2020 NFL Thrills and Chills, Part II
By Glenn Guzzo
Here’s a brief summary of the highlights and lowlights of Strat-O-Matic’s new football ratings:
BALTIMORE
Offense:
Oh Yeah! 1,000-yard rushing QB Jackson’s running is so scary good that the D may be
better off guessing Wrong when he throws downfield … Calling Run is
mandatory to stop RB Dobbins’ 48 chances of SG or better Wrong
Oh No! No receivers w/max catches and only one LG … No 7 pass blockers still leaves
Jackson vulnerable Right on SP/LP
Defense:
Oh Yeah! Good run D with eight 6s and 5s will stifle with one of the 3-4 LBs in
correct zone
Oh No! Will take a blitz for any sack chance
Special Teams:
Oh Yeah! Duvernay KR TD … +1/2/3 PR coverage … FG Tucker again superb
Oh No! -5 penalty disadvantage
BUFFALO
Offense:
Oh Yeah! Do-everything QB Allen is all grown up now and he has 3 deep threat WRs
(Diggs has max FP, SP + 2-tmd catches)
Oh No! Guards undermine 7 pass block at C, OT
Defense:
Oh Yeah! A 6 and two 5s in secondary and a coverage 6 at MLB
Oh No! Run D has 0s at RT, RE, both OLB
Special Teams:
Oh Yeah! McKenzie #2 PR TD … Great punter Bojorquez – still 50 yds at #9
Oh No! Bass only 2-8,12 on 30 yd FG
CINCINNATI
Offense:
Oh Yeah! Still looking …
Oh No! It’s short passing for now w/Burrow, little receiver or pass-block help
Defense:
Oh Yeah! FS Bates (66)
Oh No! Poor run D forces no fumbles … Woeful pass rush (six 0s and 3s start in front 7)
Special Teams:
Oh Yeah! Wilson KR TD … Punting and punt coverage
Oh No! XP miss, some extra FG misses, too
CLEVELAND
Offense:
Oh Yeah! Shades of Jim Brown: Gotta love Chubb’s SG Right at #8 across the card to go
with 35 other SG or better Wrong … behind OL with two 6s, two 5s
Oh No! Only Landry has max catches (SP only); only Peoples-Jones has LG
Defense:
Oh Yeah! Good run D has RE Garrett (6 w/1* sacks), two 5s up front
Oh No! Heads UP! Very Poor pass D with 00 FS Sendejo (but 5s at CB)
Special Teams:
Oh Yeah!
Oh No! XP miss at 11 AND 12 … Weak FG
Main kick returners good at running into tacklers …
Meanwhile: +40/28/long gain on KR coverage
DENVER
Offense:
Oh Yeah! LT Bolles (7,6) … WRs Jeudy, Patrick, Hamler can fly …
Oh No! … but QB Lock often finds that foes hold onto his passes better than his mates … 0 run block at C, both OT, BB.
Defense:
Oh Yeah! Coverage at both safeties, both ILB
Oh No! Run D forces no fumbles
Special Teams:
Oh Yeah! Spencer PR TD … All KO’s to goal line or deeper … McManus Best FG in set
w/2-8 good to 58 yds and max Good ratings to 49 yds
Oh No! … but may be run back anyway: +36/29/long gain … XP miss 10-12 – OUCH …
blocked punt and +21/14/long gain PR coverage
HOUSTON
Offense:
Oh Yeah! Watson’s All-Pro-quality passer card and exciting downfield WR targets
Fuller (max LP, SP), Cooks (max SP)
Oh No! Interior OL: Ole’ pass blocking and all 0s run blocking
Defense:
Oh Yeah! LE Watt (6)
Oh No! Very Poor pass D w/NO blanks SP 3 Men and 13 of 18 catch chances 4 Men …
Your 3-4 must become a 4-3 (or 6-1) in this Poor run D w/SG at #7 AND #8
w/0 OLB on all runs
Special Teams:
Oh Yeah! Anger’s punting – still 45 yds at #9
Oh No! XP miss at 11 AND 12
INDIANAPOLIS
Offense:
Oh Yeah! LG Nelson (7,6) leads pass block with three 7s, two 5s and run block with
three 6s, two 5s
Oh No! Rivers’ passes are not in good hands w/this receiving corps
Defense:
Oh Yeah! Are Bubba Smith and Big Daddy Lipscomb still here in this smothering,
Excellent run D? … No, it’s RLB Leonard (66), LT Buckner (6 w/11 pass rush)
Oh No! 0 LCB Ya-Sin
Special Teams:
Oh Yeah! Rodgers KR TD and more good returns
Oh No! 19 KO’s short of EZ w/LG in coverage … blocked punt
JACKSONVILLE
Offense:
Oh Yeah! For such a bad team, there’s Robinson’s inside running, passable QB Minshew
and breakout year for WR Chark …
Oh No! … But with these teammates Chark often will be 2-tmd … run block 0 at LG, LT
Defense:
Oh Yeah! RLB Jack (56) is as good as it gets here
Oh No! Generous yards, no fumbles in Poor run D …
Five 0s in back 7 coverage with a 1 and two 0s for pass rush on DL
Special Teams:
Oh Yeah! Cole PR TD on #3 … +10/11/12 KO coverage; +7/4/3 PR coverage
