The Athletic Football Show: A show about the NFL - The Athletic Football Show's All-Pro Offense

Episode Date: January 11, 2023

The regular season is over, which can only mean one thing. Well, it could mean more than one thing, but in this case it means it's time to name our All-Pro Teams! That's exactly what Robert Mays and Nate Tice do on this episode of The Athletic Football Show, picking their First- and Second-Team All-Pros on offense.Follow Robert on Twitter: @robertmaysFollow Nate on Twitter: @Nate_TiceSubscribe to The Athletic Football Show...AppleSpotifyYouTubeToday's show is brought to you by...Peloton: Try Peloton risk free with a 30-Day Home Trial, New Members only at onepeloton.com/home-trialPhilo: Sign up today at philo.tv and use promo code MAYS to get 50% off your first monthBetter Help: Visit BetterHelp.com/MAYS today to get 10% off your first monthPenrose Hill: Get your first 6 bottles for $39.95 plus FREE shipping. Go to TryFirstleaf.com/MAYS5:20 Running Backs14:00 Wide Receivers27:52 Tight Ends34:56 Left Tackles41:35 Left Guards43:40 Centers48:50 Right Guards52:17 Right Tackles59:38 Quarterbacks Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is the athletic football show. It's the athletic football show. I'm Robert Mays. Joining me today. It's my good friend Nate Tyson. How you doing, buddy? Doing very well. I love this show.

I love the all pro teams. I love awards. Like, honestly, one of my favorite things about sports. It really is. I'm an award sucker too. I always have been. And we're movie guys, so I know you love that stuff too. I love this as well.

Like, so, oh, God. I came in, I last 30 seconds. before diving this. In the board game community, people love making lists. Like, they love what's your top 10? What's your top five two player game and everything? That's why I'm a sucker for that. I'm like, oh, yeah, we're list making?

Talk about, oh, which ones that we rank? One through three? I'm all bored. I love asking people, what's your like three favorite movies? Like, you're trapped on an island. Where are the three movies you're going to bring with you? And I think that really gives some insight in some people. And I think same with this.

Same with like awards and lists. I do my top 10 movies every year. I've done it every year since I was like just out of college. What was your number one this year? Top Gun Maverick. I, it was the experience. It was going to the theater and the smile I had on my face the entire time. I can easily recognize that it's not like the best movie I saw this year, but it was my favorite

movie experience this year. Most pleasantly surprised I've been by a movie in forever. Yes. I went in thinking, oh, this will be fond to like that was really enjoyable. I completely agree with you. That made my top ten. It was my favorite. but I'm right there with you.

It just floored me. I just had such a great time at the movies. And that's why I was making a moment of the movies. Yep. I do a list. I kept track of all the place I ate this year. And also I worked for Bill Simmons for 10 years and high fidelity is one of my favorite movies. Like I am familiar with the list and I am a fan of the list.

That's such a good point. We're talking about like movie experience though. Sorry. Now I'm thinking about this. Nope. is I was so pleasantly surprised by no. I saw it at home. See, that was the thing.

I feel bad about that. And I know this is like what everyone's saying about. Oh, it felt like a Spielberg movie. Exactly. That's why it had the magic of Spielberg during that movie. I don't know. I pleasantly surprised.

I went in. I love Jordan Peel. Okay, yeah. Okay, this looks fun. Went in afterwards. I was floored. I think that was, I ranked it like number three of anything I've watched this year.

But yeah, love list making, love movies. Let's do this. That's what we're doing today. Not a list, but awards. We're going to do our all pro teams today. So we were going to do this last week. We were going to do it. We're still going to do it over two shows.

We're going to have some guests on, but obviously the schedule has shifted over the last week for very good reason. So it just me and you, we're going to do an offense show. We're going to do a defense show. The defense show will be available while you're listening to this. So both of these are going to be available at the same time. Please go check them out.

Nothing super crazy about the formatting of this. We're going to do all the positions. We're going to do first and second team. I think this is the actual way the all pro team is structured. Did you just do three receipts? receivers? Because that's what I did. Yes, I did three receivers. So they had a flex for a couple years. That is gone now, which is three receivers.

I did a right guard and a left guard and a right tackle and a left tackle. Did you also do that? Oh, let me see. I think it actually just ended up working out that way. Let me see. I probably should have talked about this beforehand. Yeah, we should. No, actually, okay, no.

So, oh, my God, I actually think it worked out that way as well. That's perfect. Yeah, left guard, right guard, right tackle, right. You probably did it subconsciously without thinking about it. But that's how I structure mine. I did a right guard and a left guard and the same for the tackles. It's it actually. Not what I look at all.

Yes, that's exactly how I did. Perfect. Do you want to do quarterbacks first or last? Because we got to decide. You want to do last? We'll keep people hanging around. Yeah. You got to hear our left guard talk if you want to get to the quarterbacks.

That's the rule with the show. I think that's perfect. Yeah. Let's talk about some guards pulling and penalties accumulated before we talk about EPA per dropback in total yards. Let's start with running backs, though. This one, there's a lot of names that I want to get to. Let's start with you.

Who is your first team all pro running back? First team, all pro running back. And I went with the yards leader. I went with Josh Jacobs. And I just think he's had a tremendous season and really in the second half of the season. He leads NFL in yards and rushing yards and total yards over 2016 games. So he came to do the whole 17 game bit. He's second team to me, by the way, so we can talk about.

Okay. Also at the same clip as Chubb of five yards per pop, you know, that's another guy I considered in this. His first downs per rush, 27.9% leads all running backs. It's fourth highest among running backs with 300 more rushes since 2012. That's a great set. I had the 27.9, but I did not know how much of an outlier it was. That's incredible. Yeah. And even if you drop the 200 rushes, so you don't get all those kind of bell cows in there, it's six highest. So he's had a fantastic year, contract year. Always gets that boost. I formation offense really unlocked him. They went so much eye formation this year.

He's a traditional eye formation back, complete three down back. The gap runs and zone runs distribution was really interesting. If PFF splits them up now, which is a nice little handy tool. I mean, they were a majority gap running team this year, and I think that might have been big for him. It's just a different way of running and unlocked him a little bit. Absolutely, because he likes to stay inside and then go out as opposed to zone, which is more outside and then come in. And that's just a simple difference with those. And yeah, I agree with that.

And that's the under center. That's the eye formation stuff. He'd be, he's probably one of the best duo runners in the league because of that. It's downhill. He goes A gap out, just like gap scheme and power. Also helps, I'm not going to lie. You have to consider these things. Helps to have Devante Adams giving them some soft coverages on first and second down.

So I do want to acknowledge that. But Josh Jacobs has taken it and run with it, pun intended. I mean, just the other thing is 90 first downs. The next highest is, and just some field. 65. I had the exact same significant.

That's huge. He has 90 rushing first downs. No one else is more than 65. So that's an accumulation thing. I think the two stats that jump out to me that go beyond the volume, ninth in the NFL and yards after contact per attempt. So right up there with some of the best guys in the league, he led the NFL and missed tackles forced, according to BFF.

