The Lions Leave Their Mark

By Eric Goska

Lions are territorial animals, and the pride that showed up at Lambeau Field Monday night roamed with untamed abandon.

In swatting aside the Green Bay Packers 30-17, the Detroit Lions staked claim to the Packer’s side of the field as seldom before. The majority of the Lions’ plays originated beyond the 50-yard line, and Detroit ran at least two plays in Green Bay territory on every possession.

In recent weeks, the Packers’ defense has struggled. The unit surrendered 485 yards to the Saints and 417 to the Lions.

What has provided some intrigue is the creative ways in which these shortcomings can be measured. In New Orleans, the defense was subjected to the full monty (trampled upon for 100 or more yards in each quarter). Against Detroit, Dom Capers’ unit often played dead as the Lions repeatedly toyed with it beyond midfield.

Detroit ran 67 offensive plays. A total of 43 of those snaps (64.2 percent) were run on Green Bay’s side of the field.

That percentage is high for this series. Since 1945, the Lions have bettered it only twice.

On Jan. 2, 1983, the Lions initiated 47 of 69 offensive plays (68.1) beyond midfield.  On Oct. 28, 1973, it did so on 46 of 70 plays (65.7).

Not surprisingly, Detroit won both games. The Lions are 11-1 against the Packers over the last 73 years when they own a percentage greater than 58.

The Lions had the ball eight times in their latest outing. In order, they ran 4, 3, 7, 6, 4, 8, 2 and 9 plays in Green Bay territory.

Eight drives. Eight advances with stops in Packerland.

That’s perfection.

Batting 100 percent had eluded Detroit in the last 73 years of this series. Since 1945, it had come closest on Nov. 22, 1984 (9 of 10 drives) and Sept. 8, 1991 (8 of 9).

Four players carried Detroit across the line that halves the football field. Receiver Golden Tate (2), tight ends Eric Ebron (2) and Darren Fells, and running back Theo Riddick each caught passes from quarterback Matthew Stafford to cross over.

In addition, the Lions twice started from beyond the 50 following fourth-down failures by the Packers. Detroit got underway at the Green Bay 47 in the third quarter after Brett Hundley’s pass to Randall Cobb lost three yards. It started at the Green Bay 45 after Hundley failed to connect with Davante Adams in the final period.

With the Lions spending so much time prowling about, they never punted. For Sam Martin, it marked the first time in 66 career regular-season games that his kicking leg was idle.

The zero punts by the Lions was a first for the rivalry as well. In 173 previous regular-season meetings, Detroit (and before it the Portsmouth Spartans) had always punted at least once dating to 1930.

For all the time Detroit spent in Green Bay territory, it also enjoyed success on its side of the field. In 24 plays that originated there, the team gained 211 yards (8.8 average).

A good chunk of that came on a 63-yard, fourth-quarter pass from Stafford to Riddick that carried to the Green Bay 12. Two plays later, Stafford found Marvin Jones Jr. in the end zone and the Lions roared ahead 27-10.

The Packers and Lions next tangle on New Year’s Eve. Should Green Bay’s defense be inclined to have a similar breach, it might allow the Lions to break the series’ season record set in 1982 for the greatest percentage of Lions’ plays (65.1) run on the Green and Gold’s side of the field (95 of 146).

Leaving Their Scent

Since 1945, the 7 games in which the Lions ran at least one offensive play in Packers’ territory on more than 80 percent of their drives. A drive, in this case, consists of at least one offensive play.

Percent           Date                      Result

100.0 (8-8)      Nov. 6, 2017         GB lost 17-30

90.0 (9-10)      Nov. 22, 1984       GB lost 28-31

87.5 (7-8)        Sept. 8, 1991         GB lost 14-23

84.6 (11-13)    Nov. 28, 2013       GB lost 10-40

83.3 (10-12)    Nov. 21, 1954       GB lost 17-21

81.8 (9-11)      Dec. 21, 1980        GB lost 3-24

81.8 (9-11)      Sept. 30, 1990       GB won 24-21

Since 1945, the 7 games in which the Lions ran more than 60 percent of their offensive plays in Packers’ territory.

