Podcasts about Pro Football Focus

What are the things we couldn't stand when we were younger that we now appreciate as adults? Dan and Brandon put together their own Man Cave draft, picking the things they were told they'd eventually understand, appreciate, or even love — from school and vegetables to beer, coffee, early bedtimes, staying home, and more. But before the draft, the guys tackle a bigger sports question: how much should fans actually trust analytics? Are advanced statistics helping us understand players and teams, or are we sometimes just throwing numbers into an argument because they sound impressive? Dan and Brandon discuss Pro Football Focus, WAR, EPA, box scores, player grades, and why context still matters when evaluating athletes. Plus, Dan tries a Hamm's for the first time, the guys settle on their next Man Cave draft — the Top 5 Fullbacks of All Time — and another round of the Shake 7-14-21 game determines who has to bring the next beverage. It's another unscripted conversation about sports, getting older, and the things we eventually realize our parents were right about. The Man Cave Podcast — no scripts, no forced takes, just Man Cave talk.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Was the Steelers offensive line as bad as everyone is saying? Pro Football Focus thinks Dylan Cook is the team's best player through 2 games. Now, that's silly. Does the Steelers development with their linemen make any sense? Nobody within the team felt like moving players all over the place would backfire. When will either rookie get a look if others on the OL continue to struggle?

Former Steeler Trai Essex joined the show. Trai doesn't believe the offensive line played well at all on Sunday, despite what the folks at Pro Football Focus claim. Trai did defend Dylan Cook, saying he did play well outside of the viral play that looked like a football folly. Trai said Spencer Anderson was easily the worst guy up front. Trai doesn't understand the slow start for Troy Fautanu because he clearly has the tools to be great. He said Fautanu doesn't look sure of himself and is thinking too much when he's out there. Trai thought the unit was playing really well at the end of last season before they ran into the Texans in the playoffs. Did Mike McCarthy make a mistake by not playing the offensive line much together during the preseason? Trai isn't overreacting to Zach Frazier having a down game because he views Frazier as a Top 5-7 center in the game today. Trai thinks the Steelers need to look at the options behind Anderson at RG, with both Gennings Dunker and Brock Hoffman. Trai said Dunker has a lot of potential and compared him to Ramon Foster. Trai is excited for the next 2 Northwestern football games – Indiana and Penn State. Can TJ Watt work over Amarius Mims on Sunday? Trai said the Steelers don't have anything to hang their hat on offensively and they should get the football to Jaylen Warren as much as possible. Ray thinks the offensive line looks worse because of Aaron Rodgers and his overall lack of mobility.

Was the Steelers offensive line as bad as everyone is saying? Pro Football Focus thinks Dylan Cook is the team's best player through 2 games. Now, that's silly. Does the Steelers development with their linemen make any sense? Nobody within the team felt like moving players all over the place would backfire. When will either rookie get a look if others on the OL continue to struggle? Former Steeler Trai Essex joined the show. Trai doesn't believe the offensive line played well at all on Sunday, despite what the folks at Pro Football Focus claim. Trai did defend Dylan Cook, saying he did play well outside of the viral play that looked like a football folly. Trai said Spencer Anderson was easily the worst guy up front. Trai doesn't understand the slow start for Troy Fautanu because he clearly has the tools to be great. He said Fautanu doesn't look sure of himself and is thinking too much when he's out there. Trai thought the unit was playing really well at the end of last season before they ran into the Texans in the playoffs. Did Mike McCarthy make a mistake by not playing the offensive line much together during the preseason? Trai isn't overreacting to Zach Frazier having a down game because he views Frazier as a Top 5-7 center in the game today. Trai thinks the Steelers need to look at the options behind Anderson at RG, with both Gennings Dunker and Brock Hoffman. Trai said Dunker has a lot of potential and compared him to Ramon Foster. Trai is excited for the next 2 Northwestern football games – Indiana and Penn State. Can TJ Watt work over Amarius Mims on Sunday? Trai said the Steelers don't have anything to hang their hat on offensively and they should get the football to Jaylen Warren as much as possible. Ray thinks the offensive line looks worse because of Aaron Rodgers and his overall lack of mobility. PM Team Draft – Best Steelers OLs ever (must pick 1 from each position).

From 'Take The North' (subscribe here): The focus up at Halas Hall has shifted to the Vikings, the Bears opponent in Week 2. Of course, Dan Wiederer and Mark Grote are still marveling at that 59-point explosion by the Bears offense against the Panthers. What more can we expect against the Vikings? It will be a different test, as Vikings defense coordinator Brian Flores has a tough scheme to diagnose. How is Bears head coach Ben Johnson preparing for that test? Also in this episode, Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner had interesting perspective about grading quarterbacks after Pro Football Focus didn't have the best grade for quarterback Caleb Williams' performance against Carolina.

In the third hour, Leila Rahimi and Mark Grote discussed a variety of sports topics in the 5 On It segment. After that, former NFL receiver and current SiriusXM Radio host Adam Thielen joined the show to preview the Bears-Vikings game Sunday. Later, Rahimi and Grote discussed NBC analyst Cris Collinsworth's response to the backlash over Pro Football Focus' pedestrian grade for Bears quarterback Caleb Williams in his terrific performance in a win Sunday in the season opener. Collinsworth used to own PFF.

