Pro Football Focus: Analysis and Grades for Saints/Seattle
 

SEA-NO GRADES: DREW BREES CARVES UP SEATTLE PASS DEFENSE IN WIN
New Orleans Saints 25, Seattle Seahawks 20

Here are the highest-graded players and top takeaways from New Orleans’ 25-20 Week 8 win over Seattle:

New Orleans Saints

Quarterback grade: Drew Brees, 79.4

Brees and Co. push through Seahawks’ stout defense

The exploits of the “undersized” future Hall-of-Fame QB Drew Brees have become an expectation, and this matchup against the Seattle secondary proved to be another notch in the belt of a great career. Brees was able to pepper the defense with 27 completions on 33 aimed passes, distributing the payload between his trio of talented receivers (Brandin Cooks, Willie Snead and Michael Thomas).

Top offensive grades:

LG Andrus Peat, 81.0

WR Willie Snead, 79.5

QB Drew Brees, 79.4

LT Terron Armstead, 78.9

WR Michael Thomas, 76.9

The Saints’ offense doesn’t miss a beat

With wins in three of their last four games, New Orleans could be on the verge of a playoff push. A big key to the victory proved to be the ability of Saints playmakers to work after the catch. Willie Snead led the way with 6.8 yards after the catch and rookie second-round pick Michael Thomas continued to display first-round talent by collecting all six of his targeted passes for a team-high 63 receiving yards. After RB Mark Ingram was benched following a fumble, RB Tim Hightower stepped in to collect 102 rushing yards and posted a 2.6 yard-after-contact per-carry average.

Top defensive grades:

DL Cameron Jordan, 83.8

LB Craig Robertson, 76.6

CB B.W. Webb, 73.9

SS Kenny Vaccaro, 73.6

FS Vonn Bell, 71.1

Surprising performance from Saints’ secondary

A top-five graded performer at 4-3 defensive end, Cameron Jordan continued his magnificent season with the game’s highest grade. He earned one hit on Russell Wilson as part of his six total pressures, a batted pass and a pair of run stops.
The secondary played a huge role in stunting the Seahawks’ passing offense, led by the efforts of CB B.W. Webb, SS Kenny Vaccaro and FS Vonn Bell. Webb (0.30), Vaccaro (0.67) and Bell (0.78) each limited their total coverage responsibilities to average less than one yard per coverage snap.

PFF Game-Ball Winner: Saints D-lineman Cameron Jordan

Entire story: https://www.profootballfocus.com/pro...l-week-8-game/

Re: Pro Football Focus: Analysis and Grades for Saints/Seattle
 

Hell yeah on PEAT.

http://prod.images.saints.clubs.nflc...960&height=720

http://prod.images.saints.clubs.nflc...960&height=720
FWIW, Jairus Byrd's numbers vs Seattle:

8 tackles and 2 assists. I know we would prefer pick 6's but he did his job yesterday.

Re: Pro Football Focus: Analysis and Grades for Saints/Seattle
 

Re: Pro Football Focus: Analysis and Grades for Saints/Seattle
 

Like the idea of what PFF is trying to do in so far as grading players, would like to know how they grade as their grades don't sync with what I'm seeing...

Cam Jordan played much better this week containing the edge and applying pressure rather than knifing through and allow the opposition to either geaux underneath or get outside of him...

Robertson and Stupar deserve better grades - their play was outstanding...

Andrus Peat is really coming on and if Armstead continues to be fragile, have no problem with him as our Left Tackle...

Michael Thomas is not only the top rookie wide receiver, but is a top ten wide receiver in this league...

Tim Hightower deserves more love as well...

Re: Pro Football Focus: Analysis and Grades for Saints/Seattle
 

Does anyone know how many of those catches for Thomas were against Sherman? I remember thinking that Thomas was definitely holding his own against him in the first half.

Re: Pro Football Focus: Analysis and Grades for Saints/Seattle
 

From the stats I saw: Michael went 2-2 for 19 yards lined up against Sherman. My understanding is that Sherman always lines up on the left side though.

Re: Pro Football Focus: Analysis and Grades for Saints/Seattle
 

Did you guys notice that play where Peat just flattened his guy?

Re: Pro Football Focus: Analysis and Grades for Saints/Seattle
 

Which play was it? I'll go back and watch!

Re: Pro Football Focus: Analysis and Grades for Saints/Seattle
 

Peat has found a home. Ok now we need to groom a RT and RG. ones with a swing skill set

Re: Pro Football Focus: Analysis and Grades for Saints/Seattle
 

I hope you are correct sir, it does seem that his play has improved

Re: Pro Football Focus: Analysis and Grades for Saints/Seattle
 

Re: Pro Football Focus: Analysis and Grades for Saints/Seattle
 

HOW WE GRADE
Our patent-pending approach to rating is thorough, one of a kind, and goes beyond the surface of the game. View details of PFF’s partnership with the Pro Coach Network, which reviews every PFF grade, here.

STEP 1
We grade. An analyst grades every single player and every single play on a scale of -2 to +2.

STEP 2
We grade again. A second analyst grades every single player and every single play on a scale of -2 to +2.

STEP 3
We grade a third time. A third analyst rules on any differences between the first two.

STEP 4
We verify. Our grades are verified by the Pro Coach Network and their 400 years of combined NFL and college coaching experience.

STEP 5
Advanced Normalization: The raw grades are normalized to better account for the situation; this ranges from where the player lined up to the drop-back depth of the quarterback, to everything in between.

STEP 6
We set the grade. Convert to 1-100 scale.

https://www.profootballfocus.com/about/how-we-grade/

Re: Pro Football Focus: Analysis and Grades for Saints/Seattle
 

Thanks Danno, for posting; I've read that before on PFF, but the devil is in the details...

I'd like to see the score and notes sheets; I'd like to see their "objectivity scales"...

Re: Pro Football Focus: Analysis and Grades for Saints/Seattle
 

Things are looking up. I believe in this young team. Peat is shutting up the doubters too. I love it.

Re: Pro Football Focus: Analysis and Grades for Saints/Seattle
 

Healthy Armstead-Peat-Unger could be devastating...

Re: Pro Football Focus: Analysis and Grades for Saints/Seattle
 

Me too. lets go with the best case here

So peat can in a pinch kick out to LOT if needed. Problem one solved

Problem 2 ROG
It is easier to find a swing OG than it is a swing OT. one with the skill set to kick out as a RT and/or center.

Draft?

Re: Pro Football Focus: Analysis and Grades for Saints/Seattle
 

You are correct Hagan, draft is the right way to go. I think the Saints should keep looking at RTs and RGs in the coming drafts. Id like a guy that could switch on all three interior positions and one guy that could play both RG and RT.

Re: Pro Football Focus: Analysis and Grades for Saints/Seattle
 

I agree with drafting some young talent to eventually take over at RG and RT, but nothing too urgent is needed. Even at age 33, both Evans and Strief are still playing excellent football. Getting another 2 or 3 years of high productivity from them wouldn't be unusual, lineman can last a very long time in the NFL.

Re: Pro Football Focus: Analysis and Grades for Saints/Seattle
 

Pretend Football Facts at it again, I see. We all know Brees and his receivers had a pretty solid, though unspectacular day. No Hightower? An over 80 grade for Peat? That's real cute. And I respect that Armstead is trying to play through pain unlike a certain player who lives on the inactive list, but he has been barely adequate by his standards since his injury. He looks a little better of late, as he's hopefully getting healthy, but that grade is too high.

It is apparent to me that PFF tries to make themselves seem smart by overlooking good performances and rewarding average play, by spinning some tale to make us believe that what we saw was just our imagination. Amusing.