Percent           Date                      Result

68.1 (47-69)    Jan. 2, 1983           GB lost 24-27

65.7 (46-70)    Oct. 28, 1973        GB lost 0-34

64.2 (43-67)    Nov. 6, 2017         GB lost 17-30

64.2 (34-53)    Dec. 20, 1970        GB lost 0-20

63.9 (39-61)    Sept. 30, 1990       GB won 24-21

62.3 (48-77)    Dec. 12, 1982        GB lost 10-30

60.3 (35-58)    Nov. 20, 1988       GB lost 9-19

PFJ's 2017 Midseason All-NFL Team

OPINION
By John Turney

Carson Wentz

In a season full of heart-breaking injuries there have been some excellent first-half performances. Here are our picks for the 2017 Pro Football Journal Midseason All-Pro Team:

Offense
The Steelers Antonio Brown is a clear choice for the top receiver for the first half.  T.Y. Hilton's big game today edged into the Second-team slot. DeAndre Hopkins shares the First-team with Brown and Brandin Cooks has been key in early season games, though has faded some in recent weeks.

Our third wide receiver slot goes to JuJu Smith-Schuster of the Steelers on the First-team and Cole Beasley of Dallas on the Second-team. We pick a non-starter for our third receiver or someone who starts when the offense is in a typical 11 personnel package. If the Rams offense keeps going like it has and Cooper Kupp starts catching the few he's dropped he could challenge for this slot by season's end.

Injured-reserve players Jason Peters and Joe Thomas get the starting tackle slots for the first half of the seasons and clearly won't be on our season-ending All-Pro team but it's our nod to a couple of great players—and they both were outstanding before being felled by injuries.

Andrew Whitworth of the Rams LA and Dallas's Tyron Smith are the Second-team picks. Whitworth not only allows few sacks, he has allowed very few pressures. Smith is still a physical marvel.

David DeCastro (Pittsburgh) and Zack Martin (Dallas) are the best guards we've seen this year. Followed by Rodger Saffold (Los Angeles) and Larry Warford, (Saints). Warford has been injured for the last few weeks but in the early season he was looking worth the money the Saints paid him. Saffold has been through a lot in his career, but watch his film this year, he's making great plays blocking downfield and also in the times the Rams do inline pulling and traps. He's also held his own in their zone blocking schemes. When you see some of these Rams long plays you often see #76 involved in making them happen.

Travis Frederick of Dallas and Alex Mack of the Falcons rate, so far, as our top centers with Jason Kelce third. 

Our quarterbacks are (1) Carson Wentz, (2)Tom Brady, and (3) Alex Smith.There is so much clutter out there on quarterbacks we will let others do the explaining. We'll just keep to our list.

We still pick a pure fullback, though fewer and fewer teams are using 21 personnel. To us, Patrick DiMarco of the Bills and Anthony Sherman of the Chiefs do the best job.

Kareem Hunt of the Chiefs and Jacksonville's Leonard Fournette take the top two slots, though we should really pare it down to one. But from time immemorial there have been two running backs on All-Pro teams, even when they try a "Flex" player. Hunt is clear #1 and Fournette was right there but he's been in trouble and may not hold this spot long but he's still leading NFL with 99.3 yard rushing per game and has boosted the Jaguars offense tremendously.

The backups are Le'Veon Bell of the Steelers and Ram Todd Gurley. Bell is only averaging 3.9 yards a carry but he's a good pass catcher and in seemingly building momentum as the end stretch approaches. Gurley has been very good catching passes and taking them for a lot of YAC (9.0 per reception) and is showing his 2015 Rookie of the Year form that was missing in action in 2016.

We also choose a 3rd down back and our top one is James White of the Patriots and he's followed by Chris Thompson of Washington. Both are vital to their respective teams passing game.

Melvin Ingram

Defense

On defense, our corners are Marcus Peters and Jalen Ramsey backed up by Richard Sherman and Marshon Lattimore. Lattimore will be the Defensive Rookie of the Year if he keeps his current pace up. The Seattle defense has been burned some this year but I've not seen it happen much to Sherman. Peters is so fun to watch and Ramsey has been solid.

Micah Hyde is out top strong safety and  Derrick Kindred of the Browns is our Second-team pick. Kindred leads the NFL in run/pass stuffs on a team that has been great versus the run. Harrison Smith is the do-everything free safety and we picked Glover Quinn of the Lions to back him up.