GBAG Nation highlights Tony Stewart's upcoming charity bowling event and the return of Wendy's nostalgic yellow packaging. They also delve into Jason La Canfora's report on the Browns targeting Arch Manning and debate the accuracy of Pro Football Focus player grades. (00:01:14) Charity Bowling And Wendy's (00:03:44) Browns Targeting Arch Manning (00:07:39) NFL Mock Draft Discussion (00:10:55) PFF Player Grade Controversy (00:14:54) Jon Rothstein Bar Tab

The focus up at Halas Hall has shifted to the Vikings, the Bears opponent in Week 2. Of course, Dan Wiederer and Mark Grote are still marveling at that 59-point explosion by the Bears offense against the Panthers. What more can we expect against the Vikings? It will be a different test, as Vikings defense coordinator Brian Flores has a tough scheme to diagnose. How is Bears head coach Ben Johnson preparing for that test? Also in this episode, Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner had interesting perspective about grading quarterbacks after Pro Football Focus didn't have the best grade for quarterback Caleb Williams' performance against Carolina.

Steve Palazzolo from the 33rd Team joined the show. Steve can't believe that he is still answering questions about Joey Porter Jr. every week. Steve said ‘he's just not an elite corner.' Steve added that he would categorize Porter as ‘good, not great.' What could the Steelers get for Porter in a trade? Steve doesn't think it would be a 1st or 2nd round pick, since it requires a payday to Peezy. Steve was mad at Poni for falling for the TJ Watt proclamation that he was given a negative play for his pick six Sunday afternoon by Pro Football Focus. It turned into a little argument over PFF's overall grading system.

Another turn in the Joey Porter Jr. saga as the Steelers corner left practice today with a trainer. Yesterday, he did not have an injury designation following practice. This changes the equation quite a bit. The guys both admitted to miscalculating the situation and thinking we were at the point where we would see Porter playing on Sunday. Now, it's hard to be very sure of that. Should the Steelers just take any trade offer for Joey Porter Jr. at this point? Steve Palazzolo from the 33rd Team joined the show. Steve can't believe that he is still answering questions about Joey Porter Jr. every week. Steve said ‘he's just not an elite corner.' Steve added that he would categorize Porter as ‘good, not great.' What could the Steelers get for Porter in a trade? Steve doesn't think it would be a 1st or 2nd round pick, since it requires a payday to Peezy. Steve was mad at Poni for falling for the TJ Watt proclamation that he was given a negative play for his pick six Sunday afternoon by Pro Football Focus. It turned into a little argument over PFF's overall grading system.

David Haugh and Jarrett Payton reacted to Pro Football Focus giving Bears quarterback Caleb Williams a rather pedestrian grade after his terrific performance in Chicago's 59-37 win against Carolina on Sunday in its season opener.

Is Ben Roethlisberger being too harsh with his criticism of the Steelers? He took a viewpoint of Aaron Rodgers and suggested that Rodgers probably wasn't over-the-moon with the team's performance. He then took it a little bit deeper and pointed out the offensive line struggles in protection and the run game. Poni is happy that Ben has jumped over to the dark side and not just giving the ‘win is a win' mindset that most players have. The guys don't think they were this harsh on the Steelers after Sunday's game. Ben said Sunday was a showing of ‘their worst fears realized' and that's after a win. The guys think the Steelers have the worst right side of the offensive line in football. We spent a couple of minutes making fun of Pro Football Focus grades from Sunday.

Is Ben Roethlisberger being too harsh with his criticism of the Steelers? He took a viewpoint of Aaron Rodgers and suggested that Rodgers probably wasn't over-the-moon with the team's performance. He then took it a little bit deeper and pointed out the offensive line struggles in protection and the run game. Poni is happy that Ben has jumped over to the dark side and not just giving the ‘win is a win' mindset that most players have. The guys don't think they were this harsh on the Steelers after Sunday's game. Ben said Sunday was a showing of ‘their worst fears realized' and that's after a win. The guys think the Steelers have the worst right side of the offensive line in football. We spent a couple of minutes making fun of Pro Football Focus grades from Sunday. Poni admitted to crying when he saw the video of Mike McCarthy getting the game ball from Aaron Rodgers after the game. Where does Rodgers rank among QBs entering Week 2? Mike Florio from Pro Football Talk joined the show. Mike said Chris isn't crazy for thinking Geno Smith and Jacoby Brissett are better than Aaron Rodgers right now. Does the Joey Porter Jr. saga end in a trade? Mike thinks there are a couple workarounds with the contract – they could do what they did with Darren Perry in 1995 or they could argue that ‘Porter's season hasn't started yet' so it wouldn't be negotiating in-season. Mike said the ‘limited' label in practice is so broad and all it could require is walking onto the practice field and doing nothing else. Mike believes there are people within the Steelers facility that thought Porter would play on Sunday against the Falcons. With the Steelers using a ‘back' injury to keep Porter on the shelf, what kind of trouble could they get in if it is discovered the player is healthy? Is there any way the Steelers can salvage this situation? The guys asked Mike about the gambling aspect with player injuries since the league is in bed with so many sportsbooks.

