NFC West: PFF Team Stats

I find these PFF team rankings very fascinating. Like some of you, I have watched every Cardinals’ and NFC West opponents’ games each week—-except when ones are on at the same time as the Cardinals’. Thus, by my own eye test, for the most part, these team grades/rankings look fairly accurate.

Overall Team Grade (NFL Rankings):

1. Rams...5. Seahawks...12. 49ers...25. Cardinals

• No question, this grade is skewed by the Cardinals below average run blocking and defensive grades. But, if we are being honest, the Cardinal’s defense is the weakest and slowest in the division.

Overall Offense:

7. Seahawks...8. Rams...13. 49ers...16. Cardinals

• What brings this grade down is the Cardinals’ below average run blocking grade. Cards can improve this ranking pretty quickly, if they get the electricity and high level of production back.

Run Offense:

5. Rams...9. 49ers...10. Cardinals...22. Seahawks

• Seems about right. The Murray factor is why the team is Top 10.

Run Blocking:

2. 49ers...4. Rams...7. Seahawks...24. Cardinals

• Surprised at the Seahawks’ grade here, but it would suggest that the Seahawks’ RBs have not been good—-and, in fact, that has been the case thus far. The Cardinals are running into a lot of crowded boxes—-especially in recent weeks. They need to pass when the box is stacked, and not screen or 5 yard passes...10-50 yard passes.

Passing Offense:

3. Seahawks...15t. Cardinals...15t. Rams...29. 49ers

• Hard to imagine the Cardinals are tied with the Rams here—-but it is thanks to the Rams having more turnovers.

Receiving:

5. 49ers...6. Seahawks...16. Rams...19. Cardinals

• How can the worst passing offense (49ers) in the division have the highest receiving grade? The blame goes to to the inconsistent quarterbacking and the 49ers’ below average pass protection.

Pass Blocking:

4. Rams...5. Cardinals...15. Seahawks...25. 49ers

• This is yet another reason why the Cardinals should be passing more often—-the strength of the Cardinals’ offensive line is in pass pro.

Offensive Yards Per Play:

6. Seahawks...9. Cardinals...11. Rams...12. 49ers

• This is quite a testament to the play callers in the NFC West—-all 4 teams in the top 12 of the NFL in yards per play.

Overall Defense:

2. Rams...8. 49ers...14. Seahawks...27. Cardinals

• Hate to say it, but this is what poor tackling, lack of a consistent pass rush and loose coverage will cause. Hopefully the defense will rally as it did the last few weeks last year.

Run Defense:

4. Seahawks...10. 49ers...11. Rams....28. Cardinals

• Injuries have hurt, no question. But, only Corey Peters had been reliable up front until he was injured..

Tackling:

1. Seahawks...4. Rams...5. 49ers...19. Cardinals

• Look at the NFC West: 1,4,5 tackling teams, which is even more impressive when you take into consideration that each team plays all the others in this division twice. Quickest and best finished tackles I have seen from a Cardinals ILB this season: Tanner Vallejo. He and Isaiah Simmons are two of the fastest and best tacklers on the team—-so is Dennis Gardeck—-if only the coaches could take advantage—-the defense doesn’t really have to be this slow and poor at tackling.

Pass Rush:

4. Rams...23. 49ers...29. Seahawks...31. Cardinals

• You could say the Cards miss Chandler Jones, but even he wasn’t p coming close to roducing consistent pressures, hurries and sacks. Best, quickest most explosive edge rushes I have seen all year have come from Dennis Gardeck—-yet Keim trades for Golden (who hasn’t been an upgrade) and Gardeck is now relagated to the Cassius Marsh inside nickel rusher role. Again, go figure. Plus, Haasan Reddick hasn’t maintained his early pace.

Coverage:

2. Rams...4. 49ers...23. Seahawks...24. Cardinals

• Soft zones, PIs/holding penalties and botched assignments are the bane of this defense.

Yards Given Up Per Play Team Defense

1. Rams...10. 49ers...13. Cardinals...24. Seahawks

• Looks like a plus, but what it really means is they aren’t giving up too many home runs, but instead are giving up strings of singles and doubles on lengthy TD drives.

Special Teams Overall Grade:

5. Seahawks...7. Cardinals...15. 49ers...23. Rams

• This grade is starting to sink fast. The Cardinals need to bring the special in STs back in this quarter.

Those are the PFF rankings and these were some reactions.

What are your thoughts and reactions?