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Excerpts only. To read the whole mess click the link below.
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https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.c...card-weekend-fmia-eagles-chargers-peter-king/
By Peter King
Dallas (11-6, NFC 4th seed) at Los Angeles Rams (13-3, NFC 2nd seed), L.A. Coliseum, 8:15 p.m. ET, FOX.
Let’s step back for a minute and think how interesting it is that two years ago, the two teams now in southern California, the Rams and Chargers, were a woebegone 9-23, and league owners were rolling their eyes at the possibility of two lousy teams in Los Angeles. Now they’re 26-7, and they’re legit members of the NFL’s elite eight. Nothing is forever in the NFL.
Other than Jerry Jones getting to take his entourage to Nobu in Malibu, the best thing for Dallas about this weekend is this matchup. In 2018, the Rams gave up 5.1 yards per rush, which is beyond an Achilles’ heel. It’s preposterous, and it’s the biggest reason why the Rams could be an endangered species when Ezekiel Elliott rolls into the Coliseum.
Elsewhere in this column I write about how impressive a football player (not just a great back; I mean a complete player) Elliott is. And the more the Cowboys are able to ride Elliott, the less of a factor Aaron Donald will be in making Dak Prescott’s life miserable.
The tale of two backs in this game—which will be the ratings bonanza of the postseason—has one big mystery: How healthy is Todd Gurley, and how productive can he be? Gurley hasn’t been himself since he saved the Rams with a 155-yard performance (rushing and receiving) at Detroit, and regardless whether he practices this week or is listed on the injury report, I won’t trust him till I see if he can dominate a game the way he did in the first half of this season. This game’s going to be closer than it looks.
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The Award Section
Ezekiel Elliott, running back, Dallas. After watching his 169-total-yard night in the 24-22 win over Seattle, I thought, This guy could have played in Jim Brown’s era and been really good. He’s the kind of smart, physical back Vince Lombardi and Paul Brown would have loved. My favorite play from Elliott: Dallas, up 17-14 with 3:41 left, was trying to run down the clock in Seattle territory.
Elliott ran around right end, stiff-armed Shaquill Griffin at the Seahawk 32, sprinted up the sideline, looked like he’d get pushed out around the 15, but ducked physically back into the field and dove down at the 13. Gain of 17. But here’s the big part of it: He took the snap with 3:41 left, and the next play was snapped at 2:51. The whole thing there is to bleed the clock AND get yards, both of which are vital. Elliott did both.
He has a sense of where he is. “He just kept coming and kept coming,” coach Jason Garrett said. “Physical toughness, mental toughness—he embodies that. He wants it at the critical moments. Boy, he was something else tonight.” Rushing: 26 carries, 137 yards, one TD. Receiving: four catches, 32 yards. A good night’s work.
View: https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1081764601962713089?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1081764601962713089&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fprofootballtalk.nbcsports.com%2F2019%2F01%2F07%2Fnfl-wild-card-weekend-fmia-eagles-chargers-peter-king%2F
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Intelligent Football
How good was Aaron Donald this year? By one measure, the Rams defensive tackle—and certain Defensive Player of the Year for the second straight year—had the best season at any position since 2006, when Pro Football Focus began measuring every player’s performance in every game.
Donald’s season grade of 123.9 is the highest PFF has given in its 13 years of ranking players. This season, it is 55.7 points ahead of second-place Fletcher Cox of the Eagles, a dominant player in his own right.
The most impressive thing about Donald’s season, to me, is that, usually playing from the defensive interior, he had 106 quarterback disruptions (sacks, hits, hurries). So imagine this: On about one of every five snaps Donald played when the opposition was going to pass, he sacked/hit/pressured the quarterback. Amazing for an interior player.
J.J. Watt is the only dominant comparable, in my opinion, in the PFF era to Donald. Watt won the Defensive Player of the Year award three times in four seasons between 2012 and 2015. Watt’s PFF grades in those years: 89.0, 94.1, 93.6, 93.9.
Donald’s greatness is beyond dispute. He’s 27. He’s healthy, with no history of significant injury. He’s five years into what should be an historic career.