Pat Boyle, Brad Evans, and producer Brandon Combs kick off a fiery round of "Fill in the Blank," ripping into Pro Football Focus for ranking Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams 20th among NFL passers after a dominant Week 1 outing. The guys debate the severity of Los Angeles Rams pass rusher Myles Garrett undergoing knee surgery and landing on injured reserve, weighing his long-term recovery against a brutal upcoming schedule and Aaron Donald's return. They also address the quarterback chaos in Cleveland, discussing why the Browns should bench Deshaun Watson immediately—potentially in favor of Shedeur Sanders. Finally, the crew transitions to baseball, evaluating Chicago Cubs star Pete Crow-Armstrong's estimated $78.2 million value on FanGraphs and projecting how far the New York Yankees can run in the postseason.

Last Call in The Sports Bar: Gene wraps up today's show... Gene is throwing out the grades of PFF after the week 1 rankings. The MLB playoff races are coming down to the wire & which Rochester Knighthawks player will be joining the show Wednesday?

Marc Vandermeer and John Harris open Week 1 preparation on Texans All-Access, with Pro Football Hall of Fame sportswriter John McClain joining the program from the Hyundai Texans Radio Studio. The General walks through a busy stretch of roster gyrations: the addition of T Max Pircher, the 6'7", 320-pound international tackle who joins the practice squad under the International Player Pathway exemption; T Braden Smith moving to injured reserve; and the trade that brought T Nate Thomas to Houston. McClain makes a bold call on C/G Keylan Rutledge — that the rookie belongs on the all-rookie team — and explains why Nick Caserio's public praise of Rutledge carries so much weight. He also digs into the tight end room, where TE Marlin Klein graded out as Pro Football Focus's top rookie tight end this preseason, and makes the case that Houston's personnel department deserves far more national credit than it gets. McClain and Marc then look at the opening four-game stretch, go around the league, and take on two of the week's biggest media stories: the Titans' decision to pull a credential in Nashville, and Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley's revelation about how fan-shot training camp video traveled between opponents. In segment two, Marc and John Harris play "Let's Make a Football Deal" — a run of hypotheticals covering guaranteed win totals, divisional records, who Johnny would keep healthy for 17 games, and what a 1,100-yard season from RB David Montgomery would unlock for the passing game. The show closes with Nick Caserio on how he and DeMeco Ryans have built this roster, why depth on and off the 53 is one conversation and not two, and where the focus sits heading into the opener. Texans All-Access airs on 95.7 The Fan and is available wherever you get your podcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

They analyze Pro Football Focus rankings for the most clutch quarterbacks in the NFL, noting Dak Prescott's surprising top placement. The conversation transitions into the work ethic of Cowboys defensive coordinator Christian Parker and includes well wishes for Bryan Broaddus. 01:23 - Dak Prescott Clutch Rankings 04:08 - Top NFL Clutch Quarterbacks 12:44 - Christian Parker Defensive Obsession

Indiana football's offensive line has gone from a long-running concern to one of the biggest strengths of Curt Cignetti's program — and it may be the foundation of another championship-level Hoosiers offense in 2026.Galen Clavio continues the CrimsonCast positional preview series with a full breakdown of Indiana's offensive line, led by Carter Smith, Drew Evans, Bray Lynch, Adedamola Ajani, and transfer addition Joe Brunner. The episode looks at why Bob Bostad's group has become so important to IU's offensive identity, how the line helps the Hoosiers stay ahead of schedule, and why both run blocking and pass protection will shape how quickly Josh Hoover settles into the offense.The second half digs into career snaps, positional versatility, depth concerns, Pro Football Focus grades, pressure numbers, penalties, pass-blocking efficiency, and the challenge of replacing key contributors like Pat Coogan and Kahlil Benson. The takeaway: Indiana has the experience, talent, and coaching to make the offensive line a major 2026 advantage — but depth and health will matter if the Hoosiers are going to make another long postseason run.Subscribe to the Back Home Network for more CrimsonCast coverage of Indiana football, IU athletics, Curt Cignetti, the Hoosiers, Big Ten football, and the 2026 college football season.

Bump & Stacy are joined by MLB.com's Mike Petriello to examine specifically what is going wrong for the Mariners most important hitters, could Vita Vea be staying with the Buccaneers after all, and where does Pro Football Focus rank the Seahawks defensive line among the league's best?

Pro Football Focus ranks the Lions as a Top 10 defensive line

Austin Oerman and Jake Bockoven debated the merits of Nebraska MBB filling out its 15th roster spot and what type of player could earn the final spot on the team before diving into Pro Football Focus' reasons for optimism for all 32 NFL teams.PFF link: https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-team-optimism-2026 Don't forget to like, follow, subscribe, and share the show!Follow The Ticket: @937theticket on social mediaFollow Jay on Twitter: @foreman5644Follow Austin on Twitter: @austin_oermanAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