So even if it's volume and even if the looks are good, he's still making the most out of the runs that he's being given. And the other stat that you mentioned, 2000 scrimmage yards on the season in 16 games. In the past 20 years, 30 players have done that. 26 of them were first or second team all pro. That's a good stat right there. So the only ones who weren't,

Tiki Barber in 2006, and that's because five guys did it that year. In 2006. Nadia Tomlinson, Larry Johnson, Frank Gore, Stephen Jackson, Tiki Barber. Tiki Barber also in 2004 did it and was not first or second team all pro. Tiki Barber really getting screwed over here. And then in 2003, Duke McAllister and Amman Green did not get it.

Five guys also did it that year. Jamal Lewis, Lannian Thompson, Priestholmes. Wow. I loved what you said 2006. And then you heard it said Frank Gore. He's playing like last year. The guy's playing last year running back. Yeah, that was the name I wasn't expecting.

No, that's a great. It happens about once a year now. And so last year, Jonathan Taylor did it, the year before Derek Henry did it, the year before that, Christian McCaffrey did it. All those guys were first team all pro. So I have him at second team because I think the guy at first team has just influenced the game in more ways. And I had Christian McCaffrey as my first team all pro running back. So CMC is my second team, all pro running back. And I'm actually really glad to hear you say this.

I actually thought you're going to maybe go Chubb on one of these. I love Nick Chubb. I think Nick Chub is the best pure runner in the league. I've thought that for a long time. Nick Chubb has had a fantastic season. You could easily put him on here if you want to. My McCaffrey argument is multi-pronged. He's third in the NFL in total scrimmage yards behind Josh Jacobs and Derek Henry.

So the volume and the normal production has been there. But then you look at some of the underlying stats and the overall influence. Fourth in total rushing EPA, total among running backs. Sixth in the percentage of his runs with eight or more guys in the box. So he's efficient, wall. running into bad looks because of how heavy the personnel that Niners team uses and what Carolina did. He is third and yards per route run among running backs. So when he is a past catcher, he's been dominant.

The number one thing for me, though, is the transformational element to what the Niners have been on offense. When he has been on the field, they average 0.26 EPA per dropback. That's Mahomes. When he's not, it's 0.01. That's Ryan Tannehill. There it is right there. You feel it. The gravity plus his own production.

And then a lot of the counting stats and the traditional stuff you want to see is there. So I just think that the overall impact he's had on the game, even if it hasn't been a full season with San Francisco. That's why he gets the nod to me. I just think he hits from so many different levels. I know. I love it. Like I said, he was my second team. It was between him and Chub, but then I started looking, you dive more and more.

And this is where the league is. and this is just the value of a football player as opposed to just running back. I brought up the stat the other day. We were cushing about him in this 49ers offense, you know, since he's been with the 49ers, the first downs per route is right in between Devante Adams and AJ Brown, which is insane for a running back. Easily that even if you clue the numbers with the Panthers, tops the backs and first downs per route, you're going to hear me talking about first downs per route a lot in the show.

So get ready, everybody strap in. But I just even just like you say counting stats. This is very comparable to his 2018 year when he was AP second team all pro and second best season overall up until this point. But this year, just looking at counting stats, he has more yards and first downs than Gabe Davis. More yards and first down than MBS. More yards in first down than Marvin Jones, Tyler Higbee, Dalton Schultz. Those guys are number two's, number threes, and passing attacks. And on top of it, he's top ten of rushing yards and first downs per rush.

His numbers basically match Travis E.T.N. So you have Travis E.T.N. on the run game and Gabe Davis in the past game. Okay. That's an extremely very valuable. Valuable player. So remember when Labyon Bell was with his whole contract stuff and he was talking about, oh, I'm a number. What CMC is is what Laveon Bell thought he was. Like, Levy on Bell was fantastic. Don't get me wrong. I'm not trying to knock him. But that is what the also one of those guys that are 2000 scrimand yards in the season, 2014. Right. There you go. So like, but that it would probably accumulate hundreds of first downs too by himself. But that's the thing is this guy's value, CMC's value is like that's where not every dollar on a running back is the same dollar because that's what this guy's value brings.

He's so dynamic at both the passive run game. If you just took his 40-9 or 30s stats and put him over 16 or 17 game season, they would be insane. Of course, you can't do that. We might see it in the future. But what he's doing right now, I'm not even batting an eye that you put him at first team because I put him at second team.

And it was pretty easy once I started diving more into the numbers. which is the influence. The influence is what does it for me and just kind of puts him over the top. Honorable mention, we talked about Nick Chubb. I think he's the first guy off this list of my opinion. I have to mention him fourth in yards from scrimmage this season. He's the most targeted player on a team that's top 10 in passing DVOA.

He has been so central to what the Giants have been. I just think these guys, yeah, he's a very good player. I just think these guys above him have had special seasons. Derek Henry has had a really good year. Derek Henry's work in the passing game. He's, I believe, Houston yards per route run among running backs this season. So he's really added some value there.

I still just, again, think those other guys are one step above. And the last guy I wanted to mention, Austin Echler has 18 touchdowns. And Austin Echler is so incredibly important to that entire offense for the Chargers. What he does in pass protection, what he does is a past catcher. He's the most targeted player on that team. So those four guys I wanted to mention, even if they don't quite break into this group. Literally have the same four. And same thing.

So funny. So in that order, actually, well, I went, I would Barclay than Chub. But with Austin Echler, the same argument that I'm just talking about of CMC, same thing with Eckler. It's maybe about 90% of that. But still, how important it is to the offense, numbers-wise, just watching how that offense unfolds. Same exact discussion right there about value that he brings to the offense. And yeah, Sequan, having Sequan healthy and back has been a lot of fun this year. It's been one of my favorite things to watch throughout this season.

especially on that Giants offense. And yeah, I like you brought up Chubb and Henry stuff as well. All right. Let's get your receiver here. Yeah. Pretty easy first two guys, first team. Just I don't think there's even a lot to talk about. I think Justin Jefferson and Tyree Kill are righted in Penn, undeniable,

unanimous first team all pro guys. You won't even put, like, throughout any stats. Like, Justin's the best receiver in the league. He, what he's done this season. My bullet point is the best receiver in the game. That's all I have. I mean, what else you want to say? Justin Jefferson is up there in so many efficiency metrics.

He leads the league in receiving yards. He's double teamed at an astronomical rate and still manages to be productive. I believe he leads the league and receiving first downs this season. Everything you want to see from a player you're getting from Justin Jefferson this year. Tyree Kill is averaging 3.32 yards per run is the second best mark since PFF started tracking the stat in 2008. I was going to say it was the best since 2012. Well, because I went through true media. So that's just absurd.

Do you see all the receivers above seven, or above three yards per route per route's run? It's like Julio five times. Yeah. It's Tyree Kill. It's 2019 Kittle. I included tight ends on mine. 2016 Julio, 2021 Cooper Cop, 2017 Julio, 2015 Julio and 2021 Debo, Samuel was the other one. Yeah, that makes sense.

Yeah. That makes sense. A lot of big players from Debo last year. Yeah. All of Jet Sweeps. Tarreek Hill has been targeted on nearly a third of his routes, which leads the NFL. He's so central to that passing game that was really successful all season. And again, just structurally what he does to oppose the defenses and what he allowed Miami's offense to be the bones of it.

