Training camp is over, the preseason is behind us and cuts have been made. It's Week 1 (finally!). But you already knew that, so here are a few things (courtesy of NFL Next Gen stats) that you might not: The Ravens have the fastest rushers, Baker Mayfield is more accurate the quicker he throws, Aaron Rodgers is getting less accurate on tight windows and Patrick Mahomes threw 14 touchdown passes on the run (eight more than anyone else).
Our NFL Nation reporters break down a Next Gen stat for each of the league's 32 teams.
Jump to:
ARI | ATL | BAL | BUF | CAR | CHI | CIN
CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GB | HOU | IND
JAX | KC | LAC | LAR | MIA | MIN | NE
NO | NYG | NYJ | OAK | PHI | PIT | SF
SEA | TB | TEN | WSH
AFC EAST
Buffalo Bills
Next Gen stat: The Bills allowed passes to wide-open receivers (5-plus yards of separation) on 26% of their targets faced last season, the third-highest percentage in the NFL.
Analysis: If you're looking to nitpick the Bills' pass defense, search no further than this stat. Wide open or not, Buffalo allowed 179 passing yards per game in 2018, the fourth-lowest season average since 2010. But there's room to improve -- the Bills are hoping a revitalized pass rush will shorten opposing quarterbacks' windows in 2019, thus giving receivers less time to shake themselves free. -- Marcel Louis-Jacques
Miami Dolphins
Next Gen stat: The Dolphins had the AFC's best pass rush in 2018, as pass-rushers beat their blocks within 2.5 seconds 60% of the time. The problem? The Dolphins players with 40-plus pass rushes and the highest individual win rates -- William Hayes, Robert Quinn and Cameron Wake -- are all no longer with the team.
Analysis: These pass-rush numbers indicate how successful the 2018 Dolphins were at winning their one-on-one battles and gaining pressure even if they weren't rewarded with sacks (31, which ranked No. 29). The 2019 Dolphins seem likely to have trouble beating their blocks with Hayes, Quinn and Wake gone. Miami's projected starting front seven combined for five sacks last season and have a total of 15 career sacks. Dolphins coaches promise to scheme to create pressure and sacks, but it seems unlikely that they will duplicate as the AFC's best pass-rush by this measure. -- Cameron Wolfe
New England Patriots
Next Gen stat: The Patriots had the best pass protection in the NFL last season. Including the playoffs, New England blockers sustained their blocks for at least 2.5 seconds on 61% of pass plays, which ranked first in the league.
Analysis: A big part of what allowed the Patriots to have such success was continuity, and that is already being tested with starting center David Andrews missing the 2019 season after being treated for blood clots in his lungs. Tom Brady also does a solid job getting the football out of his hands decisively and quickly, which helps the cause. Four-year veteran Ted Karras is the projected starter in Andrews' place, while there will be plenty of attention on 2018 first-round pick Isaiah Wynn stepping in at left tackle after missing his rookie season with an Achilles tear. -- Mike Reiss
New York Jets
Next Gen stat: Trumaine Johnson had an up-and-down first season for the Jets in 2018. Johnson was one of 64 cornerbacks who were targeted at least 60 times, and he forced a tight window on 10.9% of those targets, which was the third lowest of the group. Johnson, however, was one of six corners in that group to have more interceptions (three) than touchdowns allowed (two).
Analysis: A couple of factors contributed to this concerning number. Johnson enjoyed some of his best years with the Rams as an off-coverage corner; the Jets' previous coaching staff tried to make him a press-man defender, and he didn't seem comfortable. He also missed five games at mideason with a quad injury, which probably affected his explosiveness and closing speed over the second half of the season. The new coaching staff hopes to instill a more aggressive mindset. -- Rich Cimini
AFC NORTH
Baltimore Ravens
Next Gen stat: The Ravens had 126 rushes last season in which the ball carrier reached a max speed of at least 15 mph, which ranked No. 1 in the NFL. Lamar Jackson's 61 rushes with a top seed of 15 mph also ranked No. 1. Here's the run in which Jackson reached his top max speed of the season, a 39-yard rush off the right tackle against the Raiders in which he reached 20.05 mph:
Analysis: The Ravens placed an emphasis on upgrading their speed even more in the draft. Baltimore used two of its first three picks on wide receivers Marquise Brown and Miles Boykin, both of whom ranked in the top 20 in fastest 40 times at the NFL combine. Then, the Ravens selected Justice Hill, who posted the best 40 time among running backs at the combine, in the fourth round. John Harbaugh reinforced this theme recently by wearing a T-shirt that reads: "Speed kills, speed thrills." -- Jamison Hensley
