OT:Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo weighs in on PFF grades....

I know it's not really related to the steelers (maybe this is since it was one of the big reasons why Watt didn't win the DPOY in 2023), but it's very interesting from Spagnuolo!

 

I will always defer to JJ on this topic. We had a similar discussion on the board like a decade ago and it always comes back around. At the time it was some fans being critical of Lebeau's 3-4 fire-zone blitz scheme and how it's couldn't be that complex and confusing to opposing offenses because backup QB's could have career games against it. Talk of how dumb the players were because the fan could see they blew their assignment based on the fan's assessment and that if backups could have success it had to suck as a scheme. The problem being we have no idea what the play calling was and the various responsibilities a player has to what the are seeing. We can go well the DE is meant to hold the line and eat up blocks. However there is more to that as well. Is it a run play, is it a pass, RPO, does the TE chip, do you get a free release because its a screen. Are they turning you left because its an inside run, are the trying to turn you right for an off tackle run. The only ones who know for sure are the players and the coaches.

Lebeau's scheme was always predicated on everyone doing their job and allowing those 4 LB's to make plays. Once Butler and Austin tinkered with it to allow the 3 DL men to activate and rush the passer the once vaunted run defense died and was replaced with guys looking for big splash plays.

Anyway Spags and JJ are right PFF grading players in games is subjective.

 

I've been saying this since I've been on here.