Our fifth defensive back, (a non-starter who may or may not play in the slot) is Mike Hilton of the Steelers and his backup on our team is Darqueze Dennard of the Bengals.

Our pass rush specialist, again a non-starter, is Julius Peppers who is back with the Panthers and has 7.5 sacks in the first half of the season. Dante Fowler of Jacksonville is our "next-best".

Our 4-3 ends are Demarcus Lawrence of Dallas and behind him is Everson Griffen of the Vikings. Lawrence has 29 tackles, 10.5 sacks and 3 forced fumbles and Griffen also has 29 tackles and has 10 sacks and 2 forced fumbles. Our honorable mention goes to Joey Bosa.

Our base ends are a bit complicated. Calais Campbell is playing the strong side in a 4-3 defense after years of being in a 3-4, but he's doing a lot of the same things and he plays defensive tackle when Fowler comes into the game. In this hybrid role he's made 34 tackles and 11 sacks on a good Jaguar defense. Brockers began the season as a nose tackle and was doing his usual of pushing blockers back and drawing double teams. However, Wade Phillips moved him to 3-4 end in week three. He's been excellent versus the run and is also rushing the passer inside in the Rams nickel and dime packages. He does not have the sack numbers (just two) but he's putting pressure on the QB and keeping others clean. He has 33 tackles (4 stuffs).

Our rush tackles are Aaron Donald, first, then Fletcher Cox. Donlad has 19 tackles (4.5 stuffs) and 4 sacks while Cox has just 11 tackles and stuff but has 4.5 sacks and is part of a solid run defense.

Our inside/middle 'backer Ryan Shazier of the Steelers who had made 64 tackles, has 8 passes defenses, 4.5 stuffs, 2 INTs and 2 forced fumbles and he's backed by is Bobby Wagner of Seattle (60 tackles, 3.5 stuffs, 1 INT). Shazier has just been all over the place, run stops, knocking down a pass. Wagner, too, but to us Shazier has just made more plays this year.

Our Rushbacker/Edge rusher is Melvin Ingram of the Chargers and he's followed by Chandler Jones of the Cardinals. Yes, we are snubbing Von Miller and Khalil Mack.

Miller has made 31 tackles (4 were stuffs) and has 8 sacks. Mack has 46 tackles, 4.5 sacks and 3 stuffs. Both are fine numbers for a half-season but they have not stood out on film to us as much as in past seasons. Maybe the "back 9" will wake them up but they have been good, not great this year.

Ingram has 32 tackles and 8.5 sacks and a forced fumble but his big plays have often come when the game was on the line. That is, at least, our view. Chandler Jones plays more than "edge" if you will. He moves around, drops into coverage, rushes the passer, he's another hybrid player you see all around the front seven.Jones has 31 tackles, 9 sacks and 6 stuffs so far this year

For our base linebacker, our top slot goes to Telvin Smith and Lavonte David. David has been nicked a couple of games but is showing us a lot (as he usually does). He has 43 tackles (3 are stuffs) and he leads the NFL in forced fumbles with four. Smith, our First-team pick has made 62 tackles (7.5 for stuffs), 2 INTs, a forced fumble, a sack, four passes defensed and one of his two interceptions was a pick 6. Smith really has played at a Pro Bowl level the past two seasons, maybe this year he will get his due.

Justin Vogel

Special teams

It hasn't been a stellar year for kickers, lots of the usually dependable kickers are not as consistent as they have been in past seasons. There have been lots of missed field goals and PATs as well.

Greg Zuerlein has been the best so far, with one missed field goal no missed extra points and leads the NFL in scoring with 99 points.  Our Second-team kicker is Harrison Butker who took over for Cairo Santos (who hadn't missed a kick) and has missed just one kick. In addition to their accuracy both Zuerline and Butker both have good legs (Zuerline's better of the two) and are near the top in the league in touchback percentage (both around 77%).

Here are the kickoff leaders this season, we picked Patterson over Cooper because he's still more of a threat but Cooper has the NFL's only kickoff return for a touchdown this year. 

Jamal Agnew's two touchdowns make him #1 and we went with Tyreek Hill for the same reason we went with Patterson in the kickoff return slot. Sure, there are some with better stats but Hill is the most feared punt returner in the league.

