Great Football Outsiders article on McCourty

[Kasmir]

It's always an intriguing thing to scout one player through multiple games. You then have the advantage of blowing past sample-size issues and fluke games and hopefully discovering what a player is all about. From what I saw in three different games and short bursts of a few others, Devin McCourty isn't just the best cornerback in this rookie class, he's passing up the rookie wall and making his name as one of the better young pass defenders in the NFL.

FOOTBALL OUTSIDERS: Innovative Statistics, Intelligent Analysis | Cover-3: Best of Seven

 

[RayClay]

McCourty's great.

Nevertheless, that site makes up more bulls**t statistics and subjective judgments (I'll count this game, but not that game) than anything I've ever seen.

I don't need no slide rule to see Devin's getting the job done.

 

[Anj]

McCourty is only behind Asante Samuel in interceptions this year.
Pats draft good intercepting CB's

 

[Sciz]

McCourty is only behind Asante Samuel in interceptions this year.
Pats draft good intercepting CB's

Which means McCourty is first among CBs that actually know how to tackle :lol2:

 

[Anj]

Which means McCourty is first among CBs that actually know how to tackle :lol2:

Amen!!!! :woohoo:
haha

 

[BSR]

I was going to post the same article. Its a nice breakdown of a few of his plays during the season. They have him as the best of a pretty good rookie DB class.

 

[DarrylS]

McCourty's great.

Nevertheless, that site makes up more bulls**t statistics and subjective judgments (I'll count this game, but not that game) than anything I've ever seen.

I don't need no slide rule to see Devin's getting the job done.

Kind of like getting all the news you need from the weather report..

Captain obvious, thy name is Football Outsiders..

 

[zoostation]

McCourty is only behind Asante Samuel in interceptions this year.
Pats draft good intercepting CB's

Unlike Asante, McCourty knows how to tackle as well

 

[ScottishPat]

This is a joke right ? Pro Bowl voting for AFC Cornerbacks, Nnamdi Asumugha leads ALL AFC Cornerbacks with these stats 0 INT's and 16 tackles and Devin McCourty has 6 INT's and near 70 tackles. Shows that people only vote for well known players just like Ed Reed has been back 5 or 6 games and leads AFC Safeties.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

This is a joke right ? Pro Bowl voting for AFC Cornerbacks, Nnamdi Asumugha leads ALL AFC Cornerbacks with these stats 0 INT's and 16 tackles and Devin McCourty has 6 INT's and near 70 tackles. Shows that people only vote for well known players just like Ed Reed has been back 5 or 6 games and leads AFC Safeties.

No INTs, few tackles, but how many pass attempts against him? He didn't earn the nickname "Angel of Death" for nothing. . . .

Seriously, though, there is a lot of name recognition/popularity in the fan voting, but that doesn't always translate.

For example, the year he made the Pro Bowl, Gostkowski wasn't even in the top five in fan voting.

 

[Synovia]

McCourty's great.

Nevertheless, that site makes up more bulls**t statistics and subjective judgments (I'll count this game, but not that game) than anything I've ever seen.

I don't need no slide rule to see Devin's getting the job done.

Could you point out one example of where they do that? Because I've been there since about 2000, and never seen them do that.

In fact, I've suggested several times that certain games should be ignored, and they won't do it.

 

[BSR]

Could you point out one example of where they do that? Because I've been there since about 2000, and never seen them do that.

In fact, I've suggested several times that certain games should be ignored, and they won't do it.

I was thinking the same thing but decided not to bother. They are a great stat site but like all stats they should be put into context. The authors there I think would tell you the same thing.

 

[TheGodInAGreyHoodie]

This is a joke right ? Pro Bowl voting for AFC Cornerbacks, Nnamdi Asumugha leads ALL AFC Cornerbacks with these stats 0 INT's and 16 tackles and Devin McCourty has 6 INT's and near 70 tackles. Shows that people only vote for well known players just like Ed Reed has been back 5 or 6 games and leads AFC Safeties.

That is because folks throw away from Asumugha. QBs throw to the WR McCourty is covering. At some point OCs are gonna realize that throwing the ball to the WR McCourty is a bad idea. That is when he is considered a shutdown CB.

 

[Sicilian]

That is because folks throw away from Asumugha. QBs throw to the WR McCourty is covering. At some point OCs are gonna realize that throwing the ball to the WR McCourty is a bad idea. That is when he is considered a shutdown CB.

Bingo. Which is why Asante still puts up good Int numbers. As good a playmaker as he is, and as good as he is jumping routes, other teams know they can make plays on him too, so they don't avoid throwing to his guy.

 

[letekro]

This is a joke right ? Pro Bowl voting for AFC Cornerbacks, Nnamdi Asumugha leads ALL AFC Cornerbacks with these stats 0 INT's and 16 tackles and Devin McCourty has 6 INT's and near 70 tackles. Shows that people only vote for well known players just like Ed Reed has been back 5 or 6 games and leads AFC Safeties.

Those Asamugha numbers are astounding. Assuming at least a few of his tackles have come in run support or tackling someone else's responsibility, I think it's safe to say he isn't giving up more than 1 catch per game. You are missing the boat, he is the definition of a shutdown corner.

 

[Synovia]

Those Asamugha numbers are astounding. Assuming at least a few of his tackles have come in run support or tackling someone else's responsibility, I think it's safe to say he isn't giving up more than 1 catch per game. You are missing the boat, he is the definition of a shutdown corner.

Well, part of that is that Nnamdi has played most of his career across from guys who are terrible, but they're still astounding.

 

[TheGodInAGreyHoodie]

Well, part of that is that Nnamdi has played most of his career across from guys who are terrible, but they're still astounding.

And exactly which 1st round ballot hall of famer has been playing across from McCourty his "entire career"?

 

[Synovia]

And exactly which 1st round ballot hall of famer has been playing across from McCourty his "entire career"?

Nice straw man you got there.

 

[BradyFTW!]

I was thinking the same thing but decided not to bother. They are a great stat site but like all stats they should be put into context. The authors there I think would tell you the same thing.

I got a chance to speak with Aaron Schatz at some length before the season (it's one of the earlier PatsCats, actually, if anyone wants to go back and listen to it) and he gave a pretty good explanation for how FO stats should be applied. Pretty much what you said: the best stats are the ones that account for context, but they still don't exist in a vacuum.

 

[BradyFTW!]

And exactly which 1st round ballot hall of famer has been playing across from McCourty his "entire career"?

McCourty's a rookie. Of course opposing QBs are going to throw to their #1 WR when he's covered by a rookie corner. Nobody throws to Asomugha because he's a known quantity (he's an awesome CB, and that's that) and the CB opposite him is consistently awful. There's no reason to throw at Asomugha.