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November 9, 2017 at 8:44 am #77173
znModerator2017 midseason NFL All-Pro team
Field Yates
http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/21341181/2017-midseason-nfl-all-pro-team-field-yates
We’ve cruised past the halfway point of the NFL’s regular season, and the playoffs are in sight. A lot can change between now and then, but it’s a natural jumping-off point to assess how players have performed through the first nine weeks.
So, let’s take a look who has been the best of the best in 2017 with our midseason All-Pro team.
Quarterback: Carson Wentz, Philadelphia Eagles
With 23 passing touchdowns and just five interceptions, Wentz has emerged as one of the best players in football regardless of position. The Eagles quarterback has outstanding in-pocket mobility to extend plays and out-of-pocket mobility to hurt a defense with his legs. He has made enormous strides as a thrower and rectified some of the mechanics concerns from 2016, leading the Eagles to an NFL-best 8-1 record. He narrowly edges out Tom Brady for the top spot here, with Alex Smith also in the mix.
Running back: Todd Gurley, Los Angeles Rams
Probably the hardest position to choose from is running back, as easy cases can be made for a handful of players. Ultimately Gurley, who ranks second in yards from scrimmage with 1,024 this season, takes the recognition. Beyond his rushing contributions, which includes a league-leading seven touchdowns, he has been dynamic in the passing game with 29 catches for 338 yards and three touchdowns. He creates yards after first contact and could play in any situation Los Angeles would need him to.
Flex: Kareem Hunt, Kansas City Chiefs
It speaks to Hunt and Gurley’s brilliance that Le’Veon Bell could be excluded from this list. Hunt leads the NFL in 20-plus yard carries (eight), yards from scrimmage (1,131) and has made Kansas City’s offense decidedly more difficult to defend. He’s a useful player in the passing game with 32 catches for 331 yards and two touchdowns. He also wears defenses down, rushing for 334 yards in the fourth quarter — 99 more than any other player this season.
Wide receiver: Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh Steelers
Brown has been the best player at a position that’s saturated with talent. There’s not a blip of weakness in his game, as he leads the NFL with 835 receiving yards and 57 catches. He’s arguably as consistent a player as the game has.
Wide receiver: DeAndre Hopkins, Houston Texans
It was marvelous to see the harmony immediately formed between Hopkins and Deshaun Watson, who helped galvanize the entire franchise. During the six games that Watson started, Hopkins — who has the best body control to make contested catches in tight spaces of any receiver in the game — averaged 91.8 yards and a touchdown per game. He’s on pace for 184 targets. Minnesota’s Adam Thielen came into consideration for this spot too.
Tight end: Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs
The tight end position is a dual role that includes impacting the passing game as a target while holding the fort as a blocker. Kelce can contribute in both areas, starring as a pass-catcher. He leads all NFL tight ends with 51 catches and 629 receiving yards, and his five touchdowns trail only Philadelphia’s Zach Ertz’s six among tight ends. Kelce has five games this season with at least seven catches.
Left tackle: Andrew Whitworth, Los Angeles Rams
Many Rams are getting deserved credit for their performance this season, including Gurley, head coach Sean McVay and vastly improved quarterback Jared Goff. But let’s not overlook the steadying force of Whitworth. He has helped keep Goff upright and pave lanes in the running game as L.A. has allowed just 10 sacks, tied for second fewest in the NFL, and rushed for 131.9 yards per game, fifth-best in the NFL.
Left guard: Justin Pugh, New York Giants
While the Giants’ offensive line is a steady target for criticism, Pugh is far from the issue. He’s versatile enough to move to other spots in a pinch, but his best play has come as an interior force at left guard. With an expiring contract, expect the former first-round pick to cash in this offseason.
Center: Max Unger, New Orleans Saints
There’s a lot to be encouraged about with the Saints right now. Defensively, they’ve had an incredible turnaround. The offensive backfield is magnificent, but the reliability, communication and leadership of Unger in the middle of the line cannot be overlooked. He has played every snap this season.
Right guard: Zack Martin, Dallas Cowboys
There isn’t a hole in Martin’s game. He can dominate at the point of attack with strength, he’s athletic and coordinated enough to play in space, and he’s a rugged tone-setter. He isn’t just the best guard in football, he might be the best offensive lineman, period.
Right tackle: Lane Johnson, Philadelphia Eagles
When the Eagles lost All-Pro tackle Jason Peters, who would’ve been an excellent choice for this piece at left tackle, to ACL and MCL tears in the Week 7 win over Washington, some wondered if the team would move Johnson from the right side to the left. Philly opted not to, in part because that would team new starters at two positions, but I’d presume part of it is just how good Johnson is at anchoring the right side. With the litany of talented pass-rushers in the NFL, a pair of good tackles is essential. The long, athletic Johnson is a rock.
