Below are grades for every Buffalo Bills player on every play in the team’s Week 3 win over the Arizona Cardinals. You’ll also find cumulative grades through the first three games.
(For a quick primer on this project, this is from the introduction article. Here's a link to the entire thing.)
I’ll be assigning number grades to each Bills player on every play this year, so keep in mind... the grades themselves will be inherently subjective. However, they should provide a relatively good idea of which players are struggling and excelling on the field. This system is not precisely how Pro Football Focus grades — they have multiple graders for each game and use a different numbering system — but it’s similar. Below you’ll find that grades were assigned in 0.2-point intervals on a scale from -1.0 to +1.0 on each play for each player.
Offense vs. Cardinals
Player | Overall | Run-Block | Pass-Block | Pass | Run | Receiving | Penalty | Snaps (64 = 100%) |
Tyrod Taylor | 1 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 64 | |||
LeSean McCoy | 2.2 | -0.2 | 2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 48 | ||
Richie Incognito | 1.4 | 1.2 | 0.2 | 0 | 64 | |||
Eric Wood | 1.2 | 1.4 | 0 | -0.2 | 64 | |||
John Miller | 4.4 | 1.8 | 2.2 | 0.4 | 64 | |||
Jordan Mills | 3.2 | 0.6 | 2.4 | 0.2 | 64 | |||
Cyrus Kouandjio | 2 | 0.6 | 1.4 | 64 | ||||
Ryan Groy | 0.6 | 0.8 | -0.2 | 7 | ||||
Robert Woods | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.6 | 0 | -0.4 | 61 | |
Marquise Goodwin | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0 | 53 | ||||
Charles Clay | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0 | 53 | |||
Jim Dray | 0.2 | 0.2 | 5 | |||||
Jerome Felton | 1 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 16 | |||
Nick O'Leary | 0.2 | 0.2 | 14 | |||||
Walt Powell | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.4 | -0.2 | 41 | |||
Mike Gillislee | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 10 |
*Jonathan Williams and Brandon Tate played 5 and 6 snaps respectively and both earned grades of 0.
Observations: This was easily the best outing of the season for Tyrod Taylor, although he didn't have a fantastic game. He received a high mark for his 24-yard connection with Robert Woods, a pass he placed perfectly over the head of Patrick Peterson. Also, Taylor utilized the middle of the field early -- and was accurate in doing so. He certainly was not helped by three drops. The Bills quarterback had an up-and-down day as a runner. His score in that category would have been sizable had he not run into pressure a few times. Jordan Mills absolutely erased Markus Golden on the right side, and John Miller was supremely steady as both a run and pass blocker. Thus far in his second season, he's clearly shown much improved anchoring strength and "accuracy" when reaching the second level. LeSean McCoy was his typically elusive self on his big-gainers and even the runs in which he picked up minimal yardage. As usual, Cyrus Kouandjio was solid for the majority of the afternoon at left tackle, and although a few times he occasionally looked to be off balance in pass protection, his immense length and hustle kept Chandler Jones at bay even when the former Patriots edge-rusher seemed to win with a counter move. Eric Wood and Richie Incognito were textbook run-blockers but struggled a bit passing off stunting defensive linemen and when faced with bull rushes. Lastly, after an early whiff on a lead block, Jerome Felton really made his presence felt paving the way for McCoy.
Defense vs. Cardinals
Player | Overall | Run Stop | Pass Rush | Coverage | Penalty | Snaps (82 = 100%) |
Jerry Hughes | 2.2 | 0.4 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 80 |
Jerel Worthy | 0.6 | 0.6 | 3 | |||
Kyle Williams | 0.6 | 0.6 | -0.4 | 0.4 | 64 | |
Leger Douzable | 0.2 | 0.6 | -0.6 | 0.2 | 26 | |
Corbin Bryant | 1.2 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 32 | |
Adolphus Washington | 1 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 30 | |
Preston Brown | 1.6 | 0.2 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 82 |
Zach Brown | 1.6 | 1.4 | -0.2 | 0.4 | 49 | |
Brandon Spikes | 0 | 0.2 | -0.2 | 5 | ||
Ramon Humber | 0 | 1 | ||||
Lerentee McCray | 0.2 | 0 | 0.2 | 21 | ||
Lorenzo Alexander | -0.2 | 0.4 | -1.2 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 56 |
Stephon Gilmore | 1 | 0 | 1 | 81 | ||
Nickell Robey-Coleman | 0.2 | -0.2 | 0.4 | 49 | ||
Kevon Seymour | 0.2 | 0.2 | 13 | |||
Corey White | -0.2 | -0.2 | 81 | |||
Aaron Williams | 0.4 | 0 | -0.4 | 0.8 | 67 | |
Corey Graham | 1.8 | 0 | 0.2 | 1.4 | 0.2 | 82 |
Duke Williams | -0.2 | -0.2 | 0 | 35 | ||
Robert Blanton | 0 | -0.2 | 0.2 | 32 | ||
Jonathan Meeks | -0.4 | -0.2 | -0.2 | 12 |
Observations: The seven defensive back look -- a rarely used personnel package known as "quarter" -- was effective for the Bills, as it added plenty of speed to the field. Because of that package, Buffalo's defensive linemen were sent on three-man rushes a great deal in this game. However, when the Bills weren't rushing a trio of big men, Dennis Thurman was sending an exotic blitz, and most of them got home. Kyle Williams was a monster early before tailing off in the second half. He has a 4-3 DT body-type, which I guess is what's keeping him off the field, but Jerel Worthy made the most of his three snaps against the Cardinals. He exploded into the backfield on two of those plays and was mainly responsible for the huge stop on 3rd and 1 inside the 10-yard-line that led to the botched FG touchdown. At times, Buffalo had Corbin Bryant, Lerentee McCray and Leger Douzable as it's three rushing linemen, and with all due respect to those players, you can bet Rex Ryan is extremely pumped to be able to send Marcell Dareus and Shaq Lawson to the opposing quarterback. Corey Graham was sound in all areas, and Adolphus Washington flashed some impressive block-shedding ability against the run. Corey White got picked on for a good portion of the contest, but his high-pointing INT saved his grade. For the third-consecutive week, Zach and Preston Brown were sensational at inside linebacker.