Only one player can do that. So I think that he belongs right there with Justin Jefferson to me as two first team guys that are kind of undeniable. Who is your third first team receiver? So I was doing a little research. Yes. I got torn between two guys. I got sort of three. I was looking at stats, weird, and for the show and looking at cover two and cover six rates. And the teams that face the most cover two and cover six on first and second down,

and why that matters is because that means their defenses are very aware of receiving options the team might have. The teams that face the most cover two and cover six are the Vikings, the dolphins, and this last team. Raiders, which is Devante Adams is my my third choice for first team all pro. Counting stats, third and yards, 14 touchdowns, you know, leads the league in touchdowns, which should never ever be waved away. That's something I find very interesting now that we're getting all these guys trading and moving teams in their prime is that translate translates is receiving touchdowns in the red zone. That's why I like the Lave, even though the only has three touchdowns so far.

He was smaller, but he had really good red zone skills and find that feel in the pot or feel in the end zone. But I'll just, spoilers, going between who I was deciding this last one between us, Devante Adams and AJ Brown. I have Joe Brown. Okay. And this is one of my toughest calls. And looking at all the stats, they're almost identical. First downs per route.

They're only 0.2% away. They're 15th and 16. Yards per route run. They're fourth and fifth. Explosive receptions, 32 and 30. I think they're a third and fourth. They have the exact same explosive reception per route run at 5.6%. They have the same exact third and fourth down metrics.

They have the exact same A dot. Like these two, this one was really hard for me. I ended up going with Devante Adams. I would not be like perturbed if someone said A.J. Brown because that was my original answer. This was one I probably switched for my gut instinct. But going with Devante Adams has still kind of like maintained that level as being on the podium is one of the best receivers in the game. Still was that even if sometimes the Raiders were up and down this year. Great stats.

He had more targets than A.J. Brown. But also, but it was still just as efficient as A.J. Brown. on top of all the normal box score stats. So I went with Devante Adams. I totally understand that. He was on my second team. He was very close. I have AJ Brown just because I do like telling the story of the season with this kind of stuff.

And I think that AJ Brown going to Philadelphia and really unlocking them and unlocking Jalen Hertz is a huge story this year. Plus all the things he's done in the production that he's had. So a number I think is really interesting is that against man coverage this season. season among players of at least 50 targets. AJ Brown leads the league in yards per route run. He's like sixth in team target share on those plays. When they had man coverage the season, they threw it to the really good guy. And he was dominant.

Football can be simple. Just dominant. And it's really that. It was that simple because he was there. And then a couple of the other stats that are really, you see it when he was playing this year. And it's the element of his game that I just didn't expect to see what he. has done down the field outside the numbers on contested catches is crazy. The only player with more than five deep contested targets this year with a higher catch rate than AJ Brown is T. Higgins.

That's who T. Higgins is. We didn't think that's what T. Higgins is. We didn't think that's what T. J. Brown was. And A.J. Brown has done that. And he's fourth in the NFL one yards per route run. Still fifth in yak per reception over expectation this year. So you're getting the jump ball stuff and you're getting the normal A.J. Brown stuff plus traditional counting stats, plus how he's transformed in offense. That's why I just gave him the nod. But I totally understand putting Devante Adams in there. You could still make an argument that Devante Adams might still be the best receiver in the down to down basis. And man, it was. So last, I love, we, we both really, really like, we're like, hey, this AJ Brown guy is really fun. You know, this yak monster. Remember when I took him fourth in the non-quarterback draft two years ago and people thought I was insane? Insane. Insane. Insane. And God, that's right. I love those drafts too. I can't wait for that show too. But this was, my thing with AJ Brown was, I was like, man, how is he going to translate into this offense?

He's such a good player. But man, is that always his skill set? And that last year, he came back from injury against the 49ers. So I want to say it was a Thursday night game. It was a Thursday night game. He had a couple contested catches in that game. And I remember the light bulb kind of turning on. I was like, oh, maybe he's just really, really fucking good at everything.

And that's always been in the back of my mind. And he goes to the Eagles. I'm like still had that kind of like, maybe is it going to fit perfectly? It doesn't matter. He's just, he's just dominant. He's just so, so good. Yeah. For me, that Ravens playoff game.

The Ravens playoff game in Tennessee with him against Marlon Humphrey. I was like, this dude's the truth. Like, I don't, there's nothing else I need to see. He is a top, top level receiver. Yes. And so that's why I know between these two, you can't pick a bad answer, which is, I mean, that's awesome that we are this deep at just, we, You can nominate four or five guys as like, not just as first team all pro, but just saying

that they're among the best receivers in the game. And I think that's so much fun seeing that. So I, I'm, he's my, he was on my second team. This was one of my. Who are your other second team guys? My other second team guys, let me scroll down. Because these were this, my, my third guy on the second team, that was, I think my toughest call that I had on this whole thing.

I know. It's, yeah. So Stefan Dix, which I thought was pretty easy. I also have Stefan Diggs. I think that's easy. He was good player, 15 yards, fourth and first downs per route. Second for among receivers. over 500 routes only behind Tyree.

He's fifth and EPA per target despite the volume. Other guys in the top five, it's like Dallas Goddard, a lot of number two receivers. For him to be as an efficiency monster while being the number one target and one of the best passing offenses in the league, the fact that he didn't crack the first team tells you about the first team. He, his and always scores, like another guy that red zone touch, like he's so good in the red zone because he just has that feel. I don't know. Like with him, the field shrinks. It doesn't bother him.

He works in those condensed spaces very well. And he's a guy, he's like Cooper Cup in a way where you could ask 10 different people, how tall was he? And you'd have 10 different answers because he moves sometimes like a 5-9 guy and then plays big like a 6-2, 6-3 guy. So true. He's one of those guys. He's 6-foot. He is not a big man.

No. And you see him play sometimes. You're like, are you 6-3? Because like just his ball skills and everything. But yeah, so he was an easy call for me. And then AJ Brown was the other one. And then the third one was C.D. Lamb. And this was another tough call between him and Jalen Waddle for me.

This was the one I had to decide between. But I went with C.D. Lamb, counting stats, seventh and yards, fifth and catches. He's six in football outsiders, D.Y.A.R. Which can be nice. He has some noise sometimes, but I like that stat. Six and first downs per route. You jumps to fourth with players over 500 more routes. Half a snaps are from the slot. So even if we wanted to nominate one slot receiver, boom, got it right there. And seventh and yards per route. I think CD is a very, very, very good player.

I don't think he's that S tier of a player, but a tier of a player, that next one down. But I love him. I love his game. I love that power slot type. He's physical. He's so smooth. He's a good route runner. He's got good solid hands, catches in space.