The Washington Commanders made the move to sign Stefon Diggs to a one-year contract worth up to $12 million. Pro Football Focus' Donna Hopkins joins Scott Jackson and Anthony Armstrong to get an update from Commanders Training Camp 2026. How has Sonny Styles shown up on the field? How's the connection between Terry McLaurin and Jayden Daniels? All of this and MORE on this episode! 00:45 Stefon Diggs is a Commander! the Commanders needed dependable depth behind Terry McLaurin. Stefon Diggs fits the bill. 4:00 The Running Back Room is Stacked Bill Croskey-Merritt is making his presence felt Rachaad White and Jerome Ford are pass-catching weapons Kaytron Allen is a bruiser like Christian Rodriguez 8:00 Offensive Line What's up and Center? 13:30 Who is standing out on Defense? Jeremy Reaves having a strong camp Odafe Oweh and other free agent additions are showing up 17:00 What Underrated Player will make an impact on this roster? Fred Davis, CB Antonio Williams, WR Jaylin Lane, WR 22:44 How has Jayden Daniels handled his third training camp? Thanks for listening! Let us know, what do you think about the Diggs signing? Tweet Anthony | Tweet Scott | Tweet Donna Brought to you by @FanDuel on the @Bleav #RaiseHail Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Dave McCann and Blaine Fowler open the July 27, 2026 episode of Y's Guys one week out from BYU's fall camp report date, digging into Pro Football Focus's Big 12 quarterback rankings (where Bear Bachmeier lands at a surprising No. 6 despite a 12-win freshman season) and PFF's Big 12 running back rankings, where reigning offensive player of the year LJ Martin checks in at No. 3. They also cover The Athletic's ranking of the nation's top senior linebackers, which features two Cougars — Cade Uluave and Isaiah Glasker — in the top eight for the first time in program history, break down College Football Zone's game-by-game win probabilities that project BYU to go 11-1 with the lone loss coming against Notre Dame in Provo, and debate whether Cougar fans can root for Kyle Whittingham's Michigan now that Whittingham, Jay Hill, and Jason Beck have all left Utah for Ann Arbor.BYU Radio color analyst Hans Olsen joins live to tell the story of the LaVell Edwards home visit that flipped him from a Nebraska commitment to BYU, reflect on Kalani Sitake's growth as a head coach and how close the program came to losing him to Penn State, and rank his top five transfer portal additions headlined by Cade Uluave and Roger Saleapaga. Olsen breaks down the difference between playing offensive and defensive line at the NFL level, weighs in on how BYU should manage LJ Martin's workload as he chases the program's all-time rushing record, and closes with his Five Questions picks for the team's biggest impact players by position.The back half of the show covers AJ Dybantsa being named the Big 12's Male Athlete of the Year, men's and women's basketball preseason rankings, new football jersey patch news, and campus notes spanning soccer, volleyball, track and field (including Lexy Halladay-Lowry's repeat national steeplechase title), baseball Hall of Famer Jeff Kent, and golf top-16 finishes from Zac Blair and Patrick Fishburn. Hotel Park City/Ruth's Chris Superfan Kevin Kelley — born the day of the Miracle Bowl — rounds out the night with a round of “Where Were You,” sharing his favorite BYU sports memories from Notre Dame Stadium to Jimmermania.#YsGuys #BYU #BYUFootball #BYUCougars #CougarNation #GoCougs #Big12Football #BearBachmeier #HansOlsen #FallCamp2026 #CadeUluave #IsaiahGlasker #LJMartin #KalaniSitake #NotreDameFootball #BYUBasketball #AJDybantsa #RobWright #BYUSuperfans #ProvoUtah #LDS Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The G-Bag Nation discusses a massive food challenge in Dallas before diving into WNBA All-Star festivities and the controversial AI-generated cover for NBA 2K25. They also analyze ESPN's recent layoffs, Ryan Paganetti's analytics on quarterback sneaks, and the latest Pro Football Focus quarterback rankings featuring Dak Prescott. 01:58 - Mega Torta Food Challenge 04:19 - WNBA And NBA 2K25 07:11 - ESPN Layoffs And McAfee 11:49 - NFL Underrated Overrated Teams 19:44 - Quarterback Sneak Data Analysis 27:50 - NFL Players Under Pressure 33:44 - Cowboys Training Camp Logistics 39:03 - PFF NFL Quarterback Rankings

Bryan Broaddus and Gavin Dawson discuss their concerns regarding the Cowboys training camp media party at Nobu and recount past stories from their time covering the team. They also analyze quarterback rankings from Pro Football Focus and CBS Sports, debating the standing of Dak Prescott, Trevor Lawrence, and Jaxson Dart. 01:00 - Training Camp Media Party 04:49 - Cowboys Training Camp Storylines 06:21 - PFF Quarterback Rankings Discussion

Did the Pittsburgh Steelers make a series of costly mistakes... or is the national media jumping to conclusions? Today on State of the Steelers, we're breaking down THREE major national stories that have Steelers Nation talking:

Pro Football Focus released their receiver rankings, where did our guy, Terry McLaurin land? Also, the grass at MetLife Stadium has received negative reviews from FIFA footballers. Will NFL owners actually do something about it? We discuss that and more on this episode of BLEAV in Commanders. 00:20 World Cup Final on Sunday; Third-place game on Saturday 2:44 Laremy Tunsil chimes in on grass in NFL stadiums 6:00 Should the World Cup Final have been held elsewhere? 9:30 Will RFK 2.0 be grass? 10:30 Jerry Jones was boo'd at his stadium during world cup 11:15 PFF WR List - Where does Terry land? 14:02 Terry ranked 13th despite limited action 17:45 Were hopes high when Mike Shanahan was hired? 19:22 Shanahan and the Redskins were going to select Russell Wilson 23:45 Jayden Daniels +/- 20.5 TDs +/- 3200.5 yards 25:54 Less than two weeks until training camp Thanks for listening!  Please LIKE, COMMENT, AND SUBSCRIBE Follow Anthony | Follow Scott #RaiseHail Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

It's a special occasion as this marks our 500th episode! Dan Wiederer and Mark Grote begin by looking back a bit on the history of the podcast and thanking all of YOU for continuing to make this possible. also in this episode, the guys list off their own list of Top 10 NFL quarterbacks. Did Bears QB Caleb Williams make our lists? In other list news, Pro Football Focus produced a list of Top 10 NFL coaches...and Ben Johnson wasn't on it?!