Defensive end: DeMarcus Lawrence, Dallas Cowboys
It’s hard to overstate just how dominant of a force Lawrence has been this season, as he’s second in the NFL with 10.5 sacks, including at least one in seven of eight games played. He has catalyzed the Dallas front seven with a combination of length and explosive power. At the age of 25 and in the final year of his contract, Lawrence could cash in with a new deal this offseason.
Defensive end: Everson Griffen, Minnesota Vikings
Perhaps an overlooked standout relative to other pass-rushers around the league, Griffen has been as consistent of a player as there is in the league this year on defense. He has at least one sack in all eight of Minnesota’s games this season for a total of 10.0. He’s forceful at the point of attack and a relentless rusher.
Defensive tackle: Calais Campbell, Jacksonville Jaguars
Arguably the biggest free-agency splash in the 2017 offseason has proven to be the best so far. Campbell has helped turn the franchise fortunes around in Jacksonville with his rare blend of reach, power, technique and pursuit that has translated to 34 tackles and an NFL-best 11.0 sacks.
Defensive tackle: Aaron Donald, Los Angeles Rams
It was hard to envision anything other than immediate success for Donald under new coordinator Wade Phillips, as the routinely dominant defensive player was bound to be used resourcefully. And Donald has delivered. Look past his 4.0 sacks and 19 tackles as he’s a play-wrecking force with an unparalleled first step and ability to use his leverage.
Outside linebacker: Von Miller, Denver Broncos
The best pass-rusher in football is on pace for yet another double-digit-sack season — he should breeze right past the 10.0 sack mark since he’s already at 8.0. And he’s doing it in his typical fashion: He anticipates snap counts better than any defender and is the most explosive edge player in the league.
Inside linebacker: Luke Kuechly, Carolina Panthers
The ultimate quarterback for any defense, Kuechly is once again piling up tackles with 65 through nine games. His instincts and anticipatory skills are elite, he can hang with almost any tight end in coverage, and his communication skills on the field provide invaluable leadership. He’s always in the right spot and ensures his teammates are as well.
Outside linebacker: Chandler Jones, Arizona Cardinals
Jones is on some kind of roll in 2017. He has a sack in all but one game this season for 9.0 total. He can bend the edge with unique length and closes on quarterbacks in an instant. He has carried a heavy pass-rushing load this year after Markus Golden suffered an ACL tear. Jones has most certainly met the challenge.
Cornerback: Patrick Peterson, Arizona Cardinals
The most important statistic as it pertains to Peterson is that he doesn’t have a single interception this season. But before you call for backward logic, hear me out: Quarterbacks don’t dare throw his way. He’s the best shutdown cornerback in the NFL.
Cornerback: Xavier Rhodes, Minnesota Vikings
Much like Peterson, Rhodes has eliminated opposing top wide receivers. He has unique length for the position and excellent speed. He’s physical and tough, a requirement to play cornerback for Mike Zimmer. The “Rhodes Closed” mantra he lives by is an accurate one.
Safety: Harrison Smith, Minnesota Vikings
Smith does it all for the Vikings secondary, as he has terrific on-ball production in the passing game this season with three interceptions and six passes defensed, while also flexing versatility. He has 1.5 sacks and 43 sacks as the quarterback of a secondary that has helped lead Minnesota to the top of the NFC North.
Safety: Earl Thomas, Seattle Seahawks
No safety has the ability to impact a play more than Thomas, whose instincts and anticipation are rare. He’s a willing and powerful tackler plus an incredible center fielder in the back end of this defense. He has two interceptions and a forced fumble this season. He’s the standard-setter at safety in the NFL.
Kicker: Greg Zuerlein, Los Angeles Rams
Not to be overlooked in the Rams’ early season surge is the terrific special-teams play. Zuerlein leads the NFL with a field goal percentage of 96.0 percent. He’s also 12-for-12 on kicks longer than 40 yards, and he hasn’t missed an extra point yet.
Punter: Johnny Hekker, Los Angeles Rams
The clear-cut best player at the position is having yet another exemplary season. More than 55 percent of his punts have been downed inside the 20 with just one touchback. He’s also incredible at directional punts. The Rams’ coverage groups have been great as well. No team has surrendered fewer punt-return yards than the Rams’ 41.
Returner: Jamal Agnew, Detroit Lions
The rookie has the kind of athletic ability that catches your eyes every time he has the football in his hands. He has a pair of punt-return touchdowns already this season, the most in the NFL. His punt-return average of 19.4 yards is 5.6 yards better than the next qualified returner. The fifth-rounder has also handled seven kickoff returns.
