PFF Trashes O.J. Howard
January 10th, 2018
Absurd evaluation.
And folks wonder why Joe puts no value into the grading system manufactured by the well-trained orangutans.
Since the regular season is behind us, the PFF tribe has to have something to do with its time, and rather than pay folks in Irish dorm rooms to play with fidget toys, off they are sent to grade NFL players — always a minefield that borders between idiocy and high comedy.
The latest reads like something Richard and Sal would throw together.
The PFF tribe decided to grade all of the 2017 first round picks based on their rookie year play. And take a wild stab who they graded as having the worst rookie season?
Yup, that would be Bucs tight end O.J. Howard.
Let’s take a look at a few rookies who the PFF tribe deemed having a better season than Howard:
John Ross: Joe isn’t sure if this wide receiver is better known for his speed or his brittle body. Ross played in three games, started once, had two passes thrown his way with zero catches. In fact, Ross has one more rushing attempt than catch(es). Joe had heard whispers that the Bungles discussed moving him to corner. Yup, he had a better season than Howard.
Corey Davis: Started nine games for a playoff team and is still looking for his first touchdown pass.
Mitch Trubisky: Had a rather blah year quarterbacking the Bears. Threw for as many picks as he did touchdowns.
Mike Williams: Played in 10 games, still looking for his first touchdown pass.
Jonathan Allen: Defensive tackle missed 11 games due to injury. In the five games he played, Allen totaled three tackles.
Gareon Conley: The cornerback missed 14 games due to injuries but in the two games he did play for the Raiders, had one pass defended.
Yet, per the Bill Walshes that do the grading for the PFF tribe, all of these guys had better years than Howard, who played many games second-fiddle to an already established top shelf tight end on a team loaded with weapons and options for America’s Quarterback, Pro Bowler Jameis Winston.
Joe has already documented that rookie tight ends rarely do anything. Joe listed what many of the game’s best tight ends did as rookies. Howard, who had his rookie season cut short by two games with an injury, was among the top.
The racket that Chris Collinsworth is fronting with the PFF tribe is one of the greatest scams set loose upon America in decades. And to think people swallow this crap whole, for no reasoned explanation.
Maybe Joe can find some ex-NFLer in the TV business willing to bankroll some empty-minded gimmick like this?
To think what the PFF tribe is doing to the innocent children of America with this grading nonsense! This is the football version of Phillip Morris selling cigarettes.
January 10th, 2018 at 8:04 am
The only knock on Howard is his fumbles. He had a great rookie year for a TE. the list of TEs with first seasons like Howard’s is a list of good and great TEs. Outside of stats, his blocking was better than several of our linemen. We are in great shape at TE with Brate and Howard for the future.
January 10th, 2018 at 8:10 am
What complete bollocks, did Patrick Mahomes even play??
January 10th, 2018 at 8:23 am
PFF is garbage. Most of us who actually watch the games can see their “stats” dont tell the story.
Huh…Winston and Pro Bowler label returns to JBF. He was an alternate post injury/playoff QB unavailability two years ago to make the Pro Bowl. Ask Winston if he thinks he is a Pro Bowler. lol I think the answer will surprise you.
I like the irony that Winston struggles big time in his 3rd year but the media still wants to “make him seem better than he really is” by adding little monikers or idioms in their stories to pad his name. I like Winston but I like guys who earn their stripes and labels. He has not EARNED “Pro Bowler” or any other label other than average NFL QB. Throwing the winning TD in the final game was great….it was the 3 INTs before that removes his name from Pro Bowler status. Truth.
BTW – Did you guys see all the time line nuggets in the ESPN article on Gruden last night? Tick tisk Glazers lied to the fans…surprise! I think their cheapness helped the Bucs this one time as my gut says Gruden will struggle this time around. Looking forward to all the FA extra salary cap this year….hoping we can get to $30 million of room with no decent FA DE this year. Go Bucs!
January 10th, 2018 at 8:25 am
Totally agree with the point of this article-except the analogy at the end. Philip Morris has been-for better or worse-in the cigarette biz for a long time. They are “good” at it. Perhaps a more apt analogy would be Philip Morris selling candy bars.
January 10th, 2018 at 8:35 am
I think their evaluation is meaningless. I love the 1,2 combo with Brate and OJ… I hope both players improve on their game. A great TE is hard to stop let alone (2).. Hernandez and Gronk were one heck of a combination.
January 10th, 2018 at 8:36 am
@Dicko14
I think he played the last game of the year lmao.
January 10th, 2018 at 8:42 am
He’s a TE on a 5-11 football team. It’s not going to move the needle.
The list is ridiculous anyway!
January 10th, 2018 at 8:43 am
@joe
No hat tip??