I think he's had a great year. He's really kind of taking another step forward. I'm excited to watch him and Dak continue to play. But he's my second team all pro this year. I think he's gotten a lot better. Beyond just being the number one. receiver in that offense this year. I think that he's gotten more physical. I think that there are elements to his game that I really feel like he's taken two or three steps off from where he was

even a year ago. He's better on the outside. That's what I've noticed is. I even think he's better in the slot, though. Even his like some of the ways he can sell different routes and like some of the double moves from the slot or return routes. I just feel like I've been really impressed with him this year. Leaving him off was the hardest decision that I made. When I did this originally, when I again just gut feel he was the third guy on my second team all pro it was stephan dix devante adams city land and then i started digging into the numbers and i put him on ross st brown on there i actually i would have been willing to bet this and i actually have a stat for him so i'm actually excited that you're going to talk about him all right so the only players with more first down receptions

on third down this year are justin jefferson amari cooper and travis kelsey yeah against man coverage on third down got to have it moment 24% of his routes have turned into first downs. It's the best in the league. He is sixth in the league in yards per route run. He also has the second highest target percentage per route run in the NFL after Tyree Kill. How central he has been to a passing offense that has been, according to EPA per dropback, the most efficient passing offense in the league over the second half of the season,

I just wanted to acknowledge that and put him on there. I'm fine with it So that was one where after I really dug into it I was like you know what I'm putting him in there He's my number one honorable Oh Waddle is my number one honorable mention And then he's second same exact things He high leverage situations

He's probably one of the best in the game At a third downs and they Everyone knows the ball is going there I'm proposing team study yes Where the ball goes on third and fourth down He's first in first downs per route on third and fourth down Like it's it's him Chris Olavé

Spoilers he's going to be up here pretty soon. And then third, Justin Jefferson. Like, it's a pretty good list. And the other thing with him and why I liked him coming out of college was he was a power slot, even though he's a little shorter. He's just so strong in there. I undersold how smooth he was and his ball skills and everything is feel for space. That's why they dial up so many plays for him. But him, I know we're going to talk about all the stats, but I have to because this is our show and it's me. Him as a blocker is I actually have a stat about him as a blocker. Okay. Okay. Because he's a power slot. I had a tweet cooked up for this, but then I didn't, I was too lazy to look for

for plays for it. So I'm going to read you one of my unsent tweets, one of my drafted tweets right here. Digging through those would be an adventure. Oh, God, there's some bad ones in there. So when he's in the slot and blocking, I'm sorry, when he's not on the field or he's outside, lines up outside, the lions run success rates, 36%. When he's in the slot and as a blocker, it jumps up five percentage points to 41%. Wow.

So they go from like a 25th ranked run team just by success rate to a top 10ish run team when he's just blocking from the slot. That's value. So all the receiving stats, he's amazing. He's one of the best third down, fourth down, red zone receivers in the game right now. But on top of it, he's just a valuable player on other downs as well. No, he's a hell of a player. My honor mentions we talked about C.L. He's first Jalen Waddle, a second.

Jell and Waddle is a really, really good player. And most other years with most other contours of the position, J-Wan Waddle would absolutely be on this list. Absolutely. One of the guy I wanted to mention is Jaywin Wattel's college teammate. Devante Smith is such a good player. Yes. I don't, again, I think that he's a step down from these guys that got on. But I think he's had such a good season.

I didn't want to have a celebratory podcast where we talk about the best players at positions and not at least mention him in some way. And it's a shame Jemar Chays couldn't be healthy the whole year. Yeah. And that happens. There are going to be some of those guys on this list. His numbers, his efficiency numbers are off the chart. If you just played the whole year.

But same. No, I'm glad Devante Smith was on my honorable mentions as well. I love Devante Smith. I love his game. He's one of my legit. And you guys hear me talk about favorites and everything. Legit Devante Smith is one of my favorite players at any position in the league. Not just like sneaky favorite, like me talking about blocking receivers, talking about legit.

I love Devante Smith because he puts on a route running clinic every single week. The body control is what does it for me. Insane. And it's awesome. I love the Slim Reaper. I'm very excited to see him take another step forward because he's just, he's just so, so good. And so, yeah, he's honorable mention for me as well. Tight end.

First team, we don't have to talk about this very much. Travis Kelsey, that was pretty easy, right? He has 76 receiving first downs this year. Only Justin Jefferson has more. 52.4% of his targets have resulted in a first down. Dallas Goddard is the only player in the league. It's higher. Dallas Goddard has half as many targets.

Exactly same right. There's exact same about a stat. It's insane. If volume and efficiency are typically opposite of one another, negatively correlated, the fact that Travis Kelsey has twice as many targets is Dallas Goddard and he's right there in that number is absolutely crazy. 52% of his targets are first downs.

Think about that. That's insane. Usually I go Gaga, anyone's over 50%. And he's doing it at what, 100. I think there's only three players last year over 50%. And all of them had like, it was like Byron Pringle, Dallas Goddard and one other guy. They all had like 60 to 70 targets. He's doing it with over 100 and something targets.

That's absurd. He's done it on 145 targets. He is sixth in the league in targets. And these are his efficiency numbers. It's absurd. the passing game of the most efficient passing offense in the league while playing with the best quarterback, spoiler alert, he still is the centerpiece of it as a receiver. So you deserve credit for that. And I think that's important.

So what he has done is remarkable. He is an historically great, absolutely ridiculous player. Just keep waiting for him to take another step back. He's my age. I know. And that's some of his things where it's like, oh, he'll get banged up soon. he's just getting, you know, nope. And they found a way to tweak his snaps a little bit, keeping fresher throughout the games.

Like, yeah, he's, he's fantastic. He's, he's such a fun watch. He drives, Kelsey's actually two years younger than me, but he is in his mid-30s the same way that we are. So he's my age. I've told the story before, but seeing him at Coachella and being like, you know what, we are fucking thriving, me and you. Mid-30s, we're doing great. He's having a great time.

So this season he's had combined with that, I really has been a, It's been soothing to me. It's been very rewarding to watch. That's amazing. All right. Second team. This was hard. There aren't a lot of options this year.

Guys have been hurt. Guys have lost some time. Mark Andrews has not been as productive as he has been in years past. Who is your second team tight end? I went with George Kittle. So did I. I know. And that's maybe not fair to Hawkinson, you know, but I don't know.

It just there's, like you said, there wasn't a ton of options here. This was a very short honorable mention list. Hawkinson's a good player, but I just think that the efficiency stats for Kittle and how explosive he is, what he still does after the catch combined with the blocking. I just have to put him on there. Hawkinson and Goddard, my honorable mentions. Goddard, I think has a chance if he doesn't get hurt. I think this would be his year to get there if he doesn't get hurt. I mean, all the efficiency numbers, yak over expectation per reception, he's ahead of George Kittle.

He's the leader in the NFL and EPA. per target this season. I mean, Dallas Goddard, when he was involved in the game, did the most with his touches. And he's a good blocker. So I, he might have gotten it if he hadn't gotten dinged up. But when you miss that many games, I think it's just hard. Yeah. He'll miss a couple, but Goddard missed five, I think.

Yeah. And, no, I'm glad you're given the love to Goddard because he is such a good player. It's just that he kind of gets, he gets kind of forth wrong sometimes in that offense. But no, no, damn good player. I, I think, I mean, I think the Eagles is insane. It's insane. I mean, we're spoilers. There's more.

There's more on my list. There will be more coming. Yes. But no, I think with Kittal, dominant blocker, underlying numbers aren't like, not to his highs, but not many, many are in the historical realm of tight end production. But he's still an overwhelming force out there. Just watching this last month.

