Now through Week 9 of the NFL season we have reached the basic halfway point thus far. Many fans can agree that this season has been much different as usual as many teams have outperformed their projections and also underperformed. At this point we take a look at each time and where they stand in regards to the league.
DALLAS COWBOYS
Record: 5-3, 2nd in NFC East
Grade: B-
Passing Stats:
QB Dak Prescott: 1818 pass yards, 16 TDs, 4 INTs, Rate: 97.9
Rushing Stats:
HB Ezekiel Elliot: 191 carries, 783 rush yards, 7 TDs (6-game suspension pending)
QB Dak Prescott: 26 carries, 195 rush yards, 4 TDs
HB Alfred Morris: 14 carries, 116 rush yards, 0 TDs
Receiving Stats:
WR Dez Bryant: 38 receptions, 439 rec. yards, 4 TDs
WR Terrance Williams: 30 receptions, 387 rec. yards, 0 TDs
TE Jason Witten: 35 receptions, 319 rec. yards, 3 TDs
WR Brice Butler: 9 receptions, 213 rec. yards, 2 TDs
HB Ezekiel Elliot: 19 receptions, 210 rec. yards, 2 TDs
WR Cole Beasley: 22 receptions, 165 rec. yards, 4 TDs
Defensive Stats:
DE DeMarcus Lawrence: 10.5 sacks, 31 tackles, 3 fumbles forced
LB Jaylon Smith: 1 sack, 50 tackles, 1 pass defended, 2 fumbles forced
DT David Irving: 6 sacks, 15 tackles, 4 pass defended, 1 fumble forced
DE Tyrone Crawford: 4 sacks, 14 tackles, 1 fumble forced
S Byron Jones: 41 tackles, 4 pass defended, 1 int.
CB Jourdan Lewis: 29 tackles, 5 pass defended, 1 int.
Kicking:
K Dan Bailey: 7/7 FG, 16/16 XP, Long: 56 yards
K Mike Nugent: 4/5 FG, 7/7 XP, Long: 48 yards
An up and down year for Dallas has been tough to make a good prediction on where Dallas stands. A few big wins and a few big losses keep that at being a decent team but I only think they have a shot of getting a Wild Card at this point. Zeke’s pending suspension will end up hurting Dallas big time this year when he actually has to sit out for six games when he’s been so dynamic again this year. Dak has also had a great sophomore season but will have a big loss if he loses Zeke in his backfield. The defense is also still very questionable especially the secondary that is very weak. I do think Dallas has a good shot of making a Wild Card spot but not much more.
NEW YORK GIANTS
Record: 1-7, 4th in NFC East
Grade: D
Passing Stats:
QB Eli Manning: 1820 pass yards, 12 TDs, 6 INTs, Rate: 85.4
Rushing Stats:
HB Orleans Darkwa: 67 carries, 345 rush yards, 1 TD
HB Wayne Gallman: 45 carries, 182 rush yards, 0 TDs
Receiving Stats:
TE Evan Engram: 34 receptions, 412 rec. yards, 4 TDs
WR Sterling Shepard: 27 receptions, 333 rec. yards, 1 TD
WR Odell Beckham, Jr.: 25 receptions, 302 rec. yards, 3 TDs (IR- Out for season)
WR Brandon Marshall: 18 receptions, 154 rec. yards, 0 TDs (IR- Out for season)
HB Shane Vereen: 25 receptions, 150 rec. yards, 0 TDs
WR Roger Lewis: 11 receptions, 133 rec. yards, 1 TD
Defensive Stats:
S Landon Collins: 49 tackles, 4 pass defended, 1 int., 1 fumble forced
DE Jason Pierre-Paul: 4.5 sacks, 36 tackles, 2 fumbles forced
CB Janoris Jenkins: 24 tackles, 6 pass defended, 1 int., 1 fumble forced
S Eli Apple: 38 tackles, 8 pass defended
LB B.J. Goodson: 42 tackles, 2 pass defended, 1 fumble forced
Kicking:
K Aldrick Rosas: 8/12 FG, 13/13 XP, Long: 51 yards
Where do I start when it comes to the New York Giants. Well going into the season a Super Bowl appearance was a high possibility as it seemed like all the pieces were going to come together. But the exact opposite happened as OBJ and Brandon Marshall were hit with season ending injuries. The offensive line is also as bad as ever making it impossible to have any run game. And the identity of their feature back has taken all season to figure out as Darkwa, Vereen, Gallman, and Perkins have all split time as the feature back. Through all of this, their iron horse Eli Manning has been able to put up solid stats at his old age. With only a Sunday Night blowout of the Broncos to be proud about, the Giants will look to tank and get a top pick to address their future QB, offensive line, and running back issues. Will Penn State’s elite Freshman back Saquon Barkley be a New York Giant? We will just have to wait and see.
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
Record: 8-1, 1st in NFC East
Grade: A+
Passing Stats:
QB Carson Wentz: 2262 pass yards, 23 TDs, 5 INTs, Rate: 104.1
Rushing Stats:
HB LeGarrette Blount: 109 carries, 504 rush yards, 2 TDs
QB Carson Wentz: 44 carries, 211 rush yards, 0 TDs
HB Corey Clement: 48 carries, 182 rush yards, 3 TDs
HB Wendell Smallwood: 43 carries, 168 rush yards, 1 TD
Receiving Stats:
TE Zach Ertz: 43 receptions, 528 rec. yards, 6 TDs
WR Alshon Jeffery: 34 receptions, 500 rec. yards, 5 TDs
WR Nelson Agholor: 29 receptions, 428 rec. yards, 5 TDs
WR Torrey Smith: 15 receptions, 221 rec. yards, 1 TD
WR Mack Hollins: 9 receptions, 172 rec. yards, 1 TD
TE Trey Burton: 11 receptions, 111 rec. yards, 2 TDs
Defensive Stats:
LB Nigel Bradham: 1 sack, 50 tackles, 4 pass defended
S Malcolm Jenkins: 1 sack, 47 tackles, 5 pass defended
LB Mychal Kendricks: 2 sacks, 47 tackles, 6 pass defended
CB: Jalen Mills: 43 tackles, 10 pass defended, 3 int.
CB Patrick Robinson: 29 tackles, 11 pass defended, 3 int.
DE Brandon Graham: 5 sacks, 25 tackles, 2 pass defended, 1 fumble forced
Kicking Stats:
K Jake Elliot: 17/20 FG, 24/27 XP, Long: 61 yards
K Caleb Sturgis: 3/3 FG, 1/2 XP, Long: 50 yards (Released)
The Eagles have come out of the gate red hot to many people’s surprise as they hold a huge lead in the division. With the best record in football, second year QB Carson Wentz is implementing himself as an elite QB with 23 TDs in 9 games. The only blemish came in their close loss to Kansas City (#ChiefsKingdom). Although they haven’t faced a tough schedule by any means (beating San Francisco, Arizona, Carolina, Washington twice, and LA Chargers), it doesn’t get much harder as they still have bouts against Chicago and Giants. Philly has looked great on both offense and defense and should easily be able to take the NFC East title.
WASHINGTON REDSKINS
Record: 4-4, 3rd in NFC East
Grade: B
Passing Stats:
QB Kirk Cousins: 2147 pass yards, 13 TDs, 4 INTs, Rate: 102.0
Rushing Stats:
HB Chris Thompson: 51 carries, 251 rush yards, 2 TDs
HB Rob Kelley: 58 carries, 184 rush yards, 3 TDs
HB Samaje Perine: 57 carries, 175 rush yards, 0 TDs
QB Kirk Cousins: 26 carries, 125 rush yards, 1 TDs
Receiving Stats:
HB Chris Thompson: 35 receptions, 453 rec. yards, 3 TDs
TE Vernon Davis: 23 receptions, 384 rec. yards, 1 TD
WR Jamison Crowder: 28 receptions, 272 rec. yards, 0 TDs
WR Ryan Grant: 24 receptions, 254 rec. yards, 2 TDs
WR Terrelle Pryor Sr.: 20 receptions, 240 rec. yards, 1 TD
TE Jordan Reed: 27 receptions, 211 rec. yards
WR Josh Doctson: 11 receptions, 189 rec. yards, 3 TDs
Defensive Stats:
LB Zach Brown: 2.5 sacks, 86 tackles
LB Ryan Kerrigan: 6 sacks, 22 tackles, 1 pass defended, 1 int, 2 fumbles forced
CB Kendall Fuller: 26 tackles, 5 pass defended, 3 int, 1 fumbles forced
CB Josh Norman: 24 tackles, 5 pass defended, 2 fumbles forced
LB Preston Smith: 4.5 sacks, 20 tackles, 1 pass defended
Kicking Stats:
K Dustin Hopkins: 9/11 FG, 12/13 XP, Long: 48 yards
K Nick Rose: 4/5 FG, 6/7 XP, Long: 42 yards
Redskins year has gone just about as expected I would think to this point. A mediocre team is playing mediocre with a 3-4 record nearly at the halfway point. Kirk Cousins has shown himself to be a stat sheet stuffer but like always is nowhere to be found in big situations. They’ve had difficulty in the division as they are 0-3 losing to Philly twice and Dallas. With a somewhat difficult schedule left, the Skins will try to make a playoff push but I think a QB change might need to occur with Cousins who probably won’t be given yet another franchise tag.
