Highlights: No changes to controlling destiny status, but of course, as the title suggests, Adelaide can no longer make the Top 4. Explanation of the graphs below: The grey bar is the range of premiership points that a team can get. If a team's current points, the bottom of the grey bar, passes the green dot, that team has qualified. If a team's maximum points, the top of the grey bar, drops below the red dot, that team is eliminated. You can clearly see if a team does not control their own destiny if the green dot is on top of the grey bar. It is therefore, impossible to pass the green dot on their own, instead requiring the green dot drops below the top of the grey bar from other results. For Top 8 For Top 4 Thanks for reading, I'll see you at the end of the round. Sidenote: Sportsbet are still offering Adelaide to make the Top 4 at 501.00 (500/1). Is this illegal? Is it illegal for betting companies to offer odds for an impossible event?
Draws (or, Only Football’s the Winner today) - Useless AFL Facts #3
I’ve been on hiatus for a few weeks, sorry - was I granted begrudging leave by the oppressive afl mods? Or did real life simply get in the way? Or could I just not think of anything cool to write about? None shall ever know - but I’m back, and here to celebrate one of the best parts of the game. The draw! Unfulfilling for some, riveting for many others - and with a rich and interesting history just waiting to be examined... Why did I want to look at draws and some stats around them for this week in particular? Well...not too many of you will have pencilled in Carlton vs Essendon as the game of the round, but it may well be worth keeping a sneaky eye on the pair. In their 246 meetings, the two have drawn 6 times - a league-high figure only matched by Carlton/Sydney. Furthermore, Essendon and Carlton have played in 35 and 34 draws respectively - many more than Collingwood and St Kilda, who place third with 27 draws apiece. So, with these two masters of equality meeting, I figured it might be fun to delve into some very useless, very interesting stats! Apart from the obvious excitement of any close game, perhaps part of the mysticism of the draw is how rare it is - and I have the data to back it up. As is shown in this superb post, AFL margins are very well-distributed - the higher the margin, the less likely it is to occur, it’s as simple as that. Across 15,267 games (including 2018 thus far), the most common margin is 1 point (having occured in 330 games), followed closely by 2 and then 5. However, there’s only been 158 draws in League history (well...sort of. More on that later), placing it as the 43rd most common margin - well below 1 point, 2 points and everything below 40 points. Instinctively, the draw feels like it should be much more common statistically - after all, there’s not that much difference between 1 point and a draw, right? So it seems that they should occur pretty much as frequently as each other, and maybe that surprising rarity is something of the reason why people get so excited about them. Yet statistics don’t lie, and the maths does make sense - we just have to dig a little deeper into basic probability. For a match to end in a draw, teams A and B must have exactly the same score...if team A has scored 58, then team B must also score 58. For a game to be decided by a point, team A can score 58, and team B can either score 57 or 59, thus doubling the outcomes where this margin is the result, and making it twice as likely (before worrying about any extenuating factors).1 We can see the same effect at work when rolling two dice - it’s simple to deduce that the odds of rolling a double 6 are 1/36. However, the odds of rolling a 6 and a 5 are 1/18...twice as good! 1:Indeed,assumingasphericalcowinavacuum,anysinglemarginistwicemorelikelytooccurthanadraw.Other,real-worldconsiderationsthencomeintoplay - namely,thatit’sprettyhardtokick7ormoregoalsthananotherteam - toreducethoseprobabilitiesandmakethedrawmorecommonthananyindividualmargingreaterthan50. Enough pontificating - let’s see some stats! The first ever draw in AFL/VFL history was between Fitzroy and South Melbourne in Round 7, 1897 with scorelines of 5.13.43 apiece. Alas, history does not report if the users of the 19th century Reddit prototype reacted in the appropriate manner. The 2nd draw in AFL history also happens to be the lowest scoring, with Carlton and Melbourne managing 28 points each in Round 9, 1898. Legend has it that Ole’ Man ‘Fishy’ McLachlan, the League’s first ever CEO, was so angered at this dismal showing that he tried to introduce zoning laws the following week, and his poltergeist still haunts AFL house to this day, whispering darkness and rule changes into the hearts of all who step foot in that fell place. Ahem...Carlton, at least, have since managed to redeem themselves by forcing Essendon to a 132-all draw in Round 2 1993, which is the highest scoring draw of all time. Across the 158 draws in AFL/VFL history, 69 have had exactly the same G/B scorelines for both teams. By contrast, the largest differentials in draw scorelines come from Round 7, 1935, when Footscray managed 12.7.79 to Carlton’s 9.25.79; and the first ever drawn Grand Final, when eventual premiers Melbourne kicked 10.9.69 to Essendon’s wayward 7.27.69. Speaking of finals…the first ever drawn final was the Semi Final of 1928 between Melbourne and Collingwood. Collingwood went on to win the rematch the following week, and then defeated the Tigers (who were coming off a two-week break) in the Grand Final. In total, there have been just eight officially drawn finals, including three Grand Finals. The last drawn regular final was the Qualifying Final in 1990 between Collingwood and West Coast, which was replayed the following weekend. This forced all other finals matches to be shifted by a week, causing logistical chaos across Melbourne, possibly hurting the chances of the minor premier, Essendon and forcing the Eagles to play four consecutive finals games in Melbourne. As such, the AFL introduced extra time the following year for all drawn finals bar the Grand Final. This period of extra time has since been forced on three occasions, most recently last year. However, these three finals are not counted in the overall tally of AFL draws despite the result at the end of the 4th quarter, as a winner was eventually determined – nonetheless, they’re well worth mentioning. I’d love to talk about drawn Grand Finals, but I live next door to a Saints supporter and don’t want to cause any further trauma…so, on to some quicker stats! 14 draws have been determined by kicks after the siren, seven of which saw a goal to draw - and two where the kick missed completely, foiling an opportunity to break the deadlock. There is also a 15th case; the first final to be drawn after extra time was introduced by the AFL (as described above), which happened in 1994 between North Melbourne and Hawthorn. The Kangaroos had an attempt to break the 91-all scoreline after the final siren, but the kick fell short, and extra time was played - which was eventually won by North anyway. Adelaide has only drawn twice in their history, with an undrawn (?) streak of 539 games between these games, which is the current record for most games played without a draw. The current undrawn (yep, running with that) streak is held by the Western Bulldogs, who have played 234 consecutive drawless games, which puts them a good 13 years behind Adelaide’s record. If you want to be pedantic, however (and who doesn’t?), then the Dogs are also a good way behind Fitzroy, who exited the league on a streak of 332 games without draw. The average margin of a draw is 0 points, with barely any deviation in each individual game. Nextly…I’ve put together a table, showing how many times each team has drawn with another team. Feel free to peruse at your lesuire, and then I have some closing observations drawn from it below. Please note that I’ve also included the defunct teams in this, as otherwise the numbers could get a little bit wonky…plus, I do think it’s interesting to see.