November 9, 2017 at 8:54 am #77174znModeratorSean McVay’s culture change has Rams rolling at midseason
Alden Gonzalez
Here’s a look at the first half of the season for the Los Angeles Rams and a preview of what to expect in the second half.
First-half snapshot: At 6-2, the Rams are off to the kind of start few could’ve ever foreseen. Their offense, last in the NFL in yards each of the previous two years, has operated as one of the league’s best. And their defense is starting to resemble the dominant unit that was expected under coordinator Wade Phillips. In half a year, Sean McVay, the youngest head coach in modern NFL history, has turned Jared Goff into a capable starting quarterback, helped Todd Gurley recapture his dominant form and changed the Rams’ entire culture. Grade: Near perfection.
Midseason MVP: The question was whether he could get back to being who he was as a rookie, but Gurley has been even better than that. He’s running more efficiently than he did in 2015, when he finished with offensive rookie of the year honors, and factoring into the passing game like he never has. Gurley already has 10 total touchdowns, four more than all of last season, and has gained an NFC-leading 1,024 yards from scrimmage. He has benefited largely from a better passing attack, the product of significant improvements along the offensive line and at wide receiver. But Gurley himself has taken his game to another level after a disappointing 2016.
Best moment: The moment you knew Goff was a capable NFL quarterback? Probably the night of Sept. 21, while playing in front of family and friends at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. Goff torched his hometown San Francisco 49ers in an eventual 41-39 thriller. He went 22-of-28 for 292 yards, 3 touchdowns and zero turnovers, posting a 145.8 passer rating that was — until Sunday’s dismantling of the Giants — the highest of his career. He stepped up into the pocket to air a 47-yard deep ball to Sammy Watkins, delivered a 31-yard dart off one foot to Robert Woods and never got rattled as the game got close.
Worst moment: The Rams committed five turnovers, most of them avoidable, Oct. 8 at home against the division rival Seattle Seahawks. Cooper Kupp, their sure-handed rookie slot receiver, still had the potential winning touchdown in his hands. And he dropped it. On third-and-10, with 12 seconds left and the ball at the Seahawks’ 20-yard line, Kupp ran a skinny post and got free near the end zone. Goff’s throw was zipping toward him as soon as Kupp came out of his route, but the ball ricocheted off his fingertips on a diving attempt. The Rams lost 16-10, and now the Seahawks own the tiebreaker.
Second-half outlook: The Rams’ schedule gets tougher, with five of their eight remaining opponents sporting a winning record. They’re on the road against the Minnesota Vikings, Tennessee Titans and Seahawks, and at home against the New Orleans Saints and Philadelphia Eagles — all teams that could end up winning their respective divisions. But the Rams are fully healthy, a luxury few teams benefit from at the midway point. Their offense should only grow under McVay; their defense should only get better under Phillips. But as veteran left tackle Andrew Whitworth said, “The standard needs to keep rising.”
November 9, 2017 at 8:58 am #77175znModeratorBarnwell’s picks for NFL MVP, best rookies, more at midway point
Bill Barnwell
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Free agent signing of the year
It’s not an award, of course, but every front office in the league will have a discussion at some point during the year about which team came away with the best signing in free agency. There will always be more mistakes in March than success stories, and it’s easy to wonder what the Browns saw in Kenny Britt or why the 49ers paid Kyle Juszczyk millions more than any other fullback, but there are certainly a few teams that are happy with their big-ticket items from this spring.
On a smaller scale, the Bills have to be thrilled with kicker Stephen Hauschka, while the Colts got solid production out of John Simon before he went out with a stinger. More expensive players such as Denver guard Ronald Leary and Jags cornerback A.J. Bouye are in line to make the Pro Bowl, but there are two grizzled veterans on either side of the line of scrimmage competing here for me.
Bouye’s teammate in Jacksonville, Calais Campbell, is a strong candidate for Defensive Player of the Year. (More on that in a minute.) The former Cardinals star leads the league with 11 sacks and has tossed in 19 quarterback knockdowns. In the opposite corner, 35-year-old Andrew Whitworth has finally solidified the left tackle spot for the Rams, protecting Goff and making things easier for the rest of the players around him. Los Angeles has an effective offensive line for the first time since Orlando Pace was on the roster, and Whitworth is a big reason why.
Current winner: Andrew Whitworth, LT, Los Angeles Rams
I’ll go with Whitworth, just because his contract is far smaller. Campbell was basically paid superstar money, as his four-year, $60 million deal has $30 million guaranteed over two years, while Whitworth’s contract maxes out under $34 million over three seasons, with just $15 million guaranteed at signing.
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