PFF Ratings through 12 Weeks for Defense

[THE PISTONS]

Our defense is in need of a total rebuild and coaching changes. The poor coaches have destroyed promising players like Bates and Jackson. Tupou is surprising in a good way.

Judging by these ratings, we need 6 new starters.

The good defensive play as of late has nothing to do with Pratt starting for Brown. It's Dennard. Dennard has played really well and is good against the run.

Pratt and Vigil are TERRIBLE.

Defensive Line
Tupou 76.5
Andrew Brown 63
Wren 56.4 - Disappointing Draft Pick so far
Atkins 79.8 (He's definitely declined from past years.)
Billings 75.6
Glasgow 58.9 (Disappointing as he was really good last year before injury.)

Hubbard 67.4 (He's declined as of late.)
Lawson 61.2 (One-dimensional pass rusher)
Dunlap 82.7 (He's REALLY STEPPED UP as of late.)

LB
Nickerson 76.0 on limited snaps
Vigil 56.0 - Needs replaced as starter (He racks up tackles but largely down field.)
Pratt 40.0 - Terrible. He looked lost out there at times. Hopefully it starts to click for him.
Evans 62.0 - Doesn't play much. 1 Solo Tackle
Reynolds 37.8 - Terrible on limited snaps

DBs
Webb 57.1 - Our big free agent splash
Jackson 58.6 - Biggest travesty as our coaches seem to have ruined this guy. Has star potential.
Kirkpatrick 61.7
Dennard 75.3 - He's played well since coming off of IR. Helps our run defense too.

Bates 55.9 - Coaches appear to have ruined this guy too.
Wilson 47.6 - Great returner. Terrible Safety.
Williams 54.1

[*bengalfan74*]

When you look at guys like Bates and Jackson it's just a giant WTF ?

Pratt I feel is starting to get it, a little. But overall I still think our LBer play has what's killed this D.

[THE PISTONS]

(12-07-2019, 10:59 PM)bengalfan74 Wrote: When you look at guys like Bates and Jackson it's just a giant WTF ?

Pratt I feel is starting to get it, a little. But overall I still think our LBer play has what's killed this D.

The ratings scream terrible coaching to me.

Pratt and Vigil make Tackles...but not many stops and they miss a bunch. We'll see on Pratt.

I want to see a team attack our edge and use misdirection before I'll say any of these guys improved.

[J24]

Over the past month a lot of those numbers have gone up. Defense is actually improving as the season has gone on.

[THE PISTONS]

(12-08-2019, 12:03 AM)J24 Wrote: Over the past month a lot of those numbers have gone up. Defense is actually improving as the season has gone on.

Meh...guys like Pratt, Bates, Vigil, and Jackson have been consistently low all year.

Dunlap has improved A LOT. Guys like Tupou. And Dennard has made the defense improve with his run defense. THAT'S the difference. Dunlap is playing at a VERY high level.

[leonardfan40]

(12-08-2019, 12:06 AM)THE PISTONS Wrote: Meh...guys like Pratt, Bates, Vigil, and Jackson have been consistently low all year.

Dunlap has improved A LOT. Guys like Tupou. And Dennard has made the defense improve with his run defense. THAT'S the difference. Dunlap is playing at a VERY high level.

Hate to come in and be the downer, but I think the real difference is our last few opponents have all been bad on offense. I’ve seen some defensive improvement but I don’t think it’s even mediocre at this point. It’ll get exposed again the next time we play a good offense. The pats offense isn’t even good but I expect them to have their way with us anyway with their coaching

[*bfine32*]

Since the first time I ever watched Dennard play in the NFL, I said he should be a Safety.

[THE PISTONS]

(12-08-2019, 12:18 AM)leonardfan40 Wrote: Hate to come in and be the downer, but I think the real difference is our last few opponents have all been bad on offense. I’ve seen some defensive improvement but I don’t think it’s even mediocre at this point. It’ll get exposed again the next time we play a good offense. The pats offense isn’t even good but I expect them to have their way with us anyway with their coaching

The Steelers and Jets are definitely bottom 5 ranked offenses.

[THE PISTONS]

(12-08-2019, 12:19 AM)bfine32 Wrote: Since the first time I ever watched Dennard play in the NFL, I said he should be a Safety.

That's a good idea. He's a good tackler and has terrible hands.

[Nicomo Cosca]

Until recently when Dunlap has turned it on pretty much everyone except Hubbard, Billings, and Tupou have sucked.

It’s hard to accurately judge them as a whole when an entire position group (LB) has been so terrible.

[J24]

(12-08-2019, 12:06 AM)THE PISTONS Wrote: Meh...guys like Pratt, Bates, Vigil, and Jackson have been consistently low all year.

Dunlap has improved A LOT. Guys like Tupou. And Dennard has made the defense improve with his run defense. THAT'S the difference. Dunlap is playing at a VERY high level.

Vigil has been a top 10 off ball LB the past three weeks. You literally made a thread about it.  Both Safeties have gone up ten points. Atkins and Dunlap were both in the lower 70s and now there near 80 or above.