Team
ADE
BRI
CAR
COL
ESS
FRE
GEE
GCS
GWS
HAW
MEL
NM
PA
RIC
STK
SYD
WCE
WB
BB
FIT
UNI
Total
ADE
x
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
BRI
0
x
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
2
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
6
CAR
0
0
x
4
6
0
2
0
0
0
2
0
1
2
2
6
0
4
0
5
0
34
COL
1
0
4
x
4
0
1
0
0
0
5
2
0
1
2
1
1
1
0
3
1
27
ESS
0
1
6
4
x
0
5
0
0
0
2
1
0
4
4
1
0
2
0
5
0
35
FRE
0
0
0
0
0
x
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
GEE
0
0
2
1
5
0
x
0
1
1
2
1
1
3
1
0
1
2
1
1
0
23
GCS
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
x
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
GWS
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
x
1
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
HAW
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
1
x
0
2
0
0
2
2
0
2
0
1
0
11
MEL
0
0
2
5
2
0
2
0
0
0
x
1
0
2
1
2
0
1
0
3
0
21
NM
0
1
0
2
1
0
1
0
0
2
1
x
0
2
2
1
0
3
0
1
0
17
PA
0
2
1
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
x
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
5
RIC
0
1
2
1
4
0
3
0
0
0
2
2
1
x
3
1
0
2
0
0
0
22
STK
1
0
2
2
4
0
1
0
1
2
1
2
0
3
x
3
1
3
0
1
0
27
SYD
0
1
6
1
1
1
0
0
0
2
2
1
0
1
3
x
0
1
0
4
0
24
WCE
0
0
0
1
0
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
x
1
1
0
0
6
WB
0
0
4
1
2
0
2
0
0
2
1
3
0
2
3
1
1
x
0
0
0
22
BB
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
x
0
0
2
FIT
0
0
5
3
5
0
1
0
0
1
3
1
0
0
1
4
0
0
0
x
1
25
UNI
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
x
2
St Kilda have drawn with 13 other teams currently in the league, more than any other team. The only teams they haven’t drawn with are Brisbane, Fremantle, Gold Coast and Port Adelaide. If we include all teams past and present, then St Kilda and Geelong have drawn with 14 each - Geelong having drawn with both the Brisbane Bears and Fitzroy. On the other end of the spectrum are Fremantle and Gold Coast, each with a solitary draw to their name. Although Hawthorn’s 11 draws might not seem terribly impressive by comparison, it’s well worth noting that the Hawks have by far the least draws of any Victorian team (Melbourne are next with 21). Oddly, every draw between interstate teams has involved Brisbane, with the Lions having drawn with both Port Adelaide and Sydney, and the Bears holding a draw against West Coast. All other draws have been Vic vs Vic or Vic vs Interstate. Edit - sorry, was just double-checking the table and Sydney have also drawn with Fremantle. Oops.... Ignoring H/A permutations, there are 153 possible combinations of current AFL teams in a match. Of these, only 67 (43.79%) have played to a draw at least once. However, when we just take the 11 current VFL-era teams, this rises to 87.27%, thanks to the much larger sample size of games – indeed, there are only 7 combinations of VFL teams who still haven’t drawn. Finally – how often does your side draw? To finish this post off, I’ve ranked each team in a ladder (because how else can you rank something?), sorted by Games Played ➗ Draws. I also threw in the league’s average of a draw every 93.63 games – which is well worth noting, as betting agencies usually offer odds of around 50-1 on a draw. In other words, if you bet on a draw, you’ll probably spend $1.80 for every dollar you make. On the other hand, if you believe in the blind power of statistics and need a tipping boost, then pencil in a draw for Round 17’s clash between GWS and Richmond, which will be the 97th game since the most recent draw (at time of writing) – and, when you get it right, thank science! If you do follow this advice, though, then this column bears no responsibility for any incorrect tips incurred… Brisbane - every 36.83 games Greater Western Sydney - every 48 games Essendon - every 69.74 games Carlton - every 72.82 games St Kilda - every 87.30 games Western Bulldogs - every 87.41 games Collingwood - every 93.11 games League Average - every 96.63 games Port Adelaide - every 98.4 games Sydney - every 100.58 games Richmond - every 101.73 games Geelong - every 104.91 games Melbourne - every 113.38 games North Melbourne - every 114.65 games West Coast - every 122.67 games Gold Coast - every 161 games Hawthorn - every 178.09 games Adelaide - every 317 games Fremantle - every 528 games In conclusion, thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed it! Should you spot any errors in my figures, let me know in the comments and I’ll give you an updoot (and fix it free of charge), and should you have any ideas for future Useless Stats, let me know! I should also give a shoutout to AFL Tables - most of this data is drawn from there, though I am relatively sure it isn’t presented in this format there or anywhere else. Thanks also to u/NitroXYZ for the post referenced above, and this cool list on Wikipedia of games decided after the final siren. All the best, cheers, and ‘til next time!
Official 2017 r/NFL Top 100 Players (of the 2016 Season) - #20-11
Hello, everyone! Just like Xur I am here to bestow upon you all my special gifts, except today is Monday! I say welcome to you all as we are prepared for today’s installment of the NFL Top 100 Players of 2016! Today we bring you Part IX of our series, revealing players 20-11 as voted on by our rankers, as well as the Ranking Predictor for the players ranked 30-11. Have you missed any of the previous days? CLICK HERE FOR THE RANKINGS HUB! Now, for the Ranking Predictor for the players ranked 40-31 on Wednesday:
PLAYER
RANKED BETTER
RANKED ROUGHLY THE SAME
RANKED WORSE
#30 - T.Y. HIlton, WR, Indianapolis Colts
16.67%
42.86%
40.48%
#29 - Andrew Whitworth, Tackle, Cincinnati Bengals
0.00%
19.05%
80.95%
#28 - Travis Kelce, TE, Kansas City Chiefs
7.14%
47.62%
45.24%
#27 -Alex Mack, Center, Atlanta Falcons
7.14%
45.24%
47.62%
#26 - Drew Brees, QB, New Orleans Saints
28.57%
35.71%
35.71%
#25 - Eric Berry, SS, Kansas City Chiefs
38.10%
42.86%
19.05%
#24 - Zack Martin, Guard, Dallas Cowboys
21.43%
57.14%
21.43%
#23 - Joe Thomas, Tackle, Cleveland Browns
19.05%
50.00%
30.95%
#22 - Aqib Talib, CB, Denver Broncos
7.14%
21.43%
71.43%
#21 - Odell Beckham Jr., WR, New York Giants
59.52%
30.95%
9.52%
(Wow, are you guys down on this group.) And now, as always, it’s the best part of the list, my broken record time! 1- As always, these rankings are based 100% on the 2016 season, so all players are listed with their 2016 teams and cities. 2- And if you just can’t stand where we have [insert personal favorite player here] and if you think you can generate a better list you can always fill out your own Top 100 rankings here at the same form our rankers used. These lists so are pretty good, and we’ll release an aggregate of the with the post mortem on July 27th! Before we start, I need to know how ready you are for this? Is this you right now? If not, how about now? Still now enough? Then this is for you! So let’s get crackalackin’, because part IX of the Top 100 Players (of the 2016 Season), players ranked #20-11, starts now!
#20 - Eric Weddle - SS - Baltimore Ravens - Previous Rank: N/R
Check out Eric Weddle’s stats here! Written bypdiz8133 Eric Weddle's first year with the Ravens was a standout as he became the leader of the Ravens’ secondary. Against the passing game, there were very few times where Weddle was not playing his role perfectly. He racked up 13 passes defended (a career high for him) and four interceptions in 2016. One of Weddle's strengths is his awareness and his ability to follow up on plays where the ball is tipped. He gave Brady his second interception (of only 2) on the year on a play like this. This ability of Weddle's is great at killing momentum for the opposing offense (see 3:53). His pass defense alone is not what makes Weddle the amazing safety that he is, Weddle can defend the run and rush the passer as well. Weddle finished 4th at his position for run-stop percentage while PFF ranked him as 5th amongst all safeties when defending against the run. Weddle fit right into the Raven's scheme and displayed excellence in both pass coverage and run defense. He was easily the best performer for the Ravens on the defensive side of the ball. Not to mention his candidacy for best beard in the NFL (R.I.P.) and his unparalleled recruiting skills.
#19 - Mike Evans - WR - Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Previous Rank: N/R
Check out Mike Evans’ stats here! Written byYouMake Never in the history of this organization have the Buccaneers drafted a more gifted and talented WR than Mr. Michael Lynn Evans III, his talents were on full display in the 2016 season. I think ever Bucs fan is over the moon excited for him for years to come, let's get into it. The most mind-blowing fact about Mike Evans in 2016 is that of his 96 receptions last season only THREE of them were not either a TD or a 1st down. He had 12 TDs and 81 receptions that resulted in a 1st down. The guy knows how to move those sticks. He finished the season with the highest 1st down percentage in the entire league with 84.4%. Jameis and Mike have a real connection going on as Mike was targeted an NFL leading 173 times in 2016. With little no help from a supporting cast Evans was the focal point of the offense, defenses knew it, heck everyone knew it and the guy still balled out. I mean is there a better regular season catch than this? Mike isn't one of the elite separators in the game today averaging just 2.13yards. what he possesses is elite size and a basketball background. One of the best plays that demonstrates this is against Robert Alford See Here. Mike has his hips inside of Alford and has the smaller DB behind him. Evans with his 37" vertical and ~35" arms leave little no chance once he boxes the smaller Alford out and attacks the ball at the highest point. His catch radius is something of wonder, how he's able to stretch out and make some of the tough catches is what separates him from the pack. His redzone awareness and ability is something else to watch. It's very seldom that he doesn't complete the catch for the TD when he's down there. He knows at all time where he is if he needs to get that toe drag swag or not. Aqib Talib said about Evans in Sept of 2016:
[He's] big, fast, he goes in that Calvin Johnson category, the Julio Jones category. The big, fast guys with the big catch radius. With receivers, man, there's some guys -- you either have a huge catch radius or you don't," Talib said. "That's nothing you can learn in the NFL. I'm sure if you go watch Evans' tape from seventh or eighth grade, I bet he was doing the same thing -- catching jump balls and running past people, catching deep balls. It's just that catch radius that makes him special.