January 10th, 2018 at 9:11 am
he is a top 3 blocking tight end in the leauge now.
he was open all day every day.
the guy is a stud.
January 10th, 2018 at 9:13 am
I imagine their rating for Luke Stocker was much higher
January 10th, 2018 at 9:21 am
They also had Deshaun Watson rated as the worst QB of the first round… Um ok. Patrick Mahomes must have perfect form holding a clipboard.
January 10th, 2018 at 9:23 am
if CAR gets norv turner to be their OC, Bucs will be in real big trouble…..and dumb for not trying to go after him!!!…..GO BUCS!!!!
January 10th, 2018 at 9:56 am
Joe puts no value on what the stat geeks say, unless they praise Gerald McCoy or Jameis Winston.
January 10th, 2018 at 9:57 am
They also have Evan Engram with the 2nd lowest “grade” of the entire 1st round just above Howard.
Engram had 64 receptions for 722 yards with 6 TDs in his rookie NFL season…
Maybe there’s a “problem” with their Tight End grading “system”.. Ya Think?
Geez.
Would love to run into Collinsworth about now so I could ask him to explain in detail the metrics involved with establishing how these 2 excellent TEs – who both outplayed just about every other player in the 1st round – could wind up at the very bottom of their end of season, 1st round draft pick “evaluations”.
January 10th, 2018 at 10:21 am
Is their no blowback on this stuff except here at JBF.
At some point won’t Collinsworth lose all credibility if he doesn’t address absurd bs like this?
January 10th, 2018 at 10:44 am
Zero credibility and not because OJ is our guy, but what you said Joe in all the other rookie studs that had a superior year
January 10th, 2018 at 11:39 am
O J is a BEAST! I was glad when we drafted him and i glad we have him. My only regret was the he was utilized more as a blocking TE more than a receiving one. When he was tossed the rock most every time was pretty impressive. Then for some reason coach would get away from what was working. Who care’s what Collinsworth says! He never says anything good about the Bucs ever! I hate listening him call our games and I put no weight into anything he says.
January 10th, 2018 at 11:46 am
Joe when our team as a whole is as putrid as it is (5-11, yes that’s PUTRID) and everyone see’s that the three stooges aren’t doing anything to make it better, these are the reports you’re going to see. I personally think OJ Howard is going to be a beast, eventually one of the best TE’s in the league.
January 10th, 2018 at 12:01 pm
If one is objectively “grading” each player on his individual play — not the team’s record — there is no logical explanation for the above nonsense. None.
January 10th, 2018 at 12:26 pm
Joe Says:
January 10th, 2018 at 12:01 pm
Joe when our team as a whole is as putrid as it is (5-11, yes that’s PUTRID) and everyone see’s that the three stooges aren’t doing anything to make it better, these are the reports you’re going to see.
If one is objectively “grading” each player on his individual play — not the team’s record — there is no logical explanation for the above nonsense. None.
Agreed. However, you ever stop to think that maybe everyone else outside of Tampa Bay thinks our team and front office is a joke/has been a MAJOR disappointment (considering all the hype this team got in the off season) and that’s why they’re taking shots?
January 10th, 2018 at 1:20 pm
Lord have mercy Joe! (Just an expression)
If you dropped father and a hundred pound rock from your roof from the same distance at the same time and accounted for friction which would one of the two would reach the ground first?
One can get more questions wrong on a hundred questions test than a ten questions test. Just stay away from
January 10th, 2018 at 1:25 pm
Just stay away from statistics, and understand that statistics do not always meet the eye test, but they are none the less correct.
January 10th, 2018 at 1:31 pm
DoNut seek help.
January 10th, 2018 at 2:21 pm
Chris Collinsworth is so FULL of it, he smells from the AL/FL border to Key West. Ahole graduated from Astronaut HS(Titusville) and UF(star Gator wideout). He needs his eyeballs cleaned out if he can’t see how good OJ Howard is. He has never liked the Bucs, and nearly gagged when they won the SB. Shame he didn’t choke to death on it!
January 10th, 2018 at 2:28 pm
Who cares what our record was? OJ was a beast this year when he played.
They’ve got guys ranked at the top who only played 3 games? or even 9 games? With no touchdowns and barely any catches? LOfknL
PFF really is a joke
Howard was the steal of the draft. Kid will be a stud for years and years.
January 10th, 2018 at 4:58 pm
Who in God’s name pays ANY attention to these assholes?
January 10th, 2018 at 5:17 pm
Who pays for this garbage?
January 10th, 2018 at 5:30 pm
I was looking on a different website with free agent listings for the 2018 players and where they have them rated. They have Austin Seferian-Jackwagon rated higher than Cameron Brate! You talk about wrong!
January 10th, 2018 at 8:20 pm
I love how Patrick Mahomes got a better grade than Deshaun Watson.