CHICAGO BEARS
Record: 3-5, 4th in NFC North
Grade: B
Passing Stats:
QB Mitchell Trubisky: 512 pass yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs, Rate: 66.3
QB Mike Glennon: 833 pass yards, 4 TDs, 5 INTs, Rate: 76.9
Rushing Stats:
HB Jordan Howard: 162 carries, 662 rush yards, 4 TDs
HB Tarik Cohen: 54 carries, 228 rush yards, 1 TD
QB: Mitchell Trubisky: 15 carries, 110 rush yards, 0 TDs
Receiving Stats:
WR Kendall Wright: 22 receptions, 259 receiving yards, 1 TD
TE Zach Miller: 20 receptions, 236 receiving yards, 2 TDs (IR- Out for season)
HB Tarik Cohen: 28 receptions, 234 receiving yards, 1 TD
WR: Deonte Thompson: 11 receptions, 125 receiving yards, 1 TD
Defensive Stats:
LB Danny Trevathan: 2 sacks, 52 tackles, 3 pass defended, 1 int.
DE Akiem Hicks: 7 sacks, 26 tackles
CB Kyle Fuller: 40 tackles, 8 pass defended
LB Leonard Floyd: 5 sacks, 26 tackles, 2 pass defended
LB Pernell McPhee: 4 sacks, 13 tackles, 1 pass defended, 1 fumble forced
S Eddie Jackson: 28 tackles, 4 pass defended, 1 int.
Kicking Stats:
K Connor Barth: 7/11 FG, 13/13 XP, Long: 54 yards
Chicago has seen their fair share of disappointing seasons over the last few seasons. With big wins against Baltimore, Pittsburgh, and Carolina, the Bears have shown up in big games and their defense has been a big surprise. They’ve had one of the better defenses in football this season and have shown great improvement during their rebuilding phase. Young running back Jordan Howard has become one of the best in the league and rookie QB Mitchell Trubisky has officially taken over the reigns and shown a lot of potential. At 3-5, Chicago has definitely shown some upside during this rebuilding phase and most Bears fans are definitely happy with the performance.
DETROIT LIONS
Record: 4-4, 2nd in NFC North
Grade: C
Passing Stats:
QB Matthew Stafford: 2212 pass yards, 14 TDs, 4 INTs, Rate: 94.4
Rushing Stats:
HB Ameer Abdullah: 122 carries, 417 rush yards, 2 TDs
Receiving Stats:
WR Golden Tate: 50 receptions, 562 rec. yards, 2 TDs
WR Marvin Jones, Jr.: 33 receptions, 515 rec. yards, 5 TDs
WR T.J. Jones: 19 receptions, 290 rec. yards, 0 TDs
HB Theo Riddick: 29 receptions, 266 rec. yards, 1 TD
TE Eric Ebron: 18 receptions, 195 rec. yards, 1 TD
TE Darren Fells: 12 receptions, 123 rec. yards, 3 TDs
WR Kenny Golladay: 7 receptions, 102 rec. yards, 2 TDs
Defensive Stats:
LB Tahir Whitehead: 1 sack, 44 tackles, 1 pass defended, 1 int.
CB Glover Quin: 41 tackles, 5 pass defended, 3 int., 2 fumbles forced
CB Darius Slay: 27 tackles, 10 pass defended, 3 int.
DT: Anthony Zettel: 5 sacks, 23 tackles, 1 fumble forced
DE: Ezekiel Ansah: 4 sacks, 18 tackles, 1 fumble forced
S Tavon Wilson: 1 sack, 38 tackles, 1 pass defended, 1 int., 1 fumble forced
Kicking Stats:
K Matt Prater: 18/21 FG, 18/18 XP, Long: 58 yards
It seems like the Lions can’t get out of the rut they are in of never being able to succeed being just an average team. This year has definitely not been great for a talented Detroit team that sits at 4-4. Their QB has put up very solid stats as usual but their run game and O-line have been subpar. With only one rusher over 100 yards after Week 9, it seems the Lions haven’t had a run game to count on since the Barry Sanders era ended. They will definitely look to make an impact in the second half in a division that is wide open now that Green Bay lost Rodgers.
GREEN BAY PACKERS
Record: 4-4, 2nd in NFC North
Grade: B
Passing Stats:
QB Brett Hundley: 489 pass yards, 1 TD, 4 INTs, Rate: 58.3
QB Aaron Rodgers: 1385 pass yards, 13 TDs, 3 INTs, Rate: 103.2 (IR- Out for season)
Rushing Stats:
HB Aaron Jones: 67 carries, 358 rush yards, 3 TDs
HB Ty Montgomery: 65 carries, 219 rush yards, 2 TDs
Receiving Stats:
WR Davante Adams: 37 receptions, 404 rec. yards, 5 TDs
WR Jordy Nelson: 30 receptions, 338 rec. yards, 6 TDs
WR Randall Cobb: 33 receptions, 319 rec. yards, 1 TD
TE Martellus Bennett: 24 receptions, 233 rec. yards, 0 TDs
WR Geronimo Allison: 11 receptions, 167 rec. yards, 0 TDs
HB Ty Montgomery: 21 receptions, 159 rec. yards, 1 TD
TE Lance Kendricks: 8 receptions, 126 rec. yards, 1 TD
Defensive Stats:
LB Blake Martinez: 1 sack, 74 tackles, 2 pass defended, 1 fumble forced
S Ha Ha Clinton-Dix: 43 tackles, 3 pass defended, 1 int.
CB Damarious Randall: 29 tackles, 4 pass defended, 3 int.
LB Clay Matthews: 2.5 sacks, 26 tackles, 1 pass defended, 1 fumble forced
LB Nick Perry: 4 sacks, 25 tackles, 1 fumble forced
S Kentrell Brice: 23 tackles, 3 pass defended, 1 int.
Kicking Stats:
K Mason Crosby: 8/10 FG, 19/21 XP, Long: 46 yards
Going into the season Green Bay looked like they would be a competitor like usual with their strong offensive attack lead by an all-time great QB Aaron Rodgers. After starting off 4-1 and looking to capture another NFC North title, the Packers were hit with a huge blow when Rodgers broke his collarbone and will miss the rest of the season. The veteran backup Brett Hundley took over and the offense hasn’t been the same. The offensive line has also not been great and their defense has been decent at best. Since the injury they lost to Minnesota and New Orleans and look to be falling out of the playoff talks. Although they have had a big blow, they still look solid and Hundley will have to bring his game to the next level if the team wants to make a playoff push without Aaron Rodgers.
MINNESOTA VIKINGS
Record: 6-2, 1st in NFC North
Grade: B+
Passing Stats:
QB Case Keenum: 1610 pass yards, 7 TDs, 3 INTs, Rate: 88.8
QB Sam Bradford: 382 pass yards, 3 TDs, 0 INTs, Rate: 124.4 (IR- Out for season)
Rushing Stats:
HB Dalvin Cook: 74 carries, 354 rush yards, 2 TDs (IR- Out for season)
HB Jerick McKinnon: 69 carries, 287 rush yards, 3 TDs
HB Latavius Murray: 78 carries, 249 rush yards, 1 TD
Receiving Stats:
WR Adam Thielen: 48 receptions, 627 rec. yards, 1 TD
WR Stefon Diggs: 27 receptions, 422 rec. yards, 4 TDs
TE Kyle Rudolph: 32 receptions, 271 rec. yards, 3 TDs
HB Jerick McKinnon: 28 receptions, 203 rec. yards, 1 TD
WR Laquon Treadwell: 12 receptions, 142 rec. yards, 0 TDs
Defensive Stats:
LB Eric Kendricks: 1 sack, 61 tackles, 4 pass defended
S Harrison Smith: 1.5 sacks, 43 tackles, 6 pass defended, 3 int.
CB Trae Waynes: 42 tackles, 8 pass defended, 2 int.
DE Everson Griffin: 10 sacks, 29 tackles, 2 fumbles forced
DE Danielle Hunter: 3 sacks, 20 tackles, 2 pass defended, 1 fumble forced
LB Anthony Barr: 1 sack, 46 tackles, 5 pass defended
Kicking Stats:
K Kai Forbath: 21/22 FG, 12/16 XP, Long: 53 yards
The Vikings keep proving everyone wrong with their productivity and ability to succeed through several key injuries. The Vikings sit at a 6-2 record although they don’t have a real weekly starting QB. Sam Bradford has played great but missed a few games due to injury and veteran Case Keenum has been magnificent as his replacement. And people also forget that Teddy Bridgewater is on his way back making the QB fight an even bigger one. Their amazing backfield consisting of rookie Dalvin Cook (injured, out for season), Jerick McKinnon, and Latavius Murray have performed great. Their great QB play has also lead to great WR play where their leading receiver Adam Thielen sits second in the league in receiving yards. The defense has also performed quite well lead by LB’s Barr and Kendricks, DL’s Griffin and Hunter and DB’s Smith, Waynes, and Rhodes. Although they have had a fairly easing schedule so far (beating NO, TB, CHI, GB, BAL, and CLE), it doesn’t get much worse so I definitely see the Vikings winning the North altogether.
