 2-tmd catches
Oh No! Nowhere to run: sub-par RBs and a meh OL
Defense:
Oh Yeah! LCB Peterson (6) and two 5s in secondary, LOLB Jones (*10 sacks)
Oh No! When safeties are the best run stuffers, we have a problem
Special Teams:
Oh Yeah! PK Dawson: 2-6,12 FG from 50-57 yds
Oh No! Shank City: Missed XP 10-11 … long gain on KO return coverage
ATLANTA
Offense:
Oh Yeah! Hot in ‘Lanta: WR Jones’ max catches at all 3 depths + 2-tmd catches + explosive plays … C Mack (7,6) leads three 7-rated pass blockers, four 5+ run blockers
Oh No! The other 3 WR have the minimum LP catches
Defense:
Oh Yeah! LT Jarrett (6) and two 5s on the DL; MLB Jones (64); nine starters have at least one 5 or 6 in their ratings
Oh No! Must have sub DE Clayborn (10) for pass rush – LB Beasley (7) only other better than 4
Special Teams:
Oh Yeah! Leg man: Bryant FG good 2-7,11,12 at 50-57 yds
Oh No! +34/37/33 kickoff coverage
CAROLINA
Offense:
Oh Yeah! Rookie RB McCaffrey as a receiver at all depths … LG Norwell (7,6)
Oh No! Still more runner than passer, Newton doesn’t do either all that well this time … Not that he gets much help from his RBs or WRs
Defense:
Oh Yeah! MLB Keuchly (66) RT Short (6), * sacker Addison
Oh No! 0 no! – 0s at LCB, RCB, FS
Special Teams:
Oh Yeah! 29 chances for deep kickoffs … great punt coverage
Oh No! Yet FGs good only 2-3 from 50+ … Missed XP 11-12
CHICAGO
Offense:
Oh Yeah! 5-5-6-5 run block from RG to LT for solid RB Howard
Oh No! Rookie QB Trubisky doesn’t elevate weak receivers
Defense:
Oh Yeah! 6s at both ends, SS (66) and 5s at both CB spots
Oh No! Two 0s and a 4 in pass coverage for LBs
Special Teams:
Oh Yeah! TDs for both punt returners
Oh No! long gains on both KO, PR coverage … Missed XP on 11
DALLAS
Offense:
Oh Yeah! C Frederick, RG Martin: both 7,6 w/LT smith (5,6)
Oh No! RT Collins (2 pass block) needs another position change … RB Elliott is just a guy
Defense:
Oh Yeah! Stud LE Lawrence (6 w/*4 sacks)
Oh No! Gut check: Twin 0s at DT
Special Teams:
Oh Yeah! PR TD … superb punt coverage … FG good 2-6 from 50-56 yds
Oh No! Missed XP 11-12
DETROIT
Offense:
Oh Yeah! Stafford: Maybe best overall passer in set
Oh No! Stafford will need to be (we could call Lions’ ground game the underground game)
Defense:
Oh Yeah! LCB Slay, FS Quin both 6s
Oh No! RCB and SS both 0s … All three LB are 0s vs pass
Special Teams:
Oh Yeah! Agnew’s PR TD on #3 … Prater: FG good 2-7, 12 from 5-58 yds … 32 chances for deep kickoffs
Oh No! longest KO return: 35 yds
GREEN BAY
Offense:
Oh Yeah! WR Adams: 2-tmd catches … LT Bakhtiari (7,6)
Oh No! Not the Aaron Rodgers we know … Seriously? RT Spriggs (0,0)
Defense:
Oh Yeah! NT Clark, RE Daniels: Two 6s on 3-man DL … double-digit sacks at both OLB
Oh No! Free pass: 0s at both CB, 4s at both safeties
Special Teams:
Oh Yeah! Excellent punt coverage
Oh No! Missed XP on 11
LOS ANGELES RAMS
Offense:
Oh Yeah! Big upgrade from last year w/QB Goff, RB Gurley (best run/catch dual threat in set), OL (three 6 run blockers, four 5+ pass blockers)
Oh No! Rams now have an Austin without powers at WR and drive-killing RB fumbles
Defense:
Oh Yeah! 6s at both ends and 65 FS Joyner; pass rush from RE Donald (11), ROLB Quinn (12)
Oh No! 0 at NT … Only 4s and 0s in coverage at LB, CB
Special Teams:
Oh Yeah! KO return TD … Great punting + coverage … Zuerlein FG good 2-7 from 50-56 yds
Oh No! Missed XP on 11
MINNESOTA
Offense:
Oh Yeah! Max SP for both WR Thielen (also 2-tmd catches), Diggs … Pass block: Two 7s, two 5s … RB Cook has 11 chances for SG or better both OT and ER Wrong
Oh No! No 6s, one 5 run blocking on OL, including TE