It's not even a recency bias. Just this whole year. Anytime he catches a ball, it can turn into a touchdown. And on top of it, he's setting the edge on legit D-Ns and outside linebackers. Like, he's overall just one of the. the best players in the league. I went with him. I gave him the nod. That touchdown he scored against Washington, where he takes it vertical that outside of the structure of the play because he sees that space and scores a 50-yard touchdown. The amount of tight ends doing that is maybe zero.

No. Yeah. The awareness, the explosion, all of those things combined. I don't know if there's another guy at the position who's doing that the way that he can. No. No. Kelsey is a very good player, but Kelsey is because he's not moving like George Kittles moving. I hate to say it. I hate to tell you. Kelsey, yeah, he's more that intermediate range. He's not taking the top off on a seam route. Yes.

Splitting safeties like that. Yeah, maybe there's a world where Kyle Pitts sees the game that way one day, but he doesn't right now. So I think that is a one-of-one play, and George Kittles, the guy that's making it. Left tackle. Who is your first team all-pro left tackle? Andrew Thomas from the New York.

Giants. He's my second team. Okay. He didn't make a Pro Bowl, which... I have no idea who made the Pro Bowl. I think I should. I barely even looked those up. But he's sent it to me really look at left tackles throughout the league, and you're

kind of like, okay, there's a lot of good, but maybe not that exceptional, exceptional level. There's a couple, but... It's also been a weird year for left tackles. Trent Williams has been hurt. Boktiari has been hurt. So that class that we were used to has kind of faded out a little bit. there, but not just because those guys got hurt, like Trent Williams, of course, and I'll talk

about them in a sec, but I was going to say Andrew Thomas has ascended to that, that podium level of top left tackle in the game. True blindside protector, complete player, strong, athletic, and long, the longest arms you'll ever see, but a true blind side protector. And what we picture a left tackle playing like, that's Andrew Thomas right there. I've talked about it. So the run game, when he came out, I kind of had. had some hesitations. I was like, man, you know, some guys are getting to the edge on him. He's gotten better, which is last year he was getting better.

And this year, he's just true. Halfway through his rookie season. I thought he was going to be a bust. People were terrified. It seemed like it was trending that direction. And now he's my second team, all pro left tackle. I think he absolutely deserves it. I mean, in both areas, he's a good run blocker.

He's a very good pass blocker. One of my favorite things he does, and this is so small, but his understanding of the intention of the play is so pronounced. The way that he's influencing guys upfield or just little things he does within the offense is, it's so obvious how smart and in tune he is. And I did a story about that entire tackle class coming out. I remember talking to him coming out of Georgia and was very impressed by him. And so seeing him put it all together has been awesome.

And he absolutely has. And I also, this is another one for me. This is the story of the season thing. Like this is a top 10 offense. This is a team that made the play. playoffs, and this is a true blue elite player on that team. And that's just something that I think should be recognized. And I talk about when we, they do all that play action stuff, the under center play action

stuff, and he gets put on an island over and over and over. Play actions helps out the offensive line, but the left, one of the tackles is going to be on an island, unless you kind of manipulate some things. How they do it, they just say, hey, bud, you got it. We used to be able to do that Wisconsin because we had Joe Thomas and then Gabe Carimi And then Ricky Wagner. We guys get drafted over and over. NFL don't really lean into it too much unless you got a dude out there that doesn't need help.

They can do it. They can do it over and over. And you barely see a guy winning when they have a true island on him. He's a fantastic player. More people should kind of really recognize. When he watched the Giants in the playoffs, watch that blindside spot. He's a really fun player. I think he's only been penalized, like twice on the entire season, zero times as a pass blocker.

And I was going to say another thing that he's improved on. Just everything, everything. He's really good. The only knock, I would say, he is, if all the tackles in the NFL that have played at least 80% of their team snaps, so full-time left tackles. He's at the bottom of the league in true pass sets just because of how much play action they use. But what you said about his role in their play action game, I think is a very, very good point. He was second team for me. When I, again, when I did this initially, I put him in first team.

And then I went back and I watched a couple of Larry Me Tonsol games from this season. Tutsle's my second team, so just swapped. I think right now he is in a world where Trent Williams has been hurt and Bactiare has been banged up this season. I think he was in a class all by himself as a pass blocker. I went back and I watched the games against the Browns and against the Cowboys. Not a ton of one-on-one snaps against Garrett or Michael Parsons. With the Browns, they chipped a little bit and they used Garrett on the other side a lot. And then with Michael Parsons, he moves all around.

but he won pretty much all of the reps against both of those two guys. He's clean. How clean, patient, and assertive he is. There was one rep in the red zone against Cleveland where he cut Genevian Clowny, like, late in the play. And even how smooth that looked, the guy just is in total control. Like, he knows exactly what he's trying to accomplish and what he's trying to shut down on any given play. How smoothly and patiently and easily he's just running guys past the quarterby.

consistently. I mean, he was in a class of himself this year as a pass blocker, in my opinion. And that's why I had him first team. This sounds like it's kind of a stupid knock. Let me talk about the Texans, by the way. Texas, yes. He's a very good player on the Texans who don't have a lot of very good players. I think what Tunsell is why I, this is why I split the hairs on it, is they has 10 penalties

this season. And that was. Seven of them are false starts. Yes. So that is a thing with him. So that's why if that had been shifted more to, if he had. six holds. Holdings.

Like, ah, all right. The fact that it's seven false starts, he only got banked for holding three times, which that's not terrible. That was enough where I was like, I'll still give it to him. He's fantastic.

So I'm not knocking this one at all because I think he, it's on the Texans who not a lot of people are watching their games. So he kind of gets, all we know him, know about him is kind of like the journey to draft before. Trade and gas mask. The trade and gas mask. And,

But it's like, no, they traded for him and gave him that contract, even if it's Bill O'Brien negotiating with him. There was a reason why he got that contract because he is that talented. No, but how in control he is is really cool. I can pass sets and everything. So that's a great point. Talk about him. I mean, his recovery. I mean, there's, when people try to use an inside spin on him, like just how in control he is and those counter moves, he's such a good player.

I really, really like watching him. He has that kind of class, him and Thomas, actually, have that classic what you picture of those true tackles. I always picture like guys. I always picture like guys in the 90s, like Ogden or something like that. When they pass it and they kind of do like the arm movements where it's kind of like they're like chew, too training the arms. Like he has that to him. So it's like, I don't know.

Only like the elite tackles can like do it smoothly. So it's like he has that. So he checks that box as well. He's a very, very good player. Honorable mentions I had even though Trent Williams missed a couple games. I think you have to mention his name. And same thing with Christian Derosaw. I think the Christian Derosaw has had a really, really nice season.

And he's missed a couple games. He's just one more guy I wanted to acknowledge another young guy who's, you know, taking a step this year, I think, for sure. Which is good. We always need tackles. No, I, I, only one of I had for left tackles. We're talking about right tackled sex was Trent Williams. So that was the other one on my short list. All right.

Left guard. Left guard. Okay. See, I just want to go guard. I got, who does it? I got Betonio, Joel Betonio for the Cleveland Browns. Oh, you do? Okay, good.