ATLANTA FALCONS
Record: 4-4, 3rd in NFC South
Grade: B-
Passing Stats:
QB Matt Ryan: 2157 pass yards, 11 TDs, 7 INTs, Rate: 92.8
Rushing Stats:
HB Devonta Freeman: 114 carries, 512 rush yards, 5 TDs
HB Tevin Coleman: 63 carries, 316 rush yards, 1 TD
Receiving Stats:
WR Julio Jones: 43 receptions, 658 rec. yards, 1 TD
TE Austin Hooper: 25 receptions, 331 rec. yards, 2 TDs
WR Mohamed Sanu: 31 receptions, 325 rec. yards, 3 TDs
WR Taylor Gabriel: 20 receptions, 245 rec. yards, 1 TD
HB Tevin Coleman: 16 receptions, 198 rec. yards, 2 TDs
HB Devonta Freeman: 19 receptions, 137 rec. yards, 0 TDs
WR Justin Hardy: 10 receptions, 112 rec. yards, 1 TD
Defensive Stats:
LB Deion Jones: 1 sack, 71 tackles, 4 pass defended, 1 int.
S Keanu Neal: 59 tackles, 2 pass defended, 2 fumbles forced
CB Robert Alford: 31 tackles, 10 pass defended
DE Brooks Reed: 3 sacks, 22 tackles
CB Desmond Trufant: 1 sack, 19 tackles, 6 pass defended, 1 int.
Kicking Stats:
K Matt Bryant: 15/18 FG, 17/17 XP, Long: 53 yards
What started off as another great season for the defending NFC champs has gone a bit downhill since. After starting off 3-0, they have lost 4 of their last 5 and have fell out of first behind the red hot Saints. Matt Ryan has also not been able to match his MVP season of last year with just 11 passing TDs in 8 games. The dynamic running back core of Freeman and Coleman have been successful as Julio Jones has not been getting as many looks as normal. The defense is one of the main reasons for the struggle as they have given up 20 or more points in all but one game. With only two team interceptions and only two fumble recoveries, they have had a very difficult time forcing turnovers. Their two games each against Carolina, Tampa Bay, and New Orleans remaining will be huge to see if Atlanta can bounce back and make a playoff push.
CAROLINA PANTHERS
Record: 6-3, 2nd in NFC South
Grade: B
Passing Stats:
QB Cam Newton: 1978 pass yards, 10 TDs, 11 INTs, Rate: 78.4
Rushing Stats:
HB Jonathan Stewart: 121 carries, 350 rush yards, 1 TD
QB Cam Newton: 69 carries, 341 rush yards, 4 TDs
HB Christian McCaffrey: 64 carries, 183 rush yards, 0 TDs
Receiving Stats:
WR Kelvin Benjamin: 32 receptions, 475 rec. yards, 2 TDs (Traded to Buffalo)
WR Devin Funchess: 38 receptions, 443 rec. yards, 3 TDs
HB Christian McCaffrey: 54 receptions, 406 rec. yards, 2 TDs
TE: Ed Dickson: 22 receptions, 349 rec. yards, 0 TDs
WR Russell Shepard: 11 receptions, 133 rec. yards, 1 TD
Defensive Stats:
LB Luke Keuchly: 65 tackles, 3 pass defended, 2 int., 1 fumble forced
CB James Bradberry: 1 sack, 46 tackles, 5 pass defended
DE Julius Peppers: 7.5 sacks, 20 tackles, 2 fumbles forced
DT Kawann Short: 4 sacks, 25 tackles, 1 fumble forced
DE Mario Addison: 6.5 sacks, 27 tackles, 1 fumble forced
S Mike Adams: 37 tackles, 5 pass defended, 2 int.
Kicking Stats:
K Graham Gano: 19/20 FG, 15/16 XP, Long: 48 yards
The Panthers have had another very interesting year but look as good as they can as of late. Carolina sits at 6-3 right now even though their star Cam Newton has not played very well. A mysterious move by the Carolina management to trade receiver Kelvin Benjamin to Buffalo still surprises me. This move will definitely hurt their passing game and might even hurt their chances of making a run this season. I do like Carolina’s defense and I think Cam Newton will figure things out and become successful for his team. Carolina definitely can make a push for a playoff spot whether it’s winning the division or getting a Wild Card.
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
Record: 6-2, 1st in NFC South
Grade: A
Passing Stats:
QB Drew Brees: 2214 pass yards, 13 TDs, 4 INTs, Rate: 105.0
Rushing Stats:
HB Mark Ingram: 123 carries, 541 rush yards, 4 TDs
HB Alvin Kamara: 52 carries, 311 rush yards, 3 TDs
HB Adrian Peterson: 27 carries, 81 rush yards, 0 TDs (Traded to Arizona)
Receiving Stats:
WR Michael Thomas: 50 receptions, 545 rec. yards, 2 TDs
WR Ted Ginn, Jr.: 28 receptions, 480 rec. yards, 3 TDs
HB Alvin Kamara: 37 receptions, 341 rec. yards, 2 TDs
WR Brandon Coleman: 14 receptions, 252 rec. yards, 3 TDs
TE Coby Fleener: 16 receptions, 196 rec. yards, 2 TDs
HB Mark Ingram: 31 receptions, 192 rec. yards, 0 TDs
Defensive Stats:
S Kenny Vaccaro: 0.5 sack, 39 tackles, 7 pass defended, 3 int.
DE Cameron Jordan: 7 sacks, 38 tackles, 4 pass defended, 1 int., 2 fumbles forced
CB Marshon Lattimore: 31 tackles, 8 pass defended, 2 int., 1 fumble forced
DE Alex Okafor: 3.5 sacks, 33 tackles, 3 pass defended, 2 fumbles forced
LB A.J. Klein: 1 sack, 41 tackles, 4 pass defended, 1 fumble forced
CB Ken Crawley: 27 tackles, 7 pass defended, 1 int.
Kicking Stats:
K Will Lutz: 16/20 FG, 23/25, XP, Long: 50 yards
New Orleans has been one of the biggest successes of the first half of the season so far. Going into the year the team looked to be at mediocre level like they had been the last few years. But great play from their defense including rookie DB Marshon Lattimore and pro bowl S Kenny Vaccaro. Whenever New Orleans is successful we usually see it being based around an unstoppable offensive attack lead by Future Hall of Fame QB Drew Brees. But that hasn’t been the case as the offense has been decent at best with Brees not having one of his most productive seasons. After losing the first two games of the season to Minnesota and New England, they have won six straight. Key division battles await them in the second half of the season as they have only played one division game thus far beating Carolina in Week 3. As I said in the previous reviews, these big second half battles will be the key to seeing who ends up winning the NFC South at the end of the year.
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
Record: 2-6, 4th in NFC South
Grade: C-
Passing Stats:
QB Jameis Winston: 1920 pass yards, 10 TDs, 6 INTs, Rate: 87.3
QB Ryan Fitzpatrick: 358 pass yards, 4 TDs, 2 INTs, Rate: 95.7
Rushing Stats:
HB Doug Martin: 73 carries, 254 rush yards, 2 TDs
HB Jacquizz Rodgers: 48 carries, 171 rush yards, 1 TD
Receiving Stats:
WR Mike Evans: 40 receptions, 532 rec. yards, 4 TDs
WR Desean Jackson: 27 receptions, 422 rec. yards, 2 TDs
TE Cameron Brate: 32 receptions, 414 rec. yards, 4 TDs
WR Adam Humphries: 31 receptions, 311 rec. yards, 0 TDs
TE O.J. Howard: 14 receptions, 227 rec. yards, 3 TDs
HB Charles Sims: 17 receptions, 117 rec. yards, 0 TDs
Defensive Stats:
LB Lavonte David: 43 tackles, 1 pass defended, 4 fumbles forced
S Chris Conte: 44 tackles, 4 pass defended, 1 int., 1 fumble forced
CB Vernon Hargreaves III: 38 tackles, 5 pass defended
LB Kendall Beckwith: 48 tackles, 1 pass defended
CB Brent Grimes: 24 tackles, 5 pass defended, 1 int.
Kicking Stats:
Patrick Murray: 4/5 FG, 5/5 XP, Long: 50 yards
Nick Folk: 6/11 FG, 7/9 XP, Long: 50 yards (Released)
Tampa Bay had high expectations going into this season as a possible team to win the division but find themselves at 2-6 at the halfway point. But can you blame Jameis Winston for this bad start? Not really, he has been quite productive when he has played although dealing with injuries. Can you blame it on the defense and/or receiving core? Not at all for the receiving core, defense probably not but they have only recorded a total of 7 sacks all season. But still this isn’t the problem. The O-line and run game has been killing them. They haven’t had a game yet where a player rushes for more than 100 yards and their leading rusher has 254 rushing yards on the season. It’s tough to have a lot of productivity on offense when your run game is that bad. If Tampa Bay can figure out some of those holes they might be able to patch it together but it could be a long shot.