Oh No! XP miss on 11 AND 12 … FG Good only 2-9,12 at 20 yds (but 2-7 Good
to 59 yds)
KANSAS CITY
Offense:
Oh Yeah! The Special Ops of NFL Offense: Mahomes is an assassin passer w/three 7s for
pass block; WR Hill, TE Kelce will terrorize with max catches, 2-tm catches, big
gains; minimum RB fumbles, INTs, too
Oh No! Receiver and QB fumble 1-4
Defense:
Oh Yeah! FS Mathieu (66), 6s at both DT
Oh No! Few turnovers and six starters have at least one 4
Special Teams:
Oh Yeah! Pringle KR TD on #3, Hardman PR TD
Oh No! XP miss at 11 AND 12 … LG on KR coverage
LAS VEGAS
Offense:
Oh Yeah! TE Waller is a force; WR Agholor can torch with LP +85 and LGs
Oh No! +72 and LGs for Ruggs, but drops make him much more miss than hit
Defense:
Oh Yeah! Still looking …
Oh No! Poor run D and pass D w/no fumbles, scarce INTs, no 6s, weak pass rush
Special Teams:
Oh Yeah! No TD, but PR Renfrow gets more yardage than most
Oh No! XP miss … No big worries, but no big wow’s, either
LOS ANGELES -AFC
Offense:
Oh Yeah! Max FP/SP catches for WR Allen, LP for WR Williams … A 7 and five 5s in
pass block
Oh No! All 0s for run block from RG to LT and BB … 100 catches yet only 5-10 LP combos for Allen with 28 long
Defense:
Oh Yeah! LE Bosa (6 w/8 pass rush), MLB Perryman (56)
Oh No! Poor pass D and run D w/no fumbles, LG-heavy LP, and SGs at #7 for all runs
w/0 LB
Special Teams:
Oh Yeah! When he gets it away, P Long is 50+ yds 2-5
Oh No! XP miss on 11 AND 12 … blocked punt … LG on KO and punt coverage
MIAMI
Offense:
Oh Yeah! Gesicki one of top TE receiving threats … Fitz is much better passer than starter
Tua – but everyone other than Dolphins brass knew that, right?
Oh No! Longest gain for 3 main WRs: 31 … Front six run block: four 0s, two 4s
Defense:
Oh Yeah! Better-than-most INTs thanks to LCB Howard (6)
Oh No! SG at #7,8 OT w/0 LB
Special Teams:
Oh Yeah! Grant PR TD … Mistake-free punting and XP (not many teams can say that) …
FG Good 2-7, 11, 12 to 56 yds … +10/11/12 KO coverage
Oh No! LG on punt coverage
NEW ENGLAND
Offense:
Oh Yeah! RBs Williams, Michel will live off their SG Right and strong run blockers
with this pass offense
Oh No! Whose side are you on? Fair question for Newton w/diminished running,
blank-heavy passing … With no Brady to make the receivers look better,
only 6-game WR Edelman can represent.
Defense:
Oh Yeah! High INTs in Good to Excellent pass D w/RCB Gilmore (6)
Oh No! Generous yds, no fumbles, no 5s in front 7 for this Poor run D
Special Teams:
Oh Yeah! Olszewski PR TD on #3 … Deep punting (still 50 yds at #7), +6/5/3 coverage
Oh No! XP miss at 11 AND 12
NEW YORK JETS
Offense:
Oh Yeah! Minimum RB fumbles
Oh No! QB Darnold misfires often and receiver cards prove it wasn’t all his fault …
Poor OL, too (0 run block at RG, RT, RE)
Defense:
Oh Yeah! Good run D relies on NT Fatukasi (6), RE Williams (5)
Oh No! 0 coverage at RCB, SS, ROLB
Special Teams:
Oh Yeah! Reliable P Mann
Oh No! XP miss on 10-12! Yikes … Ficken among the worst FG kickers, too …
Fumble -5 for cowardly PR Berrios …
+30/27/39 KO coverage and +20/15/6 PR coverage
PITTSBURGH
Offense:
Oh Yeah! WRs Johnson, Schuster-Smith help FP/SP and Claypool SP/LP …
C Pouncey (7,6) leads FIVE 7-rated pass blockers (and two 5s)
Oh No! … but this meh Big Ben card needs all of that with lackluster RBs
Defense:
Oh Yeah! Good to Excellent pass D, especially when 66 FS Fitzpatrick stays home and
LOLB Watt (10* sacker), LE Tuitt (*1) and ROLB Dupree (11) rush things
Oh No! The price of the blitz: All four LBs are 4s and 0s in coverage
Special Teams:
Oh Yeah! Best-in-set +5 penalty advantage … Strong punting and coverage
Oh No! XP miss on 11 AND 12
TENNESSEE
Offense:
Oh Yeah! Oh, Henry! – +94 LB, LG on #9 ER and #11 OT (21 chances +21 or better) ….
catch-and-run WRs Brown, Davis
Oh No! 6-less run blocking has 4s at both OT
Defense:
Oh Yeah! NT Jones (6)
Oh No! Catch-heavy Very Poor pass D w/LCB Borders (0) and touch-football pass rush
Special Teams:
Oh Yeah! Brown #2 KR TD
Oh No! XP miss, blocked punt … FG miss 9-11 at 20 yds!
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