Week 15 Quick Reads: James Cook Destroys the Cowboys

No long introduction to this week’s column, just an appreciation of James Cook and his huge game against the Dallas Cowboys. Cook had 104 total DYAR for this game. Based on current opponent adjustments, that’s the top game for any running back this season. Cook’s game was so big that Dallas dropped from sixth to 16th in run defense DVOA.

Cook had 25 carries without a carry that went for no gain or a loss of any kind. He only had one carry for a single yard, and even that came on a second-and-2. Every other carry went for at least 2 yards. Over half his carries gained at least 5 yards with three gaining over 15 yards.

Opponent adjustments change each week as we try to get a better idea of just how good every defense is. So, for example, Christian McCaffrey’s Week 4 game against Arizona was at 106 DYAR a couple weeks ago. However, two bad games for the Arizona run defense — one against McCaffrey himself — have changed those adjustments so that McCaffrey’s game is now second on the season.

Here’s a look at the top five running back games for the 2023 season so far:

Rk	Player	Team	Week	Runs	Rush Yds	Rush TD	Rec	Rec Yds	Rec TD	Total DYAR	Rush DYAR	Rec DYAR	Opp
1.	James Cook	BUF	15	25	179	1	2/3	42	1	104	71	33	DAL
2.	Christian McCaffrey	SF	4	20	106	3	7/8	71	1	99	42	58	ARI
3.	D’Andre Swift	PHI	2	28	175	1	3/3	6	0	98	107	-9	MIN
4.	De’Von Achane	MIA	3	18	203	2	4/4	30	2	94	61	33	DEN
5.	Kyren Williams	LAR	12	16	143	0	6/6	61	2	93	38	55	ARI

And now here’s a look at all the numbers for Week 15, now updated with MNF.

Quarterbacks
Rk	Player	Team	CP/AT	Yds	TD	INT	Sacks	Total DYAR	Pass DYAR	Rush DYAR	Opp
1.	Baker Mayfield	TB	22/28	381	4	0	5	185	185	0	GB
This is the only game in this year’s top 50 passer performances to have five sacks. But Mayfield completed 7 of 9 pass attempts on third downs — all of the completions converted — for 135 yards and two touchdowns plus a sack and an 11-yard DPI gain. The Buccaneers led all offenses this week with an average of 8.3 yards after the catch.
2.	Brock Purdy	SF	16/24	242	4	0	0	161	161	0	ARI
Purdy drops from 191 YAR to 161 DYAR based on adjustments for the Cardinals defense. He had this week’s second-highest average depth of target at 13.8 yards. Will Levis was the only other quarterback above 11.0-yard aDOT this week.
3.	Jared Goff	DET	24/34	278	5	0	2	157	157	0	DEN
Goff led all quarterbacks this week with 79 DYAR from the red zone. He went 7-for-10 from the red zone for 52 yards with all five of his touchdowns coming from inside the 20.
4.	Tua Tagovailoa	MIA	21/24	224	1	0	3	128	128	0	NYJ
Tagovailoa moves from 90 YAR to 128 DYAR based on adjustments for the Jets defense. Tagovailoa threw only five passes on first down but that included the 60-yard touchdown to Jaylen Waddle. He had an average depth of taget of just 4.0 yards this week, higher than only Zach Wilson.
5.	Derek Carr	NO	24/28	218	3	0	1	124	124	0	NYG
6.	Jordan Love	GB	29/39	284	2	0	2	110	107	3	TB
Love led all quarterbacks this week with 108 DYAR on deep passes (16 or more air yards). He completed 5 of 8 deep passes for 113 yards and a touchdown, plus a 32-yard DPI gain.
7.	Aidan O’Connell	LV	20/34	248	4	0	1	99	99	0	LAC
O’Connell drops from 131 YAR to 99 DYAR based on adjustments for the Chargers defense. He was excellent between the 10 and the 20 — essentially, the first half of the red zone — completing 4 of 6 pass attempts for 54 yards and two touchdowns.
8.	Jake Browning	CIN	30/42	324	2	1	4	99	103	-4	MIN
Browning was 5 for 8 on third down with 90 yards. All five completions gained new first downs. Browning was worth only 4 passing DYAR in the first half, then 99 passing DYAR in the second half.
9.	Jacoby Brissett	WAS	8/10	134	2	0	0	85	92	-6	LAR

