I’ve always wanted to run this calculation. I looked at the spread between defensive payroll and defensive ranking.
The theory is, if you have the largest payroll you should have the highest ranking. If there is a difference, then that means the unit is either outperforming or underperforming it’s payroll.
Well guess who is #1 in the spread…
Also, of interesting note. Steelers are #1 in defensive payroll, but #31 in yards allowed… ouch
Good work man!
Interesting findings
Can you do it for points not yards 
Says a lot about the GM too
Yes. AG is fantastic, should be hired as a HC and we should get two comp 3rd rounders!
Looks great this season. But it’s gonna change rapidly.
Guys who could potentially be getting big new contracts in the next year or so…
Goff
Jonah
St. Brown
Sewell
Alim
The defense really has been pretty good this year. We did have 2 stinkers of course. But overall I’d give the defense a B plus.
Considering Moseley, CJGJ and Houston have all barely played AG has done pretty well.
Huge test this week vs Herbert though
Interesting, but payroll doesnt equal talent as a level playing field evaluator.
We have a lot of young cheap defenders, but our O is fantastic, controls the ball and puts other teams into tough situations against our D.
The opposite is possible, high paid D, crappy O.
Injuries to key high paid defenders that were expected to be the key contributors and no depth.
Lots of scenarios that have a little more nuance and relevance.
It is a good datapoint, but it’s not the whole equation
I was thinking about this. I think we might have the youngest defense in the NFL.
Hutch Paschal Kerby Rodrigo Houston year 2
Branch and Jack Campbell rookies
Alim Barnes Jacobs year 3
Got a few vets in Anzalone Walker and Sutton. But the defensive starters are mostly still on rookie deals
Yards don’t win games. Points do.
It’s a 15 point spread if you consider our point ranking, which still makes us 5th on this list.
Yes so somewhere in the top 1-5 in outperforming his current payroll by either yards or points. Pretty pretty good.
With that said, this is the first year he’s shown that kind of spread so we’ll see if it maintains.
Also interesting. 4 of the top 5 in defensive payroll, Steelers, Bengals, Charger, Jaguars are in the bottom 10 teams in yards allowed.
Is this indicative of good DCs or good GMs, if anything at all ?
Personally, I think you’re better off rating teams by total weight.
I’m also reminded of a story, probably apocryphal, about a university professor who used to grade papers by throwing them down a flight of stairs; the heaviest fell farther down before settling which earned them lower grades. The idea being that excessive wordiness (which translated to more weight) was not itself a reliable sign of quality. Big ticket players are almost never worth their cost. It’s a market thing, not a measure of intrinsic worthiness.
Garbage time yards add up when up 2 scores…
I disagree. In theory, salary should align with impact. Are there exceptions? Of course.
But if you are the Steelers and you are spending the most money in the league on defense, you should expect to have a top defense.
The fundamental goal of the organization is to maximize talent within a limited budget.
RE: GM vs Coach - It is definitely a reflection of both. GM to acquire talent that performs better than their cost and the coach to maximize the talent per dollar spent.
There are FAR more egs of teams/units that “should” be good when you use the $$ criterion to indicate that the relationship is not strong, imo. It’s not the exception.
Besides Watt. Who are they paying so much money to? They let Sutton walk in free agency
I hate the term “Garbage Time” every moment is important during games and point swings between teams as to who might win games or how they do it , IT could be the final moment of any game !
I’d have to say Baltimore’s OC is the best coordinator.
I’d say Baltimore’s DC is better than the OC.
They are #1 in scoring defense and #2 in yards allowed….
giving up less than 14 points per game.
If they maintain that scoring average…
it is less points allowed than the 2013 legion of boom.