ARIZONA CARDINALS
Record: 4-4, 3rd in NFC West
Grade: B-
Passing Stats:
QB Drew Stanton: 267 pass yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs, Rate: 61.5
QB Carson Palmer: 1978 pass yards, 9 TDs, 7 INTs, Rate: 84.4 (Placed on IR)
Rushing Stats:
HB Adrian Peterson: 74 carries, 314 rush yards, 2 TDs (Acquired from New Orleans)
HB Chris Johnson: 45 carries, 114 rush yards, 0 TDs (Released)
Receiving Stats:
WR Larry Fitzgerald: 50 receptions, 564 rec. yards, 3 TDs
WR J.J. Nelson: 20 receptions, 331 rec. yards, 2 TDs
WR Jaron Brown: 21 receptions, 314 rec. yards, 2 TDs
HB Andre Ellington: 30 receptions, 271 rec. yards, 0 TDs
WR John Brown: 14 receptions, 226 rec. yards, 2 TDs
TE Jermaine Gresham: 17 receptions, 163 rec. yards, 0 TDs
Defensive Stats:
S Tyvon Branch: 69 tackles, 5 pass defended, 1 fumble forced
S Antoine Bethea: 33 tackles, 6 pass defended, 3 int.
LB Chandler Jones: 9 sacks, 31 tackles, 1 fumble forced
S Tyrann Mathieu: 1 sacks, 36 tackles, 3 pass defended, 1 int., 1 fumble forced
CB Patrick Peterson: 13 tackles, 4 pass defended
Kicking Stats:
K Phil Dawson: 12/18 FG, 13/13 XP, Long: 50 yards
Arizona came into the season as one of the oldest teams and projected to most likely finish mediocre. And that is exactly what they have done at 4-4 they are at the pace that I expected they would be. A couple of blows including QB Carson Palmer going down for the year has hurt their chances of making any big run but trading for star back Adrian Peterson will definitely bolster the offense and not force them to throw the ball too much with Drew Stanton. Once again star defenders Tyrann Mathieu, Patrick Peterson, and Chandler Jones have played great on a defense that has played very well.
LOS ANGELES RAMS
Record: 6-2, 1st in NFC West
Grade: A
Passing Stats:
QB Jared Goff: 2030 pass yards, 13 TDs, 4 INTs, Rate: 97.9
Rushing Stats:
HB Todd Gurley: 161 carries, 686 rush yards, 7 TDs
WR Tavon Austin: 31 carries, 169 rush yards, 1 TD
HB Malcolm Brown: 37 carries, 138 rush yards, 1 TD
Receiving Stats:
WR Robert Woods: 31 receptions, 451 rec. yards, 2 TDs
WR Cooper Kupp: 26 receptions, 370 rec. yards, 3 TDs
HB Todd Gurley: 29 receptions, 338 rec. yards, 3 TDs
WR Sammy Watkins: 19 receptions, 331 rec. yards, 3 TDs
TE Gerald Everett: 8 receptions, 198 rec. yards, 1 TD
TE Tyler Higbee: 15 receptions, 187 rec. yards, 1 TD
Defensive Stats:
LB Mark Barron: 1 sack, 58 tackles, 3 pass defended, 2 int.
CB Trumaine Johnson: 32 tackles, 6 pass defended, 2 int., 1 fumble forced
CB Nickell Robey-Coleman: 25 tackles, 5 pass defended, 2 int., 1 fumble forced
DE Matt Longacre: 4 sacks, 16 tackles, 1 fumble forced
DT Michael Brockers: 2 sacks, 33 tackles, 2 pass defended
DT Aaron Donald: 4 sacks, 19 tackles, 2 fumbles forced
Kicking Stats:
K Greg Zurlein: 24/25 FG, 27/27 XP, Long: 56 yards
The Rams have been one of the surprises of the season as the rebuilding team who hasn’t made the playoffs in over ten years lead the West at the halfway point. Second year QB Jared Goff has come into his own leading the way along with stud running back Todd Gurley who has 10 total TDs. The defense has played great as well lead by their CB duo of Trumain Johnson and Nickell Robey-Coleman. Their biggest task will be to see if they can beat Seattle away in Week 15 after losing to them at home in the first half. LA has come out strong with a great offensive attack and defensive stops that have lead them to being so dominant and I can see them winning the division if they can win a couple of big games down the stretch.
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
Record: 0-9, 4th in NFC West
Grade: F
Passing Stats:
QB C.J. Beathard: 941 pass yards, 2 TDs, 4 INTs, Rate: 62.7
QB Brian Hoyer: 1245 pass yards, 4 TDs, 4 INTs, Rate: 74.1 (Released, Signed by NE)
Rushing Stats:
HB Carlos Hyde: 124 carries, 494 rush yards, 4 TDs
HB Matt Breida: 43 carries, 164 rush yards, 0 TDs
QB C.J. Beathard: 15 carries, 100 rush yards, 2 TDs
Receiving Stats:
WR Pierre Garcon: 40 receptions, 500 pass yards, 0 TDs (IR- Out for season)
WR Marquise Goodwin: 22 receptions, 417 pass yards, 0 TDs
TE George Kittle: 27 receptions, 277 rec. yards, 1 TD
HB Carlos Hyde: 40 receptions, 268 rec. yards, 0 TDs
WR Trent Taylor: 24 receptions, 204 rec. yards, 1 TD
WR Aldrick Robinson: 12 receptions, 186 rec. yards, 1 TD
HB Matt Breida: 16 receptions, 121 rec. yards, 1 TD
Defensive Stats:
LB Ray-Ray Armstrong: 1 sack, 54 tackles, 2 pass defended, 2 int., 2 fumbles forced
S Jaquiski Tartt: 0.5 sack, 55 tackles, 3 pass defended, 1 int.
DE DeForest Buckner: 1.5 sacks, 41 tackles, 3 pass defended, 1 fumble forced
LB NaVorro Bowman: 38 tackles, 1 pass defended (Released, Signed with OAK)
CB Rashard Robinson: 27 tackles, 7 pass defended, 1 int., 1 fumble forced
CB Dontae Johnson: 43 tackles, 5 pass defended
Kicking Stats:
K Robbie Gould: 18/20 FG, 11/12 XP, Long: 52 yards
One of two teams without a win remaining, San Francisco’s tanking year has gone as bad is it can possibly go. Although nobody expected them to really do anything, they haven’t seen much productivity in any category. The Niners also might have found their future QB as this past week they traded their second round pick to New England for young slinger Jimmy Garoppolo. A successful 49ers team might not be too far away.
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
Record: 5-3, 2nd in NFC West
Grade: B+
Passing Stats:
QB Russell Wilson: 2305 pass yards, 17 TDs, 6 INTs, Rate: 95.9
Rushing Stats:
QB Russell Wilson: 46 carries, 271 rush yards, 1 TD
HB Chris Carson: 49 carries, 208 rush yards, 0 TDs
HB Eddie Lacy: 48 carries, 128 rush yards, 0 TDs
Receiving Stats:
WR Doug Baldwin: 49 receptions, 538 rec. yards, 3 TDs
WR Paul Richardson: 25 receptions, 415 rec. yards, 5 TDs
WR Tyler Lockett: 28 receptions, 355 rec. yards, 0 TDs
TE Jimmy Graham: 33 receptions, 328 rec. yards, 4 TDs
TE Luke Willson: 9 receptions, 107 rec. yards, 3 TDs
HB J.D. McKissic: 9 receptions, 106 rec. yards, 1 TD
Defensive Stats:
LB Bobby Wagner: 1.5 sacks, 72 tackles, 5 pass defended, 1 int.
LB K.J. Wright: 64 tackles, 1 pass defended
S Earl Thomas: 38 tackles, 5 pass defended, 2 int., 1 fumble forced
S Kam Chancellor: 39 tackles, 1 pass defended
CB Richard Sherman: 31 tackles, 6 pass defended, 2 int.
DE Michael Bennett: 6.5 sacks, 23 tackles, 1 pass defended
DE Frank Clark: 4.5 sacks, 18 tackles, 1 pass defended, 1 fumble forced
Kicking Stats:
K Blair Walsh: 12/16 FG, 17/18 XP, Long: 49 yards
Once again the Seahawks are atop the NFC competition to nobody’s surprise. With their historically good defense, Seahawks are the biggest threat to the Rams in their division and with the recent downfalls of the Cowboys, Giants, and Packers, are a threat to make it to the Super Bowl again. Russell Wilson has been phenomenal and seems to be on a mission to bring home his second Super Bowl. With a schedule that doesn’t get much harder, Seattle will definitely make a big playoff push. Their one crutch has been their run game between Eddie Lacy, Chris Carson, J.D. McKissic, and Thomas Rawls they haven’t been able to establish a real number one back. But with Wilson’s great performance, it’s not really too big of a worry until they play someone with a dynamic secondary (maybe Week 10 against Arizona).
BUFFALO BILLS
Record: 5-3, 2nd in AFC East
Grade: B+
Passing Stats:
QB Tyrod Taylor: 1628 pass yards, 10 TDs, 2 INTs, Rate: 95.8
Rushing Stats:
HB LeSean McCoy: 149 carries, 546 rush yards, 3 TDs
QB Tyrod Taylor: 50 carries, 210 rush yards, 2 TDs
FB Mike Tolbert: 48 carries, 181 rush yards, 1 TD
Receiving Stats:
TE Charles Clay: 20 receptions, 258 rec. yards, 2 TDs
HB LeSean McCoy: 38 receptions, 242 rec. yards, 0 TDs
WR Jordan Matthews: 21 receptions, 239 rec. yards, 1 TD
TE Nick O’Leary: 14 receptions, 221 rec. yards, 0 TDs
WR Deonte Thompson: 12 receptions, 193 rec. yards, 1 TD
WR Zay Jones: 16 receptions, 168 rec. yards, 1 TD
WR Andre Holmes: 12 receptions, 113 rec. yards, 3 TDs
Defensive Stats:
LB Preston Brown: 64 tackles, 2 pass defended
LB Lorenzo Alexander: 2 sacks, 47 tackles, 4 fumbles forced
S Jordan Poyer: 2 sacks, 40 tackles, 7 pass defended, 2 int.