10.	Gardner Minshew	IND	18/28	215	3	0	3	85	92	-8	PIT
The Colts won the game even though Minshew dropped from 88 passing DYAR in the first half to 4 passing DYAR in the second half. Sometimes, it is better to be good early than late.
11.	Trevor Lawrence	JAX	26/43	264	1	0	1	65	62	4	BAL
Lawrence rises from 8 YAR to 65 DYAR based on adjustments for the Ravens defense. He completed 6 of 11 passes on third down but only three of those completions gained a new set of downs. He also had a strip-sack fumble and an intentional grounding on third down, for a total of -37 DYAR on the down.
12.	Russell Wilson	DEN	18/32	223	1	0	2	43	42	1	DET
Russell Wilson was worth -58 passing DYAR in the first half of this game and then 100 passing DYAR in the second half.
Rk	Player	Team	CP/AT	Yds	TD	INT	Sacks	Total DYAR	Pass DYAR	Rush DYAR	Opp
13.	Josh Allen	BUF	7/15	94	1	0	1	37	26	12	DAL
14.	Matthew Stafford	LAR	25/33	258	2	0	3	35	35	-1	WAS
Stafford drops from 86 YAR to 35 DYAR based on adjustments for the Commanders defense. He earned -64 passing DYAR in the red zone, completing 4 of 8 passes but with two completions that lost yardage, plus a sack.
15.	Nick Mullens	MIN	26/33	303	2	2	3	25	41	-16	CIN
Mullens completed 5 of 8 passes on third down including the 37-yard touchdown to Jordan Addison, but he also had a sack and threw both his interceptions on third down.
MNF	Drew Lock	SEA	23/33	208	1	0	2	24	24	0	PHI
16.	Desmond Ridder	ATL	12/20	152	1	1	0	20	43	-22	CAR
Ridder’s negative rushing value comes from an aborted play and a 2-yard loss on a designed first-and-10 run, plus a 1-yard scramble on second-and-12.
17.	Bryce Young	CAR	18/24	167	0	0	3	10	4	6	ATL
MNF	Jalen Hurts	PHI	17/31	143	0	2	0	4	-35	39	SEA
18.	Lamar Jackson	BAL	15/24	171	1	1	3	3	-31	34	JAX
Jackson had 12 carries for 97 yards with five first downs.
19.	Mitchell Trubisky	PIT	16/23	169	1	2	3	-10	-5	-5	IND
20.	Easton Stick	LAC	23/32	257	3	1	3	-12	-17	5	LV
Stick somehow led the NFL this week with 116 passing DYAR on passes to the left side, but was dead last in the league with -55 passing DYAR on passes to the right side.
21.	Patrick Mahomes	KC	27/37	305	2	2	3	-22	-22	0	NE
Mahomes somehow was worth -101 passing DYAR on passes up the middle, thanks to two interceptions and a couple of minor 3-yard gains.
22.	Justin Fields	CHI	19/40	166	1	2	3	-23	-16	-7	CLE
Fields climbs substantially from -114 YAR to -23 DYAR based on adjustments for the Browns defense.
Rk	Player	Team	CP/AT	Yds	TD	INT	Sacks	Total DYAR	Pass DYAR	Rush DYAR	Opp
23.	Bailey Zappe	NE	23/31	180	1	1	4	-42	-39	-3	KC
24.	Case Keenum	HOU	24/36	229	1	1	3	-49	-26	-23	TEN
Keenum’s negative rushing value comes from an aborted play and a 1-yard run on first-and-goal from the 3. He completed 4 of 9 passes on third down for 61 yards and a touchdown but also had two sacks and a pick-six on third down.
25.	Kyler Murray	ARI	26/39	211	1	2	3	-59	-50	-9	SF
Murray had three runs for 12 or more yards but also a 4-yard loss that included a fumble. He had -95 passing DYAR on first and second down, 81 DYAR on third down, and -35 on fourth down. On third down, he completed 8 of 11 passes for 83 yards and a touchdown, although only five of those eight completions moved the sticks.
26.	Joe Flacco	CLE	28/44	374	2	3	4	-85	-80	-5	CHI
27.	Trevor Siemian	NYJ	14/26	110	0	2	2	-90	-90	0	MIA
Siemian attempted five deep passes of at least 16 air yards, and threw two interceptions with three other incompletions.
28.	Dak Prescott	DAL	21/34	134	0	1	3	-93	-104	11	BUF
Cowboys receivers averaged just 2.5 average yards after the catch this week against Buffalo.
29.	Tommy DeVito	NYG	21/34	177	0	0	7	-95	-101	7	NO
DeVito had negative net passing yards on first down. He completed 5 of 10 passes but only had one pass over 3 yards, and he also took three different 8-yard sacks on first down.
30.	Zach Wilson	NYJ	4/11	26	0	0	4	-101	-101	0	MIA
Wilson’s average depth of target was a miniscule 2.6 yards. But he was also at the bottom of the league this week in average yards after the catch, just 2.3 yards.
31.	Sam Howell	WAS	11/26	102	1	1	1	-104	-106	2	LAR
One thing that went right for Howell: He hit Terry McLaurin twice on fourth downs for a total of 41 yards.
32.	Will Levis	TEN	17/26	199	0	1	7	-109	-123	13	HOU
Levis drops from 25th to last this week based on opponent adjustments for playing the Texans. He had this week’s highest average depth of target at 15.0 yards. He also went from 7 passing DYAR in the first half of this game to -130 passing DYAR in the second half.

