2022 NFL Thrills and Chills, Part II
By Michael Kane
Here’s a brief summary of the highlights and lowlights of Strat-O-Matic’s new football ratings:
BALTIMORE
Offense:
Oh Yeah! TE Andrews rated as SE with 9 LP combos wrong, Dobbins and Edwards 5+ ypa but…
Oh No! Running back by committee, Drake has the most carries with 109
Defense:
Oh Yeah! Excellent vs run, Houston 12*1 off bench
Oh No! Poor Pass D, keep the free safety home, 11 LG combos Long Pass 0 men plus 2-7,12 on #2
Special Teams:
Oh Yeah! Tucker FG good 2-8 33 to 41 yds … Duvernay KR TD on #3
Oh No! Tucker rare missed XP
BUFFALO
Offense:
Oh Yeah! WR Diggs with max and 2-tmd catches at every depth. QB Allen 27 SG chances ERW and +36 on #12, 2 7 pass blockers
Oh No! Allen 2-10,12 int LPR, RBs fumble 2-7 right
Defense:
Oh Yeah! Good to Excellent Run D
Oh No! Minimal pass rush outside of Rousseau and Miller, 3 4’s on d-line
Special Teams:
Oh Yeah! Hines KR TD #3
Oh No! Blocked punt, missed XP
CINCINNATI
Offense:
Oh Yeah! RBs only fumble on 2 guessed right, Burrow LP LG on #9, maxed flat, Chase maxed plus 2tmd combos
Oh No! Left side of O-line is 0 run blockers
Defense:
Oh Yeah! Hendrickson (11) and Hubbard (10) rated as OLB and DE, Excellent vs the run.
Oh No! Cornerbacks are 0 and 4
Special Teams:
Oh Yeah! +4 penalty advantage
Oh No! McPherson 2-10 XP, defensive PR 14/10/8
CLEVELAND
Offense:
Oh Yeah! Watson 21 ER SG Chances, Chubb with SG Right at #6 across the card and 49
chances of SG+ in all, LG OT
Oh No! Both tackles 0 run block
Defense:
Oh Yeah Garrett 6 12*7, short pass D card good
Oh No! 4 zeroes in front 7 vs run, poor run D
Special Teams:
Oh Yeah! Peoples-Jones PR TD #3
Oh No! PR 21/16/11, York FG 2-8,12 13-22 yds
DENVER
Offense:
Oh Yeah! RB Murray can move the chains if you hit on the edges
Oh No! QB Wilson struggles guessed right, 0 run block a C and LG
Defense:
Oh Yeah! Long Pass comparisons on #11 and 12 with 1 man, Surtain gets his 6, SS Simmons 6 vs pass
Oh No! Zeroes at LE and NT, Line Buck 1 man SG on #8
Special Teams:
Oh Yeah! McManus 22 TB chances plus 4 in end zone but…
Oh No! 2-10 on XP
HOUSTON
Offense:
Oh Yeah! RB Pierce LG on OT wrong and +75 on ER wrong, LT Tunsil 6/7, RT Howard also 7 pass block
Oh No! Mills Long Pass interceptions on #9, zero run blocking at C and LG
Defense:
Oh Yeah! Long Pass comparisons 1 man on 11 and 12, only 8 combos SP 3 men, 3 with 4 men
Oh No! Everybody is a 4 or 0, poor run D, SG on 7 and 8 for all 3 run plays with 0 LB plus on 8 for LB and OT with 1 LB
Special Teams:
Oh Yeah! KR Defense 10/11/12
Oh No! PR defense LG on 12
INDIANAPOLIS
Offense:
Oh Yeah! RB Taylor solid, 12 chances for SG or better ER wrong, Ryan maxed Flat, 4 fives on o-line run blocking
Oh No! Ryan only 2/7 long pass, interception prone short and long
Defense:
Oh Yeah! Three fives on D-line for run defense, Long Pass 1 man comparison combos on 11 and 12, only other completion chance is a partial split on 3, corners 5 and 6 (Gilmore)
Oh No! Two starting LB with 0 pass rush, short pass has 14 solid combos for completion
Special Teams:
Oh Yeah! Shortest return on #1 returner is 25 yards
Oh No! Blocked punt, KR defense 23/20/26, lots of fair catches for both returners
JACKSONVILLE
Offense:
Oh Yeah! RB Etienne LG on 10 End Run wrong, three sevens for pass blocking and …
Oh No! Three zeroes on the O-Line for run blocking, RB fumbles 2-8,12 guessed right
Defense:
Oh Yeah! Keep to the right, both LBs (inside and outside) are 6 vs the run, RCB is also a 6
Oh No! D-Line is all fours, weak pass rush
Special Teams:
Oh Yeah! PR defense is 3/5/4, 70 yard punt on 2 and…
Oh No! a 17 yard punt on 12, missed XP on 12
KANSAS CITY
Offense:
Oh Yeah! QB Mahomes LG on 8 Long Pass, 23 chances for a SG or better on End Run, Kelce maxed flat and short, 15 chances LP wrong with 6 LG chances, 2 tmd results as well, o-line has 2 sixes and 2 fives run blocking, 3 sevens and 2 fives pass blocking
Oh No! Boring, fumble-prone RBs will force pass-game stars to be great Right (Glenn wrote this last year, nothing changed, fumbles are 2-6,11,12 guessed right)
Defense:
Oh Yeah! DRT Jones gives KC rare inside pass rush power (10) (Glenn also wrote this last year but Jones is now a 6 12*5), both CBs are fives, no SG on run D
Oh No! Poor pass D has a completion chance with 3 men on everything but the interception on 9, LG on 4
Special Teams:
Oh Yeah! PR coverage 8/5/3, offsides is on 4, 2nd best punt average in set
Oh No! XP 2-10, kick coverage 26/23/32
LAS VEGAS
Offense:
Oh Yeah! RB Jacobs is a beast, SG across the board on 9, LG on 12 for LB and ER, +86 on 12 OT, both tackles are 5/7, WR Adams max across the board, 10 LG chances Long Pass wrong, has 2 tmd chances
Oh No! Only 38 carries behind Jacobs.