Source Evans route running drastically improved in 2016, over his previous 2 seasons in the NFL. Most of Evans routes are deep corner or post routes. One of the best plays that describe this is vs the Seahawks. Where he runs a deep post cuts in front of Kam to eliminate Kam from the play if Jameis wants to check the ball down to Doug Martin. Where he continues the route and makes a great catch over Bobby Wagner attacking it at its highest point. Breakdown of playCatch on the play. Evans opened up the middle of the field where Cameron Brate was able to roam around and make a living. The safeties and LBs had to respect him. Mike is not afraid at all to make the tough catch and take the licking that's coming his way. I mean he gets crushed here still able to absorb it and know it's coming. Of course, the play against the Falcons comes to mind as well. Mike has upped his play every single year that he has been in the league he's improved something about his game. I know in the 2017 off-season he wants to improve his YAC. I'm excited to see what the future holds for the young Buccaneers, he's definitely one of our contented pieces that aren't going anywhere for a long, long time.
Check out Calais Campbell’s stats here! Written byEvilan Calais Campbell is simply a monster. I don’t just mean his staggering size of 6’8” and 290 lbs, but also his playstyle. With good reason Campbell is often likened to Goliath in the old parable, but in this story the David’s on the offensive line don’t normally get the better of this champion. Campbell originally started his career as a 3-4 defensive end when the Cardinals began their transition to the 3-4 base formation under Whisenhunt nearly 10 years ago, but in recent years has made a more permanent move inside. The former second round pick was intended to become a key piece of the defensive line opposite his fellow end Darnell Dockett, but no one could’ve seen Campbell exceeding his fellow Pro Bowler teammate in talent and production. And yet Campbell did, he took it to offensive tackles with impressive bend and athleticism not often seen in a player of his size at the 5-technique spot and is also able to rush past guards with his impressive strength as well. Campbell is the full package of what you want in a player on the defensive line combining overwhelming size and extraordinary athleticism in his play. For these reasons, he is often considered the second-best DT or 3-4 DE in the league behind only the likes of JJ Watt and Aaron Donald at any given time. It makes sense that he was the key player on the Cardinals defense for the past 7 seasons and extremely high on NFL's Top 100. However, Campbell’s time with Big Red is now at an end. After a 2016 campaign that saw Campbell put up maybe his best year of production ever as a pro, he is on his way to Jacksonville to continue his dominance on the line. As sad as it is to see the big man go, he gave us a ton of good memories and 57 great home run swings. Knowing Campbell though, he'll probably continue to terrorize the AFC South just as much as he did the NFC West. We’re going to miss our big friendly giant in the desert during the 2017 season.
#17 - Travis Frederick - Center - Dallas Cowboys - Previous Rank: 35
Check out Travis Frederick’s stats here! Written bymister_jay_peg Travis Frederick's beard is magnificent. Sorry. I mean Travis Frederick is magnificent. He absolutely is. I've done all three of the linemen from Dallas on this list, and after watching that group play over all 16 games, there is not a team in the league that looks at man The Best Beard in the NFL (sorry, Nick Mangold and u/nickmangoldsbeard) and at least thinks for a few minutes about a straight up swap for their center, and there are at least 25-26 GM's who offer a child or a 1st Rd pick for him. I want to focus on his ability in the run game today, because this is where he absolutely excels above all but the very elite interior lineman. The first play we look at is against the Bengals. Right off the snap he has his hands under the pads of the DT so he has body control to twist him wherever he wants. After a quick chip from martin going to the second level, he's able to fully cross the face and the defender is totally walled off from the running lane he should have been plugging, and it was effortless. The final flourish on the play almost feels as if Frederick is playing with him, the way he pulls with his left hand and shoves with his right, totally taking the man off balance. The play ends with Zeke squeaking through the line, but that is no fault of the interior. Doug Free gets shoved by Dunlap, cutting down the outside of the lane. Our second play is an inside zone left (right on the screen) (credit to Brandon Thorn @VeteranScout for this). Off the ball, Frederick does it again. He has his hands under the pads of Linval Joseph (ed. note: BTW, Linval Joseph belonged on this list. Travesty. - MJP) and just manhandles him to the ground. Again pushing with his right and rotating, he takes Joseph totally off balance and lays him on his ass like he was blocking a DII college kid. That power generated with the small hip burst is not something you see in a lot of players, even at this level. Play number three is also against the Vikings (sorry, Skep), and it shows off speed, agility and power in one play. Off the snap he avoids all contact on the first level and slides up to engage Greenway. he makes initial contact, but almost gets tripped up by Free who has put his defender on ice skates, but he's able to get his feet back under him, plant and turn into a brick wall, allowing Zeke to cut off his hip for a big gain. This last one is a chip and engage against the Packers. Frederick delivers a major stun chip to Mike Daniels and effortlessly flows to the LB and shuts him down in his tracks with great hand placement and leverage. Simply put. Travis Frederick is, I dare say it, the best offensive lineman in Dallas right now. And that is one hell of a compliment from a guy who thinks Tyron Smith is generational at LT.
#16 - Trent Williams -Tackle - Washington Redskins - Previous Rank: 70
"I think that one play that speaks to his athleticism was when [the Redskins] played the Packers in 2013 and he was lead blocking for Pierre Garcon and he was running stride-for-stride with him and then absolutely leveled the guy he had to block. His complete combination of power and speed makes nightmares for defenders to face" “He really is a freak of nature at that LT spot.” – Redskins DE Ryan Kerrigan
I’m glad the Redskins have a franchise cornerstone at Left Tackle now and for the years to come. Good luck to all future defensive linemen trying to get past this guy!
Check out Bobby Wagner’s stats here! Written bySuper_Nerd92 In my opinion--clearly shared by our other rankers--Bobby Wagner was the best 4-3 MLB in the NFL last season thatplayedall16gamesloveyouPanthersfans. Top-tier performance is nothing new to Wagner, whose career to date includes 3 Pro Bowl appearances, two AP first-team All-Pros (including his 2016 season), and an additional second-team All-Pro. Yet this season was potentially Wagner's greatest to date. He completely deserves #15 on our Top 100 list. Wagner has never been asked to do more in this star-studded defense. First, Michael Bennett went down for multiple games early in the season. Then Kam Chancellor was hurt for 4 games in the middle of the season. Finally, Earl Thomas went down in Week 11 and would not return the rest of the year. In their combined absence, Wagner was more needed than ever, and he delivered:
A staggering 167 tackles--a franchise record, and the most of any player in the NFL last season.
4.5 sacks and 6 stuffs.
3 pass deflections, 1 interception, and 1 fumble recovery.
Now, stats never tell the full story, so I urge you to watch or read some analysis of Wagner in action. Here is an analysis of his play vs the Rams this season by our own hbrwhammer, and here is a fan analysis of his entire 2016 season. Here is PFF discussing how Wagner was dominant against the run all season.