Defense:
Oh Yeah! Nine 6s and 5s led by FS Smith (66) and * sacker Griffen at RE
Oh No! You keep it: No fumbles on D card
Special Teams:
Oh Yeah! Forbath: FG good 2-7 from 50-54 yds
Oh No! Missed XP 10-11 … long gain on punt coverage
NEW ORLEANS
Offense:
Oh Yeah! Three 7s, two 5s will keep Brees upright for throws to TD-making WR Thomas (2-tmd catches), deep threat Ginn (max LP catches) and three-depth-threat RB Kamara … Stud RB Ingram (OT: long gain on #4, +50 on #2, +25 on +11) pounds and romps
Oh No! Still, both Brees and his receiving corps are a step down from recent years
Defense:
Oh Yeah! LE Jordan (6 w/* sacks) … seven 6s and 5s in all
Oh No! If Jordan doesn’t get the QB, little chance anyone else will
Special Teams:
Oh Yeah! Kamara KOR TD on #3
Oh No! Missed XP on 11 … long gain on punt coverage
NEW YORK GIANTS
Offense:
Oh Yeah! Three 7-rated pass blockers
Oh No! Game plan: Don’t let the D blow hard (four 0-rated run blockers)
Defense:
Oh Yeah! LT Harrison (6) and two 5s on the DL … SS Collins (65)
Oh No! Age-old LB problems still unsolved
Special Teams:
Oh Yeah! Excellent KO coverage
Oh No! blocked punt and long gain on return … Missed XP on 10-11
PHILADELPHIA
Offense:
Oh Yeah! RG, RT (both 7,6) and C (7,5) support sharpshooter QB Wentz, max FP/SP TE Ertz, who also has 2-tmd catches
Oh No! Left-side pass blocking (2 LT, 3 LG)
Defense:
Oh Yeah! LT Cox (6), three 5s on the DL and three 5s in the secondary
Oh No! No double-digit sackers
Special Teams:
Oh Yeah! Elliott: FG good 2-6, 11, 12 from 50-61 yds
Oh No! blocked punt … Missed XP on 11-12
SAN FRANCISCO
Offense:
Oh Yeah! QB Garoppolo gives this offense instant cred … LT Staley (7,6)
Oh No! Until Jimmy G plays, SF’s offense will scare no foe
Defense:
Oh Yeah! Twin 5s at DE and at safety … rookie MLB Foster (55)
Oh No! Sad sacks: No starters rated better than 5
Special Teams:
Oh Yeah! Gould: FG good 2-6, 12 from 50-54 yds
Oh No! Whistle while you work: -5 penalty differential … long gain on punt coverage … Missed XP on 11
SEATTLE
Offense:
Oh Yeah! His must runs, pistol runs and wide gaps between SP/LP comps Right and Wrong make QB Wilson the ultimate escape artist
Oh No! Why Wilson flees: No dominant RB, no OL w/run block 5+ or pass block 7
Defense:
Oh Yeah! Still booming: MLB Wagner (66), FS Thomas (65), SS Chancellor (56), LLB Wright (55), LE Bennett (5 w/10 pass rush)
Oh No! Duds: a 0 and two 4s on the DL
Special Teams:
Oh Yeah! PR TD … very good KO coverage
Oh No! Black Flag: worst-in-memory -8 penalty differential
TAMPA BAY
Offense:
Oh Yeah! Valiant LT Dotson (7,5) and C Marpet (5,5) … Big plays from TE Howard
Oh No! Donut-hole run blocking (0 at RG, LG, LT) elsewhere; neither lead RB Martin (2.9 avg) nor his subs has a longer gain than 36 yds … Heavy fumbles, too
Defense:
Oh Yeah! RLB David (66), LT McCoy (a 6 w/team-best 7 pass rush)
Oh No! Hurries? no rush: Front seven starts a 7, two 3s, a 1 and three 0s
Special Teams:
Oh Yeah! Super punt coverage … Murray: FG good 2-6 from 50-54 yds
Oh No! Only 13 deep-KO chances and +31/29/long gain coverage … Missed XP 11-12
WASHINGTON
Offense:
Oh Yeah! LT Williams (7,6), RG Scherff (5,6) … TE Davis: good hands, good feet
Oh No! Weak interior pass block at LG (2), C (3) … High-fumble, low-yardage RBs
Defense:
Oh Yeah! QB sandwiches: LOLB Smith (12), ROLB Kerrigan (12*8) terrorize
Oh No! DL goes 4-0-0 and back seven’s coverage has no 6s, two 5s
Special Teams:
Oh Yeah! Excellent kickoff coverage
Oh No! Missed XP 11-12 … long gain on punt coverage
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