S Micah Hyde: 35 tackles, 8 pass defended, 5 int.
CB Tre’Davious White: 31 tackles, 12 pass defended, 1 int., 1 fumble forced
DE Jerry Hughes: 3 sacks, 24 tackles, 1 fumble forced
Kicking Stats:
K Stephen Hauschka: 16/18 FG, 18/18 XP, Long: 56 yards
Buffalo fans finally have something to cheer about this season as their Bills look to make a push into the playoffs. What seams like a rebuild that took forever, the Bills finally find themselves with a solid team striking for the postseason. Lead by QB Tyrod Taylor’s career year and a defense that has been successful against about everything, the Bills are actual threats to knock off the Pats for the AFC East title. A deadline trade to acquire Carolina’s star receiver Kelvin Benjamin makes the passing game even scarier. “Shady” McCoy is having another dynamic season on the ground as he’s on pace for another 1000 yard rushing season. But we Bills fans can’t get too excited just yet as the second half holds a tougher schedule and their yearly two meetings with division rival New England. The Pats of course will be dynamic coming down the stretch so we will see if Buffalo is the real deal or not.
MIAMI DOLPHINS
Record: 4-4, 3rd in AFC East
Grade: C
Passing Stats:
QB Jay Cutler: 1306 pass yards, 10 TDs, 5 INTs, Rate: 87.4
QB Matt Moore: 364 pass yards, 2 TDs, 3 INTs, Rate: 65.2
Rushing Stats:
HB Jay Ajayi: 138 carries, 465 rush yards, 0 TDs (Traded to Philadelphia)
Receiving Stats:
WR Jarvis Landry: 56 receptions, 430 rec. yards, 4 TDs
WR Kenny Stills: 28 receptions, 341 rec. yards, 4 TDs
WR DeVante Parker: 24 receptions, 312 rec. yards, 1 TD
TE Julius Thomas: 23 receptions, 252 rec. yards, 1 TD
Defensive Stats:
S Reshad Jones: 0.5 sack, 55 tackles, 3 pass defended, 2 int.
LB Kiko Alonso: 1 sack, 51 tackles, 1 pass defended, 2 fumbles forced
LB Lawrence Timmons: 41 tackles, 2 pass defended
DT: Ndamukong Suh: 3.5 sacks, 24 tackles, 2 fumbles forced
DE Cameron Wake: 6 sacks, 22 tackles
CB: Xavien Howard: 29 tackles, 3 pass defended
Kicking Stats:
K Cody Parkey: 9/10 FG, 9/12 XP, Long: 54 yards
The Dolphins are having yet another Dolphins season as Miami is dealing with yet another upsetting year. Now at a 4-3 record you would think they look pretty solid but the management believes they don’t have much potential after they sent star running back to the Eagles. A shocking move that surprised a lot of football fans, the Dolphins look to be playing for the future although they are over .500. Their QB issue is the most troublesome as Ryan Tannehill is out for the year and veterans Jay Cutler and Matt Moore have done mediocre this year at holding down the fort. Their future QB is still an issue as Tannehill isn’t very convincing either as being the man to run Miami’s offense. We’ll just have to see how the rest of the season plays out for Miami as they look to try to get a good pick in this upcoming draft.
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
Record: 6-2, 1st in AFC East
Grade: A-
Passing Stats:
QB Tom Brady: 2541 pass yards, 16 TDs, 2 INTs, Rate: 106.5
Rushing Stats:
HB Mike Gillislee: 98 carries, 355 rush yards, 4 TDs
HB Dion Lewis: 58 carries, 271 rush yards, 2 TDs
HB James White: 28 carries, 120 rush yards, 0 TDs
Receiving Stats:
WR Brandin Cooks: 33 receptions, 563 rec. yards, 3 TDs
TE Rob Gronkowski: 34 receptions, 509 rec. yards, 5 TDs
WR Chris Hogan: 33 receptions, 438 rec. yards, 5 TDs
HB James White: 43 receptions, 365 rec. yards, 1 TD
WR Danny Amendola: 31 receptions, 338 rec. yards, 1 TD
HB Rex Burkhead: 12 receptions, 128 rec. yards, 1 TD
Defensive Stats:
S Devin McCourty: 58 tackles, 4 pass defended, 1 int.
LB Kyle Van Noy: 3.5 sacks, 55 tackles, 1 pass defended
DE: Trey Flowers: 3.5 sacks, 37 tackles, 2 pass defended, 1 fumble forced
CB Malcolm Butler: 32 tackles, 7 pass defended, 2 int., 1 fumble forced
S Patrick Chung: 37 tackles, 4 pass defended
LB Dont’a Hightower: 2 sacks, 14 tackles
Kicking Stats:
K Stephen Gostkowski: 20/23 FG, 20/21 XP, Long: 58 yards
The defending champs are having another New England season lead by all-time greats Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski, and Head Coach Bill Belichick. After their opening night loss to Kansas City, New England has bounced back and once again will be a threat to make the Super Bowl. Brady looks as good as ever at his old age and after trading Jacoby Brissett and Jimmy Garoppolo they seem to believe Brady has several years of elite level play left. Not too much to say at all about this team besides the fact they are a big Super Bowl powerhouse as usual as Brady will look to win his sixth ring.
NEW YORK JETS
Record: 4-5, 4th in AFC East
Grade: B
Passing Stats:
QB Josh McCown: 1980 pass yards, 13 TDs, 7 INTs, Rate: 96.1
Rushing Stats:
HB Bilal Powell: 83 carries, 390 rush yards, 2 TDs
HB Matt Forte: 57 carries, 241 rush yards, 2 TDs
HB Elijah McGuire: 61 carries, 237 rush yards, 1 TD
Receiving Stats:
WR Robby Anderson: 31 receptions, 483 rec. yards, 4 TDs
WR Jermaine Kearse: 31 receptions, 380 rec. yards, 4 TDs
HB Matt Forte: 29 receptions, 222 rec. yards, 0 TDs
TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins: 33 receptions, 221 rec. yards, 3 TDs
WR Jeremy Kerley: 22 receptions, 217 rec. yards, 1 TD
HB Bilal Powell: 18 receptions, 140 rec. yards, 0 TDs
TE Eric Tomlinson: 6 receptions, 111 rec. yards, 1 TD
Defensive Stats:
LB Demario Davis: 3.5 sacks, 75 tackles, 1 pass defended
LB Darron Lee: 2 sacks, 63 tackles, 3 pass defended, 2 fumbles forced
S Marcus Maye: 45 tackles, 2 pass defended, 2 int., 2 fumbles forced
S Jamal Adams: 2 sacks, 43 tackles, 3 pass defended
CB Morris Claiborne: 30 tackles, 6 pass defended, 1 int.
Kicking Stats:
K Chandler Catanzaro: 15/19 FG, 20/20 XP, Long: 57 yards
Now would we really count this Jets season as being a successful one? Let’s stop and think for a second. This team completely tore up their roster this offseason in order to play for the upcoming drafts and gain top prospects and begin to develop again. But the opposite has happened as they find themselves 4-5, not in the playoff picture, but just good enough to get a mid 1st round pick. The veteran Josh McCown has played at pro bowl level at QB as they try to find their future QB either in the league or in upcoming drafts. Now I’ll give the Jets some major credit I have no idea how they have been able to even be this successful this season. A lot of youngsters have began to emerge like receiver Robby Anderson, and safety’s Marcus Maye and Jamal Adams. It’s funny to think if they had held on to Brandon Marshall, Eric Decker, Sheldon Richardson, and others maybe they would be a playoff team this year. Regardless, I hope for the Jets sake they don’t win much more in the second half and can hold on to a top 10 pick to maybe find their future QB.
BALTIMORE RAVENS
Record: 4-5, 2nd in AFC North
Grade: C+
Passing Stats:
QB Joe Flacco: 1551 pass yards, 8 TDs, 10 INTs, Rate: 72.7
QB Ryan Mallett: 56 pass yards, 2 TDs, 0 INTs, Rate: 103.1
Rushing Stats:
HB Alex Collins: 93 carries, 521 rush yards, 0 TDs
HB Javorius Allen: 106 carries, 377 rush yards, 1 TD
HB Terrance West: 39 carries, 138 rush yards, 2 TDs
Receiving Stats:
WR Jeremy Maclin: 27 receptions, 310 rec. yards, 3 TDs
WR Mike Wallace: 20 receptions, 267 rec. yards, 2 TDs
TE Benjamin Watson: 38 receptions, 261 rec. yards, 2 TDs
HB Javarius Allen: 39 receptions, 189 rec. yards, 2 TDs
TE Nick Boyle: 18 receptions, 138 rec. yards, 0 TDs
Defensive Stats:
LB C.J. Mosley: 1 sack, 76 tackles, 2 pass defended, 2 int., 1 fumble forced
S Eric Weddle: 40 tackles, 5 pass defended, 3 int., 1 fumble forced
CB Brandon Carr: 32 tackles, 7 pass defended, 3 int.
