Some PFF Grades from Kick the Shithawks

[rdlkgliders]

The Rams couldn’t have asked for a much better start to the 2023 season, coming out and crushing the Seahawks in the opener on Sunday, 30-13. They were dominant on both sides of the ball, outgaining the Seahawks, 426-180, in terms of yardage.

There were several players who put together standout performances against Seattle, some on each side of the ball. Matthew Stafford was sharp, Puka Nacua was a stud and Russ Yeast shined at safety.


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Pro Football Focus released player grades on Monday and we’ve broken them down by offense and defense, looking at the best and worst performers in the Rams’ win.

Top 5 offense​

• QB Matthew Stafford: 91.1
• WR Puka Nacua: 81.3
• WR Tutu Atwell: 80.6
• TE Brycen Hopkins: 78.1
• C Coleman Shelton: 71.9

It was a fantastic day for the passing offense on Sunday, largely thanks to Stafford, Nacua and Atwell. Stafford was incredibly accurate all afternoon, throwing for 334 yards on just 38 attempts. Nacua and Atwell each had 119 yards receiving, Nacua on 10 catches and Atwell on six.
Hopkins had a 21-yard reception in the game and while Tyler Higbee got most of the snaps at tight end, Hopkins made the most of his opportunities.
Shelton allowed two pressures but he was the Rams’ best run blocker, earning a grade of 69.5 in that department.

Top 5 defense​

• S Russ Yeast: 79.0
• S Jordan Fuller: 73.5
• DT Kobie Turner: 70.5
• DT Aaron Donald: 67.1
• OLB Byron Young: 67.1

Yeast surprisingly got the start over John Johnson III, who didn’t play at all, and was on the field for every snap. He didn’t allow a reception on his only target and in coverage, and he finished with two tackles in the win.
Fuller was also quite good, making eight total tackles with two solo stops and no targets in coverage.
Up front, Turner and Donald led the defensive line. Turner had two pressures and Donald had five, with Turner making two solo stops against the run. Each player had a half-sack.
Young tied for the team-high with five pressures and a half-sack, standing out in his NFL debut for the Rams.

Bottom 5 offense​

• RB Cam Akers: 64.3
• LT Alaric Jackson: 62.9
• RG Joe Noteboom: 60.7
• WR Ben Skowronek: 54.2
• WR Van Jefferson: 50.9

Akers was highly inefficient in this one, rushing for 29 yards on 22 attempts. He also didn’t catch a pass and wasn’t targeted.
Jackson may have been graded low on PFF’s scale overall but his 88.5 pass-blocking grade was the best on the team and ranks third among all players in Week 1.
Noteboom allowed one pressure and had a pass-blocking grade of 55.5.
Skowronek didn’t catch either of his two targets and Jefferson caught four passes for 24 yards, dropping one pass – a deep shot that may have gone for a touchdown.

Bottom 5 defense​

• DT Larrell Murchison: 57.2
• NT Bobby Brown III: 41.3
• LB Christian Rozeboom: 31.8
• OLB Michael Hoecht: 31.0
• OLB Zach VanValkenburg: 26.0

Murchison didn’t play much against the Seahawks so his low grade isn’t surprising. However, Brown was on the field for 19 snaps and didn’t record a single pressure or tackle.
Rozeboom allowed four catches on four targets for 31 yards and missed three tackles, struggling both against the run and in coverage.
Hoecht had three pressures but he missed two tackles and gave up two catches in coverage, also failing to set the edge a couple of times against the run.
VanValkenburg had one pressure in the 11 snaps he played.

Other notables​

• RB Kyren Williams: 68.1
• LB Ernest Jones: 66.3
• LG Steve Avila: 64.4
• CB Cobie Durant: 62.9
• CB Derion Kendrick: 57.6

Williams didn’t have an eye-popping performance but he did score twice and had 52 yards on 15 attempts.
Jones had nine tackles and missed one tackle attempt, also giving up three catches on four targets; however, those three catches totaled 9 yards.
Avila didn’t allow a single pressure in the game, the only Rams lineman that can say that. His 79.8 pass-blocking grade was 11th-best of any guard with at least 30 snaps in Week 1.
Durant and Kendrick had solid days, though Durant’s pass interference penalty early and Kendrick’s touchdown allowed to DK Metcalf were two blemishes. Durant wasn’t targeted in coverage other than that penalty, while Kendrick only gave up two catches on five targets for a total of 11 yards.