In the final hour of today's show, Carl Dukes and Mike Bell react to Pro Football Focus ranking Drake London as a top ten wide receiver heading into the upcoming season. They discuss the Atlanta Braves' trade deadline strategy regarding pitching reinforcements and the health of Michael Penix Jr. as Falcons training camp approaches. 02:38 - PFF Wide Receiver Rankings 05:55 - Falcons Roster Construction Discussion 08:48 - Michael Penix Jr. Health 15:39 - Braves Trade Deadline Strategy 25:25 - International Soccer Final Recap 33:54 - Royal Troon Leaderboard Update

On a Thursday edition of Hot Takes, Eric Goodman and Troy Renck discuss the Courtland Sutton-Jaylen Waddle duo, as Pro Football Focus ranked them as the 5th best WR duo in the NFL. Troy wrote a couple Broncos columns, so him and Eric dig into them. Why do the Broncos need more balance on offense? Is simplifying the run game a top priority for Davis Webb? Is Sean Payton too stubborn sometimes and are some of his concepts outdated in today's NFL? Eric and Troy talk Broncos on a Thursday episode of Hot Takes! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Detroit Lions defense in 2025 was not bad, it was untimely. They ranked 22nd in scoring defense but finished 17th in yards allowed per game and ninth on third downs, and Pro Football Focus graded them as a top-five defense overall. The real issue was explosive plays and situational lapses at key moments. Was the Detroit Lions defense actually bad in 2025? No. The unit performed better than its reputation. As Jeff Risdon noted, the Lions were 22nd in points allowed, 17th in yards per game at 332.8, and middle of the pack at 5.4 yards per play. Crucially, they allowed a 36.9 percent third-down conversion rate, which ranked ninth, while the offense converted 38.8 percent, 19th. That disconnect fuels the perception. The defense was on the field in tough spots and failed at the worst times, which is different from being bad snap-to-snap. Which numbers explain the gap between strong grades and points allowed? Excellent. PFF's cumulative defensive grade for Detroit was 81.8, fifth overall, with a 78.5 run defense grade that ranked fourth. Tackling graded at 74.9, second behind the Green Bay Packers. The pass rush ranked fifth, and pressure rate ranked fourth, with help from Detroit Lions edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson. Coverage graded 74.1, tenth. Raw team data backs several strengths: Detroit allowed the sixth-lowest completion rate at 61.6 percent, averaged 7.3 yards per pass allowed which ranked 23rd, and posted an 8.11 percent sack rate, eighth. Special teams graded sixth. The defense simply surrendered too many explosive plays and got burned by short fields when the offense failed on third and fourth downs. Those two factors drove points more than down-to-down quality. What must change in 2026 to turn solid metrics into stops? Cut the explosives and win the pivotal snaps. That means finishing drives with takeaways or stops on third and manageable, and protecting field position instead of gifting short fields. As Jeff Risdon theorized, using more zone coverage and replacing some base 4-3 snaps with extra defensive backs or an additional lineman instead of a linebacker can specifically help in coverage. He also noted using the punter a little more in marginal situations to avoid feeding opponents favorable field position. Turnovers and situational management Risdon's Houston analogy underscores it: clean up turnover differential and third-down execution and a defense that already grades well turns those metrics into points prevented. Do the Lions have the personnel to fix it? Yes. Detroit Lions edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson closed strong after a slump and remains the headliner up front. Detroit Lions linebacker Jack Campbell delivered impact against the run, and the interior pairing of Detroit Lions defensive tackle Alim McNeill and Detroit Lions defensive tackle Tyleik Williams should be a strong one-two punch. Depth has improved in the secondary, though, as Jeff Risdon cautioned, safety Brian Branch and safety Kerby Joseph entering the start of the year is not optimal. Detroit Lions linebacker Alex Anzalone's role can flex within sub-packages to prioritize coverage matchups. Bottom line, as Risdon put it, the defense was unfortunate and untimely in 2025, and those are correctable issues. He's over the 10.5 win total. #detroitlions #lions #detroitlionspodcast #lionsdefense #nflstatistics #pff #pffranking #pffgrades #aidanhutchinson #jackcampbell #alimmcneill #tyleikwilliams #brianbranch #kirbyjoseph #alexanzalone #profootballfocus #losangelesrams #seattleseahawks #greenbaypackers #passrush Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

They evaluate the Texas Rangers' performance at the All-Star break, highlighting key player contributions and recent roster moves. The conversation also features a soccer update from Euro 2024 and a historical look at the top-graded NFL seasons according to Pro Football Focus. 01:00 - Euro 2024 Soccer Update 02:50 - Rangers Midseason Performance Review 12:02 - Recent MLB Trade Analysis 14:07 - Historical NFL PFF Leaders 19:14 - Cowboys Evening News Preview

It's a special occasion as this marks our 500th episode! Dan Wiederer and Mark Grote begin by looking back a bit on the history of the podcast and thanking all of YOU for continuing to make this possible. also in this episode, the guys list off their own list of Top 10 NFL quarterbacks. Did Bears QB Caleb Williams make our lists? In other list news, Pro Football Focus produced a list of Top 10 NFL coaches...and Ben Johnson wasn't on it?!