LB Matthew Judon: 3 sacks, 33 tackles, 2 pass defended
CB Jimmy Smith: 23 tackles, 8 pass defended, 2 int.
S Lardarius Webb: 2 sacks, 29 tackles, 4 pass defended, 2 int., 1 fumble forced
LB Terrell Suggs: 5.5 sacks, 25 tackles, 2 pass defended, 2 fumbles forced
Kicking Stats:
K Justin Tucker: 17/20 FG, 17/17 XP, Long: 57 yards
Baltimore has seen a very one-sided attack this season as their defense ranks among one of the best in all of football. With 22 sacks and 18 forced turnovers they have been dynamic in both the secondary and defensive line. The offense not so much. Led by veteran Joe Flacco with a second worst 10 interceptions, it’s been hard for them to get any form of passing game going. Star O-lineman Marshal Yanda is also out for the year which has hurt their line badly. In a very weak AFC North, the Ravens remain the most likely to be able to compete with Pittsburgh for the division which probably won’t be much of a fight. Flacco and the crew will have to figure a lot out this second half in order to make a push for the playoffs.
CINCINNATI BENGALS
Record: 3-5, 3rd in AFC North
Grade: C-
Passing Stats:
QB Andy Dalton: 1739 pass yards, 11 TDs, 8 INTs, Rate: 86.4
Rushing Stats:
HB Joe Mixon: 98 carries, 284 rush yards, 2 TDs
HB Jeremy Hill: 37 carries, 116 rush yards, 0 TDs
HB Giovani Bernard: 26 carries, 103 rush yards, 0 TDs
Receiving Stats:
WR A.J. Green: 39 receptions, 578 rec. yards, 4 TDs
TE Tyler Kroft: 25 receptions, 287 rec. yards, 3 TDs
WR Brandon LaFell: 25 receptions, 208 rec. yards, 1 TD
HB Joe Mixon: 20 receptions, 204 rec. yards, 0 TDs
HB Giovani Bernard: 12 receptions, 158 rec. yards, 2 TDs
Defensive Stats:
LB Nick Vigil: 1 sack, 64 tackles, 4 pass defended, 1 int.
CB Darqueze Dennard: 2 sacks, 47 tackles, 3 pass defended
DT Geno Atkins: 5 sacks, 27 tackles
LB Vontaze Burfict: 1 sack, 37 tackles, 2 pass defended
DE Carlos Dunlap: 2 sacks, 22 tackles, 2 pass defended, 1 int., 1 fumble forced
Kicking Stats:
K Randy Bullock: 8/10 FG, 14/14 XP, Long: 46 yards
K Marshall Koehn: 0/0 FG, 1/1 XP
Over the past decade, through coach Marvin Lewis’ tenure, the Bengals have never been anything more than a Wild Card team. Sitting at 3-5 right now and far behind the leading Steelers, the Bengals are looking at yet another disappointing year. A team that looked like they were built for now just a couple years ago have completely fallen apart after their disappointing year last year. The running game is non-affective, QB Andy Dalton is a game manager at best, and the defense is mediocre. I think it’s time for the Bengals to move on from a lot of their veterans and Head Coach because I don’t see this Bengals team succeeding in the near future. As you can tell I’m not a big fan of this Bengals team but I believe many people will agree with me on this topic. Maybe it’s also time to show some love to star A.J. Green and send him elsewhere to grab some top picks? Who knows it’s tough to predict the Bengals management.
CLEVELAND BROWNS
Record: 0-8, 4th in AFC North
Grade: D
Passing Stats:
QB DeShone Kizer: 1144 pass yards, 3 TDs, 11 INTs, Rate: 51.1
QB Kevin Hogan: 517 pass yards, 4 TDs, 5 INTs, Rate: 71.9
QB Cody Kessler: 121 pass yards, 0 TDs, 1 INT, Rate: 50.5
Rushing Stats:
HB Isaiah Crowell: 102 carries, 351 rush yards, 1 TD
HB Duke Johnson, Jr.: 34 carries, 176 rush yards, 2 TDs
QB DeShone Kizer: 33 carries, 144 rush yards, 3 TDs
Receiving Stats:
HB Duke Johnson, Jr: 36 receptions, 324 rec. yards, 1 TD
WR Ricardo Louis: 23 receptions, 292 rec. yards, 0 TDs
TE David Njoku: 18 receptions, 195 rec. yards, 3 TDs
TE Seth DeValve: 17 receptions, 194 rec. yards, 1 TD
HB Isaiah Crowell: 17 receptions, 162 rec. yards, 0 TDs
WR Rashard Higgins: 14 receptions, 150 rec. yards, 0 TDs
WR Kenny Britt: 10 receptions, 128 rec. yards, 1 TD
Defensive Stats:
LB Joe Schobert: 0.5 sack, 71 tackles, 1 pass defended, 1 int., 1 fumble forced
LB Christian Kirksey: 1.5 sacks, 67 tackles, 4 pass defended, 1 fumble forced
CB Jamar Taylor: 39 tackles, 7 pass defended
CB Jason McCourty: 24 tackles, 9 pass defended, 3 int., 2 fumbles forced
DE Emmanuel Ogbah: 2 sacks, 24 tackles, 4 pass defended, 2 fumbles forced
DE Myles Garrett: 4 sacks, 11 tackles
Kicking Stats:
K Zane Gonzalez: 7/11 FG, 12/13 XP, Long: 54 yards
There’s not much to say about the train wreck that is the Cleveland Browns that hasn’t already been said. Obviously everyone knows the downfall the team has been going through for a long time. After drafting QB DeShone Kizer this past year, the Cleveland franchise believed they finally got their hands on a future QB. But he hasn’t played up to that so far as he has an embarrasing 3 TD passes and 11 interceptions. Nothing too much else to say besides the hope that DE Myles Garrett becomes a star and they can keep getting top picks in the draft. Maybe some day we will see a competitive Browns team but that day is not today.
PITTSBURGH STEELERS
Record: 6-2, 1st in AFC North
Grade: A-
Passing Stats:
QB Ben Roethlisberger: 2062 pass yards, 10 TDs, 9 INTs, Rate: 82.7
Rushing Stats:
HB Le’Veon Bell: 194 carries, 760 rush yards, 5 TDs
Receiving Stats:
WR Antonio Brown: 57 receptions, 835 rec. yards, 3 TDs
WR JuJu Smith-Schuster: 24 receptions, 424 rec. yards, 4 TDs
WR Martavis Bryant: 18 receptions, 234 rec. yards, 1 TD
HB Le’Veon Bell: 35 receptions, 219 rec. yards, 0 TDs
TE Jesse James: 20 receptions, 193 rec. yards, 2 TDs
Defensive Stats:
LB Ryan Shazier: 64 tackles, 8 pass defended, 2 int., 2 fumbles forced
LB Vince Williams: 4 sacks, 42 tackles
LB T.J. Watt: 4 sacks, 28 tackles, 4 pass defended, 1 int.
DE Cameron Heyward: 5 sacks, 27 tackles, 1 fumble forced
CB Joe Haden: 1 sack, 16 tackles, 5 pass defended, 1 int.
LB Bud Dupree: 3 sacks, 19 tackles, 1 pass defended
Kicking Stats:
K Chris Boswell: 18/20 FG, 15/15 XP, Long: 49 yards
With a strong hold over the AFC North, the Steelers are looking like a threat like every other year. Lead by stars Le’Veon Bell and Antonio Brown, the Steelers offensive attack is in full force once again this year. Their addition of corner Joe Haden before the season has helped the defense immensely as they have a more respectable secondary. But it wouldn’t be a Steelers season if they didn’t blow a couple of easy games. Their two losses came in Chicago and at home against Jacksonville in games they looked lost. Big Ben’s 5 interception made the day disastrous against a Jaguars defense that’s been among the toughest in football. The Steelers will definitely be a major Super Bowl threat as I see them and two other teams in the AFC (Kansas City and New England) being real threats this year.
HOUSTON TEXANS
Record: 3-5, 3rd in AFC South
Grade: B-
Passing Stats:
QB Tom Savage: 281 pass yards, 1 TD, 0 INTs, Rate: 66.5
QB Deshaun Watson: 1699 pass yards, 19 TDs, 8 INTs, Rate: 103.0 (IR: Out for season)
Rushing Stats:
HB Lamar Miller: 129 carries, 483 rush yards, 2 TDs
QB Deshaun Watson: 36 carries, 269 rush yards, 2 TDs
HB D’Onta Foreman: 61 carries, 244 rush yards, 0 TDs
Receiving Stats:
WR DeAndre Hopkins: 51 receptions, 692 rec. yards, 8 TDs
WR Will Fuller V: 15 receptions, 311 rec. yards, 7 TDs
HB Lamar Miller: 21 receptions, 228 rec. yards, 2 TDs
TE Stephen Anderson: 14 receptions, 191 rec. yards, 0 TDs
WR Bruce Ellington: 15 receptions, 190 rec. yards, 1 TD
TE Ryan Griffin: 13 receptions, 158 rec. yards, 1 TD
Defensive Stats:
LB Benardrick McKinney: 2 sacks, 50 tackles, 1 fumble forced
S Andre Hal: 37 tackles, 4 pass defended, 2 int., 1 fumble forced
DE: Jadeveon Clowney: 5 sacks, 27 tackles, 2 pass defended, 2 fumbles forced
CB Johnathan Joseph: 24 tackles, 6 pass defended, 2 int.