When Cory Littleton blocked one of Brad Wing's punts today we elevated him to the top special teams slot. With Greg Zuerline kicking and Johnn Hekker punting the Rams coverage units don't get a lot of opportunities to make tackles. Littleton is one of their better playings running down on kicks and punts but he wasn't going to have a year where he has 15 or 20 tackles. However, it was his second punt block of the season, something a Ram hasn't done since 1996 (Antonio Goss) and that was enough to move him to the First-team position. With one more blocked punt Littleton can tie Rams record of three held by Nolan Cromwell in 1987. The Second-teamer is the Steelers Tyler Matakevich who himself has a block and 8 special team tackles.

For the punter, we looked pretty deep. Johnny Hekker is the best punter and has been for a few years. But, does that mean he's having the best first half of the 2017 season? We wanted to check and look at the same things now as we did when we came to the view that Hekker has performed like a generational punter so far in his career.

For the First-team Midseason All-Pro, we picked Justin Vogel edging Mr. Hekker. Vogel's net yard average to gross yards percentage was slightly better (96.9% to 95.3%). Vogel doesn't have a touchback and Hekker just one. Hekker and his coverage units have allowed just 41 yards in returns and Vogel 46.  Brett Kern and Marquette King have allowed more yardage, have more touchbacks and a lower net/gross percentage even though they are first and second in both gross and net, respectively. A sleeper pick would be Bradley Pinion of the 49ers who is our lone honorable mention. He's a very efficient punter even though his groos average is not high.

Awards

MVP:  Carson Wentz, Phi
DPOY: Telvin Smith, Jax
OROY: Kareem Hunt, KC
DROY: Marshon Lattimore, NO

New Orleans Saints All-Time All-Rookie Team

OPINION
By John Turney

This year we are picking All-Time All-Rookie squads for each of the NFL franchises. Today the Saints get our treatment—with this one caveat:  At the end of the season, we will put in rookie phenom Marshon Lattimore. For now, however, we picked the teams through the 2016 season. We want a chance to review all the rookie seasons for all the teams before we update but it is a safe bet that Lattimore will achieve one of the two First-team slots on the Saints team.

Here are our selections:

Archie Manning, 1971, and Aaron Brooks, 2000, are the quarterbacks, First- and Second-team respectively.

The running backs are George Rogers, 1981 (over 1600 yards rushing Offensive Rookie of the Year, First-team All-Pro), and Rueben Mayes, 1986, on the First-team and Ricky Williams, 1999, and Alvin Maxson, 1974, as Second-teamers.

There is a long list of honorable mentions:  Tony Galbreath, 1976 (All-Rookie), Chuck Muncie, 1976, Reggie Bush, 2006, Chris Ivory, 2010, Vaughn Dunbar, 1992, the final three all making All-Rookie teams.

Michael Thomas, 2016, and Marques Colston, 2006, top the receiver list with Danny Abramowicz, 1967, and Willie Snead, 2015, next. The honorables include Joel Parker, 1974, Wes Chandler, 1978, Donte' Stallworth, 2002, Kenny Stills, 2013, Lindsay Scott, 1982.

Cam Cleeland, 1998, a consensus All-Rookie pick is the top tight end backed by Paul Seal's 1974 season.

Brian De La Puente, 2011, is the lone center. There were no other years worthy of being picked for an All-time All-Rookie Team. Kyle Turley, 1998, and Jahri Evans, 2006, are the top two guards narrowly edging LeCharles Bentley, 2002, and Carl Nicks, 2008. The honorables include All-Rookie picks of Royce Smith, 1972, Brad Edelman, 1982, and Steve Trapilo,  1987, plus Chris Port's 1991.

Willie Roaf, 1993, and Jammal Brown, 2005, are stellar tackles. They are backed by Stan Brock, 1980, and J.T. Taylor, 1978 (tie), Don Morrison, 1971 (tie). Taylor and Morrison were not All-Rookie picks but both were starters on two of the better Saints teams of the 1970s. We just couldn't find enough to separate them so we tied them for the final Second-team spot. Kevin Haverdink is the lone honorable mention for his consensus All-Rookie performance of 1989.

Jo-Lonn Dunbar, 2008 (13 tackles) and Steve Preece,1969, head the special teams coverage position. Honorable mentions are Sedrick Hodge, 2001 (14 tackles) and Usama Young, 2007 (13 tackles).