Penei Sewell is an elite NFL offensive tackle, not the 10th-best, as ESPN pundit Mike Clay ranked him. He finished third in pass protection efficiency at 98.2 with only two sacks, six hits, 11 hurries, and 19 total pressures allowed, plus a 95.1 overall and 96.7 run blocking grade from Pro Football Focus. Is ESPN underrating Lions offensive tackle Penei Sewell? Yes. Detroit Lions offensive tackle Penei Sewell ranks among the NFL's best, not 10th. As Jeff Risdon noted, Pro Football Focus graded Sewell at 95.1 overall with a 96.7 run blocking grade, and he allowed just two sacks, six quarterback hits, 11 hurries, and 19 total pressures in 2025. Those results track with a 98.2 pass protection efficiency, which placed him third among qualifying tackles. ESPN's ranking leans on a proprietary pass block win rate and on the note that Sewell is moving sides. Risdon acknowledged that switching from right tackle to left tackle is a fair consideration, but he emphasized Sewell has played left tackle in the NFL and handled it well. Every visible performance marker says he belongs at the top tier. Does pass block win rate measure what matters in protection? No. What matters is not losing, and Sewell rarely loses. As Jeff Risdon said, the ESPN metric is subjective and measures “wins,” while pass protection success is about preventing losses. Sewell's 98.2 efficiency shows he prevents losses as well as almost anyone, backed by only 19 total pressures conceded across a 50 percent of 1,294 snaps qualifier pool. Context also matters. Protection can change based on a tight end's alignment, the guard inside, or compensating for interior issues. Risdon pointed out that Detroit often had to shade inside last year because the center struggled, and Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff is not mobile under quick pressure. That reality affects how any tackle is scored snap to snap. How should fans view the Detroit Lions offensive line at 19th? As conservative. The unit projects better than 19th even with moving parts. Risdon accepted ESPN's 19th as a defensible output for a formula, noting the Lions have starters at three new positions, but he stated Detroit will outperform that slot. Continuity takes time, but the cornerstone is overwhelming. Sewell's dominance stabilizes the front, and Detroit Lions offensive line coach Hank Fraley can lean on elite edge play while integrating the new starters. That foundation raises the floor and the ceiling for the group. What do the comps say about other top NFL tackles? They reinforce Sewell's standing. In pass protection efficiency, Denver Broncos offensive tackle Garrett Bolles ranked first and New York Giants offensive tackle Andrew Thomas second, with Sewell third at 98.2. Pro Football Focus also showed Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs at 92.7 overall, while Sewell's pass protection grade of 80.3 matched San Francisco 49ers offensive tackle Trent Williams and topped San Francisco 49ers offensive tackle Colton McKivitz. Risdon added that Sewell's pressure totals were equivalent with Chicago Bears offensive tackle Darnell Wright, and he flagged Detroit Lions offensive tackle Larry Borom appearing in the top 10 for pass rush efficiency as an encouraging pickup. The eye test and the data converge on the same conclusion: Sewell is elite, and Detroit's line trends up from a formulaic 19th. #detroitlions #lions #detroitlionspodcast #peneisewell #espntackleranking #profootballfocus #darnellwright #pff #olrankings #lionsoffensiveline Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mitch Evans breaks down the Pro Football Focus win total projections for the 2026 NFL season, focusing on a 7.5-win forecast for the Atlanta Falcons. He predicts a 10-win season for the franchise after analyzing their schedule and the leadership of Kevin Stefanski. 01:00 - Studio Lighting Issues 03:43 - Falcons Win Projections 09:02 - Predicting Falcons Over

Big Sal is fired up this morning after staring at one number that has him out of his chair. While the entire football world obsesses over Caleb Williams taking a leap and Minnesota's spinning quarterback carousel, nobody is saying what needs to be said out loud: Have we even seen the best of Jordan Love yet? The cold, unsentimental tape from Pro Football Focus doesn't lie, and it tells the story of a quarterback who already made a definitive leap while riding a broken-down sled through a Wisconsin ditch. Jordan Love finished with an 88.7 PFF passing grade, good for third among all qualified NFL quarterbacks, with PFF themselves calling it a "definitive leap" The Packers started a league-high 27 different offensive players, with their most common offensive line combination playing together just 17.6% of snaps — dead last in football Key weapons disappeared for huge stretches: Jayden Reed played only seven games, Christian Watson missed the first six, and Tucker Kraft (leading all tight ends at 15.3 yards per catch) tore his ACL after eight games Despite the carnage, Love threw 27 touchdowns to just six interceptions, posted a passer rating over 100, and advanced metrics said this team had a top-three floor if they had simply stayed healthy This episode is brought to you by PrizePicks! Use code PACKDADDY and visit https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/PACKDADDY to get started with America's #1 fantasy sports app. If this got you fired up and you're nodding in your truck right now, do me a favor — hit that subscribe button, leave a review, and share it with the jabroni at work who won't stop talking about Caleb Williams. When Jordan Love is standing at that podium as the number one quarterback in football, I want you to remember you heard it here first. To advertise on this podcast please email: ad-sales@libsyn.com Or go to: https://advertising.libsyn.com/packernetpodcast #JordanLove #Packers #NFL #BigSal #Packernet #LetMeTellYouSomething