Offense: Through Week 3
Player | Overall | Run-Block | Pass-Block | Pass | Run | Receiving | Penalty |
Tyrod Taylor | -1.6 | -1.8 | 0.4 | 0 | -0.2 | ||
LeSean McCoy | 5 | -0.4 | 0.2 | 4.4 | 0.6 | 0.2 | |
Glenn Gronkowski | -1 | -0.8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -0.2 | |
Cordy Glenn | 1 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0 | |||
Richie Incognito | 2.2 | 1.8 | 0 | 0.4 | |||
Eric Wood | -0.2 | 1 | -1.2 | 0 | |||
John Miller | 8.2 | 3.4 | 4 | 0.8 | |||
Jordan Mills | 4.4 | 1 | 3.2 | 0.2 | |||
Cyrus Kouandjio | 4.8 | 0.8 | 3.8 | 0.2 | |||
Ryan Groy | 0.2 | -0.6 | 0.2 | 0 | |||
Sammy Watkins | 1 | 0.4 | -0.2 | 0 | 0.8 | 0 | |
Robert Woods | 0.8 | 0.4 | 0 | 0.6 | 0.2 | -0.4 | |
Marquise Goodwin | 1 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 | 0.6 | 0 | |
Greg Salas | 1 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.6 | 0 | ||
Charles Clay | 2 | 1 | 0.4 | 0 | 0 | ||
Jim Dray | 1 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0 | 0 | ||
Reggie Bush | -1 | 0 | 0 | -1 | 0 | 0 | |
Jerome Felton | 0.8 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 | 0.2 | |
Nick O'Leary | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.2 | -0.2 | ||
Walt Powell | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0 | 0.4 | -0.2 | ||
Mike Gillislee | 1 | 0 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.2 | |
EJ Manuel | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Defense: Through Week 3
Player | Overall | Run Stop | Pass Rush | Coverage | Penalty |
Jerry Hughes | 4.4 | 0.8 | 1 | 1.4 | 1.2 |
Jerel Worthy | 0.4 | 0.8 | -0.2 | 0 | -0.2 |
Kyle Williams | 1 | 2.4 | -1.8 | 0 | 0.4 |
Leger Douzable | -1.2 | -0.4 | -1 | 0 | 0.2 |
Corbin Bryant | 1 | 1.2 | -0.6 | 0.2 | 0.2 |
Adolphus Washington | 1.4 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 0 | 0.2 |
Preston Brown | 3.6 | 1.2 | 0.2 | 1.8 | 0.4 |
Zach Brown | 3.8 | 2.6 | 0 | 1.2 | 0 |
Brandon Spikes | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Ramon Humber | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Lerentee McCray | -0.4 | -0.2 | -0.8 | 0 | 0.6 |
Lorenzo Alexander | 1.6 | 1.4 | -1 | 0.8 | 0.4 |
Stephon Gilmore | -0.2 | -0.6 | 0 | 0.2 | 0.2 |
Ronald Darby | 1 | -0.2 | 0 | 1.4 | -0.2 |
Nickell Robey-Coleman | 0.8 | -0.4 | 0 | 1 | 0.2 |
Kevon Seymour | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Corey White | -0.6 | 0 | -0.2 | -0.4 | 0 |
Aaron Williams | 1.6 | 0.6 | -0.4 | 1.2 | 0.2 |
Corey Graham | 3 | 0.2 | 0.6 | 2 | 0.2 |
Duke Williams | -2 | -0.2 | 0 | -1.8 | 0 |
Robert Blanton | 0 | -0.2 | 0 | 0.2 | 0 |
Jonathan Meeks | -0.6 | -0.4 | 0 | -0.2 | 0 |