Wil Lutz, 2016,  Tom Dempsey's, 1969. Lutz was just too good 28/34 FGs and 133 points. Dempsey was All-Pro in 1969. We do "grade on a curve" taking into account the era and this was a close call. Being All-Pro means Dempsey was considered the top kicker. Lutz, while excellent was not. But if a player can have a season like Lutz did in 2016 and it not top someone from an earlier era it would make it impossible to ever supplant the older players. So, we went with Lutz. But, we admit, we could be wrong. It's that close in our eyes.

With punters, we went with the older player but again, it was close. Julian Fagen, 1970, followed by Tom McNeill, 1967 (37.5 net average).  The honorable mentions are Steve Weatherford, 2006, Thomas Morstead, 2009, Brian Hansen, 1984. 

Tyrone Hughes take the top punt return season and the Second-team kick returner slot.

Willie Whitehead, 1999 (30 tackles, 7 sacks), is our First-team designated pass rusher followed by inside rusher Jumpy Geathers, 1984. Ernie Jackson had a good year in 1972 as a nickel back as did Usama Young in 2007. 

Darren Howard, 2000 (53 tackles, 11 sacks, 1 INT), and Will Smith, 2004 (40 tackles, 7.5 sacks), are the First-team defensive ends with Renaldo Turnbull, 1990 (31 tackles, 9 sacks), and Bruce Clark, 1982, backing them up. Charles Grant, 2002 (37 tackles, 7 sacks), Shawn Knight, 1987, and Joe Johnson, 1994, and Cameron Jordan, 2011, are the honorable mentions, all except Jordan were named to All-Rookie teams.

Bob Pollard, 1971 (79 tackles, 2 sacks, 2 FF), and Dave Rowe, 1967 (55 tackles, 3½ sacks), are our picks for defensive tackle and Sedrick Ellis, 2008 (30 tackles, 4 sacks), and Elex Price, 1973 (89 tackles, 2 sacks), are their backups. The honorable mentions are Sheldon Rankins, 2016 (20 tackles, 4 sacks), and Johnathan Sullivan's 2003 (33 tackles, 1 sack, season-long starter and All-Rookie).

Glen Redd, 1981, and Joe Federspiel, 1972 are the inside- and middle linebackers, respectively backed by Jack Del Rio, 1985, and Stephone Anthony, 2015.

Rickey Jackson, 1981 (132 tackles, 8½ sacks), and Jim Merlo, 1973 (85 tackles), top the outside 'backer list with Hau'oli Kikaha, 2015 (51 tackles, 4 sacks, 4 FF), and Colby Bockwoldt, 2004 (46 tackles and a scoop-and-score), next and Mark Fields, 1995, is the lone honorable mention.

Robert Massey, 1989 (87 tackles, 5 picks), is the top corner with Doug Wyatt, 1970 (53 tackles, 13 passes defensed, 4 INT), next. Numbers three and four are Johnnie Poe, 1981, and Delvin Breaux, 2015. 

The honorables are Dee Martin, 1971 (61 tackles, 17 passes defensed, 3 INTs), Terry Schmidt, 1974, Dave Waymer, 1980 (52 tackles, 14 passes defensed), and Gene Howard, 1968 (40 tackles, 22 passes defensed, 3 INTs).

Hugo Hollas, 1970 (5 picks and a good blitzer), is the top strong safety and Sammy Knight, 1997 (84 tackles, 5 INTs), is the top weak-side man. Kenny Vaccaro, 2013 (79 tackles and a pick), and Josh Bullocks, 2005, are next.

The honorable mention safeties are:  Russell Gary, 1981, Antonio Gibson, 1986 (All-Rookie)

Pierre Warren, 2014, Vonn Bell, 2016, and Gene Atkins, 1987 (All-Rookie)

Cincinnati Bengals All-Time All-Rookie Team

OPINION
By John Turney

This year we are picking All-Time All-Rookie squads for each of the NFL franchises. Today the Bengals get our treatment:

The First- and Second-team lines are solid, most making All-Rookie teams of one stripe or another. Anthony Munoz being the top rookie, rated the 5th best tackle in the NFL by Proscout, Inc. in 1980. 

Blair Bush was a consensus All-Rookie pick in 1978 as was Anderson in 1996 and Zeitler in 2012.

