- Joined
- Feb 9, 2014
- Messages
- 20,922
- Name
- Peter
https://www.theringer.com/nfl/2018/...-gurley-drew-brees-adam-thielen-philip-rivers
The Eight Best Players of the 2018 NFL Season So Far
At this point in the schedule, the MVP race is far too close to call. So instead of trying to predict who’ll wind up taking home the hardware, we’re celebrating the players who have defined the first six weeks of the season.
By Robert Mays
At the six-week mark of almost every NFL season, the MVP race is too close to call. Sure, there are usually front-runners (and plenty of people willing to prognosticate and play the odds), but there’s so much football left that—especially in 2018—the award seems pretty up for grabs.
So instead of trying to predict who’ll take home the hardware at the end of this season, we’re celebrating the players who have stood out in their respective positions so far this year and examining why and how they’ve been so effective.
Todd Gurley, RB, Rams
The Case: As I mentioned in Monday’s Starting 11, Gurley is on pace for 2,320 yards from scrimmage and 29 touchdowns. If he pulls that off, he’d be just the second player to do it since the merger (the other being LaDainian Tomlinson in 2006, the year he won the MVP award). For the second straight season, Gurley has been the most dangerous player on arguably the league’s best offense.
Sean McVay has crafted an offensive identity centered around Gurley—he masks certain play designs, making them look identical to others. The play-action passes look like runs. The runs look like play-action passes.
McVay’s scheme is completely unpredictable, and it only functions that way because Gurley can do everything you could ask of a running back. His skills as a receiver and dominance on screen passes ensure that when he’s in the game, any play on McVay’s call sheet is on the table.
And the Rams have taken full advantage. Gurley faces eight or more rushers in the box on 10.08 percent of his carries, the seventh-lowest rate in the league. On the surface, that doesn’t make any sense. Why the hell would the league’s best running back face light boxes on nine out of every 10 runs?
The answer is that the Rams use 11 personnel on nearly 93 percent of their running plays, and opponents are forced to respond with sub-package defenses. Then Gurley responds in kind by gashing them all game.
Saying that McVay does all he can to accentuate Gurley’s talent isn’t meant to take anything away from what Gurley’s been doing this season. The only time a player should be dinged for the damage he does in a great system is when another player could come in and produce at the same level—which is certainly not the case with Gurley.
There might be one other back in the league who could destroy defenses under McVay the way that Gurley has, but that’s it. We’ve all seen the wrong coaching staff steal the joy of peak Todd Gurley by slamming him into the line on every play. Let’s all just be thankful McVay got to him when he did, because he’s turned Gurley into the MVP frontrunner.
The Clip:
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/13292175/ezgif.com_optimize__4_.jpg)
Former NFL offensive lineman Geoff Schwartz did a great job of breaking down this concept on Twitter earlier this week(see below). When the Rams use jet motion, it holds the opposing linebackers just long enough for L.A.’s linemen to execute blocks that wouldn’t be possible with a normal inside zone run. With Gurley carrying the ball and the big boys picking off players at the second level, just say goodnight.
View: https://twitter.com/geoffschwartz/status/1052169004595507200
Jared Goff, QB, Rams
The Case: For anyone wondering why the Rams are still undefeated and clearly the best team in football, maybe it’s because their running back and quarterback both have a viable claim as the league’s best player.
Goff’s improvement from his rookie year to last season’s sophomore campaign was the largest jump any player in the league made over that period, and he’s continued his ascent in his third season. While Goff was merely seen as a capable point man for McVay’s offense last year, he’s spent the first six weeks of the 2018 season making throws only a few quarterbacks in the league can make.
His Week 4 performance against the Vikings was the most impressive game I’ve ever witnessed in person from an NFL quarterback. Goff threw five touchdown passes, and each one was more gorgeous than the last. It was like watching a ridiculous Steph Curry game where he’s pulling up from near half-court and casually dropping it through the net.
The rim was 10 feet in diameter for Goff against Minnesota, and after his second touchdown throw to Cooper Kupp that night — a throw ripped into the back corner of the end zone while on the move — he couldn’t help but smile. Goff admitted to me after the game that he might have gotten lucky with that one; I don’t think he’s giving himself enough credit.
From the 2017 season to now, not much has changed about the Rams’ offensive personnel. This unit has taken another step because Goff looks like a different quarterback. McVay will do plenty to scheme receivers open, but if Goff continues to make throws like he has for much of this season, there’s no limit to how great the Rams can be.
The Clip:
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjhBSZoYXr0&feature=player_embedded
Goff’s touchdown pass to Kupp is the only reason this bomb to Cooks won’t be remembered as the prettiest throw from his evisceration of the Vikings. Plays like this one are what differentiate 2018 Goff from last year’s version. Design has some role in allowing this touchdown to happen — by holding the safety with Kupp’s deep in route, McVay turns the play into a foot race between Cooks and cornerback Trae Waynes.
But even color commentator Troy Aikman admitted that he didn’t think Goff had the arm to get the ball there. This pass travels 60 yards in the air, which would be impressive in its own right. But dropping it right into the receiver’s arms makes it truly special.