Defense:
Oh Yeah! Maxx Crosby 6 12*1, LP 1 man has split on 3 for only chance for a completion other than defender comparions
Oh No! No pass rush (both zeroes) from OLBs, chance for a completion Short Pass with 3 men on everything but 9
Special Teams:
Oh Yeah! KR coverage 13/11/16, K Carlson 2-8,12 FG 33-41, P Cole 2nd best avg in set
Oh No! XP Miss on 12, longest PR is 17 yards, PR coverage 16/11/10
LOS ANGELES -AFC
Offense:
Oh Yeah! WR Allen max FP/SP, pass blocking has 3 fives and 2 sevens
Oh No! Offensive tackles are both zeroes for run block
Defense:
Oh Yeah! Both CBs are fives and SS James is 66, send the linebackers…ROLB Khalil Mack 56 12*1, both left side linebackers are tens but…
Oh No! other than Mack, LBs are zero vs run, run D card is bad also
Special Teams:
Oh Yeah! PR coverage 1/2/3, KR coverage 10/11/12, both tied for best in set, only 5 KO chances not a touchback or in end zone
Oh No! K Dicker 2-3 from 33-37 yards
MIAMI
Offense:
Oh Yeah! Tua LP LG on 8, Mostert SG across the board on 6, Wilson SG across the board on 9, 2 seven pass blockers, 2 six and 2 five run blockers, Tua among top 5 cards, WR Hill maxed in all columns plus 2 tmd combos
Oh No! Running backs struggle guessed right
Defense:
Oh Yeah! Linebackers 3 fives and a 6 vs run plus 6 LE and 6 LCB
Oh No! Limited fumble chances, 0 NT, d-line pass rush 3-1-3, very poor pass D, SP 3 men chance for completion on everything but 9
Special Teams:
Oh Yeah! K Sanders 2-10 or better to 32yd line
Oh No! Missed XP on 11, KR coverage 30/29/LG, oh for the days of Don Shula, a set worst minus 6 for penalties
NEW ENGLAND
Offense:
Oh Yeah! QB Jones max FP, O-Line 3 five run blockers and 2 seven pass blockers, Stevenson good guessed right
Oh No! RBs fumble 2-6 guessed right, only one receiver has LGs.
Defense:
Oh Yeah! Judon 56 12 *9, Uche 12*4 off bench, excellent run D
Oh No! D-Line is all 4’s
Special Teams:
Oh Yeah! PR Jones TD on 2,
Oh No! Blocked punt; XP miss 11-12, KR coverage 35/26/LG and only 15 TB chances
NEW YORK JETS
Offense:
Oh Yeah! RB Hall top 15 card but in limited attempts, whoever plays QB will have 2 fives and 2 sevens blocking for him
Oh No! RB fumbles 2-6,12 guessed right, RT and RG are zero run block
Defense:
Oh Yeah! 6 at each level, Sauce at LCB, MLB Mosely 56, RT Williams 6 12*3, Lawson 10 pass rush at RE, Long Pass comparisons on 11 and 12
Oh No! Cover the flats, LBs 0-5-0 vs pass, do not force fumbles
Special Teams:
Oh Yeah! Putting the defense in a good spot…K Zuerlein has 26 TB chances (tied for most in set) plus 5 more in the end zone along with KR coverage 10/11/12
Oh No! XP miss 12; 18 yd punt on 12, PR coverage 13/8/LG
PITTSBURGH
Offense:
Oh Yeah! RB Harris SG on 11 across the board, RBs only fumble on 2 guessed right, 3 fives and a seven pass blocking
Oh No! QB Pickett hits the fence, 6/14 short and 1/4 long, RB Harris struggles guessed right
Defense:
Oh Yeah! ROLB Highsmith 45 12*10, RE Heyward 6 with 11 pass rush, Fitzpatrick 66 FS, best interception chances in set
Oh No! No forced fumbles, run D spotty, 0 LCB
Special Teams:
Oh Yeah! Sims 89 yd KR, PR coverage 1/2/3
Oh No! KR coverage 31/28/30, Boswell 2-7,12 from 23 to 32
TENNESSEE
Offense:
Oh Yeah! RB Henry is a big play machine, Tannehill maxed flat and 20 completions short wrong to keep defenses honest
Oh No! No pass blockers better than 4, RB fumbles 2-6 guessed right
Defense:
Oh Yeah! Excellent run D plus 6-5-5 d-line, FS Byard 56
Oh No! Very Poor vs Pass, LBs 0-4-0-0 vs pass
Special Teams:
Oh Yeah! Stonehouse best punter in set, 52 yards on 9…
Oh No! going to need every yard, PR coverage 19/14/3, XP miss on 12, flags everywhere 13 for Tenn, 12 for opponents
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