Week 12 v Cardinals PFF top 5's & Bottom 5's

[rdlkgliders]

Rams PFF grades: Best and worst performers vs. Cardinals in Week 12

Kevin Dotson led the offense with the highest grade of any player, while Jordan Fuller was atop the defense

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Rams PFF grades: Best and worst performers vs. Cardinals in Week 12​

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GLENDALE, ARIZONA - NOVEMBER 26: Steve Avila #73 of the Los Angeles Rams looks to block while Kyren Williams #23 of the Los Angeles Rams runs the ball during the second quarter against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium on November 26, 2023 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Cameron DaSilva

November 27, 2023 10:56 am PT

The Los Angeles Rams put together their most complete game on Sunday in their 37-14 victory over the Arizona Cardinals. The offense was perfectly balanced with 33 runs for 228 yards and 33 passes for 229 yards, while the defense allowed just six points after the Cardinals’ opening touchdown drive.
Pro Football Focus had some high marks for a number of Rams players, led by Kevin Dotson, Kyren Williams, Jordan Fuller and Ahkello Witherspoon. Others, unfortunately, received lower grades for performing below expectations.
Here are the Rams’ five highest- and lowest-graded players on offense and defense in their Week 12 win over Arizona (min. 10 snaps).

Top 5 offense​

GLENDALE, ARIZONA – NOVEMBER 26: Kyren Williams #23 of the Los Angeles Rams celebrates after scoring a receiving touchdown during the second quarter against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium on November 26, 2023 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

• RG Kevin Dotson: 92.2
• RB Kyren Williams: 84.3
• WR Tutu Atwell: 84.2
• RT Rob Havenstein: 79.4
• LT Alaric Jackson: 78.0

Three of the Rams’ five highest-graded players on offense were linemen. That gives you an idea of just how well the big men up front played. Dotson didn’t allow a single pressure and had a 90.5 grade in the running game.
Havenstein allowed two pressures and one hit, but his run-blocking grade of 84.9 was excellent and the third-best on the team.
Jackson’s 86.1 run-blocking grade was second-best on the team, though he did allow three pressures in pass protection.
Williams obviously had a huge game with 204 total yards, including three missed tackles forced.
Atwell caught three passes for a team-high 76 yards, including a 42-yarder on the opening possession.

Top 5 defense​

GLENDALE, ARIZONA – NOVEMBER 26: Jordan Fuller #4 of the Los Angeles Rams attempts to intercept a pass over Marquise Brown #2 of the Arizona Cardinals during the third quarter at State Farm Stadium on November 26, 2023 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)

• S Jordan Fuller: 90.5
• CB Ahkello Witherspoon: 88.4
• CB Derion Kendrick: 82.6
• S John Johnson: 82.1
• LB Jake Hummel: 77.6

This was one of the best games of Fuller’s career, as he recorded three tackles and four pass breakups — including a near-interception on a deep shot, as seen in the photo above.
Witherspoon also had an excellent performance with three pass breakups and only two receptions allowed on seven targets. He led the team with a 91.1 coverage grade.
Kendrick excelled for the second week in a row, earning a grade of 85.2 in coverage with only two receptions allowed for a total of 9 yards.
Johnson continues to get better as the Rams increase his playing time, allowing just one catch for 14 yards in coverage.
Hummel played just 13 snaps but he made three tackles, in part because he allowed three receptions.

Bottom 5 offense​

GLENDALE, ARIZONA – NOVEMBER 26: Jalen Thompson #34 of the Arizona Cardinals tackles Cooper Kupp #10 of the Los Angeles Rams during the third quarter at State Farm Stadium on November 26, 2023 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

• WR Puka Nacua: 62.9
• WR Ben Skowronek: 61.8
• WR Demarcus Robinson: 61.0
• TE Hunter Long: 49.8
• WR Cooper Kupp: 48.2

Four wideouts made up the Rams’ five lowest-graded offensive players, which is telling. Nacua only caught four passes for 27 yards, Kupp had three catches for 18 yards, Skowronek’s lone reception went for a 1-yard loss on third down and Robinson had two receptions for 13 yards. Only Kupp was pinned with a drop.
Of Long’s 15 snaps played, 10 of them were as a run blocker and three were in pass protection, so he only ran two routes and didn’t have a reception.