CB Kareem Jackson: 1 sack, 41 tackles, 3 pass defended, 1 fumble forced
Kicking Stats:
K Ka’imi Fairbairn: 11/12 FG, 22/24 XP, Long: 50 yards
Another rough deck of cards has been dealt to Houston this year as everything was looking good until rookie sensation Deshaun Watson went down for the season in practice. Regardless, Houston has found their future QB after many years of not having a real reliable QB. But with the looming QB issues, Houston’s playoff hopes for this year probably have faded as Tom Savage is still having a difficult time adjusting to being an everyday QB. Another huge injury that derailed the season was when star DE J.J. Watt went down for the year in Week 5 against Kansas City. Credit does have to be handed out to the way Houston has faced this situation and at 3-5 will probably be looking more towards getting a better pick in this years draft. Although this year might not be it for the Texans, fans can definitely be excited about the future as a lot of talent surrounds this young team.
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
Record: 3-6, 4th in AFC South
Grade: C
Passing Stats:
QB Jacoby Brissett: 1950 pass yards, 7 TDs, 4 INTs, Rate: 85.6
QB Scott Tolzien: 128 pass yards, 0 TDs, 2 INTs, Rate: 33.8
Rushing Stats:
HB Frank Gore: 127 carries, 455 rush yards, 2 TDs
HB Marlon Mack: 52 carries, 212 rush yards, 2 TDs
QB Jacoby Brissett: 34 carries, 147 rush yards, 3 TDs
Receiving Stats:
WR T.Y. Hilton: 34 receptions, 702 rec. yards, 3 TDs
TE Jack Doyle: 50 receptions, 441 rec. yards, 2 TDs
WR Donte Moncrief: 19 receptions, 278 rec. yards, 1 TD
HB Frank Gore: 17 receptions, 145 rec. yards, 0 TDs
WR Kamar Aiken: 14 receptions, 131 rec. yards, 0 TDs
HB Marlon Mack: 10 receptions, 110 rec. yards, 1 TD
TE Brandon Williams: 9 receptions, 102 rec. yards, 0 TDs
Defensive Stats:
LB Jonathan Bostic: 1 sack, 63 tackles, 3 pass defended
S Matthias Farley: 55 tackles, 5 pass defended, 1 int., 1 fumble forced
LB John Simon: 3 sacks, 39 tackles, 1 pass defended, 1 int.
CB Rashaan Melvin: 31 tackles, 12 pass defended, 2 int.
LB Jabaal Sheard: 4.5 sacks, 29 tackles, 1 pass defended, 2 fumbles forced
S Malik Hooker: 22 tackles, 4 pass defended, 3 int.
CB Vontae Davis: 21 tackles, 2 pass defended
Kicking Stats:
K Adam Vinatieri: 17/18 FG, 13/15 XP, Long: 53 yards
With one of the stranger seasons experience this year, the Colts have been going through a struggle that dates back a few years. The strangest occurrence this season has been the disappearance of star QB Andrew Luck who will not play a game this year with an injury nobody is really sure about. It’s been so bizarre even the Colts management believe it’s more mental than physical. Either way Jacoby Brissett has done a solid job replacing Luck after being acquire from New England. In a division that is very evenly matched, the Colts are probably the worst and have least likely chance of winning. At 3-6, Indianapolis has too many holes at this point to bounce back and get into the playoff picture.
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
Record: 5-3, 1st in AFC South
Grade: A-
Passing Stats:
QB Blake Bortles: 1657 pass yards, 10 TDs, 5 INTs, Rate: 86.4
Rushing Stats:
HB Leonard Fournette: 130 carries, 596 rush yards, 6 TDs
HB Chris Ivory: 77 carries, 279 rush yards, 1 TD
HB T.J. Yeldon: 20 carries, 163 rush yards, 1 TD
QB Blake Bortles: 26 carries, 157 rush yards, 0 TDs
HB Corey Grant: 19 carries, 123 rush yards, 0 TDs
Receiving Stats:
WR Marqise Lee: 32 receptions, 438 rec. yards, 1 TD
WR Allen Hurns: 29 receptions, 376 rec. yards, 2 TDs
HB Chris Ivory: 19 receptions, 177 rec. yards, 1 TD
WR Keelan Cole: 11 receptions, 158 rec. yards, 0 TDs
TE Marcedes Lewis: 10 receptions, 154 rec. yards, 4 TDs
HB Leonard Fournette: 15 receptions, 136 rec. yards, 1 TD
Defensive Stats:
LB Telvin Smith: 1 sack, 62 tackles, 4 pass defended, 2 int., 1 fumble forced
LB Myles Jack: 2 sacks, 57 tackles, 1 pass defended
S Barry Church: 1 sack, 40 tackles, 3 pass defended, 1 int.
S Tashaun Gipson: 34 tackles, 5 pass defended, 3 int.
DE Calais Campbell: 11 sacks, 34 tackles, 1 pass defended, 2 fumbles forced
CB A.J. Bouye: 26 tackles, 10 pass defended, 2 int.
CB Jalen Ramsey: 26 tackles, 11 pass defended, 2 int.
DE Yannick Ngakoue: 6.5 sacks, 17 tackles, 3 fumbles forced
DT Malik Jackson: 4 sacks, 16 tackles, 1 pass defended, 1 fumble forced
DE Dante Fowler, Jr.: 5.5 sacks, 13 tackles, 2 fumbles forced
Kicking Stats:
K Josh Lambo: 5/5 FG, 5/5 XP, Long: 56 yards
K Jason Myers: 11/15 FG, 15/17 XP, Long: 47 yards (Released)
My vote for the leagues best defense, the Jaguars have had a great season that could go down as their best in franchise history. With a defense filled with talent at every position, the Jags sit at 5-3 1st in the South. The rebuilding phase for the Jags has finally added up as this team could have a good shot of making the playoffs as division leaders. Their biggest questions will be if they can improve their passing game both receivers and QB. Blake Bortles has not performed great and is still being questioned if he’s really good enough to be the franchise QB. Also with star receiver Allen Robinson done for the year the receiving core is a little weak. Marqise Lee and Allen Hurns has stepped up as a solid one and two receiving combo and their plethora of talented running backs playing the slot as well. I think this Jags team is very talented and they definitely have a legitimate shot of playing in the playoffs this year.
TENNESSEE TITANS
Record: 5-3, 1st in AFC South
Grade: B+
Passing Stats:
QB Marcus Mariota: 1519 pass yards, 6 TDs, 5 INTs, Rate: 85.4
QB Matt Cassel: 162 pass yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs, Rate: 55.9
Rushing Stats:
HB DeMarco Murray: 95 carries, 391 rush yards, 2 TDs
HB Derrick Henry: 83 carries, 357 rush yards, 3 TDs
QB Marcus Mariota: 26 carries, 130 rush yards, 3 TDs
Receiving Stats:
WR Rishard Matthews: 31 receptions, 463 rec. yards, 2 TDs
TE Delanie Walker: 37 receptions, 395 rec. yards, 0 TDs
WR Eric Decker: 26 receptions, 247 rec. yards, 1 TD
WR Taywan Taylor: 11 receptions, 174 rec. yards, 1 TD
HB DeMarco Murray: 19 receptions, 124 rec. yards, 0 TDs
TE Jonnu Smith: 11 receptions, 107 rec. yards, 2 TDs
WR Corey Davis: 9 receptions, 101 rec. yards, 0 TDs
Defensive Stats:
LB Wesley Woodyard: 2 sacks, 71 tackles, 3 pass defended
S Kevin Byard: 45 tackles, 10 pass defended, 6 int.
CB Adoree’ Jackson: 35 tackles, 7 pass defended, 1 fumble forced
DT Jurrell Casey: 3 sacks, 31 tackles
CB Logan Ryan: 31 tackles, 7 pass defended
LB Derrick Morgan: 5 sacks, 19 tackles, 1 pass defended
Kicking Stats:
K Ryan Succop: 21/23 FG, 16/17 XP, Long: 52 yards
Another team that has been under a rebuild over the last few years, Tennessee looks to finally become a threat for the playoffs. At 5-3 they are currently tied for first in the South with Jacksonville. This Tennessee team does not impress me as much as Jacksonville for a few reasons. The Titans defense is nothing special as they give up a lot of points and not recording many sacks or interceptions. Marcus Mariota has not looked sharp either as he has dealt through injuries this year. The run game also hasn’t been as explosive as a Murray-Henry combo should be. A few easy wins too bring them to five like Cleveland, Indianapolis, and Baltimore. I’m a big Mariota fan so I think he will get going but I don’t see Tennessee being as competitive as some of the other teams in the AFC will be.