Check out Ezekiel Elliot’s stats here! Written byRomoSexua1 When Dallas selected Elliott with the 4th overall pick, armchair-GMs around the country scoffed at the idea of picking a running back that high, especially when anybody could be effective behind that o-line. It is true that players like Darren McFadden could be effective, but it's certainly not true that Dallas would have been 13-3 and the one seed with McFadden, and there's no way McFadden would lead the NFL in rushing yards. Zeke is the MVP of the Cowboys, plain and simple, and there are many ways this can be shown, one being him breaking the defense's will and almost single handedly beat the Steelers. In 2015, Tony Romo went down early in the year, and Dallas never recovered, because despite the fact that he got over 1000 yards, Darren McFadden was not able to take advantage of the offensive line. He failed to wear down defenses with relentless contact, be a threat in the passing game, block effectively, or consistently break long touchdowns. However, when Tony went down in 2016, rookie quarterback Dak Prescott was able to lean on the most well-rounded running back Dallas has had since Emmitt Smith. The thing that separated Dallas' offense this year from the awful 2015 offense was not the quarterback. It was how consistently Zeke moved the chains. In 2016, Elliott had 91 carries for 1st downs, while the next closest player had 72. "But Romosexua1, didn't he get those because of Zack Martin, Tyron Smith, and Travis Frederick?" Nope. Darren McFadden only had 52 last year, and had all of the starters on his o-line, not just 4/5 like Zeke. In addition to being fantastic running the ball in any situation, Zeke was also very good at pass protection and receiving. This allowed Dallas to do anything they wanted with their play calls. When he was on the field, a defense truly had to respect the pass and the run, which greatly helped their young QB, especially against the blitz. Other so-called elite players who are lack luster in one of these three areas limit the teams play calls and stifle their offense. And this talk of a balanced game isn't just based on the eye test; Zeke ranked 2nd in PFF's overall grades for running backs by two points. Not to mention that he was more productive running the ball than anyone else while statistically being the most valuable back. He was also very reliable and not injured or suspended at any point in the season. Shout out to Barian_Fostate for his awesome film breakdown of Zeke and for "Debunking the myth of Ezekiel Elliott and his O-Line" Tl;dr: Zeke is fantastic at picking up 1st downs and is good at everything. Thank him for the 13-3 season
Check out Le’Veon Bell’s stats here! Written byUpgraded2 I've been patiently waiting to do this post. After a mid-season ACL tear in the 2015 season, Le'Veon Bell was back on the field in 2016 and boy was he something. There's not many players in the league where you can just give the ball to them and they can win you a game; but Bell is one of them. What do I mean by this? Take the Buffalo game for example. 236 Rushing Yards, 62 Receiving Yards, & 3 Rushing TDs. On the back of a terrible performance by Big Ben, Le'Veon had 42 touches to lead us to victory. Somehow not convinced? In the first game of the playoffs against Miami, Bell broke the Steelers playoff rushing record with 167 yards & 2 TDs, then subsequently broke his own playoff record against the Chiefs the very next week with 170 rushing yards. This isn't just Bell breaking 2 big 50+ yard runs and calling it a day; this is Bell shouldering a 20-40 carry workload to grind down teams and lead us to victory. You simply can't stop him. Still somehow not convinced? How about this one: Le'Veon Bell accumulated 1268 Rushing Yards, 7 Rushing TDs, 616 Receiving Yards, & 2 Receiving Touchdownsin 12 games, good for 1884 Yards overall and 3rd most in the league. Yes, you read that right. He had the 3rd most yards in the entire league despite playing 4 less games. Kind of a scary thought to think about what would've happened had he played all 16. Hell, the four defense he didn't play against were Washington's 24th ranked rush defense, Cincinnati's 21st, Philadelphia's 15th, and Cleveland's 31st. Can somebody say, "2500-yard season?". Enough with the speculation; back to what he did do. Aside from the AFC Championship game where he did not finish the game, only 1 time all season did Bell accumulate less than 100 yards (congrats Baltimore). That means that in 13/14 games, Bell had at least 100 yards total, peaking at the 298 against Buffalo, 201 against Cleveland, and 182 against the New York Giants. Production like this led PFF to grade him as the highest graded RB for 2016 with an 88.4 overall rating, as well as an 85.5 rushing rating (good for 1st), and an excellent 80.7 receiving grades as well as 81.7 pass blocking grade. So, what exactly makes Le'Veon Bell so good? How about his very own running style. What Bell does requires a combination of unbelievable vision and excellent burst that very, very few possess. Instead of just hitting the ground running, Bell literally approaches the line, stops on a dime to find a hole, then bursts forward for 5+ yards every time. Here are some excellent examples (thanks to Yji): Exhibit 1Exhibit 2Exhibit 3Exhibit 4. Notice how he takes a little hop-step upon receiving the ball, waits for the OL to set up their blocks, then bursts through the open hole for big gains. It basically forces defenders to play at a slower speed so that they don't overrun him. It's borderline unstoppable. Once he's in the open field, Bell is also a very powerful runner who is not afraid to deal punishment to DBs. Runs like this and this are perfect examples. If you want more Bell highlights, take a look at this great NFL Top 10 video that really showcases him at his best. If it weren't for the 4 missed games (even though one wasn't his fault as he was rested before the playoffs), Bell would be up there near the very top of the list, or possibly even #1. He's a dominant and unstoppable player that does stuff that no other player can. I really do hope he can be a Steeler for life.
#12 - Landon Collins - SS - New York Giants - Previous Rank: N/R
Check out Landon Collins’ stats here! Written byUnbiasedBrownsFan Midway through the 2016 season Landon Collins was the holder a peculiar stat. He led his team in tackles, interceptions, andsacks. While it’s not entirely unusual for a safety to lead his team in interceptions and a strong safety may lead his team in tackles from time to time, it is almost unheard of to have a safety lead their team in sacks. This second level of versatility is what landed him so high on this list, the top-rated safety in the NFL. The production of Collins last season easily outpaced all other safeties and propelled him into the conversation for Defensive Player of the Year. His growth from last year helped catalyze the Giants from the 30th ranked scoring defense to the 2nd in just one season. In only his second year in the NFL, Collins has shown that there is still plenty more to come. Last season Landon Collins was an elite run defender and punishing hitter. His ability to move up into the box and provide support against the run helped fortify the Giants 3rd ranked rush defense. His hard-hitting play style combined with his natural instincts to flock to the ball provided the Giants with numerous game changing plays throughout the season. Landon Collins had an Earl Thomas-like effect on his team, elevating the play of everyone around him and that’s part of why his impact was so valuable last season. But while he was an elite run defender, Collins also excelled against the pass. He padded his stats to the tune of five interceptions and thirteen passes defensed. His innate ball skills meant his hands were always contesting the football and forcing incompletions. Of course, this also assists in creating turnovers. And who could forget this gem in London? And in the end, I must remind you all that this was only Collins’ second season. That’s right, this man is only 23 years old. If that doesn’t scare you, I don’t know what will.
#11 - Aaron Rodgers - Green Bay Packers - Previous Rank: 29
[Game Preview] Week 2 - Philadelphia Eagles (1-0) at Chicago Bears (0-1)
Philadelphia Eagles (1-0) vs Chicago Bears (0-1)
Following a season-opening victory at home against the Cleveland Browns in Week 1, the Philadelphia Eagles (1-0) hit the road for the first time in the 2016 regular season to take on the Chicago Bears (0-1). The Eagles have won two consecutive away games dating back to the 2015 campaign
NFL Streams - Look here 30 minutes before the game for Streams
Listen to Merrill Reese and Mike Quick
Location
Station
Frequency
Philadelphia, PA
WIP-FM
94.1 FM and 610 AM
Allentown, PA
WCTO-FM
96.1 FM
Levittown, PA
WBCB-AM
1490 AM
Wilmington, DE
WDEL-AM
1150 AM
Reading, PA
WEEU-AM
830 AM
Sunbury, PA
WEGH-FM
107.3 FM
Pottsville, PA
WPPA-AM
1360 AM
Williamsport, PA
WBZD-FM
93.3 FM
Harrisburg/York/Lancaster, PA
WSOX-FM
96.1 FM
Salisbury/Ocean City, MD
WAFL-FM
97.7 FM
Wilkes-Barre / Scranton, PA
WEZX-FM
106.9 and 107.3
Atlantic City, NJ
WENJ-AM
97.3 FM/1450 AM
Milford, DE
WAFL-FM
97.7 FM
National Radio
Westwood One will broadcast the game to a national radio audience. Kevin Harlan (play-by-play) and former NFL quarterback Boomer Esiason (analyst) will call the game. Hub Arkush will report from the sidelines.
Spanish Radio
Rickie Ricardo, Macu Berral and Gus Salazar will handle the broadcast in Spanish on Mega 105.7 FM in Philadelphia and the Eagles Spanish Radio Network.
