Latest news with #PFN
USA Today
13 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Arizona Cardinals' biggest question mark is at WR, says Pro Football Network
What is the Cardinals' biggest question mark in 2025? Let's see what PFN has to say. As we wait for the start of training camp in late July, we have time to contemplate all the questions we have about the teams we cheer for. What is the biggest question mark for the Arizona Cardinals? There are many, but Pro Football Network put together the biggest question mark for every NFL team, and they picked one that many would agree with for the Cardinals. Arizona Cardinals' biggest question mark entering 2025 PFN says it is the Cardinals' wide receiver group. Marvin Harrison Jr. didn't have a bad rookie season, but after falling short of 1,000 receiving yards, he didn't live up to expectations in his first season with the Arizona Cardinals. Aside from Harrison, Arizona's receiving corps could use some improvement. Michael Wilson is a solid complementary piece, but they don't have a star. With him, Zay Jones, and Greg Dortch competing for touches, one of them will need to take the next step. This is fair. They truly have two position groups that are questionable — receiver and inside linebacker. Now, the question goes deeper than just the position. There are some questions that we might be able to answer by the end of the season. While Harrison wasn't great, he did have good games. But his usage was questionable. There was zero effort to try and get him the ball quickly and let him make things happen. Wilson and Dortch have not yet cracked 600 yards in a season. Jones had eight whole catches. It is certainly the least sure position the Cardinals have on offense. Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire's Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.
USA Today
5 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Who is Jacksonville Jaguars' top candidate to win Defensive Player of the Year?
Who is considered the Jaguars' top Defensive Player of the Year candidate for the 2025 NFL season? PFN recently weighed in. Who is considered the Jacksonville Jaguars' top Defensive Player of the Year candidate for the 2025 NFL season? Jacob Infante of Pro Football Network recently selected who he believes the top candidate is for each team. When it came to the Jaguars, defensive end Josh Hines-Allen was the pick. "The Jacksonville Jaguars rely heavily on Hines-Allen to get to the quarterback, as he's the fifth-highest-paid edge rusher in the NFL," wrote Infante. "If he bounces back to double digits (sacks), he'll generate plenty of league-wide attention." Hines-Allen was still quite productive last season. His 63 quarterback pressures were the 10th-most among defensive ends, and he ranked 16th in PFF's pass rush win rate. However, in comparison to his 2023 season, Hines-Allen's production took a step backward this past year, after he totaled 90 pressures and 19 sacks in 2023, ranking in the top five in both categories. Very much of note, former defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen had Hines-Allen and several other defenders put on weight last season. As Hines-Allen recalled during offseason programs recently, he was playing at 285 pounds in 2024, which came with "a little more wear and tear" on his body, as he put it. But this year, Liam Coen and Anthony Campanile wanted Hines-Allen--and others--back at his more natural playing weight. "I was 285," Hines-Allen said of his playing weight last season. "I was much bigger. My mindset was always to be as dominant but it was, obviously, holding a little bit more weight puts a little more wear and tear on the body. "It was a lot. Too much. Again, learned to adapt, have know what works best for you, something I tried, and something I'm like, alright, probably don't want to do that again. So we're working on maintaining a good goal for me this year and put some good tape out there." At a comfortable weight and in a more attacking defensive scheme under Campanile, the Defensive Player of the Year award and a few other accolades are what Hines-Allen is chasing. "To break the sack record," said Hines-Allen when asked what his goals were. "Be an All-Pro and win Defensive Player of the Year."
USA Today
21-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Indianapolis Colts appear twice on list of top 10 offenses since 2000
The Indianapolis Colts boast two of the NFL's best offenses since the year 2000, according to PFN's metrics. The Indianapolis Colts boast two of the NFL's best offenses since the year 2000, according to Pro Football Network's metrics. PFN recently analyzed the previous 25 years to find the league's best offenses during that span. To do this, PFN used their Offense+ metric, a weighted stat that takes into account yards per play, points per drive, turnover rate, success rate, and much more. On PFN's top 10 list, the Colts appeared twice. The first time was at No. 8 with the 2006 offense, which of course, helped the Colts in the Super Bowl that year. "The Colts' passing game was highly efficient, finishing with a 55.6% pass success rate and a +0.33 EPA per dropback," wrote PFN. "Indianapolis was elite on late downs, converting on 55% of its attempts. The offense also scored a touchdown on better than 66% of its red-zone trips." Overall, the Colts' offense that season averaged 26.6 points per game, which was the third-most in the NFL that year. By yards per play, they also ranked third, while Peyton Manning led the NFL in touchdowns and passer rating. Wide receivers Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne each surpassed 1,300 receiving yards, along with running back Joseph Addai eclipsing 1,000 yards on the ground. The Colts' second appearance on this list came at No. 3 with the 2004 offense. The Colts would go 12-4 that season, losing in the AFC Divisional round. "The Colts were firing on all cylinders in 2004, finishing the year with 6.7 yards per play and 2.78 points per drive," wrote PFN. "They had a 56.9% pass success rate, a 48.2% rush success rate, and a +0.26 EPA per play." This Colts' offense included four future Hall of Famers with Manning, Harrison, Wayne, and Edgerrin James. As noted by PFN, the Colts were first in scoring this season and second in yards. Manning would throw for over 4,500 yards with 49 touchdowns to just 10 interceptions, while leading the league in passer rating. Harrison and Wayne each eclipsed 1,100 receiving yards, with James totaling over 2,000 yards from scrimmage. Ranked ahead of the 2004 Colts were the 2007 New England Patriots at No.2 and then the 2020 Green Bay Packers at No. 1.