Big Sal is fired up this morning after staring at one number that has him out of his chair. While the entire football world obsesses over Caleb Williams taking a leap and Minnesota's spinning quarterback carousel, nobody is saying what needs to be said out loud: Have we even seen the best of Jordan Love yet? The cold, unsentimental tape from Pro Football Focus doesn't lie, and it tells the story of a quarterback who already made a definitive leap while riding a broken-down sled through a Wisconsin ditch. Jordan Love finished with an 88.7 PFF passing grade, good for third among all qualified NFL quarterbacks, with PFF themselves calling it a "definitive leap" The Packers started a league-high 27 different offensive players, with their most common offensive line combination playing together just 17.6% of snaps — dead last in football Key weapons disappeared for huge stretches: Jayden Reed played only seven games, Christian Watson missed the first six, and Tucker Kraft (leading all tight ends at 15.3 yards per catch) tore his ACL after eight games Despite the carnage, Love threw 27 touchdowns to just six interceptions, posted a passer rating over 100, and advanced metrics said this team had a top-three floor if they had simply stayed healthy This episode is brought to you by PrizePicks! Use code PACKDADDY and visit https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/PACKDADDY to get started with America's #1 fantasy sports app. If this got you fired up and you're nodding in your truck right now, do me a favor — hit that subscribe button, leave a review, and share it with the jabroni at work who won't stop talking about Caleb Williams. When Jordan Love is standing at that podium as the number one quarterback in football, I want you to remember you heard it here first. To advertise on this podcast please email: ad-sales@libsyn.com Or go to: https://advertising.libsyn.com/packernetpodcast #JordanLove #Packers #NFL #BigSal #Packernet #LetMeTellYouSomething

Amid the scorching heat and summer football doldrums, Dave Griffiths and Matt Adams discuss the underrated Josh Downs, a surprising endorsement for Indy's supporting cast and coaches on the hot seat.Plus: the best Indianapolis Colts players of the last 20 years as graded by Pro Football Focus give the hosts a chance to look at Indy's past and present.

Brian Broaddus joins GBAG Nation to analyze Pro Football Focus's rankings of the most clutch quarterbacks from the 2025 season. They evaluate the performance of stars like Lamar Jackson and Matthew Stafford before discussing Dak Prescott's position at the top of the list. 01:15 - Krusty's Corner Cowboys Review 02:19 - PFF Clutch QB Rankings 09:07 - Mobile Vs Running Quarterbacks 12:47 - Dak Prescott Rankings Analysis

Donna Hopkins of Tony McGee's Pro Football Focus joins Doc Walker to break down Day 2 of Commanders minicamp. They discuss the strong communication between coaches and players, the culture being established under Dan Quinn, and how players will spend the time between the end of minicamp and the start of training camp.

John Owning joins GBAG Nation to break down the latest Dallas Cowboys roster moves and defensive strategy. They evaluate the impact of new defensive additions and the growth of the linebacker unit before sharing tips for mastering homemade pizza dough. 01:04 - Cowboys Analysis: John Owning 05:23 - Linebacker Unit Defensive Outlook 08:26 - Defensive Draft Pick Evaluations 11:31 - Receiver Depth Edge Additions 17:15 - Pizza Recipes Baking Science

Seth and Sean use Pro Football Focus' auto-draft to fill out the other teams and decide who the Texans pick in their own mock draft in what we're now calling the annual Payne & Pendergast Wild & Wacky Mock Draft.

Joe Giglio, Hugh Douglas, and producer Kyle analyze a Pro Football Focus mock draft projecting Penn State guard Vega Ioane to the Eagles. They debate whether Howie Roseman will trade up in the first round and field a wild proposal from a caller to swap AJ Brown for Marvin Harrison Jr. Joe also responds to being roasted by Joe DeCamara over his resemblance to coach Dan Muse. 01:50 - PFF Mock Draft Analysis 06:05 - Eagles Draft Day Strategy 11:32 - AJ Brown Trade Proposal 18:44 - Assessing the Brown Drama 27:58 - Joe DeCamara's Giglio Roast 35:04 - Celtics Star on Sixers 39:00 - Flyers Playoff Dominance Update

April 3, 2026 - Season 16, Episode 115 of The Terrible Podcast is now in the can. In this Friday morning show, Alex Kozora and I get right into discussing Pittsburgh Steelers ILB Patrick Queen recently changing agents and what that move may or may not mean overall. We also look ahead to the 2026 season when it comes to Queen and what we hope to see out of him in his third season in Pittsburgh. The Las Vegas Raiders have now signed free agent QB Kirk Cousins, so we discuss that news as well as the known contract numbers. As part of that Cousins contract discussion, Alex and I discuss what impact, if any, his new deal will have on a contract that QB Aaron Rodgers ultimately signs with the Steelers in the coming days or weeks. The Steelers have had a few of their own unrestricted free agents sign elsewhere since our last show, so we go over the who and the where as part of that conversation. We also review who we spotted from the Steelers at the Indiana pro day on Wednesday. Our own Ross McCorkle recently posted about the explosive passing plays the Steelers registered in 2025, so we go over the data he compiled and what it means. We also look ahead at the Steelers hoping to register more explosive passing plays in 2026 and how they might be challenged to achieve such a goal, and especially with Rodgers at quarterback once again. Is there a strong chance that former Penn State OG Olaivavega Ioane will ultimately fall to the Steelers in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft? We attempt to answer that question by looking at team needs when it comes to the current draft order of the 20 selections ahead of Pittsburgh. Later in this show, Alex and I discuss the future of Pro Football Focus going forward and how their product has impacted data collection over the years. This 99-minute episode also discusses several other minor topics not noted in the above recap and we end this show by answering several emails we received from listeners. steelersdepot.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

