Pro Football Focus is one of the most respected football analytic resources on the planet. Fans and media use their data, but coaches and NFL executives rely on their information, too.
But PFF offered a head-scratcher of a data point on Monday following the Raiders 34-24 win over the New Orleans Saints.
While box scores don’t tell the whole story, Derek Carr delivered a far better stat line than Drew Brees on Monday night. Nevertheless, in what might have been one of the best all-around games of Carr’s career, and one of Drew Brees’ more underwhelming performances, PFF actually gave Brees a slightly higher overall grade than Carr.
How does that happen?
Not only did Carr pick apart the Saints’ defense with his arm, he was equally as impressive in what he was able to do with his brain. Jon Gruden is the mastermind of the Raider offense, but it is Carr’s responsibility to get into the right play before every snap – and that often means changing the play at the line of scrimmage. The fact that the Raiders ran 76 offensive plays means that Carr and Gruden were on their game in terms of play calling against the Saints.
Certainly PFF wouldn’t claim to grade a quarterback on pre-snap execution, but it was just another way that Carr outperformed Brees on Monday. Carr had more big throws than Brees and Brees two or three of the game’s worst throws. It was an inexplicable Brees interception to Nicholas Morrow that tilted the momentum before the half and Brees missed another 2-3 easy throws that ended up stalling drives.
For what it’s worth, Carr is now 2-0 in his career against Brees… and that stat isn’t open to interpretation.
twitter: @raidersbeat
PFF or at least some of their writers hat the Raiders and it’s more than obvious!
Last week they listed the Raiders, (then 1-0) below 5 other 0-1 teams.
This isn’t politics where everything is couched in bias . . it’s sports where there is supposed to be the same rules for everyone!
These clowns have been hating on Carr, one of the leagues best for a long time! He made Brees look like a rookie out there on Monday night!
For a team starting so many rookies and second year guys, Carr has used his weapons wisely with a 2-0 record to show for it. Go Raiders!
Amen brotha.
It’s for the same reason that some fans are still screaming for mariota over carr after such a stellar performance. Never STAND for what you believe in, or face the wrath of the rest of the world.
We’re Raiders…..we’re used to being disrespected and even hated. It comes with the territory. We just have to play better than other teams in order to get respect. Meanwhile everyone constantly dotes on the mediocre “who cares” Cowboys ALL THE TIME. They LOVE…..can’t get enough of…. the ho hum average so what Cowboys.
Data reference link please?