DENVER BRONCOS
Record: 3-5, 3rd in AFC West
Grade: C
Passing Stats:
QB Trevor Siemian: 1669 pass yards, 9 TDs, 10 INTs, Rate: 76.8
QB Brock Osweiler: 226 pass yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs, Rate: 54.3
Rushing Stats:
HB C.J. Anderson: 116 carries, 482 rush yards, 1 TD
HB Jamaal Charles: 54 carries, 236 rush yards, 1 TD
Receiving Stats:
WR Demaryius Thomas: 43 receptions, 525 rec. yards, 1 TD
WR Emmanuel Sanders: 26 receptions, 296 rec. yards, 2 TDs
TE A.J. Derby: 18 receptions, 222 rec. yards, 2 TDs
WR Bennie Fowler III: 20 receptions, 220 rec. yards, 2 TDs
WR Devontae Booker: 12 receptions, 123 rec. yards, 0 TDs
TE Virgil Green: 9 receptions, 120 rec. yards, 1 TD
Defensive Stats:
LB Brandon Marshall: 2 sacks, 57 tackles, 2 pass defended
LB Von Miller: 8 sacks, 31 tackles, 1 pass defended, 1 fumble forced
CB Bradley Roby: 25 tackles, 9 pass defended, 1 int.
CB Aqib Talib: 15 tackles, 5 pass defended, 1 int.
LB Shaquil Barrett: 3 sacks, 21 tackles, 1 fumble forced
Kicking Stats:
K Brandon McManus: 13/18 FG, 15/15 XP, Long: 53 yards
Since winning the Super Bowl a few years ago and the departure of Peyton Manning at QB, Denver has gone through a struggle finding their identity. Sitting at 3-5 at the halfway point, Denver’s most difficult problem has been finding consistent offense. QB Trevor Siemian has had a difficult time getting going and was benched last week for veteran journeyman Brock Osweiler. Paxton Lynch who the Broncos drafted just a year ago in the first round is still yet to see any playing time in his second career season. It’s a mystery to most fans why he hasn’t gotten a shot yet but I can only assume there is some skepticism in the Broncos management that we don’t know about. Denver who is also known for their great defense hasn’t had the best year in that aspect after blowing a few easy games. After starting off 3-1, they have lost four straight after their Sunday night loss to Giants in Week 6 which still is the only win in the Giants miserable season. A lot is to be seen in the second half with Denver but I don’t see them making a playoff push.
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
Record: 6-3, 1st in AFC West
Grade: B+
Passing Stats:
QB Alex Smith: 2444 pass yards, 18 TDs, 1 INT, Rate: 113.9
Rushing Stats:
HB Kareem Hunt: 155 carries, 800 rush yards, 4 TDs
QB Alex Smith: 37 carries, 173 rush yards, 1 TD
Receiving Stats:
TE Travis Kelce: 51 receptions, 629 rec. yards, 5 TDs
WR Tyreek Hill: 40 receptions, 617 rec. yards, 4 TDs
HB Kareem Hunt: 32 receptions, 331 rec. yards, 2 TDs
WR Albert Wilson: 17 receptions, 221 rec. yards, 2 TDs
WR Chris Conley: 11 receptions, 175 rec. yards, 0 TDs (IR- Out for season)
WR Demarcus Robinson: 12 receptions, 133 rec. yards, 0 TDs
WR De’Anthony Thomas: 10 receptions, 126 rec. yards, 2 TDs
HB Charcandrick West: 17 receptions, 106 rec. yards, 2 TDs
Defensive Stats:
S Daniel Sorensen: 0.5 sack, 54 tackles, 3 pass defended
LB Derrick Johnson: 44 tackles, 4 pass defended
CB Terrance Mitchell: 39 tackles, 10 pass defended, 2 int.
LB Justin Houston: 7.5 sacks, 37 tackles, 4 pass defended
CB Marcus Peters: 25 tackles, 5 pass defended, 3 int., 2 fumbles forced
DE Chris Jones: 3.5 sacks, 18 tackles, 4 pass defended, 1 int., 3 fumbles forced
Kicking Stats:
K Harrison Butker: 19/20 FG, 13/13 XP, Long: 53 yards
K Cairo Santos: 3/3 FG, 12/12 XP, Long: 39 yards (Released)
I can go on all day talking about my favorite team the Chiefs but I’ll keep it simple since I can make a whole post just on them. After starting off 5-0, the Chiefs have lost three of their last four to good competition in the Raiders, Cowboys, and Pittsburgh. Going into the season the Chiefs had one of the hardest schedules in football that gets a little bit easier in the second half. QB Alex Smith has had a career year throwing only his first interception of the year last week in garbage time against Dallas. Rookie third-round back Kareem Hunt has been sensational as he leads the league in rushing yards at 800. The defense has played well as usual but has been hurt a little bit in the secondary with the loss of Eric Berry who is out for the year after getting hurt Week 1. Kelce and Tyreek have been great per usual as the main receivers and as Smith’s favorite targets. With a mean hold on the division at the moment, some key games will decide if they can ultimately win the division in the second half. Ultimately I have faith in the Chiefs as I think they will win the division and be a threat to make it to the Super Bowl.
LOS ANGELES CHARGERS
Record: 3-5, 3rd in AFC West
Grade: C-
Passing Stats:
QB Philip Rivers: 2028 pass yards, 13 TDs, 6 INTs, Rate: 88.4
Rushing Stats:
HB Melvin Gordon: 131 carries, 526 rush yards, 4 TDs
Receiving Stats:
WR Keenan Allen: 40 receptions, 548 rec. yards, 1 TD
WR Tyrell Williams: 22 receptions, 322 rec. yards, 1 TD
TE Hunter Henry: 23 receptions, 312 rec. yards, 2 TDs
WR Travis Benjamin: 19 receptions, 304 rec. yards, 3 TDs
HB Melvin Gordon: 30 receptions, 235 rec. yards, 4 TDs
TE Antonio Gates: 15 receptions, 144 rec. yards, 1 TD
HB Austin Ekeler: 14 receptions, 102 rec. yards, 1 TD
Defensive Stats:
LB Hayes Pullard III: 59 tackles, 1 pass defended, 1 int.
S Jahleel Addae: 57 tackles, 5 pass defended
DE Joey Bosa: 8.5 sacks, 38 tackles, 1 pass defended, 1 fumble forced
LB Melvin Ingram: 8.5 sacks, 32 tackles, 1 fumble forced
CB Trevor Williams: 35 tackles, 6 pass defended, 1 int.
CB Casey Hayward: 22 tackles, 9 pass defended, 1 int.
DE Chris McCain: 5 sacks, 16 tackles, 2 fumbles forced
Kicking Stats:
K Nick Novak: 3/5 FG, 9/9 XP, Long: 32 yards
K Younghoe Koo: 3/6 FG, 9/9 XP, Long: 41 yards (Released)
The Chargers are a difficult team because it seams they can never compete in their division but you wonder how good they would be if they were in a different division. In the high powered AFC West, the Chargers are the weak link as they never are talented enough to compete with Oakland, Kansas City, and Denver. Veteran QB Philip Rivers has been their franchise for years putting up solid regular season stats but never being able to make it far in the playoffs. The Chargers have also had difficulty selling tickets after moving from San Diego this offseason and the other LA team, the Rams, have played very well. The Chargers keep getting left in the dust it will be interesting to see how their rebuild goes and when they can rebound from these long struggles.
OAKLAND RAIDERS
Record: 4-5, 2nd in AFC West
Grade: C
Passing Stats:
QB Derek Carr: 1954 pass yards, 13 TDs, 7 INTs, Rate: 91.8
QB E.J. Manuel: 265 pass yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, Rate: 72.3
Rushing Stats:
HB Marshawn Lynch: 86 carries, 323 rush yards, 4 TDs
HB Jalen Richard: 45 carries, 193 rush yards, 1 TD
WR Cordarrelle Patterson: 10 carries, 124 rush yards, 2 TDs
Receiving Stats:
TE Jared Cook: 39 receptions, 499 rec. yards, 1 TD
WR Amari Cooper: 38 receptions, 462 rec. yards, 3 TDs
WR Michael Crabtree: 36 receptions, 451 rec. yards, 6 TDs
WR Seth Roberts: 17 receptions, 200 rec. yards, 1 TD
HB Jalen Richard: 17 receptions, 188 rec. yards, 0 TDs
HB DeAndre Washington: 23 receptions, 134 rec. yards, 1 TD
WR Johnny Holton: 2 receptions, 108 rec. yards, 2 TDs
Defensive Stats:
S Reggie Nelson: 50 tackles, 2 pass defended
DE Khalil Mack: 4.5 sacks, 46 tackles, 1 pass defended
DE Mario Edwards, Jr.: 3.5 sacks, 26 tackles
LB Bruce Irvin: 2.5 sacks, 31 tackles, 1 pass defended, 1 fumble forced
Kicking Stats:
K Giorgio Tavecchio: 12/14 FG, 22/23 XP, Long: 53 yards
Going into the season many had Oakland being the favorite in the AFC West and some had them making a Super Bowl run. A bunch of let downs have derailed Oakland to 4-5 on the season. QB Derek Carr who had a borderline MVP season last year has dealt with some injuries and struggles so far. And the defense is the worst part of the Oakland struggle. A defense that just a year ago ranked among the top in the league has been awful this year. With an astonishing 0 interceptions as a team this year, Oakland has been beat by almost every offense they have faced. And with a schedule that gets harder in the second half, playing New England, Kansas City, Philly, and Dallas, they need to figure things out very quickly if they want to catch Kansas City on top of the division.
The Sports World According To Paul 