The honorable mention linemen are Russell Bodine, 2010, Tom Scott, 1993, Andrew Whitworth, 2006, Bruce Kozerski (1983), Mike Arthur, (1991), Trevor Robinson, 2012, and Glenn Bujnoch, (1976).

Greg Cook is the #1 QB followed by Andy Dalton. David Klingler, 1992 All-Rookie, gets honorable mention. Klinger started four games in a season where there were no real standout rookie quarterbacks. Purists may not like seeing his name listed.

Bob Trumpy made the East AFL-All-Star game and Dan Ross was a solid rookie starter and a consensus All-Rookie pick in 1979. The wide receivers are particularly strong for rookies. Isaac Curtis was a Pro Bowler and totaled 45 catches for 843 yards (an 18.7-yard average) and 9 TDs. A.J. Green was also a Pro Bowler and had a 1,000-yard receiving season as a rookie. Cris Collinsworth was a Pro Bowler, consensus All-Rookie, and a 1,000-yard receiver as well in 1981. Eddie Brown wasn't a Pro Bowl but put up excellent numbers for a rookie with his  53-942-17.8-8 line.

Carl Pickens, (All-Rookie) 1992, Darnay Scott, (All-Rookie) 1994,  Peter Warrick, 2000, Billy Brooks,(Second-team All-Rookie, 1976), Chris Henry, 2005, Jordan Shipley, 2010, all get honorable mentions at receiver as do Tony McGee (All-Rookie 1993) and Tyler Eifert, 2013, at tight end. 

Paul Robinson, 1968, and Ickey Woods, 1988 are the First-team runners with Corey Dillon, 1997 and  Boobie Clark, 1973. Robinson was an All-AFL selection and Woods led the NFL with a 5.3 yards per rush. He also had 15 rushing touchdowns and a great dance. Jeremy Hill, 2014 is a strong honorable mention. Giovani Bernard, 2013, was a narrow miss for one of the top slots but still merits a strong honorable mention. Ryan Hewitt, get a mention since he was a 2014 All-Rookie at fullback. In this set of articles, we didn't pick rookie fullbacks in the mold of Moose Johnston or Lorenzo Neal. But if in recent years, any got some special mention we will not them.

Horst Muhlmann, 1969, is four top rookie kicker and he's backed up by Doug Pelfrey, 1993. We take into account era so the highest kicking percentage doesn't always get the top spot. Clint Stitser, 2010, is the top special mention. He was a consensus All-Rookie that year.

The top rookie punter is Dave Lewis, 1970 followed by Dale Livingston, 1968. Lewis had a 39.0 net punting average (a 46.2 gross average) and was All-Pro and Livingston had a 39.3 net average (43.4 gross average). Pat McInally, (All-Rookie, 1976) gets honorable mention as does Brad Costello, 1998 (All-Rookie) and 2004 All-Rookie punter Kyle Larson.

Guy Frazier was an excellent special teams player as a rookie on the 1981 Bengals AFC Champs and Daze Jones led the Bengals with 18 tackles and a forced fumble in 2006.

David Verser gets an honorable mention as a kicker returner in 1981 since he was All-Rookie as selected by Pro Football Weekly. Mitchell Price, 1990, too, gets an HM as well as Quan Cosby for his consensus All-Rookie season of 2009 and Alex Erickson, 2016.

Carlos Dunlap is the top designated rusher as a rookie and he's backed up by Robert Geathers for now. By year's end, Carl Lawson will take the Second-team spot from Geathers and could challenge Dunlap's top spot. In 2010, Dunlap was All-Rookie and had 9.5 sacks in 12 games (no starts). Currently, Lawson has 4.5 sacks in 7 games (1 start).

The First-team defensive ends on our rookie team are Gary Burley, 1976 (80 tackles, 9½ sacks), and Sherman White, both of whom earned consensus All-Rookie status. White had 4½ sacks in 1972 as a rookie starter. Ross Browner, 1978 (69, 6½ sacks) and Justin Smith are the backups. 

 John Copeland, 1993 (consensus All-Rookie), Ron Carpenter 1970, (who moved to defensive tackle), and David Grant, (1988) get honorable mentions as defensive ends. Copeland had 48 tackles and 3.0 sacks and Carpenter had 46 tackles and 2 sacks.