 

[rdlkgliders]

PFF always Surprises me
I thought Kendrick was better as well as AJ

 

[Corbin]

Lmao who would of thunk it.

Rozebloom
Hoecht
Valkenburg

All in the 30’s and 20’s.

 

[Londoner]

PFF grades are interesting but not gospel. I find it strange how they have become so prevalent that they are now being used on live TV coverage.

 

[Merlin]

PFF grades are interesting but not gospel. I find it strange how they have become so prevalent that they are now being used on live TV coverage.

Well they are perfect for people who need to talk like they watch film but clearly don't. Like many media types. So I guess the tv usage is a nice marriage of convenience.

I figure we are very close to ai scouts and player grading anyway, though, which means everyone will have highly accurate evaluations at their fingertips. Early versions should port well to usages like sorting through large e-piles of raw game footage and giving you lists of who separates, gets yac, etc. Ain't technology grand.

 

[oldnotdead]

PFF pays for the "name dropping" it's not an innocent reference. It's basically a commercial for PFF. Do you remember when they used to send live cams to restaurants? Those were paid for as well. When I was in San Diego, when the network would show the different food vendors etc. the vendors had to pay for it. It's all advertising. A buddy of mine used to work at one of the concessions and told me about the NFL policy. It stopped when the public found out it was simply a commercial and not simply random things of interest. Seau's restaurant in San Diego was a big one. He made hundreds of thousands off of it. Maggie and her mother worked there. Her mom was in the business office and Maggie was a server. That's how I know first hand.

PFF makes millions off of fantasy football. So it's not so innocent when the commentators mention PFF. Kinda hypocritical when they suspend all these guys for gambling. Some of them didn't even gamble on the NFL but things like NBA or MLB.

When Vegas courted the Chargers, people said no way the NFL would allow it. I laughed at them and say watch them fast-track a stadium and Super Bowl there. Stupid Spanos turned Vegas down. Had he taken their offer, the Raiders would be the SoFi tenants.

 

[TexasRam]

Maybe one day if Aaron Donald tries hard enough he can outplay all world rookie Kobie Turner and beat him at PFF rating score.

 

[fanotodd]

So…if Avila didn’t allow a pressure in pass protection, how did ten other guys finish ahead of him in pass blocking rating? Did they also go out and make a couple of catches, too?

 

[LARAMSinFeb.]

“According to Pro Football Focus, the Rams’ pass-blocking grade of 84.8 is the second-highest of any team in the NFL through Sunday’s games in Week 1.“
Woah that’s exciting. Shelton’s performance especially—we haven’t seen that kind of pocket shape since Sully. We’ll see how he does against the Niners.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

PFF always Surprises me
I thought Kendrick was better as well as AJ

Their grades seem to be getting worse. Maybe they’ve gotten too big and are hiring so many people that the quality control concept is out the window. They’ve likely got kids playing video games while they pretend to evaluate film.

 

[rdlkgliders]

Some more notes
Tackles made and missed: The Rams got 54 total tackles as a team and only missed four opportunities there. Seattle defenders missed six tackles per PFF.

Pressure: The Rams defense, with Raheem Morris now in his third season as defensive coordinator, dialed up 14 QB hurries of Smith. Seattle had nine.

Seahawks “WR1” trios locked up: There were Seattle fans who stated how the ‘Hawks were one of the few teams with three guys who could pass as legit WR1 options in DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett and rookie Jaxson Smith-Njigba. All three were held to a combined eight catches for 70 yards and none had a 30-yard gain facing the Rams.

Second-year CB Emerges: Sticking with the pass coverage dominance of the Rams, second-year CB Derion Kendrick put together one of his best outings to date. On five targets thrown his side, he only allowed two catches for 11 yards. And the rookie Smith-Njigba only had one catch for one yard facing him.

 

[Jacobarch]

I still think Boom is the weak link on the Oline, I hope they focus in on his position this season and eventually change him out with someone who can anchor the RG side. He's terrible at it.