[THE PISTONS]

(12-08-2019, 12:46 AM)J24 Wrote: Vigil has been a top 10 off ball LB the past three weeks. You literally made a thread about it.  Both Safeties have gone up ten points. Atkins and Dunlap were both in the lower 70s and now there near 80 or above.

I did, but he still likely needs replaced. He's been bad this year. 3 games out of 11 isn't acceptable. Now, IF we go back to a 4-3, as a 3rd LB...he'd be ok.

In a 2 LB set...Vigil is too slow. Teams with speed will get outside on us.

Dunlap has really turned it on.

We've played 2 bottom 5 offenses the past couple weeks.

[Sled21]

(12-07-2019, 11:05 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: The ratings scream terrible coaching to me.

The ratings scream terrible raters to me. Hubbard's rating is a joke.

[J24]

(12-08-2019, 12:51 AM)THE PISTONS Wrote: I did, but he still likely needs replaced. He's been bad this year. 3 games out of 11 isn't acceptable. Now, IF we go back to a 4-3, as a 3rd LB...he'd be ok.

In a 2 LB set...Vigil is too slow. Teams with speed will get outside on us.

Dunlap has really turned it on.

We've played 2 bottom 5 offenses the past couple weeks.

The Jets came in scoring 34 points in 3 straight games we held them to 6 points.nwe held each of the last 3 opponents under 20 points. 
We still need a ton of work but it's not going to kill anyone to say there improving.

[J24]

(12-08-2019, 01:15 AM)Sled21 Wrote: The ratings scream terrible raters to me. Hubbard's rating is a joke.

Coverage has killed him.

[Murdock2420]

Dennard is going to cash in this time in Free Agency and I really doubt he stays here.

[*rfaulk34*]

(12-08-2019, 12:06 AM)THE PISTONS Wrote: Meh...guys like Pratt, Bates, Vigil, and Jackson have been consistently low all year.

In the last 4 weeks, Pratt has consistently gotten better. Bates and Vigil only have 1 bad grade each in the last 4 weeks. WJ3 has not been good though. 

[J24]

(12-08-2019, 01:22 AM)Murdock2420 Wrote: Dennard is going to cash in this time in Free Agency and I really doubt he stays here.

He is injury prone, older, and he still isn't a superstar. He'll get a decent contract but not a great one.

[*SHRacerX*]

(12-07-2019, 10:53 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: Our defense is in need of a total rebuild and coaching changes. The poor coaches have destroyed promising players like Bates and Jackson. Tupou is surprising in a good way.

Judging by these ratings, we need 6 new starters.

The good defensive play as of late has nothing to do with Pratt starting for Brown. It's Dennard. Dennard has played really well and is good against the run.

Pratt and Vigil are TERRIBLE.

Defensive Line
Tupou 76.5
Andrew Brown 63
Wren 56.4 - Disappointing Draft Pick so far
Atkins 79.8 (He's definitely declined from past years.)
Billings 75.6
Glasgow 58.9 (Disappointing as he was really good last year before injury.)

Hubbard 67.4 (He's declined as of late.)
Lawson 61.2 (One-dimensional pass rusher)
Dunlap 82.7 (He's REALLY STEPPED UP as of late.)

LB
Nickerson 76.0 on limited snaps
Vigil 56.0 - Needs replaced as starter (He racks up tackles but largely down field.)
Pratt 40.0 - Terrible. He looked lost out there at times. Hopefully it starts to click for him.
Evans 62.0 - Doesn't play much. 1 Solo Tackle
Reynolds 37.8 - Terrible on limited snaps

DBs
Webb 57.1 - Our big free agent splash
Jackson 58.6 - Biggest travesty as our coaches seem to have ruined this guy. Has star potential.
Kirkpatrick 61.7
Dennard 75.3 - He's played well since coming off of IR. Helps our run defense too.

Bates 55.9 - Coaches appear to have ruined this guy too.
Wilson 47.6 - Great returner. Terrible Safety.
Williams 54.1

Thanks for doing this analysis.  Is there any way to get their Jets game performance outside of the YTD numbers?  For some reason, VIgil seems to be playing much better next to Pratt instead of Brown.  Ditto Bates with Dennard out there.  And the offensive line looked the best they had in probably the entire season.

[BengalsRocker]

(12-08-2019, 01:22 AM)Murdock2420 Wrote: Dennard is going to cash in this time in Free Agency and I really doubt he stays here.

(12-08-2019, 02:11 AM)J24 Wrote: He is injury prone, older, and he still isn't a superstar. He'll get a decent contract but not a great one.

I don't knock his play but his upcoming contract is troubling.

He's had seasons with poor rankings and injuries.

So who exactly is the real Dennard?

The solid tackler who can't create turnovers?

The player who improves run D and perhaps should be playing Safety instead?

He's been on the team 5 years and I don't know what he's worth.

The only thing I got, is if they suck at picking players in the draft lately and their idea of signing guys like Webb as "success in FA" then yeah... I'd probably say give him a deal.