Dan Wilkinson, 1994 (44 tackles, 5.5 sacks), and Mike Reid, 1970 (9 games, 5 sacks) are the top defensive tackles followed by Wilson Whitley, 1977 (49 tackles, no sacks), and Eddie Edwards, 1977 (All-Rookie, 71 tackles 4 sacks). Tim Krumrie is an honorable mention for his 1983 rookie campaign as is Pat Sims's 2008 season.

The linebacking corps is composed of Bill Bergey, 1969 (152 tackles, 11 PD, 2 INT), and Takeo Spikes, (Consensus All-Rookie, 1998), on the inside and James Francis, 1990 (consensus All-Rookie, 78 tackles, 8 sacks), and Al Beauchamp, 1968 (2 picks, one for a TD) on the outside.

They are backed by Odell Thurman (remember him?), 2005 (98 tackles, 5 picks, 5 forced fumbles and 1.5 sacks), and Brian Simmons, 1998 (78 tackles, 3.0 sacks), on the inside and Alfred Williams, 1991 (38 tackles, 3 sacks), and Reggie Williams, 1976 (106 tackles, 7 PD, 2 sacks and 1 INT), outside. 

We almost went with Thurman over Bergey even though Thurman's career self-destructed. His five interceptions is a high number for a middle linebacker in this era and he also had 5 forced fumbles and was in on a couple of sacks. However, Bergey averaged over 10 tackles a game and was also good in pass defense.

Rey Maualuga, 2009 (59 tackles, 3 FF), Ricardo McDonald, (All-Rookie,1992), Steve Tovar, 1993 (All-Rookie, 85 tackles), Carl Zander, (1985), and Vontaze Burfict, 2012 (127 tackles), all get honorable mentions at linebacker. Armegis Spearman, 2000, was a rookie starter and an All-Rookie pick and had 70 tackles for the season. It's strong enough to be an HM here.

Lemar Parrish, 1970 (44 tackles, 5 picks 18 PD), and Ken Riley, 1969 (59 tackles, 4 picks, 16 PD, 2 FR and 1 BK), are the top corners backed up by Louis Breeden, 1978 (69 tackles, 3 picks), and Leon Hall, 2007.  Artrell Hawkins, 1998, and Lewis Billups, 1986, gets special mention as does Marvin Cobb, 1975, who got some All-Rookie votes. 

David Fulcher, 1986 (105 tackles, 4 INT, 2 sacks), and Tommy Casanova, 1972 (consensus All-Rookie pick, 5 INT and was a fine punt returner as well), get the top safety slots and are followed by Bobby Kemp, 1981, and Madieu Williams, 2004. Darryl Williams, 1992, is a strong honorable mention. Jerry Anderson was an All-Rookie pick in 1977 and as such gets a mention here.

Numbers You Should Know

Mid-Season Review

By Nick Webster

It’s mid-season (kind of, bye-weeks make it impossible to have a true mid-season) and its time to check in with some interesting numbers that people don’t always focus on.

We like to rate defenders on their ability to make big plays, so in addition to talking about sacks, we measure stuffs, a tackle of either a runner or a receiver on a completed pass behind the line-of-scrimmage. Stuffs, like sacks—but not like the NFL’s tackles for loss—are credited as .5 when two players share in that tackle. Stuffs also differ from tackles for loss in that contact with a ballcarrier who fumbles but is not taken to the ground are considered stuffs. 

Recall that in the NFL odd way of reasoning, forcing a fumble downfield is a tackle, forcing a fumble while sacking the QB is a sack, but forcing a fumble on that sack is not a tackle for loss. Don’t ask us—we like the stuff—its measured just the same way sacks are and therefore is comparable.

There’s lots of new blood on the leaderboard here at mid-season, a transition that really started a year ago after years of Lavonte David and JJ Watt passing the mantle back and forth. Of course, Watt has been injured and off the board sadly for a second straight season, but David—while still productive – has just seen his play fall off, in part due to smaller nicks and injuries.

