Tyler Shough among top Saints PFF grades vs. Jaguars

By Ross Jackson

Each game, Pro Football Focus grades players in their performances. Following the New Orleans Saints 17–17 tie with the Jacksonville Jaguars, two defenders led the way along with the Saints’ rookie quarterback Tyler Shough. On the other side of the spectrum, a newly-traded away defender ranks at the bottom. 

Top 5

CB Rejzohn Wright – 92.1

LB Jaylan Ford – 90.5

WR Mason Tipton – 79.6

CB Quincy Riley – 74.4

QB Tyler Shough – 74.3

Wright led the way after breaking up the pass that turned into an interception by rookie safety Jonas Sanker at the end of the game. He was targeted three times and allowed no receptions, had two pass breakups and forced a 39.6 passer rating when targeted. 

Ford had a fantastic leaping interception in the second half, getting the ball back to the offense. Beyond that, he added a pair of pressures and a pass defended. 

Tipton reeled in six receptions for 100 receiving yards. While he did have one big reception for 45 yards, he proved to be much more than a deep ball receiver throughout this game. With many opportunities as the primary on plays, he created several impact moments. 

Riley saw the second-highest defensive snap percentage on Sunday (78%). He led the team with eight tackles, and while he surrendered seven catches on nine targets, his quick action of getting players down at the catch point worked very well in his favor. 

Bottom 5

OL Mike Panasiuk – 38.8

OL Barry Wesley – 33.2

LB Tyreem Powell – 33.0

LB D’Marco Jackson – 29.9

DT Khalen Saunders – 29.9

Panasiuk and Wesley saw the field together often and were credited with allowing three total pressures and a sack. But here’s the thing: all of those pressures were allowed by Wesley. Despite Panasiuk receiving one of the five lowest PFF grades on the team, he also didn’t allow a single pressure in the game on his 10 pass blocking reps. He did not receive a run blocking grade. 

Powell and Jackson follow a similar trend. Jackson was credited with one missed tackle which had an impact on his overall grade. However, both players were dinged heavily for coverage. Jackson is credited with giving up five catches on five targets as the closest defender including a touchdown. Meanwhile, Powell isn’t credited with a single completion or missed tackle. However, his coverage on non-targeted plays could have plummeted his performance. 

Saunders appeared for 11 defensive snaps, which was a little surprising while serving as a precursor for his trade later in the evening. Saunders didn’t record a single stat on his snaps and was often moved out of position in the run game. He also achieved no pressures in the pass rush.