Yeah. Just getting always been very good. Like, last two, three years, gotten even better. I think that this season, over the last couple of years, I think that he's been the most complete left guard in the NFL. And I think the Quentin Nelson is at a down season. But overall, I think that Betonio has been the class of the position for the last couple years. He is. One of the coolest things is to watch him. They love doing a long pull with him and Teller. But watching him pull out in space is like really fun to watch. That size. He's huge, too, man. Huge. To be a long, that is crazy. Yep. He's been outstanding this year and should be awarded for that. That Brown's offensive line is always really fun to watch. But he's, he's huge.

but you can watch him play and you can just see dominance, stretches and stretches of that. So I agree with you. I think he is, you know, like you said, with Nelson kind of taking a half step back. I think he is the best left guard in the game. And he played like it. And he's only getting better. Somehow, some way, just getting better in his 30s, which is awesome. Second team left guard.

Second team left guard. I love how I can't remember this. Left guard, I got Joe Tuny. Sam. Oh, you do? Sweet. Technician. He's one of those.

He's so high level. You kind of forget about him. like, you know, like he, because he doesn't make mistakes. He just, to me the best pass blocking guard in the NFL, not named Zach Martin, the best pass blocking left guard in the NFL. And those are probably best technicians,

like at former tackles. It's so obvious when you watch them play that they're short-armed tackles. He's just so incredibly comfortable and in control as a pass blocker all the time. Even missing a couple games, I still had to throw them on there because you go watch, I was watching the Tennessee game this morning. Even against Jeffrey Simmons, like in past protection,

He's like, this good dude is just rock solid, man. Oh, my God. Rock solid. Hand just, how he resets his hands. That's always a big thing. Like, especially when going against a guy like Simmons who's so powerful and yawks arms off and blows you back. How he resets is really cool to watch with him. But yeah, second team all pro, pretty easy one too.

I thought those guys were easy. I thought that position was particularly easy this year. Center. Oh, center. We're talking about story of the season, but honestly, probably my offense alignment of the year, Jason Kelsey. And I can't tell the season. I think Jason Kelsey has just been outstanding. I think we all know his leadership ability,

his ability to move out in space. I grew up with the center just like him, Jeff Christie with the Vikings with the bucks. They play exactly alike, which is really fun for me. But actually, we'll talk about the second team guy and the second,

which is actually really funny because that's like the second center I grew up with. But honestly, like the best, I think he's just the best ball he's ever played, which is saying something. This guy's been an all-pro guy year after year after year. He is my age. He is 35 years old.

And he's playing, this is the best he's played. He's outstanding. Watching him run, and what he unlocks in their run game, and on top of it, how he can handle himself and past setting against guys where he has, he's a huge mismatch. And he's, he's another technician, but so athletic.

But I think this is one of the easiest picks, period, was him as first team center on this whole list. Him and his brother just, how are those genes? They are. It's not just that they're great players. It's how unique their dominance is at their specific positions. Like the way that Kelsey plays and just that the feel he has and finding space and the ability to improv within the middle of plays and just the sense he has for the game

is unlike any other tight end I've ever seen. And then what Jason is asked to do in the run game and how they weaponize his specific skill set is really unlike any center that I've seen. I mean, yes. They don't do one thing a game. They do 15 times a game. They use his skills. It's unbelievable to watch.

And the fact that he's still playing at this level. I mean, they're going to walk into the Hall Fame. They are the best players at their respective positions over an entire generation of football. It's unbelievable. He's, how their body types are different, which is so funny.

It's like they're just, I know. And they just, their skill sets are remarkable. And just his intelligence. for the game. It's, yeah, he's real. I'm going to say it for like the third time, but like he's my alignment of the year.

If I just had to pick one guy, it's him because just how he's playing this year and what, when he's unlocking and just, just that whole Eagles offense is so much fun to watch, but it's just what he does and what he brings to the table is just so tremendous and such a, a different level with other guys, especially at the center position. Yeah, there's nobody like him. And he's playing as well as he's ever played. My second team guy was Creed Humphrey.

Okay. No. You want him to say mine? Who's yours? I'm going, Frank Ragnow. Frank Ragnall is my first honorable mention. Okay, yep. And then I have Creed Humphrey is my first honorable mention.

And then Eric McCoy, if McCoy was healthy, he was playing very well this year. But I think, talk about Jeff Christie, the second center, the second center I grew up with was Matt Burke. And Frank Ragnall is like a splitting image of him. Like, it's kind of funny. And he's from Minnesota originally, too. But I think just total package, center position, size, athleticism, intelligence. He's very astute with their protections. They're so well-com.

coach, but he's so good with that. Just the difference he makes. He was banged up a little bit, but he has no real weakness. He's athletic enough to cut off guys. He can handle giant nose tackles or athletic defensive tackles. I mean, his frame and how tall he is as a center, you just don't see that many centers with that sort of length, and he's really, really good player.

And what happens usually when you take a big center, people like the idea of it. And then when they see him practice, like, man, that guy can't cut off anybody. All we can do is down block. It's been interesting this year, though, because there have been some guys, like watching Pochich play. Pochich, yes. At his size for the Browns and how good he's been and the length that he has, it's kind of made me rethink body types at center with him and some of the other

taller guys we've seen at the position. So it's been a weird year for that. If interior guys de-leim and get bigger again, well, you know, my, my kid. That's a good point. That's why Jason Kelsey is such an exception. It's like we went to those kind of 2, 9,300 pounds guy, pound guys, well, maybe the taller or longer center is coming back as well. Of course, not asking Jason Kelsey to reach 6-4,

shades because he doesn't do that. They just block down and he loops around. Their ability to understand who he is, I think is a huge part of why he's so good. So I had I love watching Creed Humphrey play. The belly and the strength that he plays with and just that body type

he's incredibly strong, but he's so good in space. Like when they're running screens or just the way he moves combined with the play strength, he's just so fun to watch. Plus, he looks hilarious. I support people with that body type succeeding in the world. He looks like how people picture offense alignment. Like that's that's how he

looks. It's so true. Yeah. And also he throws freaking 100 mile an hour fastballs on his snaps too. That's the other thing. No, oh, Frank Ragno by way plays for Detroit Lions. Yes. And Green Humphrey is the chief center. Yes. Joe Tootie is the chief's left guard. So we'll try and list these positions off for some of these offensive linens. Watching him in this screen game is just so fun for a guy that Bill White him to move like that. It is really enjoyable. All right. Right guard. Who you got? First team, Zach Martin. The more things change, the more they stay the same. He is still the gold standard. He is. No sex allowed. No penalties is a pass blocker. It's almost secularly just to say. It's like last year I was like, okay, he's starting to kind of take a half step back a little bit. You know,

maybe just, you know, like maybe he's not going to be at that level. Well, and then I watch him this year. It's like, oh, never mind. You're still, still fantastic. Talk about technician. Never takes a wrong step. He's he's the epitome of guard player, interior line play. He's how, this is how people must have been when they watch Bruce Matthews, Jake's dad. When they watched him, that's probably how I feel watching, we feel watching Zach Martin. Just everything's perfect. Doesn't miss a snap. Technician, like just smooth. And everyone just watches him. He goes like, yeah, no one could do it like Bruce. That's how I kind of feel watching Zach Martin. It's like no one can do it like Zach Martin. Easy first team all pro pick for me. It's a Hall of Fame player at a Hall of Fame level.

