PFF grades: Young players step up on defense to down Cardinals

Puka Nacua earned the top grade on offense

The Pro Football Focus (PFF) grades are in for the Los Angeles Rams in their Week 17 win over the Arizona Cardinals. LA is now at 10 wins on the season and has all but clinched the NFC West.

The Rams could be afforded the luxury of resting starters in their final game of the season in preparation of hosting a playoff game at SoFi Stadium. The path forward will grow clearer in the coming days.

Who stood out in this matchup according to PFF? Let’s dive into the grades on each side of the ball:

Top five grades on offense:

1 – Puka Nacua, WR: 90.3

As I wrote in the “Winners and Losers” post from Saturday evening, Nacua accounted for half of LA’s yardage production on offense. No other Rams receiver had more than 30 yards, and this wasn’t a productive evening on the ground for Kyren Williams—though the running back did do some damage through the air.

At this point, Nacua is the Rams’ offense. If they want to advance in the playoffs, they’ll need to find a secondary option in the passing game.

2 – Colby Parkinson, TE: 74.9

Kyren Williams averaged over four yards per carry on the ground, and it appears that Parkinson played an important role in opening running lanes. He earned a PFF run blocking grade of 78.7 on 10 snaps while he ran only 9 routes in this game. Parkinson ate into Hunter Long’s usual role, and Long only played as a run blocker on four snaps. All four tight ends were involved in the rotation on Saturday night.

3 – Matthew Stafford, QB: 72.9

Stafford received an above average mark for PFF, but he’s struggled mightily over the last three games. The veteran was credited with three turnover-worthy plays, and if the defense was able to convert the outlook of this game would look much different. Stafford was particularly reckless with the football in the red zone, and it appeared that Sean McVay was calling plays to not lose the game instead of pushing the ball downfield.

To his credit, Stafford did have two big-time throws and earned a positive mark from PFF as a runner (72.6). He had an important scramble that kept the chains moving in the red zone.

Stafford was pressured eight times on 33 drop backs (24%). Despite this he completed 17 of 32 passes for 189 yards.

4 – Steve Avila, LG: 69.5

Second-year guard Steve Avila didn’t allow a pressure. He was the only member of the starting five offensive linemen that can say that against the Cardinals. Avila earned a near-elite pass blocking grade of 88.5 from PFF.

5 – Tyler Higbee, TE: 66.7

Higbee played only 17 snaps as he works back into the rotation from the significant knee injury he suffered in last year’s playoff game against the Detroit Lions. He earned a receiving grade of 69.4 and caught two of his three targets for nine yards. He did run one route short of the sticks on third down, and McVay opted to punt on the next play.

Other notes on offense:

Arizona doesn’t exactly have a vaunted pass rush, but they seemed to get the better of the Rams offensive line on a day where LA was running a limited passing game plan. The following players each allowed a pressure:

• Kevin Dotson, RG: 1
• Beaux Limmer, C: 1
• Alaric Jackson, LT: 2
• Joe Noteboom, RT: 2
• Matthew Stafford, QB: 2 (not credited to the OL or others)

ROLB Zaven Collins had three of the Cardinals’ eight pressures. The rest were across the board and included a pressure on a blitz by safety Budda Baker. Stafford was not sacked.

Top five grades on defense:

*Players with at least five snaps

1 – Omar Speights, MLB: 82.8

Speights earned two run stops in this game, but his most impressive contributions came in pass defense—which it is rare to see a Rams off-ball linebacker perform well in this facet. The rookie UDFA was targeted four times as the nearest defender in coverage, allowing three receptions for 25 yards (all coming after the catch point).

2 – Byron Young, OLB: 76.9

A matchup against the elusive Kyler Murray allows Young to utilize his athleticism, and he typically shines chasing down this type of quarterback. Young finished second on the defense with five pressures. He earned a coverage grade of 84.8 and allowed a reception on his only target for four yards.

3 – Bobby Brown, DT: 72.7

Rookie OLB Brennen Jackson was technically the third-highest graded player on defense but played only two snaps.

Bobby Brown was solid across the board, earning average to above average grades against the run and pass.

4 – Neville Gallimore, DT: 72.1

Gallimore played 11 snaps with eight coming against the pass. He earned a pass rush grade of 70.5 and generated a pressure.

5 – Jared Verse, OLB: 68.6

As he usually does most games, Verse led LA in total pressures with six though the box score reflects a relatively quiet game for him without a sack. Verse struggled with missed tackles in the first game against the Cardinals, and this matchup was no difference. The star rookie had a tackling grade of just 27.5 (only Kobie Turner and Tyler Davis were worse) and he missed one tackle on just three opportunities.

Other notes on defense:

Michael Hoecht finished with a defensive grade of just 30.2 in this game. He fared well in run defense, but his mark was overall weighed down by poor performances as a pass rusher (49.3) and in coverage (27.4). Hoecht didn’t generate a pressure on 15 rushes. In coverage he allowed catches on all three of his targets for 36 yards (31 after the catch). To his credit, Hoecht did have an important play by blocking an extra point attempt by the Cardinals which made Arizona pursue a touchdown at the end of the game instead of a field.

Special teams takeaways:

I don’t normally write notes on special teams, but given the relatively low offensive production and how LA was playing the field positioning game, special teams was an important part in leaving SoFi Stadium with a victory.

Michael Hoecht earned the top special teams grade at 93.3 with his blocked extra point attemopt.

Xavier Smith also earned an elite grade at 90.0 with four punt returns. He also caught a punt by Ethan Evans over his shoulder to down the ball at the three-yard line, which isn’t something you see very often.

Evans has four punts that put the ball inside the Rams’ 20-yard line without a touchback.

Kicker Josh Karty converted both of his field goal attempts, including one from outside of 50 yards, and made good on his lone extra point.