NFL analyst Dan Pizzuta returns to the show to complete two 7-round Patriots mock drafts with Andrew. The guys cover what Eliot Wolf should do in the draft, then what the Pats will do using Pro Football Focus' mock draft simulator. Later, Dan reveals some of his favorite players in this draft. 0:00 - Welcome on Guest Dan Pizzuta 0:39 - 7-Round Patriots Mock Draft  1:24 - Patriots 1st Mock Draft what they should do 3:00 - How should Patriots attack this draft 6:21 - 1st Patriots mock draft is underway! 6:39 - Patriots pick 31 11:09 - Mock Draft what Patriots should do in NFL Draft 41:45 - Prizepicks 43:10 - What Patriots will do Mock Draft 44:21 - What will Patriots do at Pick 31 Selection 48:52 - What Patriots will do Mock Draft 1:03:58 - Player that you love for this draft? 1:08:22 - Wrapping up! Pats Interference Podcast on CLNS Media is Powered by:

NFL Draft odds for the skill positions, PFF thoughts Get access to the 2026 NFL Draft/Rookie Guide for FREE from Chad Parsons (and a VIP Chat with the best dynasty owners on the planet) by signing up as an All-Pro at www.Patreon.com/UTH. Thanks for listening, and keep building those dynasties! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The big news in the fantasy and sports data space this week was the sale of Pro Football Focus to Teamworks, which led to over half of the PFF staff being immediately laid off. Jeff Mans discusses the details of this business deal and why it will have a significant impact on the basic fantasy consumer moving forward. Mans speculates on all of the entities that will rush out to replace the PFF data on the consumer side and what role his company, FantasyGuru, will have in that process. He also comments on all of the NFL rule changes that were agreed upon this week at the spring meetings and discusses the impact replacement referees may have on the game in 2026. Jeff also expresses some thoughts on the first week of the MLB season, including his hot & cold lists of the week. Mans counts down the top 10 most underrated NFL free agent signings too, including why the Chiefs' decision to bring back Travis Kelce was a wise one on several levels. Remember to share the show with a friend, hit the like, favorite, heart, thumbs up, subscribe, and comment buttons for this episode!

Matthew Coller and Chris Trapasso of DraftGradebook.com talk about how much in terms of draft capital that they would trade for Miami Dolphins running back De'Von Achane if he became available for trade. Plus they discussion NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah's most recent mock draft and then talk about the end of the Minnesota Vikings 2022 draft class and Matthew's Pro Football Focus draft simulation that Chris gave an A+ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jets fan Rich reacts to New York placing the Franchise Tag on RB Breece Hall, and lays out how Daniel Jones could impact the QB carousel if he's not signed or tagged by the Indianapolis Colts. Pro Football Focus' Trevor Sikkema and Rich break down his latest NFL Mock Draft including the soaring stock of Ohio State LB Sonny Styles after a stellar Combine, the Jets' options with the #2 overall pick, how high Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love could go, how the Dallas Cowboys can revamp their woeful defense via the draft, and says why teams like the Steelers, Chargers and 49ers can still find impact players late in the first round. Rich weighs in on the Seattle Seahawks deciding not to Franchise Tag Super Bowl MVP RB Kenneth Walker III. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ryan loses his mind over Ocho's viral claim that Caleb Williams is the most talented quarterback of all time — then dismantles it play by play. What starts as a highlight reel gets exposed for exactly what it is: filtered touchdown passes against busted coverages and trick plays dressed up as serious film analysis. The rant is equal parts hilarious and surgical. Ryan breaks down why stitching together 30-yard touchdown highlights is not "the tape" and why Ocho's analysis doesn't hold up to even basic scrutiny The DeVondre Sweat-to-Jets trade for Jermaine Johnson gets a quick hit reaction — what it means for both teams and why player-for-player swaps are so rare Teamworks acquires Pro Football Focus, and Ryan explains why this could either supercharge PFF or kill its consumer-facing product entirely Special teams coordinator interviews are heating up with four candidates coming in for in-person meetings — a hire could come by the weekend Javon Bullard's elite coverage numbers put him in company with Kyle Hamilton and Derwin James Free agency and the new league year are less than two weeks away, so buckle up — things are about to move fast. This episode is brought to you by PrizePicks! Use code PACKDADDY to get started with America's #1 fantasy sports app. https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/PACKDADDY To advertise on this podcast please email: ad-sales@libsyn.com Or go to: https://advertising.libsyn.com/packernetpodcast Help keep the show growing and check out everything I'm building across the Packers and NFL world: Support: Patreon: www.patreon.com/pack_daddy Venmo: @Packernetpodcast CashApp: $packpod Website: https://nfldraftgrades.com/ My Board: https://nfldraftgrades.com/board/83a18c42-7a0b-4590-8d1b-453e49840d02