Rk	Name	TOTAL Stuffs
1	Derrick Kindred	10.0
2	Zach Brown	7.5
3	C.J. Mosley	7.0
	Cory James	7.0
5	Christian Kirksey	6.5
	Timmy Jernigan	6.5
	Jahleel Addae	6.5
	Telvin Smith	6.5
9	Chandler Jones	6.0
	Anthony Barr	6.0
11	Jadeveon Clowney	5.5
	Michael Bennett	5.5
	Grady Jarrett	5.5
	Darron Lee	5.5
15	Blake Martinez	5.0
	Allen Bailey	5.0
	Jerry Hughes	5.0
	Matt Judon	5.0
	Nick Vigil	5.0
	Sean Lee	5.0

The season leader, by a margin, is a name you’ve probably not heard much about—in part due to being mired in Cleveland, but in part due to his being a young player without huge pedigree (4^th Rounder from TCU) who appears to be just coming into his own. Derrick Kindred through eight games is on a pace to put up more stuffs in a season than anyone other than JJ Watt in his monstrous 2012 campaign. There are plenty of other names of note on the list as CJ Mosley continues to be a quietly excellent force on the Ravens D, Telvin Smith continues to impress in Jacksonville and Jadeveon Clowney is putting to rest all talk of being a 1^st overall pick bust.

Rk	Name	Pass Stuffs
1	Anthony Barr	4.0
	Adrian Amos	4.0
3	Harrison Smith	3.0
	Eric Kendricks	3.0
5	Jamar Taylor	2.5
	Nick Vigil	2.5
	Cory James	2.5
8	D. Rodgers-Cromartie	2.0
	Orlando Scandrick	2.0
	Christian Kirksey	2.0

Reviewing stuffs on just passing plays, both Anthony Barr and Adrian Amos are actually on pace to exceed the most pass stuffs in a single season—7 by Ray Lewis and DeAndre Levy in their primes.  This is a function of their excellent play, it being early in the season, but also a more general trend to short screens and passes behind the line of scrimmage.

We also enjoy understanding which players have the most QB hits. Again, the NFL has a funny way of counting these, let’s explain; a sack in which the QB is taken to the ground with the ball is a QB hit, a sack where a fumble is forced and the QB is not taken down to the ground is not a QB hit, a play where a QB releases the ball on a passing attempt and is subsequently taken to the ground is also a QB hit. We count QB hits as plays where no Sack was credited and the QB was taken to the ground. So you can see, using our numbers, excluding a player's sacks, how often he took down the QB.

Rk	Player	Tm	QBH
1	D.Buckner	SF	12
2	G.McCoy	TB	11
	D.Wise	NE	11
	L.Williams	NYJ	11
5	A.Donald	LA	10
	T.Flowers	NE	10
7	J.Simon	Ind	8
	J.Casey	Ten	8
9	M.Bennett	Sea	7
	C.Wake	Mia	7
	C.Jones	Ari	7
	K.Mack	Oak	7
	C.Long	Phi	7
	R.Ayers Jr.	TB	7
	B.Orakpo	Ten	7
	Y.Ngakoue	Jax	7
	E.Griffen	Min	7
	C.Dunlap	Cin	7
19	J.Hughes	Buf	6
	P.Smith	Was	6

 This is a very interesting list in the fact that many of the top players are not high on the sack list, these pass rushers save a few, are getting close but not getting home. DeForest Buckner might be another under the radar budding star, 7^th Overall pick a year ago, he’s toiling in obscurity on a very poor 49er team. Gerald McCoy is already a star in the league, but viewed through the sack tables might be presumed to be having a down year . . . not the case, he’s been far more disruptive as a pass rusher than his 2 sacks would suggest. Leonard Williams also might be presumed to be down – no sacks so far this season – but is proving disruptive, punishing enemy QB’s frequently.  And finally Aaron Donald is just great in every aspect of the game, with Watt out for a second season he has to be considered the best D Lineman in the game, bar none.

Finally – there has been an absolute scarcity of blocked kicks this season in the NFL. Last year, all told including punts, field goals and extra points 39 kicks were blocked. Bennie Logan, Ra’Shed Hegman, Jason Jones and Shea McClellin each blocked two kicks last years and the 6-8 Margus Hunt blocked three. Until this past weekend, however, just 10 kicks had been blocked so far this season.  But thanks to a Fall storm bringing downpours to the East coast there were 6 blocks this last weekend, though no single player has more than one so far.

Let us know what you think; passing TD’s are fun, as are receptions and interceptions, but we enjoy the subtle and infrequent as well—hope you do too.