First Downs Allowed – Safeties

[michael89156]

Signature Stats: First Downs Allowed – Safeties


Khaled Elsayed | 2013/01/30
ProFootballFocus






On Monday we debuted a new signature stat at Pro Football Focus — First Downs Allowed.
 
A more sophisticated look at pass coverage, this stat doesn’t just consider how any first downs a player allowed, but rather how that worked as a percentage of their total snaps in coverage.
 
It’s groundbreaking stuff, I tell you.
 
In any case, Monday was the turn of cornerbacks and yesterday I looked at linebackers. Now, for the final installment, I’m looking at safeties.
 


First Downs Allowed in Coverage
 
As we’ve done all week, it’s time to start with which individual has been responsible for the most combined first downs and touchdowns. If I was to give you one guess, who would you say? Which safety so often looks out of place in coverage it almost speaks for itself?
 
If you said Roman Harper, you were right. The defensive back best known for his blitzing allowed 28 first downs into his coverage, as well as two touchdowns. No wonder he was losing playing time as the season went on. That combined figure of 30 was one more than the Broncos’ Mike Adams, who at least as the excuse of playing a significant amount of man coverage in the Denver nickel defense. Those two were some way ahead of the 24 combined first downs and touchdowns third placed Mark Barron and Quintin Mikell gave up.
 
 
 
Most First Downs and Touchdowns Allowed
 

Name                         Team


Roman Harper             NO

Mike C. Adams           DEN

Mark Barron                TB

Quintin Mikell               SL

Jordan Babineaux     TEN

Morgan Burnett          GB

Donte Whitner            SF

Eric Berry                   KC

Danny McCray          DAL

Atari Bigby                 SD
 
 


Beaten Again… and Again
 

However, if you said that any of those names mentioned got beaten the most frequently, well you’d be wrong. No, while Adams (third), Harper (fourth) and Mikell (seventh) all finished in the Bottom 10 for the percentage of their coverage snaps on which they were beaten to move the chains or for a touchdown, it was Danny McCray who put them all to shame.
 
The Cowboy didn’t cover himself in glory, getting beat for 22 combined first downs and touchdowns on 347 snaps in coverage. That meant his 6.34% of all coverage snaps converted for a first down or touchdown was the worst of all safeties. It meant Atari Bigby finished only second-worst, while ‘Pro Bowlers’ Eric Berry and LaRon Landry also both finished in the Bottom 10.
 
 
 
Bottom 10 First Downs and Touchdowns Allowed
 

Name                            Team



Danny McCray               DAL

Atari Bigby                      SD

Mike C. Adams              DEN

Roman Harper                NO

Jordan Babineaux          TEN

Eric Berry                       KC

Quintin Mikell                  SL

Tavon Wilson                 NE

Malcolm Jenkins           NO

LaRon Landry               NYJ



 
 
Top of the Crop
 
While there’s a ringing endorsement coming up for some of the guys we felt should have been First team All-Pro, it was the Dolphins Chris Clemons who actually had the lowest percentage of plays into his coverage converted. His 0.96% was impressive and bodes well for his chances of getting paid in free agency.
 
It was so good that Eric Weddle could finish only second, while the Steelers’ Ryan Clark proved how reliable he is with a score of 1.21% in third. The interesting thing, especially for viewers of the AFC East, is that they play home to two duos both in the Top 10. There’s a tendency for these stats to favor those guys who play as deep safeties, but Reshad Jones in sixth spot, and George Wilson in 10th (with Jairus Byrd in fifth) show that if you’re good enough you’ll make the list.
 
 
 
Top 10 First Downs and Touchdowns Allowed
 

Rank

Name                              Team

Chris D. Clemons           MIA

Eric Weddle                    SD

Ryan Clark                     PIT

Jairus Byrd                    BUF

Reshad Jones               MIA

M.D. Jennings               GB

Harrison Smith             MIN

Isa Abdul-Quddus        NO

Rahim Moore              DEN

T.J. Ward                    CLV

George Wilson           BUF

 

 
 
Stay tuned for more stats like this as the PFF Signature Stat area continues to grow.


https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2013/01/30/signature-stats-first-downs-allowed-safeties/

[The Anti-Java]

Hmmmmm......maybe we should be targeting Chris Clemons in free agency, instead of Sean Smith.

[chace1986]

Or Byrd....if he gets away from Buffalo.

[The Anti-Java]

Or Byrd....if he gets away from Buffalo.

There are some nice safety's on the market this year.  But I think Dom likes what he has in Barron and Ronde, and if Ronde hangs em up, Black looked good stepping in.  After spending that very high draft pick last year on Barron, can't see him being too worried about safety, at least for the time being.

[chace1986]

Given Barron's performance last year, I'm not too sure the staff feels completely awesome about the safety position.

[The Anti-Java]

Given Barron's performance last year, I'm not too sure the staff feels completely awesome about the safety position.

For now.....if Barron looks lost this season, then its.....Houston, we have a problem.   Black played pretty well. And we will have to see what #20 does going forward.  But even if he retired, having Barron and Black starting wouldn't be so bad.  A lot better than the CB position.

[chace1986]

Given Barron's performance last year, I'm not too sure the staff feels completely awesome about the safety position.

For now.....if Barron looks lost this season, then its.....Houston, we have a problem.   Black played pretty well. And we will have to see what #20 does going forward.  But even if he retired, having Barron and Black starting wouldn't be so bad.  A lot better than the CB position.

We got the $. Might as well try and upgrade both. Jairus Byrd, Barron, Sean Smith, Johnthan Banks could rival Seattle's secondary in a year or two.

[The Anti-Java]

Given Barron's performance last year, I'm not too sure the staff feels completely awesome about the safety position.

For now.....if Barron looks lost this season, then its.....Houston, we have a problem.   Black played pretty well. And we will have to see what #20 does going forward.  But even if he retired, having Barron and Black starting wouldn't be so bad.  A lot better than the CB position.

We got the $. Might as well try and upgrade both. Jairus Byrd, Barron, Sean Smith, Johnthan Banks could rival Seattle's secondary in a year or two.

Man, that is a lot of...$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

[chace1986]

Given Barron's performance last year, I'm not too sure the staff feels completely awesome about the safety position.

For now.....if Bawrron looks lost this season, then its.....Houston, we have a problem.   Black played pretty well. And we will have to see what #20 does going forward.  But even if he retired, having Barron and Black starting wouldn't be so bad.  A lot better than the CB position.

We got the $. Might as well try and upgrade both. Jairus Byrd, Barron, Sean Smith, Johnthan Banks could rival Seattle's secondary in a year or two.

Man, that is a lot of...$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Nah. One big $ safety and one big $ CB. The other two will be on their rookie deals for a little bit.

[The Anti-Java]

Given Barron's performance last year, I'm not too sure the staff feels completely awesome about the safety position.

For now.....if Bawrron looks lost this season, then its.....Houston, we have a problem.   Black played pretty well. And we will have to see what #20 does going forward.  But even if he retired, having Barron and Black starting wouldn't be so bad.  A lot better than the CB position.

We got the $. Might as well try and upgrade both. Jairus Byrd, Barron, Sean Smith, Johnthan Banks could rival Seattle's secondary in a year or two.

Man, that is a lot of...$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Nah. One big $ safety and one big $ CB. The other two will be on their rookie deals for a little bit.

I like that you think BIG.     LOL

[chace1986]

Some like it BIG. LOL.

Might as well go BIG or GTFO.

[The Anti-Java]

Goldson is a pretty good safety also, I will be watching him Sunday.  Free agent.   But he may not be as eager to get out of San Fran as Byrd is to get out of Buffalo.