Aug
19
I use Pro Football Focus a lot because their analytics do a great job of telling the story with numbers, a story that I try to interpret with words.
However, there are times when the numbers don’t match the words I say, which is also based on the game I watch.
Billy Turner is said example, as from what I’ve seen, he’s been pretty good this preseason.
Turner should be battling Dallas Thomas for the starting job at guard, for Thomas has been terrible. I’ve seen the Gerald McCoy excuse being used; however, while I don’t expect Thomas to dominate a player as gifted as McCoy, he could at least hold his own and try to look respectable.
Could Turner do that? I’m not sure, but I would’ve liked to have seen him try, and I’d like to see him try against Dallas’ first-team defense this Saturday night.
Against the Buccaneers, Turner’s lead block led to Damien Williams’ touchdown in the second half, while Turner also did a good job of keeping the quarterback clean, despite allowing a hurry (but no sack).
When Turner played against the Falcons, he did allow a sack, but his run blocking was still better than most of the team’s linemen.
Now compare this to the man he’s competing against at right guard, Dallas Thomas. If you have a Pro Football Focus subscription, then you know what I mean when I say “Yikes!”, thanks in part to a minus-9.4 grade.
Turner’s PFF grades on the other hand are comparable to fellow rookie Ja’Wuan James.
Keep this in mind: Turner was a tackle throughout high school and college, while Thomas played every position along the line at Tennessee and has had a year in the NFL where at the very least he’s practiced against NFL players.
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