Fun NextGen Stats from Week 6
By Rhys Knott
If you want to know what the difference between the Dolphins and about 90% of the offenses in the NFL is right now, it’s that they have a clearly defined identity. So many offensive coordinators are currently labouring under the misapprehension that they need to run the ball between the tackles in order to operate an effective offense. The Dolphins are eighth in the league when it comes to running the ball and you can count the number of times, they’ve run between the tackles on two hands. But Mike McDaniels’ offense has amassed 622 more yards than anyone else.
That Dolphins’ identity is obviously “speed kills”, the stretch plays the running backs run have them averaging 6.5 yards per carry and they average 317 passing yards per game too. After six weeks of the 2023 season seven of the fastest 10 ball carries in the NFL have been by Dolphins players. To paraphrase Hannibal Smith “I love it when a plan comes together”.
NextGen Fastest Ball Carries from Week 6
With that in mind this week’s “Tyreek Hill Award” winner is, unsurprisingly Tyreek Hill, he’s also fourth this week. There is such a thing as “doing too much” Mr. Hill (ok, you got me, there isn’t). Hill’s fastest carry this week was a 41-yard touchdown reception that saw him reach 21.35mph. His second fastest, and the joint fourth fastest of the week, was an 11-yard reception that saw him travel at 20.82mph.
There’s a different Dolphin second in the top five this week. Raheem Mostert reached 21.27mph on a 49-yard run as Miami absolutely shredded the Panther defense.
Derrick Henry is third this week. Maybe the turf at the Tottenham Stadium isn’t that terrible after all? The Bills players seemed absolutely distraught about it in Week 4 and that’s a bit odd since they play on turf at Highmark Stadium. And they recorded 91 fewer yards on their home field this week than they did in London.
But back to King Henry. He went for 63 yards on his longest run of the week, clocking up 20.99 mph as he did.
Rasheed Shaheed is joint fourth with Tyreek this week. It’s another entry for the Saints saving grace. There is only one player with a better punt return average than Shaheed this season, that’s Charlie Jones of the Bengals. Jones averages 18.75 yards per return compared to Shaheed’s 18.33. But Jones has only started three games this season and has returned one less punt than Shaheed.
Shaheed clocked his 20.82mph speed on a 51-yard catch in the Saints’ loss to the Texans.
NextGen Remarkable Rushes from Week 6
Derrick Henry’s aforementioned 63-yard run saw him gain 55 yards over the expected number. At the time he broke off his epic carry I had personally given up any hope of anyone ever gaining any yards ever again. King Henry took his rightful place on the throne in England.
Raheem Mostert, you can’t keep a good Dolphin down. His 49 yards run saw him run the ball 44 yards further than he was expected to.
Saquon Barkley is third this week, with his 34-yard rush against the Bills that was expected to go for just four. Although anyone who’s watched the Giants try to move the ball in 2023 might think four yards is a generous expectation.
The Rams’ running back Kyren Williams is fourth (and sixth too). He ran for 158 yards on Sunday, averaging over seven yards per carry. His 27 yards rush against the Cardinals went for 24 yards more than expected.
Christopher Brooks. The Dolphin nobody had heard of four weeks ago is back again. With De’Von Achane on the injured reserve list alongside Jeff Wilson Jr. Brooks got some game time on Sunday. Then he picked up an injury too. But before that misfortune befell him, he managed to record a 28-yard rush that should have only gone for four yards.
.@KingHenry_2 takes it 64 yards on the direct snap! 👑
— NFL (@NFL) October 15, 2023
📺: #BALvsTEN on NFL Network
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/B4mQvLNVjg pic.twitter.com/Mbx85AtTTa
NextGen Fastest Sacks from Week 6
ready or not, here he comes 😈@KyzirWhite8 x #BirdGang pic.twitter.com/6Um6SOJVst
— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) October 15, 2023
Kyzir White in 1.97 seconds, if that sounds really very fast indeed that’s because it is. Fastest of the season, fastest since Shaq Thompson in Week 10 of 2021! Cardinal White recorded his sack as the Rams offensive line attempted to set up a screen pass without first doing any actual blocking. Poor old Matt Stafford
T.J Edwards led the Bears defense with eight tackles and a sack against the Vikings. But Justin Fields broken thumb saw the Bears lose another game. Edwards’ sack saw him get to Kirk Cousins in 2,7 seconds.
A.J Epenesa is apparently the only Bills player who can deal with jet lag. He played out of skin in London last week and continued his form this week. He followed up his three passes defended, two sack, one tackle for a loss game in London with another tackle for a loss and a sack that only took 2.79 seconds.
Zach Allen is fourth. Apparently, he plays in Denver. Lucky swine, but I’ve never heard of him. In fairness to Zach, he does 14 career sacks, but he spent three years in Arizona, the man loves the southwest. And terrible teams evidently. Allen got to Patrick Mahomes in 2,87 seconds. There’s not much to worry Chiefs’ fans but the offensive line hasn’t been as smooth as they’d like.
The Bears put a licking on old Kirk as the unlikely combination of Demarcus Walker and Jaquan Brisker joined T,J Edwards in sacking him. The Bears hit Cousins four times in total, and he fumbled twice. The Vikings still won though, nobody says it has to be pretty, right? If Chiefs fans are worried about their pass protection Vikings fans must be beside themselves.
The Bears’ first sack only took three seconds.
The Most Fun "Fun NextGen Stats" from Week 6
Special-teams reigns supreme!! Devin Duvernay with a MONSTER 70-yard punt return 🔥 pic.twitter.com/hJo7yf7ebR
— NFL UK (@NFLUK) October 15, 2023
The three longest plays of the week are pretty hilarious. Devin Duvernay lit up the Tottenham Stadium with his 70-yard punt return that sparked the Ravens into life. He went 102 yards on that play (seriously Bills players, stop moaning about the turf already). Jerick McKinnon had a 9-yard reception that involved him running an unbelievable 93.1 yards and Zeke Elliot had a 15-yard pass catch that saw him run 91.2 yards to gain that much ground. The last two plays were bought back for penalty flags. Making for some very sad fans and some very angry coaches.
Feature Image Credit: Christian Petersen/Getty Images
RHYS KNOTT
NFL/FANTASY FOOTBALL ANALYST
Rhys has been watching the NFL for 30 something years and still hasn’t managed to pick a team to support. When he’s not fixatED on pass rushers you can find him blithering on about most sports on Twitter @wrhys_writes