--------------------------------------------------
To read about the rest of the players on this list, click the link.
https://www.theringer.com/nfl/2018/...-gurley-drew-brees-adam-thielen-philip-rivers
The Eight Best Players of the 2018 NFL Season So Far
At this point in the schedule, the MVP race is far too close to call. So instead of trying to predict who’ll wind up taking home the hardware, we’re celebrating the players who have defined the first six weeks of the season.
By Robert Mays
At the six-week mark of almost every NFL season, the MVP race is too close to call. Sure, there are usually front-runners (and plenty of people willing to prognosticate and play the odds), but there’s so much football left that—especially in 2018—the award seems pretty up for grabs.
So instead of trying to predict who’ll take home the hardware at the end of this season, we’re celebrating the players who have stood out in their respective positions so far this year and examining why and how they’ve been so effective.
Todd Gurley, RB, Rams
The Case: As I mentioned in Monday’s Starting 11, Gurley is on pace for 2,320 yards from scrimmage and 29 touchdowns. If he pulls that off, he’d be just the second player to do it since the merger (the other being LaDainian Tomlinson in 2006, the year he won the MVP award). For the second straight season, Gurley has been the most dangerous player on arguably the league’s best offense.
Sean McVay has crafted an offensive identity centered around Gurley—he masks certain play designs, making them look identical to others. The play-action passes look like runs. The runs look like play-action passes.
McVay’s scheme is completely unpredictable, and it only functions that way because Gurley can do everything you could ask of a running back. His skills as a receiver and dominance on screen passes ensure that when he’s in the game, any play on McVay’s call sheet is on the table.
And the Rams have taken full advantage. Gurley faces eight or more rushers in the box on 10.08 percent of his carries, the seventh-lowest rate in the league. On the surface, that doesn’t make any sense. Why the hell would the league’s best running back face light boxes on nine out of every 10 runs?
The answer is that the Rams use 11 personnel on nearly 93 percent of their running plays, and opponents are forced to respond with sub-package defenses. Then Gurley responds in kind by gashing them all game.
Saying that McVay does all he can to accentuate Gurley’s talent isn’t meant to take anything away from what Gurley’s been doing this season. The only time a player should be dinged for the damage he does in a great system is when another player could come in and produce at the same level—which is certainly not the case with Gurley.
There might be one other back in the league who could destroy defenses under McVay the way that Gurley has, but that’s it. We’ve all seen the wrong coaching staff steal the joy of peak Todd Gurley by slamming him into the line on every play. Let’s all just be thankful McVay got to him when he did, because he’s turned Gurley into the MVP frontrunner.
The Clip:
Former NFL offensive lineman Geoff Schwartz did a great job of breaking down this concept on Twitter earlier this week(see below). When the Rams use jet motion, it holds the opposing linebackers just long enough for L.A.’s linemen to execute blocks that wouldn’t be possible with a normal inside zone run. With Gurley carrying the ball and the big boys picking off players at the second level, just say goodnight.
View: https://twitter.com/geoffschwartz/status/1052169004595507200
Jared Goff, QB, Rams
The Case: For anyone wondering why the Rams are still undefeated and clearly the best team in football, maybe it’s because their running back and quarterback both have a viable claim as the league’s best player.
Goff’s improvement from his rookie year to last season’s sophomore campaign was the largest jump any player in the league made over that period, and he’s continued his ascent in his third season. While Goff was merely seen as a capable point man for McVay’s offense last year, he’s spent the first six weeks of the 2018 season making throws only a few quarterbacks in the league can make.
His Week 4 performance against the Vikings was the most impressive game I’ve ever witnessed in person from an NFL quarterback. Goff threw five touchdown passes, and each one was more gorgeous than the last. It was like watching a ridiculous Steph Curry game where he’s pulling up from near half-court and casually dropping it through the net.
The rim was 10 feet in diameter for Goff against Minnesota, and after his second touchdown throw to Cooper Kupp that night — a throw ripped into the back corner of the end zone while on the move — he couldn’t help but smile. Goff admitted to me after the game that he might have gotten lucky with that one; I don’t think he’s giving himself enough credit.
From the 2017 season to now, not much has changed about the Rams’ offensive personnel. This unit has taken another step because Goff looks like a different quarterback. McVay will do plenty to scheme receivers open, but if Goff continues to make throws like he has for much of this season, there’s no limit to how great the Rams can be.
The Clip:
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjhBSZoYXr0&feature=player_embedded
Goff’s touchdown pass to Kupp is the only reason this bomb to Cooks won’t be remembered as the prettiest throw from his evisceration of the Vikings. Plays like this one are what differentiate 2018 Goff from last year’s version. Design has some role in allowing this touchdown to happen — by holding the safety with Kupp’s deep in route, McVay turns the play into a foot race between Cooks and cornerback Trae Waynes.
But even color commentator Troy Aikman admitted that he didn’t think Goff had the arm to get the ball there. This pass travels 60 yards in the air, which would be impressive in its own right. But dropping it right into the receiver’s arms makes it truly special.
--------------------------------------------------
To read about the rest of the players on this list, click the link.
https://www.theringer.com/nfl/2018/...-gurley-drew-brees-adam-thielen-philip-rivers