Satellite Radio
Station
Eagles Channel
Bears Channel
National
Spanish
Sirius Radio
SIRI 83 (Internet 824)
SIRI 81 (Internet 805)
SIRI 88 (Internet 88)
SIRI (Internet 157)
XM Radio
XM 226 (Internet 824)
XM 225 Internet 805
XM 88 (Internet 88)
XM 157 (Internet 157)
Sirius XM Radio
SXM 226 (Internet 824)
SXM 225 (Internet 805)
SXM 88 (Internet 88)
SXM (Internet 157)
NFC East Standings
Team
W
L
Pct
PF
PA
Net Pts
TD
Home
Road
Div
Pct
Conf
Pct
Non-Conf
Streak
Last 5
Giants
1
0
1.000
20
19
1
3
0-0
1-0
1-0
1.000
1-0
1.000
0-0
1W
1-0
Eagles
1
0
1.000
29
10
19
3
1-0
0-0
0-0
0.000
0-0
0.000
1-0
1W
1-0
Cowboys
0
1
0.000
19
20
-1
1
0-1
0-0
0-1
0.000
0-1
0.000
0-0
1L
0-1
Redskins
0
1
0.000
16
38
-22
1
0-1
0-0
0-0
0.000
0-0
0.000
0-1
1L
0-1
Series Information
The Chicago Bears leads Philadelphia Eagles (30-12-1)
Eagles vice president of player personnel Joe Douglas served as the Bears’ director of college scouting in 2015
Eagles defensive line coach Chris Wilson was originally selected by Chicago in the 12th round of the 1992 NFL Draft
Bears DB Chris Prosinski played in eight games for the Eagles during the 2014 season
Eagles CB Ron Brooks’ father, Anthony Brooks, played with Chicago during the 1993 season.
Bears Rookie CB Deiondre Hall played CB for Northern Iowa last October 10th when QB Carson Wentz led North Dakota State to a 31-28 comeback win.
General
Referee: Jeff Triplette
Philadelphia has won six of the last 10 contests in the regular season series vs. Chicago. The two clubs first met on 11/22/33 at the Baker Bowl in a game that resulted in a 3-3 tie.
Philadelphia has played at least one Monday Night Football game in 15 consecutive seasons dating back to 2001, appearing in 29 total games, the most by any NFL team in that span. The Eagles lead the NFL with 18 wins and rank fifth with a .621 (18-11) winning percentage in Monday night games since 2001.
Only five NFL teams have won at least four games on Monday Night Football since 2013: Philadelphia (4-1), Chicago (4-1), Pittsburgh (4-1), Seattle (4-0) and San Francisco (5-0).
The last time the Eagles played on Monday Night Football was on 10/19/15 vs. N.Y. Giants (W, 27-7). Their last Monday night game on the road was the 2015 season opener at Atlanta (L, 24-26). Philadelphia last won a road game on Monday Night Football on 9/15/14 at Indianapolis (W, 30-27).
Philadelphia has played at least four primetime games in nine straight seasons since 2007 (four scheduled in 2016).
The Eagles are 60-49 (.550) all-time in regular-season primetime action.
The Eagles have gone 78-49-1 (.613) on the road since the start of the 2000 season, marking the NFL’s second-best winning percentage over that span (ranks first among all NFC teams).
It's been 34 games since a safety has been recorded against the Bears. The last time an opponent scored a two-pointer was on December 23, 2013, against Philadelphia.
Eagles (aka the Wentz Show)
QB Carson Wentz is (officially) the first Eagles rookie to start at quarterback in a season opener since QB Davey O’Brien in 1939. Wentz (104.4) had the highest rating by Eagles rookie QB since QB John Reaves in 1972 (min. 20 pass attempts)
QB Carson Wentz passed for 278 yards and two touchdowns in the Eagles’ 29-10 victory against Cleveland on Kickoff Weekend. Only four rookie quarterbacks since 1970 have won their first two starts to begin a season. Three of those four players helped their teams qualify for the playoffs, including QB Joe Flacco of Baltimore (2008) and QB Mark Sanchez of the New York Jets (2009), who led their respective clubs to the AFC Championship Game as rookies.
Last Week, QB Carson Wentz completed 22 of 37 passes (59.5 percent) for 278 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions for a 101.0 passer rating in the Eagles’ 29-10 victory over Cleveland.
QB Carson Wentz capped his first regular-season NFL drive with a 19-yard touchdown pass to WR Jordan Matthews. Wentz is the fourth rookie quarterback since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger to throw a touchdown pass on his team's first offensive drive of the season. The others were QB David Carr, QB Matt Ryan, and QB Marcus Mariota.
QB Carson Wentz is one of only three NFL rookie QBs since 1960 to have at least 275 yards passing, two TDs and no INTs in season opener. QB Robert Griffin III in 2012 and Jim Kelly in 1986 were others. Wentz's 278 yards passing were fourth most by Eagles rookie; record is 381 by QB Nick Foles in 2012.
WR Jordan Matthews had 7 catches for 114 yards and a touchdown Cleveland. He has had 50+ recieving yards and a touchdown in 4 consecutive games, longest streak by Eagles player since WR Terrell Owens did it in 2004
Bears
QB Jay Cutler passed for 216 yards and a touchdown. Has 8 touchdown passes with a 91.4 rating in 4 career games against the Eagles.
WR Alshon Jeffery led the team with 105 receiving yards against the Texans last week. He aims for his 4th consecutive game with 100+ receiving yards or a touchdown catch.
WR Eddie Royal had 90 receiving yards and 3 touchdown in his only career meeting against the Eagles. (9/15/13 with SD)
LB Jerrell Freeman tied for the NFL lead with 17 tackles last week. Has 10+ tackles in 3 of his past 4 games.
WR Kevin White had three catches for 34 yards in NFL debut after missing rookie season with stress fracture in left shin.
Milestones
TE Brent Celek (4,724) can move into 8th place on the Eagles all-time receiving list with 48 more yards. He would pass WR Ben Hawkins (4,764) and WR Jeremy Maclin (4,771). Additionally, with 276 more yards he would reach 5000 career receiving yards.
RB Darren Sproles (18,917) reached 18,000 career all-purpose yards last week. Sproles is 152 all-purpose yards away from moving into the NFL's top 10 all time list passing RB Herschel Walker (18,168).
OLB Connor Barwin (27.5) can move into 15th place on the Eagles All Time Sack List with 2.5 more sacks, passing DT Jerome Brown (29.5). He is also 3.5 sacks away from reaching 50 career sacks!
P Donnie Jones (986) is 14 punts away from 1,000 career punts. With 7 more punts he will pass P Rich Camarillo to take 22nd place on the NFL's all time punt list.
QB Jay Cutler is playing in his 99th game for the Chicago Bears
WR Alshon Jeffery (3833) is currently 8th on the all-time receiving list for the Bears. He needs 284 yards to pass WR Marty Booker (3895) and RB Matt Forte (4116) to claim 6th place. Additionally, with one more touchdown catch Jeffery (24) will have collected 25 career touchdowns. He will join WR Marty Booker (25) and WR Bill McColl (25) at 7th all time on the Bears receiving touchdown list.
Matchups to Watch
Leonard Floyd vs. Jason Peters
Despite a poor training camp and preseason, the 2016 first-round pick played will against the Texans finishing with six tackles, 0.5 sack and a quarterback hit in a reserve role. Floyd played well in his NFL debut, but that was against Texans backup linebacker Chris Clark. Peters is a tougher challenge. Peters will be tested whether Floyd lines up at defensive end or outside linebacker Monday night, but still has the reaction time to hold off Floyd's speed on the outside. If Floyd can't get to Carson Wentz, the Bears pass rush will take a hit. Chico doesn't have too many options to begin with.
Jason Kelce vs. Eddie Goldman
Goldman, the Bears nose tackle, was dominant in Week 1. He finished with six tackles, 0.5 sacks and two QB hits for Chicago, showing his disruptiveness on the interior. Kelce was the exact opposite in his Week 1 performance. Pro Football Focus ranked him one of the worst centers in a 29-10 win over the Browns. Kelce constantly was beat in the 3-4 scheme on the interior and had two bad snaps to rookie quarterback Carson Wentz. That has to change. If Goldman blows by Kelce on the interior, the end result could be a long night for Wentz as he will face pressure immediately after the snap. Kelce may need some help from Brandon Brooks and Allen Barbre to contain Goldman.