USA Today
13-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Who is the Jets' highest-graded QB this century?
Who is the Jets' highest-graded QB this century? The recent history of the quarterback position with the New York Jets hasn't been ideal. They've had seven different starting QBs since 2020, and since the turn of the century (2000), they've had 21 different starters. They've had some exciting flashes at the position along the way, with the likes of Brett Favre, Ryan Fitzpatrick, and Aaron Rodgers, but no one has been able to hold down the position for the long term during this century. Among the many QBs to start for the Jets throughout the last 25 years, which one of them had the best season? In Pro Football Network's list of the top QB seasons from each team since 2000, they determined that Chad Pennington's season in 2002 was the best QB performance for the Jets. PFN used their QB+ metrics to compile the list, which is a formula that assigns a score and letter grade to each QB's individual performance. It includes advanced data like success rate when pressured, third-down conversion rate, production from the pocket, and performance in the clutch. Here is what PFN said about Pennington and his standout season in 2002: No New York Jets quarterback has come close to Chad Pennington's 90.0 QB+ score from 2002. The Marshall product shined in his first season as the full-time starter, throwing for 3,120 yards, 22 touchdowns, and six interceptions. He also led the league in completion rate (68.9%) and passer rating (104.2). Pennington posted a +0.27 EPA per dropback, the best mark of his career. He also had 7.5 net yards per attempt — the highest by a Jets QB this century. In tight moments, he recorded a +0.33 EPA per dropback. And while he only had 16 designed rushes, Pennington made the most of them with a +0.43 EPA per carry. Pennington's 2002 season may not have been flashy, but his QB+ score ranked 43rd all time. The next closest Jets QB? Ryan Fitzpatrick in 2015, who ranked 206th. For Pennington, his stellar play on the field was ultimately minimized by the injury bug. Coming in as a first-round pick in 2000 after finishing fifth in the Heisman voting, Pennington was the backup for Vinny Testaverde until he finally got his chance in 2002. Coming into the lineup for a 1-4 Jets team, Pennington led them to a 9-7 record which won the AFC East division that year. During the preseason of 2003, Pennington broke his left wrist in what was the start of his injury downfall. He started just nine games that year and had a 4-5 record. He signed a large contract ahead of the 2004 season and he and the team started out with a 5-0 record. In Week 9, however, he injured his rotator cuff and missed three games, but he did return for a playoff win. After the '04 season, he underwent major surgery on his shoulder, and by Week 3 of the '05 season, he re-injured the same shoulder and was ruled out for the year. He returned in 2006, winning Comeback Player of the Year and leading the Jets to the playoffs again. But, because he couldn't return to his pre-injury form, the Jets traded him to the Dolphins in 2008. That year, he won Comeback Player of the Year again while leading the Dolphins to the playoffs. Unfortunately, the injury bug bit again after that season. He was forced to retire from the NFL in 2012 after he suffered a torn ACL to go with the nagging shoulder problems. Pennington finished his career with a 66% completion percentage, 17,823 passing yards, 109 total touchdowns, and 64 interceptions. Almost 20 years after Pennington was traded to the Dolphins, the Jets are still trying to find lightning in a bottle at the QB position like Pennington offered in his breakout 2002 season. They signed journeyman QB Justin Fields this offseason to be the latest signal caller to run the offense.
USA Today
28-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Who is Indianapolis Colts' top contender for Protector of the Year award?
Who is Indianapolis Colts' top contender for Protector of the Year award? Which of the Indianapolis Colts' offensive linemen should be considered the top contender for the NFL's new Protector of the Year award? Which of the Indianapolis Colts' offensive linemen should be considered the top contender for the NFL's new Protector of the Year award? It was reported last week that the NFL will be unveiling a new end-of-season award to go along with MVP and the other high-profile awards. The Protector of the Year will recognize the best offensive lineman each season and will be decided by a panel that features a number of former offensive linemen greats. Pro Football Network recently selected the top Protector of the Year candidate from each team and then ranked those players in terms of likelihood to win the inaugural award in 2025. For the Colts, the choice was pretty straightforward with PFN selecting Quenton Nelson, who was 12th overall in their rankings. "Nelson has been a Pro Bowler seven times (2018-24), while racking up five All-Pro nods along the way," wrote PFN. "He figures to be a strong contender for Protector of the Year and the anchor of the Indianapolis Colts' offense in 2025." In this most recent 2024 season, Nelson made his seventh consecutive Pro Bowl team and was also named a second-team All-Pro--his first All-Pro nod since the 2021 season. By PFF's metrics, Nelson ranked 15th among all guards in pass-blocking efficiency, and he was fourth in run-blocking grade, with Jonathan Taylor averaging 4.8 yards per rush when running to Nelson's direct left and 5.3 yards per rush when running to his direct right. At the top of PFN's rankings were Penei Sewell at No. 1, followed by Tristan Wirfs, Jordan Mailata, Creed Humphrey, and Trent Williams.