Yep. It's really it. Second team. Second team guard. Oh, Chris Lindstrom. That's who I had as well. You do? Awesome.

He deserves it. I was texting with a couple of coaches. Okay. About for some teams and just I wanted to get a sense of it. And I had somebody respond to me. He said, I think he's playing as well as any guard in the NFL right now. Yep. Yep.

He is the Falcons. He is the Falcons guard. He is that scheme to unlock his athletic ability as well. What they ask him to do is? it. That's what jumps out to me. Yep. Is them asking him to like scoop a shade by himself, them asking him to reach a three technique by himself. Like how much of a fulcrum he is to one of the best running games in the NFL, that's why I just think he should be recognized for it. He should. He's,

beginning of last year, he was coming along, even two years ago. And then beginning of this year, I was like, oh, shit. Like this guy, it's every snap now. But that's such a great point. how we talked about Jason Kelsey and his athletic ability, that's kind of the guard version of that with Lindstrom. He's just so athletic. It's the like you're talking about the reaching and everything, how he can get his head across on guys that do not want them for him to get his head across on him. He does it consistently against good players too. And he's just, you know. The Washington game this year, playing against that front and playing against Duran Payne the entire day and just doing the same shit he does to everybody else.

That that's really impressive. Yeah. No, Lindstrom is a hell of a player. And on top of it, like they're playing the Rams earlier this year. He ran down a, ran down an interception, a guy on an interception. And it was like the fastest that offensive. The offensive lineman moved to the NFL this year or like the last couple of years, something like that. No, but hell of a player. He keeps coming along. He's only going to get better too. He's 25 years old. Yeah. He's only going to get better. And they're going to get better as a team. So I'm very excited to see people more kind of put a spotlight on him. They have some pieces. They do. And we'll see what happens. with them. So next year, see what happens with McGarry. I think they declined his fifth year option. Yeah, that one's interesting. And he's been really good in the run game this year. Caleb Gary, their right tackle. I don't know what they're going to do with him. But Jake Matthews is signed to a multi-year extension. Jay Matthews, solid as can be as a left tackle. So now you have one of the best

right guards in the league. The Falcons are fifth in rushing DVA this year. And I'm sure people are like, how. This is part of this. Partially how. An all pro right guard. Kyle Pitts, Drake London. They've got some. some really interesting pieces to build around as a foundation for their offense. And he's one of the big reasons there. All right. Right tackle. All right.

Right tackle for a scene, Lane Johnson. Just so damn good. He's the class. Even missing a couple games, I still feel like he's been so much better than everybody else. Yeah. He has to be there.

He was my gut instinct. He's the Eagles, right tackle. Eagles right tackle. Yes. Yes. We're getting better at this. So,

year three. Watching him this year. again, another outstanding player that's playing the best of his career, I think. And just watching how many times Jalen Hertz, when he breaks out of the pocket, seeing how clear the right side is, because Lane Johnson has dominated who he's past protecting that side and just making them pick a lane, pun intended, and controlling that guy is, it's outstanding. And at first, he was my first gut choice, like, okay, that's easy pick. I was like, oh, you missed some time.

And I was like, oh, barely at it. We're good. because his level of play this year is just it's S tier. I use those terms and that's how he plays and just an easy pick really when it comes down to it. Yeah, he's the best right tackle in the NFL. Even missing a couple games, I still think it's an easy, easy choice. What he does on the backside of run plays? Yep.

Like it's everything. It's how you can leave him on an island as a pass blocker, but also just his athleticism and movement in the run game. He is a special, special player again. He's a Hall of Fame level talent playing like it right now. Yes. Who's your second team, right tackle? And the play of this guy is why I had one kind of glimmer of hesitation of making Lane Johnson first team. But then I came to my senses.

But that's Pene Soule. And I also had Pene Soule is my second. Watch out. This guy is amazing. Watching him play right now, you can still, you can feel he's still a baby. You see him figuring it out still. And when you watch him in college, the explosive. was just out of this world.

But now you have that and you see the power and you see the movement skills still. But he's starting to refine his game. But it still is like 70% refined. Like when he actually figures all this stuff out, it's going to be crazy how good he is. It's insane. He has that. I'm not making this comparison lightly people. He has that movement ability or play style of Trent Williams where it doesn't look like they're trying sometimes.

That's exactly right. But they're dominating. And he's the same kind of cut from the same cloth. I mean, they're rare, rare athletes and he's getting better as a technician. Fantastic as a run blocker, pass protector. I tweeted even today. Him out in space is still one of the most inspiring sites you'll see in sports, watching a 340 pound man control his body.

Like when you see a normal tackle or offense alignment in space on a screen, if that corner or DB jukes them a little bit, they're falling on their faces. Like nine times out of ten. He's resetting himself and slowing down with DB. with like good dbs like brisker from the bears and acting like it's nothing it's he he's a special talent he's about to take one of these all pro's first team all pro spots probably for the next decade he is an incredible player they get like that's exactly right with the movement and what he can do in space we knew that what he's starting to do technician wise and even not even just like physical

technique but strategy yeah he's jump he's jump setting guys he'll snatch to do a snatch trap guy on somebody i mean some of the stuff that he's able to fold into his game now the game he had Danes Daniel Hunter earlier this season was really interesting because Hunter is one of the weirdest guys in the league to play against. The moves he tries, the tempo he plays with, he's a junk ball pitcher. And so watching a guy in his second season who's 22 deal with that from a game plan perspective, from a technique perspective, plus the physical prowess that he has, he's going to be a special player. Yeah. And now the Lions have two, in my voting, two second team all pro offense alignment to build off of like that. It's amazing. On top of. the Pro Bowl left guard that had some injuries this year, but in Jonah Jackson. So line's got some dudes up there. There's no mistaken about it. Tristan Worf's just was hurt. I mean, I think that he absolutely would have been in this conversation.

Him and Ramchak, who are my honor, just miss more games. So I think you have to mention Worf's who still a, just an awesome guy, awesome player and basketball. Watching last week was so much fun because it was like, oh, yeah. It makes such a huge difference when he's in there. All right, main event, let's do it. I mean, I don't. know what else, what there is to say about the first team quarterback. I think we both will have

the same one. I mean, Patrick Mahomes, guys, it's, I don't think this is one of the easiest selections on this whole list. Uh, anywhere you look at it. Team record. Okay. Uh, passing stats, 5,000 yards and 16 games, 40 touchdowns. 7th most passing first downs in a season ever through 16 games. QBR of 77. Seven points better than Josh Allen in second. EPA per dropback. I know some of guys don't know what EPA is. It's really good. 0.28. So laps the league in that. First and past success rate. First in Football Outsiders, D.Y.A.R. Football Outsiders does an effective yard stat, basically like kind of saying like what if you got lucky or not on your on your yards.

I'm just, I'm shoehorning this in there. He's nearly at 6,000 yards in that metric, 500 more than the person in second, which is Tom Brady, 5500. So he's he's just a phenomenal, phenomenal player and playing at that level. I think he's not easily the first team all pro, but my MVP pick, spoilers for when we do that show as well. One of my favorite things about him is when you look at obviously the passing numbers are insane. It's just that negative plays not existing.