Bears secondary vs. Jordan Matthews
Matthews had seven catches for 114 yards and a touchdown in the Eagles Week 1 win, establishing himself as the primary option for Carson Wentz. The Eagles No. 1 receiver is on a hot streak with six touchdowns in his last four games and three 100-yard games in his last four contests dating back to last season. How are the Bears going to handle Matthews? Chicago's pass defense is ranked 11th, but was torched in the second half of its loss to the Texans. Brock Osweiler had the majority of his 231 pass yards during the stretch, including a 18-yard touchdown on a screen to Will Fuller facing a third-and-long. The Bears will look to double-team Matthews, similar to their game plan to DeAndre Hopkins. While Matthews isn't Hopkins, the Texans receiver finished with five catches for 54 yards and a touchdown (dropping a second in the second half of the game). Matthews is going to get his opportunities Monday in the slot and on the outside. He needs to take advantage.
Eagles secondary vs. Alshon Jeffery
Jeffery is going to get his catches and yards in this matchup. He finished with four catches for 105 yards in the loss to the Texans, which included a 54-yard reception. There was a catch (no pun intended). All of Jeffery's stats came in the first half. What changed for the Bears? The Texans defense got to quarterback Jay Cutler in the second half, sacking him five times and forcing an interception. How does the Eagles secondary contain Jeffery? Rely on the defensive line to get to Cutler and have him force one up to him while double-teaming him. Rookie cornerback Jalen Mills (expected to fill in for Leodis McKelvin) will be tested as the Bears will look to match Jeffery up with him on the field. Mills, expected to play the nickel, will need safety help in order to slow down Chicago's top offensive threat.
[Game Preview] Week 15 - Philadelphia Eagles (6-7) vs Arizona Cardinals (11-2)
Philadelphia Eagles (5-7) vs Arizona Cardinals (11-2)
The Eagles will look to extend their two-game winning streak as they welcome the Arizona Cardinals to Lincoln Financial Field for a prime-time showdown on NBC’s Sunday Night Football. The Eagles and Cardinals will square off for the fifth-consecutive season and the 119th time overall in the series history
NFL Streams - Look here 30 minutes before the game for Streams
Listen to Merrill Reese and Mike Quick
Location
Station
Frequency
Philadelphia, PA
WIP-FM
94.1 FM and 610 AM
Allentown, PA
WCTO-FM
96.1 FM
Levittown, PA
WBCB-AM
1490 AM
Wilmington, DE
WDEL-AM
1150 AM
Reading, PA
WEEU-AM
830 AM
Sunbury, PA
WEGH-FM
107.3 FM
Pottsville, PA
WPPA-AM
1360 AM
Williamsport, PA
WBZD-FM
93.3 FM
Harrisburg/York/Lancaster, PA
WSOX-FM
96.1 FM
Salisbury/Ocean City, MD
WAFL-FM
97.7 FM
Wilkes-Barre / Scranton, PA
WEZX-FM
106.9 and 107.3
Atlantic City, NJ
WENJ-AM
97.3 FM/1450 AM
Milford, DE
WAFL-FM
97.7 FM
Spanish Radio
Rickie Ricardo, Gus Salazar and Macu Berral will handle the broadcast in Spanish on El Zol (1340 AM) in Philadelphia.
National Radio
Westwood One will air the game to a national audience, with Kevin Kugler (play-by-play) and Hall of Famer and former Eagle James Lofton (color) on the call. Scott Graham will host the pregame and haltime shows.
Defensive Coordinator Bill Davis spent four seasons with Arizona from 2007-10, including the last two as the team's defensive coordinator.
Special Teams Coordinator Dave Fipp played four seasons at the University of Arizona (1994-97) as a safety and coached one season at his alma mater in 2000.
DE Vinny Curry is a product of the QB Kevin Kolb trade. In the trade, the Eagles received a 2012 second round pick from the Cardinals. That pick was traded to the Green Bay Packers (DE Jerel Worthy) for their 2012 2nd and 4th round picks. That 2nd round pick was used to select DE Vinny Curry. The 4th round pick was used to select CB Brandon Boykin who was traded to the Steelers for a 2016 5th round pick.
Cardinals Connections
QB Matt Barkley was originally a fourth-round draft choice of the Eagles in 2013 and appeared in four games during his two-year tenure (2013-14). Barkley was traded to Arizona on September 14, 2015 in exchange for a conditional seventh-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft
TE Ifeanyi Momah (currently on Injured Reserve) signed with the Eagles as a free agent in 2013 and spent the 2013 and 2014 offseasons with the team
C/OG A.Q. Shipley spent the 2010 season on the Eagles practice squad and is a native of Beaver County, PA
Director, College Scouting Dru Grigson was a volunteer scout for the Eagles from 2005-06
Cardinals Head Coach Bruce Arians grew up in York, PA, and spent six seasons as the head coach at Temple University (1983-88)
Arizona General Manager Steve Keim attended Red Land High School in Lewisberry, PA, and cites Harrisburg as his hometown.
Cardinals OG Earl Watford (Injured Reserve) hails from Philadelphia and attended Simon Gratz High School.
General Information
From 1970-2001, the Eagles and Cardinals were division rivals in the NFC East and met 62 times during that span before Arizona moved to the NFC West in 2002.
Although they are not division opponents, the Eagles and Cardinals will meet for a fifth straight season
The team went with the black tops for the Thanksgiving game against Arizona in 2008. The Eagles won the game 48-20, and the win was part of the Eagles’ stretch of winning four of their last five games to make the playoffs. Five years later, The Eagles again wore the black jerseys as they beat Arizona 24-21 in 2013. The win was the Eagles’ fourth in a row as the team won seven of their last eight games to take home the NFC East crown.
Eagles DB Malcolm Jenkins will be celebrating his 28th Birthday during the game. He was born December 20th, 1987 in Piscataway, NJ.
Eagles
DE Fletcher Cox has been a force to be reckoned with on the interior in 2015, notching a career-high 6.5 sacks and 28 quarterback hurries while regularly seeing extra attention from opposing offensive lines. Cox has tallied 11 QB pressures during the Eagles current two-game win streak, including a season-high eight hurries against New England. Cox has recorded the most quarterback pressures by an Eagles defender since 2012
Eagles RBs Darren Sproles (42) and DeMarco Murray (41) are two of only nine backs in the NFL with at least 40 receptions. The two are also the only pair of running back teammates to have recorded 40-plus catches.
Over his last four starts, QB Sam Bradford has completed 81-of-123 passes for 898 yards and five touchdowns to only one interception, resulting in a 97.5 passer rating. Bradford’s 97.5 rating ranks 10th in the NFL since Week 8.
S Ed Reynolds recorded his first-career interception in the waning minutes of a Week 14 win over the Bills, making him the ninth different Eagles defender to pick off a pass in 2015. The team’s nine individual interceptors is tied for the second-most in the NFL with the Falcons and trails only the Steelers (10)
With an interception of Bills QB Tyrod Taylor on Sunday, the Eagles Defense now have 15 interceptions on the season, which ranks fifth in the NFL, and 25 total takeaways, which is tied for second in the league with the Cardinals.
RB Darren Sproles is currently in sole possession of 11th place in NFL history in career all-purpose yards (17,757) after passing Hall of Fame RB Marcus Allen (17,648) in Week 13.
With seven career punt return touchdowns, Sproles is tied for sixth in NFL history with RB David Meggett. His nine career kick and punt return touchdowns are also tied for sixth in the league with WR Jacoby Jones, as well as Hall of Famers RB Ollie Matson and DB Deion Sanders.
TE Brent Celek (366 career receptions) needs six catches to pass Keith Byars (371) for fifth place and eight receptions to pass Pete Pihos (373) for fourth in Eagles history. With 9 more receiving yards, Celek (4,626) will move into the top 10 in Eagles history, passing Fred Barnett (4,634).
TE Trey Burton (17) has recorded the most special teams tackles by an Eagle since LB Moise Fokou notched 19 during the 2010 season.
Cardinals
The Cardinals clinched a playoff spot last week, but the Cardinals are in position to clinch the division and potentially a first-round bye Sunday night if they can knock off the Eagles. They will claim its first NFC-West title since 2009 with a win Sunday or if second-place Seattle loses to Cleveland earlier in the day. A victory would also give the Cardinals a bye to begin the playoffs if Green Bay loses at Oakland.
