Doug Free graded NFL's top offensive tackle, DeMarco Murray No. 2 among RBs
As expected after a 31-7 victory over the St. Louis Rams on Sunday, several Dallas Cowboys received impressive individual grades from the website Pro Football Focus.
After searching through the updated Week 3 grades, I have listed what I thought were some of the most interesting rankings and stats.
OFFENSE
– Of DeMarco Murray’s 175 rushing yards on Sunday, 148 of them came on runs to the left of center Travis Frederick.
– Murray is ranked the No. 2 running back in the league through three games. However, there’s a considerable gap between his 5.7 grade and Eagles running back LeSean McCoy’s 11.1 total. New Orleans’ Darren Sproles is third at 5.2.
– Murray’s grade in just the running game is 23rd best in the NFL, but his blocking grade and passing game grade are both among the league leaders.
– Murray is third in the league in yards after contact at 167, trailing only Minnesota’s Adrian Peterson (213) and Tampa Bay’s Doug Martin (170).
– Doug Free was the top-ranked offensive tackle for Week 3 and is the No. 1 tackle in the league through three weeks. PFF has Free graded as the No.1 run-blocking tackle in the NFL.
– Tony Romo had the highest QB rating for Week 3 at 137.2. He has the fifth-highest rating on the season at 103.9.
– Dez Bryant is ranked 18th among all receivers.
– Frederick had the second-highest grade of any center in Week 3.
– Against the Rams, Mackenzy Bernadeau graded out 13th among all guards, the highest of any Cowboy.
DEFENSE
– DeMarcus Ware is the third-highest graded defensive end. St. Louis’ Robert Quinn and Cincinnati’s Michael Johnson are the only two ahead of Ware.
– George Selvie is tied for fourth in the NFL with 11 QB hurries. Ware has 10.
– Sean Lee ranks 19th among middle linebackers and Bruce Carter is 21st among outside backers.
– Detroit’s Ndamukong Suh and Tennessee’s Jurrell Casey are the only defensive tackles with higher grades than Jason Hatcher.
– Barry Church is the highest graded safety in the league. His pass-coverage grade is the highest among NFL safeties. Church’s run-coverage grade is second only to Pittsburgh’s Troy Polamalu.
– Brandon Carr is the sixth-highest rated cornerback and Orlando Scandrick is seventh. Morris Claiborne is 88th.
– The longest pass play allowed into Scandrick’s coverage is 11 yards in 184 snaps, third-lowest in the league for a player taking at least 25 percent of his team’s snaps. There have been eight receptions made in Scandrick’s coverage area.
– J.J. Wilcox had the seventh-highest grade among safeties in Week 3, the rookie’s first game as a starter.
SPECIAL TEAMS
– Chris Jones is ranked 31 out of 33 graded punters.
– Dwayne Harris is 70th among kick/punt returners.
– Of 643 special teams players graded, Harris and Scandrick are tied for ninth overall.
Follow Jon Machota on Twitter: @jonmachota