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https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.c...card-weekend-fmia-eagles-chargers-peter-king/
By Peter King
Dallas (11-6, NFC 4th seed) at Los Angeles Rams (13-3, NFC 2nd seed), L.A. Coliseum, 8:15 p.m. ET, FOX.
Let’s step back for a minute and think how interesting it is that two years ago, the two teams now in southern California, the Rams and Chargers, were a woebegone 9-23, and league owners were rolling their eyes at the possibility of two lousy teams in Los Angeles. Now they’re 26-7, and they’re legit members of the NFL’s elite eight. Nothing is forever in the NFL.
Other than Jerry Jones getting to take his entourage to Nobu in Malibu, the best thing for Dallas about this weekend is this matchup. In 2018, the Rams gave up 5.1 yards per rush, which is beyond an Achilles’ heel. It’s preposterous, and it’s the biggest reason why the Rams could be an endangered species when Ezekiel Elliott rolls into the Coliseum.
Elsewhere in this column I write about how impressive a football player (not just a great back; I mean a complete player) Elliott is. And the more the Cowboys are able to ride Elliott, the less of a factor Aaron Donald will be in making Dak Prescott’s life miserable.
The tale of two backs in this game—which will be the ratings bonanza of the postseason—has one big mystery: How healthy is Todd Gurley, and how productive can he be? Gurley hasn’t been himself since he saved the Rams with a 155-yard performance (rushing and receiving) at Detroit, and regardless whether he practices this week or is listed on the injury report, I won’t trust him till I see if he can dominate a game the way he did in the first half of this season. This game’s going to be closer than it looks.
--------------------
The Award Section
Ezekiel Elliott, running back, Dallas. After watching his 169-total-yard night in the 24-22 win over Seattle, I thought, This guy could have played in Jim Brown’s era and been really good. He’s the kind of smart, physical back Vince Lombardi and Paul Brown would have loved. My favorite play from Elliott: Dallas, up 17-14 with 3:41 left, was trying to run down the clock in Seattle territory.
Elliott ran around right end, stiff-armed Shaquill Griffin at the Seahawk 32, sprinted up the sideline, looked like he’d get pushed out around the 15, but ducked physically back into the field and dove down at the 13. Gain of 17. But here’s the big part of it: He took the snap with 3:41 left, and the next play was snapped at 2:51. The whole thing there is to bleed the clock AND get yards, both of which are vital. Elliott did both.
He has a sense of where he is. “He just kept coming and kept coming,” coach Jason Garrett said. “Physical toughness, mental toughness—he embodies that. He wants it at the critical moments. Boy, he was something else tonight.” Rushing: 26 carries, 137 yards, one TD. Receiving: four catches, 32 yards. A good night’s work.
View: https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1081764601962713089?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1081764601962713089&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fprofootballtalk.nbcsports.com%2F2019%2F01%2F07%2Fnfl-wild-card-weekend-fmia-eagles-chargers-peter-king%2F
--------------------
Intelligent Football
How good was Aaron Donald this year? By one measure, the Rams defensive tackle—and certain Defensive Player of the Year for the second straight year—had the best season at any position since 2006, when Pro Football Focus began measuring every player’s performance in every game.
Donald’s season grade of 123.9 is the highest PFF has given in its 13 years of ranking players. This season, it is 55.7 points ahead of second-place Fletcher Cox of the Eagles, a dominant player in his own right.
The most impressive thing about Donald’s season, to me, is that, usually playing from the defensive interior, he had 106 quarterback disruptions (sacks, hits, hurries). So imagine this: On about one of every five snaps Donald played when the opposition was going to pass, he sacked/hit/pressured the quarterback. Amazing for an interior player.
J.J. Watt is the only dominant comparable, in my opinion, in the PFF era to Donald. Watt won the Defensive Player of the Year award three times in four seasons between 2012 and 2015. Watt’s PFF grades in those years: 89.0, 94.1, 93.6, 93.9.
Donald’s greatness is beyond dispute. He’s 27. He’s healthy, with no history of significant injury. He’s five years into what should be an historic career.