So he's dead last in the NFL in SAC EPA generated, negative SAC EPA. No, no, he's dead. He's dead last in the NFL among players that have played a full season. Because all of his sacks are like two. yards. It's like negative one yard, negative two yards or something. He has more scramble EPA generated than SAC EPA lost. There are only two players in the NFL that have done that this season. It's him and Josh Allen. Yeah. And that's why Josh Allen, one of the reasons Josh Allen is my second team all pro quarterback. Josh Allen is also my second team all pro

quarterback. This was hard. I think there are a lot of options here. Walk me through why you landed on Josh Allen. Oh, man. It was, let me get to my list litany of stats that I have prepared for this podcast. Okay. It's not even just a value and that's why there's most valuable player and everything. And with the team and what he does. But Josh Allen and that offense, he is the offense as far as.

What he's asked to do is to me what does it. He's the whole offense. It's a single wing quarterback, like an old school single wing offense quarterback that also throws the ball. And you can just watch. him play and you can tell it like that. He's one of the best runners at any position, like just watching him and also just with the metrics as well. You just look at the stats as well. Second EPA for drop back. It doesn't drop that much when you just go to EPA per attempt.

Him and him as a scrambler is insane. He has 55 scrambles this year. 47 them have been successful. So 43 designed rushes and he's over 50% success rate on that, which is absurd. Second in QBR. second and past success rate. The only guys above 50% past success rate this season are Mahomes, Dak and Josh Allen. And so, yeah, he's Captain Chaos or Professor Chaos. He does all that stuff. But he is playing incredible.

We got a little bored with him, we being just a collective NFL fandom, maybe a little bored with him in the middle of the season. But if you kind of take that step back and actually watch what he's doing, it's amazing. I think after I kind of really dove into this, it's like, yeah, he's my second team all pro.

And really kind of took maybe a half cut above, maybe to other guys. Jaywin Hertz has been awesome this season. What Jaywin Hertz has been for the Eagles offense, ultimately, I think the tiebreaker is Jay one Hertz missing those couple games is enough for me. And because of how good Josh Allen has been, mentioned he's second in the NFL when EPA generated on Scramble is the only player with more is Justin Fields. And Justin Fields is second in the amount of value lost in sacks. Right.

Again, Josh Allen has added more value on his scrambles than he's taken in sacks. You know, hard that is? To have no element of your game, essentially, create negative plays for your team combined with all of the positives. He is 746 rushing yards. This season, he's a huge part of their running game when they need him to be. And you look at the offense that he's in. Stefan Diggs is a great player. It's a great player.

Second team, all pro receiver for us. Other than that, who are the elite players on the Buffalo Bills offense? That's it. There's no elite guys. Like Dionne Dawkins is good, and that's, that's, he's a solid left tackle. Mitch Moore is a solid center. And that's where you're sitting at. I know.

He's asked to do so much within that offense. And it's, that's not even grading. And he answers it. Yes. It's not agreeing on that much of a curve. They asked him to do all this. And he does it. That's what's crazy.

It's not what they ask him to do. It's like, man, that's a little too much for this guy. It's like, no, he answers the call every single time. That's what makes Josh Allen, Josh Allen. Joe Burrow is right there for me, too. I think that Hertz and Burrow are right, right there. And when I sat down, I thought it would probably be one of those guys when I sat down to do it. And then you just start, one, looking at the numbers, but two, just think about watching the bills play.

And think about how central he is to everything that's happening. And Joe Burrow is fantastic. But talk about that T. Higgins stat, I just mentioned. those guys are winning for him. The Bengals have probably the best past catching court in the NFL. The Eagles might be second. The Eagles have, we just talked about it, two first team all pro offensive linemen,

plus a bunch of other really good ones. What Josh Allen is asked to do for the bills, I think is just different than what those guys are asked to do for their teams. And even if it's close, I just think that gives him a little bit of an edge on those two guys. I agree. And that's the discussion with some of this is that, Oh, wait, you talk about like player, like, say if you're making the argument for like Lamar, not this year, but just in a general year. And sometimes the stats don't, you know, build up to everybody else is. But you're like, well, watch him. He's just the whole team. Josh Allen's the same way. But the stats show it. And they win games. That's no matter the argument, the eye test, the how much he's, how valuable it is for the team or just the underlying stats and metrics. It's just, yeah, that that's where I ended up being with him. I, my other top, my other guys were hurts and. And,

just like you. Those were the four I really considered. Well, Mahomes really should say three considered for this final spot. But no, I just think Josh Allen has played at such a high level and that maybe the elbow injury and some of the shine came and came off. But it's like,

no, he's still playing. He's still really freaking good guys. It's just that, you know, sometimes we kind of lose our way. And they'll stretch at the season. But when you take that step back and look at this,

it's like, man, Josh Allen is just playing fantastic. That's why he's my second team. And really, good about it, just like you said. Once I started diving into these numbers, I'm like, yeah, yeah, this is really it. So PFF does big time throws, right?

Oh, God. He has 41, which leads the NFL. Tom Brady is second with 34. Tom Brady has 180 more pass attempts than Josh. Right. He has his big time throw percentage. His big time throw percentage is 7.2. No other full-time starter is above 5.7.

It's Geno Smith. That's absurd. The splashes plus, again, overcoming the negative plays. Yes. The idea that he's, the scrambles are more valuable than the sacks. Look at how many sacks Joe Burrow has taken over the course of the season. Joe Burrow is fantastic, but the overall value created, I just think that Josh Allen wins this when you combine it with what he's asked to do within the offense. That's why I want to bring up the passing success rate.

It's not like you're saying right there, just the scrambles in the sacks. It's avoiding the negative plays. It's staying on schedule. He's become a monster of efficiency on top of being Mr. Explosive. That's a dangerous player. And that's how he's played this year. That's not a mistake. Success rate is not a mistake over time because you have to maintain it.

And it's never dipped. He's just been head and shoulders above a lot of other quarterbacks along with Mahomes. So that's why he should be rewarded for this. I do. The one argument against him would probably be that he has put the ball in harm's way a lot this season more than he has in years past. But I think in the aggregate, what, what he has. he gives you playing that way. The numbers bear it out.

It is ultimately a demonstrative positive. So I'm totally fine. And the overall equation, the overall recipe of what Josh Allen is coming out on the other side and giving this to him. Absolutely. Yeah. All right. That felt good. We had more overlap that I really expected.

Like, there's a couple of these. I was like, this might be an outlier here. Yeah. Like Lindstrom and like that, I think is a little bit surprising. I assume with defense. it might be a little bit different, which, by the way, if you guys are ready, you should go listen to the defensive version of this show that should be available in your podcast feeds right now.

In the meantime, really appreciate you guys listening. Please check back for our wild card weekend previews later this week. We're doing two. We're going to do an AFC preview and an NFC preview. We are not going to be streaming those live because we're doing two shows and doing it in kind of a weird format. So those will be available as podcasts moving forward, but that's it. And then another quick reminder, two wild card recap shows, those will be live on our

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