The Cardinals Offense leads the NFL with 59 passes of 20 yards or more, including 10 for touchdowns, and averages a league-best 417.5 yards per game.
QB Carson Palmer's 4,003 yards and 31 touchdown passes is a single-season franchise record. He trail only QB Tom Brady, and his 107.2 passer rating is only second to QB Russell Wilson. Additionally, Palmer has won 24 of past 28 starts.
QB Carson Palmer tossed two touchdown passes in the Cardinals' 23-20 victory over the Vikings, giving him 31 passing TD's on the season and overtaking QB Kurt Warner (30 in 2008) for the most in a season in the Cardinals' 95-year history. Palmer did not throw any interceptions in Thursday's game, marking the fifth time this season that he had a game with at least two touchdown passes and no interceptions. Only QB Tom Brady (seven), QB Aaron Rodgers (six), and QB Andy Dalton (six) have more games of this type in the current season. That ties the most such games for Palmer in one season in his career, having also had five in 2005.
WR Larry Fitzgerald has 38 receptions for 650 yards and eight touchdowns in six career regular season games against Philadelphia, including at least one touchdown catch in each game. With a touchdown catch against Philadelphia on Sunday Night Football, Fitzgerald would eclipse Pro Football Hall of Famer Jerry Ride (six), Isaac Bruce (six) and Rob Gronkowski (six) for the second-most consecutive regular-season games with a receiving touchdown against an opponent to start a career since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger.
WR John Brown had two 65+ yard touchdown reception from QB Carson Palmer in the last two weeks (Vikings and Rams). Over the last five seasons (since 2011), only three other players had a reception of at least 65 yards in consecutive games: WR Pierre Garcon of the Colts (Weeks 4 and 5 of 2011 season), the Giants' WR Victor Cruz (Weeks 16 and 17 in 2011), and the Browns' Josh Gordon (Weeks 13 and 14 in 2013). The last player to do so for the Cardinals was Hall-of-Famer WR Jackie Smith late in the 1967 season. Smith finished that season with 1205 receiving yards, ranking third in that category.
WR John Brown has three receptions for 65 or more yards in his two seasons in the NFL. Since the start of the 2014 season, only two players have more receptions of this length: WR Odell Beckham and WR Martavis Bryant, each with four.
Milestones
QB Carson Palmer (5,359) is 33 Passing Attempts attempts away from moving into 14th place on the NFL's all time list. In doing so he will pass QB Donovan McNabb (5,374) and QB Joe Montana (5,374).
QB Carson Palmer (255) needs 1 Passing TD to take sole ownership of 16th place on the NFL's all time list, passing QB Sonny Jurgensen (255).
WR Larry Fitzgerald (96) needs 4 touchdowns to reach 100 Career Receiving TDs. In doing so he will move into 10th place on the NFL's all time Receiving TD list, passing 'Split End' Don Hutson (99).
DE Dwight Freeney (115.5) is 4.5 sacks away from 120 career sacks. Freeny needs 6.5 sacks to move into 18th place on the NFL's all-time sack list, passing LB Clyde Simmons (121.5).
DE LaMarr Woodley (58.0) is 2 sacks away from 60 career sacks.
DE Calais Campbell (46.0) is 4 sacks away from 50 career sacks. Campbell is 2 sacks away from moving into 4th place on the Cardinals' all time sack list, passing LB Ken Harvey (47.5).
RB/PR Darren Sproles (17,757) is 243 All-Purpose yards from 18,000 career All-Purpose Yards. Sproles needs 412 All-Purpose yards to move into 10th place on the NFL's All-Purpose yards list, passing RB Herschel Walker (18,168).
Matchups to Watch
Cardinals WR Larry Fitzgerald vs. Eagles S Malcolm Jenkins
The Cardnals will line up Fitzgerald in the slot most of the time and that means Jenkins, back in the slot corner role, will have his toughest match-up of the season. Fitz leads the Cards with 96 catches for 1,088 yards and seven touchdowns this season.
Cardinals G Jon Cooper vs. Eagles DE Fletcher Cox
Cooper was the Cardinals' first-round draft pick out of North Carolina in 2013 and will get tested early and often by Cox, who is coming off two good games and his best game last Sunday against the Bills. If Cooper can contain him, the Cards offense should have a big day.
Cardinals' pass defense vs. Eagles QB Sam Bradford
Bradford, who has put together four good games around missing two with injury, faces a Cardinals defense that has limited quarterbacks to a 78.1 quarterback rating this season. The Cards have 16 interceptions this season, while allowing just 18 touchdown passes.
GILBERT GARDINER’S SUPERCOACH TOP 40 GILBERT GARDINERHERALD SUN FEBRUARY 03, 2019 You just can’t go past the Richmond ace priced to be the best SuperCoach selection in 2019. SuperCoach “arbitrage” is a term coined by our own well-heeled fantasy investor Dan Begala that, for punters not in the loop, effectively means buying high-powered stocks at bargain-basement prices. POINTS: SCORING EXPLAINED AND HOW TO EXPLOIT IT SUPERCOACH: PICK A TEAM WITHOUT EVEN TRYING CASH COWS: SUPERCOACH PRE-SEASON ROOKIE BIBLE The secret to AFL SuperCoach, Australia’s biggest and best fantasy game with a $50,000 cash prize for the overall winner, is finding the balance between price and potential. Martin epitomises that balance. His price, based on last year’s performance - somewhat marred by niggling injuries and hunger issues - just doesn’t do justice the quality the scoring capabilities of the 2017 Brownlow Medallist and premiership hero. Richmond star Dustin Martin is priced just $563,800. Patrick Dangerfield is available as a forward. Picture: Tim Carrafa Picking the top 40 players in SuperCoach was a difficult task, but the top five basically picked themselves, in order. The top 40 was devised on the following SuperCoach principles: price, potential, balance, expectation and consistency. Patrick Dangerfield is a nose behind Martin because he costs almost $100,000 more but has the added bonus of dual-position status, while Josh Kelly is ready to explode. Brodie Grundy is just too expensive given the evenness of ruck stocks but must be included based on his massive scoring potential, while Rory Laird would be the first-picked defender in almost every team. I took a few liberties, let’s call them wildcards, and hope to strike gold on that front. Sam Walsh spearheads the draftees but 18-year-olds are few and far between in the top 40, with selectors (me) siding with mature-aged recruits. Is Brett Bewley the next Tim Kelly or will pint-sized Bulldog Ben Cavarra boot bags of goals? I’m backing them in. Adam Treloar and Marcus Bontempelli map nicely for strong 2019 seasons while Jack Macrae slid down the rankings based purely on price. If Macrae is able to replicate his 2018 season then the slick Bulldogs midfielder will be firmly in Gilbert Guidance’s mid-season sights. Toby Greene edged out draftee Nick Blakey inside the top 20 while a couple of familiar faces snuck into the lower half of the draw. With AFLX and JLT Series matches to come, there could be other players who emerge as worthy candidates ahead of Round 1. Stay tuned. Brodie Grundy is the top-priced player in SuperCoach 2019.
Dustin Martin ($563,800, Mid) Richmond
Pound for pound the most damaging player in the competition, able to accumulate possessions freely across the field and no stranger to bobbing up in the big moments with an important goal. Just ticks every box.
Patrick Dangerfield ($660,500, Mid-Fwd) Geelong
Will be the most popular player in SuperCoach bar none given scoring power and dual-position status. Only a few players in this competition are capable of punching out regular 150-point games and Dangerfield is one of them.
Josh Kelly ($617,800, Mid) GWS Giants
Forget last season when hampered by a groin injury, the Giants star and most tantalising out-of-contract player in the business is primed to rediscover the form which delivered him an All-Australian blazer in 2017.
Brodie Grundy ($708,200, Ruck) Collingwood)
Not beyond the realms for Grundy — the most expensive player in the game — to replicate last season and be the leading scorer, but hard to stomach the lofty price tag for a ruckman.
Rory Laird ($587,600, Def) Adelaide
A proven scorer and worthy of being the first-picked defender in any serious SuperCoach outfit.
Lachie Neale ($607,300, Mid) Brisbane
Flew under the radar at Fremantle and expect more of the same in Brisbane with Dayne Zorko still the primary tag target. Neale’s averaged 109 and 111 the past two years in an inferior midfield, loads more upside here.