DE/OLB - We knew this position would be a large question mark. I still think Hoecht can be a really good DE/OLB but he really needs to work on his contain. You'd think after a full offseason and 6 games last year he'd have that figured out though. Sometimes it's not ability it's what's between the ears that's the problem. I'll give him a pass until week 4.

 

[kurtfaulk]

Seahawks “WR1” trios locked up: There were Seattle fans who stated how the ‘Hawks were one of the few teams with three guys who could pass as legit WR1 options in DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett and rookie Jaxson Smith-Njigba. All three were held to a combined eight catches for 70 yards and none had a 30-yard gain facing the Rams.

outstanding by the rams young dbs.

.

 

[Merlin]

Some more notes
Tackles made and missed: The Rams got 54 total tackles as a team and only missed four opportunities there. Seattle defenders missed six tackles per PFF.

Pressure: The Rams defense, with Raheem Morris now in his third season as defensive coordinator, dialed up 14 QB hurries of Smith. Seattle had nine.

Seahawks “WR1” trios locked up: There were Seattle fans who stated how the ‘Hawks were one of the few teams with three guys who could pass as legit WR1 options in DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett and rookie Jaxson Smith-Njigba. All three were held to a combined eight catches for 70 yards and none had a 30-yard gain facing the Rams.

Second-year CB Emerges: Sticking with the pass coverage dominance of the Rams, second-year CB Derion Kendrick put together one of his best outings to date. On five targets thrown his side, he only allowed two catches for 11 yards. And the rookie Smith-Njigba only had one catch for one yard facing him.

outstanding by the rams young dbs.

.

Yeah the secondary balled the F out.

 

[Memento]

outstanding by the rams young dbs.

.

Agreed. Kendrick, in particular, impressed me. He definitely plays with a Finnegan-like edge that makes receivers hate him, constantly chirping. It's fine so long it doesn't hurt the team. Definitely helped and limited Metcalf, Locket and JSN a lot, along with Durant and Witherspoon.

Very much concerned about BB3. Yeah, it's all well and good if you're a space-eater and such, but no pressures or tackles for someone I thought could be disruptive at the nose tackle position? Against Seattle's weak interior? And having Seattle still gash us on the ground? That concerns me a great deal. I'd rather put Turner in his place if that's the case, give Murchison more snaps, maybe even get Desjuan out there instead. Very concerning game from BB3, but it is very early in the season.

Definitely concerned about Rozeboom, Reeder, and Hummel. I love Ernest Jones, but those three are going to kill us. I'd love to use Lake as a big nickel linebacker, like others have suggested elsewhere. Can't be any worse in coverage and could potentially be a better tackler. Either way, it has to be addressed before the next game; the Whiners will target our linebackers in the run and pass.

Not surprised in the least that Yeast balled out. I thought he played exceptionally well in limited time last year as a seventh round rookie, and he's definitely making plays now. I'm not surprised with Fuller doing well either; he may not be exceptionally athletic, but he's smart as a whip, and definitely can cover and hit.

I would deal for Brian Burns in a heartbeat and replace Hoecht with him, if I could. Hoecht should've stayed on the defensive line; he's simply not quick enough to be an edge rusher, and he should've never been in coverage. That's the only fault I had with Morris' scheme in Seattle, putting Hoecht in coverage too often. He's a pass-rusher, so he should've been used like one.

Would love to see more of Skowronek as a quasi-fullback, like what happened last year. Imagine him leading the way for Akers or K-Will. C'mon, McVay, you know you want to...

 

[FrantikRam]

I can't remember what a 'good' score is, but I feel like Ernest Jones played better than that score.

Cam too for that matter - I'm sure he missed a hole or two, but he got hit in the backfield on A LOT of his runs

 

[Loyal]

All I know is that rookie Steve Avila had no fouls and was great at stopping defenders. Kid will be an All Pro soon enough.

 

[Memento]

All I know is that rookie Steve Avila had no fouls and was great at stopping defenders. Kid will be an All Pro soon enough.

Kid's going to be as good as anyone in the league if he keep up that pass blocking, and learns how to handle the various tricks that defenses will show.