Bottom 5 defense​

GLENDALE, ARIZONA – NOVEMBER 26: Marquise Brown #2 of the Arizona Cardinals catches a pass over Tre Tomlinson #6 of the Los Angeles Rams during the fourth quarter at State Farm Stadium on November 26, 2023 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 775992422 ORIG FILE ID: 1815478463

• OLB Ochaun Mathis: 49.9
• DE Jonah Williams: 48.8
• CB Tre Tomlinson: 48.6
• S Jason Taylor II: 43.4
• LB Ernest Jones: 43.3

Mathis only had one pressure in 20 pass-rush snaps, so his grade was understandably low.
Williams did have one tackle but he played 27 snaps and didn’t have much of an impact as a pass rusher.
Tomlinson came in late and allowed four catches for 59 yards on five targets, including a touchdown. He was also called for illegal contact, which nullified his own interception.
Taylor gave up a 26-yard reception late in the game and had three tackles, but he also missed one tackle.
Jones was surprisingly the lowest-graded defender, making only one solo tackle and finishing with a tackling grade of 41.8 (he missed one tackle)

Other notables​

GLENDALE, ARIZONA – NOVEMBER 26: Kobie Turner #91 of the Los Angeles Rams celebrates a sack during the fourth quarter against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium on November 26, 2023 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

• DT Kobie Turner: 75.0
• LG Steve Avila: 72.0
• DT Aaron Donald: 70.0
• QB Matthew Stafford: 68.2

Turner was second on the team with five pressures and he had two sacks to go along with a team-high four stops. He did miss one tackle and was called for a penalty on an extra-point attempt.
Avila had the best pass-blocking grade on the team (83.1) and didn’t allow a single pressure in 34 pass-blocking snaps.
Donald led the team with seven pressures despite not finishing with a sack.
Stafford only made one big-time throw and even though he did throw an interception, PFF didn’t qualify that as a turnover-worthy play, likely characterizing it as a miscommunication with Nacua.

 

[Merlin]

Fuller & Johnson are a good pairing. Who knew.

 

[Merlin]

Also they may need to make a command decision with Kupp. Obviously he'll play hurt but I think that needs to be looked at.

 

[FaulkSF]

Good to see Fuller bounce back from a terrible game against Seattle.

 

[OldSchool]

Also good to see that 4 of our 5 bottom on D I think played very limited snaps other than Jones of course who had a rough outing.

 

[LARAMSinFeb.]

Fuller & Johnson are a good pairing. Who knew.

IKR who saw that coming?? About freakin time they got JJ3 out there in a regular role.

 

[rdlkgliders]

IKR who saw that coming?? About freakin time they got JJ3 out there in a regular role.

The good game from Fuller is a direct result of JJ3 being out there. It frees up Fuller to play more comfortably.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

I don’t understand their grading. If Avila didn’t allow a pressure in 34 pass blocking snaps, then how isn’t that a 100% pass blocking grade?

Plus PFF, who loves AD, doesn’t take into account that when Donald is lining up all alone on one side, he’s being sacrificed to free up other pass rushers. Those snaps shouldn’t be counted as negatives.

 

[AvengerRam]

I don’t understand their grading. If Avila didn’t allow a pressure in 34 pass blocking snaps, then how isn’t that a 100% pass blocking grade?

Plus PFF, who loves AD, doesn’t take into account that when Donald is lining up all alone on one side, he’s being sacrificed to free up other pass rushers. Those snaps shouldn’t be counted as negatives.

Perfunctory Function Fallacy.

 

[Jacobarch]

Fuller & Johnson are a good pairing. Who knew.

I could have said that beginning of the season. Not sure why mcvay went with yeast and lake.

 

[Jacobarch]

Seeing Mathis getting some snaps it's obvious why he can't crack the starting lineup

 

[rdlkgliders]

Perfunctory Function Fallacy.

Yeah, maybe if they took more than 1 day to grade. I know they like to consider a lot of factors outside of just the result of the paly and anyone would be hard pressed to get it right especially in the eyes of fans but more time couldn't hurt.

 

[rdlkgliders]

Seeing Mathis getting some snaps it's obvious why he can't crack the starting lineup

He isn't ready to contribute but happy to see him getting real work in

 

[Jacobarch]

He isn't ready to contribute but happy to see him getting real work in

Yeah true. Glad to see this team start to gel tho.

 

[swmizzou83]

I could have said that beginning of the season. Not sure why mcvay went with yeast and lake.

Apparently it's taken longer than expected for JJ3 to get back into playing shape according to McVay