HOW IT WORKS:
Pro Football Focus, which nearly a third of the NFL subscribes to, has a complex grading process, looking at every player on every offensive, defensive and special-teams play. Plus or minus grades are given and are based around an average of 0, with each position graded slightly differently. If a player does something you normally would expect, then a score of 0 is given. Grades are given for plays that are reasonably considered to be better or worse than the average or expected play. For the final grade, player participation is factored in, using a normalization factor to set the average player in that facet of the game to 0.
Drew Brees and Jay Cutler both had productive games on Sunday. According to PFF’s pass-distance breakdown, Brees did his damage via short passes, while Cutler was the most effective on passes of medium range.
[iframe src=”//e.infogr.am/-chadmerda_1381182794″ width=”550″ height=”443″ scrolling=”no” frameborder=”0″]With the Bears’ defensive line banged up, defensive end Shea McClellin got the most playing time of the season against the Saints. McClellin, who rushed from an upright stance on some plays, had his best game of the season, according to PFF’s ratings.[iframe src=”//e.infogr.am/-chadmerda_1381183489″ width=”550″ height=”498″ scrolling=”no” frameborder=”0″]Six different Bears had the responsibility of guarding Saints tight end Jimmy Graham, who finished with 10 catches for 135 yards.[iframe src=”//e.infogr.am/-chadmerda_1381182136″ width=”550″ height=”455″ scrolling=”no” frameborder=”0″]