Lachie Whitfield ($542,100, Def) GWS Giants
The Don Bradman of SuperCoach? Averaged 99.9 last season after 97.6 the year before. Get on now or forever hold your peace.
Jordan De Goey ($476,400, Fwd) Collingwood
Wildcard selection? Absolutely. Too high? Probably. But De Goey’s knack of kicking goals in bunches and then punching into the midfield makes the Dusty clone an irresistible cut-priced forward option after averaging a tick under 90 points last year. Expect him to settle around the ton.
Will Setterfield ($144,900, Mid-Fwd) Carlton
Hard to go past the 20-year-old former No.5 draft pick desperate to get his AFL career going after two seasons ravaged by injury at GWS Giants. Take on trust.
Brett Bewley ($117,300, Mid) Fremantle
Making every post a winner in the west is the mature-aged recruit, who earned an AFL lifeline after five seasons at VFL club Williamstown. The Dockers midfield is screaming out for hard and mature bodies a la Michael Barlow at his prime.
Max Gawn ($692,100, Ruck) Melbourne
Slipped 10 spots on last year only because of the price point. Like Grundy, head and shoulders above the next best ruckman.
Adam Treloar ($594,200, Mid) Collingwood
The apprenticeship is over for Treloar, who has averaged low 100s the past five seasons. With Dayne Beams at the club and Scott Pendlebury closer to the end than the beginning, the explosive midfielder looks primed to take the Pies’ No.1 midfield crown.
Marcus Bontempelli ($564,600, Mid) W.Bulldogs
Put a line through the last two years when Bontempelli, like the Bulldogs, laboured in the home-and-away season. Much like Treloar, the premiership-winning Bulldog boasts the class and experience to average 115-120 points.
Zach Merrett ($544,800, Mid) Essendon
Slight hiccup at training recently but ball magnet Merrett will be OK for Round 1 barring any further setbacks. Dylan Shiel’s arrival eases the burden on Merrett, who fell back to the pack a bit last year after an early concussion. Trampoline time.
Isaac Heeney ($529,200, Mid-Fwd) Sydney
We have been patient, we have been hopeful, and while Heeney’s back-to-back 97-point seasons is nothing to be sneezed at the Swans X-factor needs to find another gear. Backing him in but watching closely.
Dylan Shiel ($487,000, Mid) Essendon
Fell back to the pack last year - averaging high 80s - after nudging 100s the seasons prior. A new club and outlook, with luck from injury, bodes well for the explosive and evasive runner.
Isaac Quaynor ($153,300, Def) Collingwood
Built like a brick outhouse, the dashing Magpie has made all the right noises towards a possible Round 1 debut. Like all the draftees and recruits, watch closely in the JLT Series.
Jack Macrae ($689,700, Mid) W.Bulldogs
Broke out last year rivalling the likes of Grundy and Mitchell for top-billing before injury struck late in the season. Sheer weight of numbers works in Macrae’s favour but the price tag just too much this early in the piece. Certainly an upgrade target.
Sam Walsh ($207,300, Mid) Carlton
This KID will be the next GOAT if talk out of Princes Park sticks. The No.1 draft pick has not put a foot wrong this pre-season and left onlookers with mouths agape. Expensive yes but this might well be the cheapest we ever see Walsh.
Toby Greene ($354,600, Fwd) GWS Giants
Has all the tools and tricks to be a triple-figure scorer but injury and style makes Greene a dangerous selection for any serious SuperCoach. That said, at $354,600 it is impossible to ignore the Giants’ X-factor should he be cleared to play Round 1.
Nick Blakey ($166,800, Fwd) Sydney
One of the most talked about draftees for quite some time but with good reason. The son of a North Melbourne and Fitzroy gun has the size and temperament to figure early in the season.
Nic Newman ($394,100, Def) Carlton
Will get every chance to cement a role in the Blues’ 22 with Sam Docherty sidelined again. Scored well enough in Sydney to suggest should appreciate greater responsibility in Navy Blue.
Connor Rozee ($189,300, Def-Fwd) Port Adelaide
Bit pricey but looks a safe bet should he do enough in the JLT to press for selection. The South Australian can play across half-forward and press up onto the wing vacated by Jared Polec.
Aaron Hall ($389,200, Mid) North Melbourne
Wildcard III. Tempting price point and upside enormous but it has been quite some time since Hall last played consistently well enough to warrant selection. Injury cruelled the Tasmania-born speedster at Gold Coast last year also. With a clean run at it could be one of the SuperCoach recruits of the year.
Ben Cavarra ($117,300, Fwd) W.Bulldogs
Ticks a few boxes (price, job security, hunger, position) does the ex-Williamstown small forward thrown an AFL lifeline by the Bulldogs. The 20 year-old livewire booted 34 goals in the VFL last year. Will get his chance.
Andrew McGrath ($384,300, Def) Essendon
A late entry and straight into the top-30 the dashing former No.1 draft pick might be just about ready to blossom in his third campaign. McGrath averaged 70 last season and no reason why that number won’t surge towards three digits should he get some midfield minutes.
Chad Wingard ($481,100, Mid-Fwd) Hawthorn
Want to see Wingard in brown and gold before I decide to shell out that sort of money for the two-time All-Australian. A genuine rollercoaster player able to score 100s just as effortlessly as he banks 60-70 points.
Jarrod Berry ($434,300, Mid)
Tough midfield likely to get greater opportunity with Dayne Beams moving on. Need to see him perform on the big stage and get enough possessions regularly enough to warrant selection.
Chris Burgess ($123,900, Def-Fwd) Gold Coast
One of three state-league players picked up by the Suns and as we know, someone’s got to score points this season. The 22-year-old qualified teacher has the body to press for selection early.
Oliver Florent ($359,300, Mid) Sydney
Loads of talent and toughness, with the Swans perilously parked at the intersection of rebuild and slide the talented midfielder might just get his chance. Averaged 66 last year, capable of adding 20-odd points to that.
Luke Valente ($117,300, Mid) Fremantle
Draft slider sure to get his chance at Fremantle. Watch the JLT Series closely.
Marty Hore ($117,300, Def) Melbourne
A winner of back-to-back best-and-fairests for Collingwood’s VFL team, the dashing defender rates highly to pinch a spot in Simon Goodwin’s best 22.
Matthew Parker ($117,300, Fwd) St Kilda
Wildcard IV. Looks to have all the tools and just what St Kilda needs in the forward half: speed, hunger and x-factor, Parker just needs to put it all together and cement a spot in the line-up. If he can kick a goal or three a week and put on pressure inside 50m the Saints recruit could be a handy cash cow option.
Jack Scrimshaw ($149,800, Def) Hawthorn
One-time No.7 draft pick made just four appearances in two seasons at Gold Coast. Gets his chance to earn a spot in Alastair Clarkson’s team.
Ben McKay ($123,900, Def)
With Majak Daw sidelined emerging defender McKay might well slot into the Kangaroos back half as the third tall and intercept marking weapon. The Kangaroos have been patient with the powerful swingman.
Jackson Hately ($148,800, Mid) GWS Giants
Hard to break to into the Giants star-studded line-up but watch JLT Series closely for Hately looks ready-made for the rigours of AFL. Played 12 SANFL games last year and dominated in AFL Academy game against North Melbourne’s VFL team.
Taylor Walker ($343,500, Fwd) Adelaide
Dropped a stack of weight in the off-season and will be furious having watched the Crows plummet from a Grand Final to outside the eight last year. If the Crows rebound a lot of that will be off Walker’s boot.
Liam Stocker ($126,300, Mid) Carlton
Hard-working midfielder will get a chance to shine. Whether it is early or not that is yet to be determined, but profiles to not be out of place at the level. If he gets picked suspect Stocker will make it hard for Bolton to drop him.
Paul Ahern ($375,100, Mid) North Melbourne
Delivered for us last year as a late-season cash cow and therefore comes at a premium price for what is effectively a second-year player. Ahern oozes class and with added confidence could find a few more gears this season. Nice off-Broadway mid-priced option.
Tom Liberatore ($300,400, Mid) W.Bulldogs
Wildcard V. Hard to ignore at the price but coming back from second knee reconstruction just makes Libba that little bit of an awkward buy. Is a 95-point average acceptable/attainable? If so, get on
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