Five Best Running Backs by DYAR (Total)
Rk	Player	Team	Runs	Rush Yds	Rush TD	Rec	Rec Yds	Rec TD	Total DYAR	Rush DYAR	Rec DYAR	Opp
1.	James Cook	BUF	25	179	1	2/3	42	1	104	71	33	DAL

2.	Christian McCaffrey	SF	18	115	1	5/5	72	2	80	31	48	ARI
As a runner, McCaffrey had six runs for double-digit yards although he also had a couple of losses. His rushing value drops from 43 YAR to 31 DYAR due to opponent adjustments. McCaffrey added on the two receiving touchdowns (41 and 5 yards) plus a 13-yard reception on a second-and-3.
3.	Jahmyr Gibbs	DET	11	100	1	2/2	8	1	46	32	14	DEN
Gibbs had only a 55% success rate running but that included gains of 34, 21, 12, and 11, 9, and 8 yards. The 11-yard gain came on a third-and-10 from the Denver 49.
4.	Clyde Edwards-Helaire	KC	13	37	0	4/4	64	1	45	9	37	NE
The 48-yard catch in the first quarter is the big play here but Edwards-Helaire also had catches to convert a second-and-goal from the 6 and a second-and-7. https://twitter.com/NFLonFOX/status/1736474547577135512
MNF	Kenneth Walker	SEA	19	86	1	3/3	26	0	42	26	16	PHI
5.	Joe Mixon	CIN	10	47	1	3/3	14	0	37	31	6	MIN
Adjustments for the Vikings defense move Mixon from 25 total YAR to 37 total DYAR. Seven of Mixon’s 10 carries gained at least 4 yards and one of the other three carries was a 1-yard touchdown.

Five Best Running Backs by DYAR (Rushing)
Rk	Player	Team	Runs	Rush Yds	Rush TD	Rec	Rec Yds	Rec TD	Total DYAR	Rush DYAR	Rec DYAR	Opp
1.	James Cook	BUF	25	179	1	2/3	42	1	104	71	33	DAL
2.	Kyren Williams	LAR	27	152	1	5/7	3	0	6	39	-32	WAS
Williams had a big day rushing despite a lost fumble, with at least 4 yards on 16 of his 27 carries. He moved the chains 10 times. As a receiver, however, he had two catches that lost yardage and lost another fumble with no first downs.
3.	Jahmyr Gibbs	DET	11	100	1	2/2	8	1	46	32	14	DEN
4.	James Conner	ARI	14	86	1	3/3	3	0	22	32	-10	SF
Conner gets more credit than you would expect for his shorter runs (71% success rate overall) because they included a 2-yard touchdown on second-and-goal and a 2-yard conversion on fourth-and-1. Hw also had a long 44-yard gain in the third quarter.
5.	Christian McCaffrey	SF	18	115	1	5/5	72	2	80	31	48	ARI

Worst Running Back by DYAR (Total)

Player

Team

Runs

Rush
Yds

Rush
TD

Rec

Rec
Yds

Rec
TD

Total
DYAR

Rush
DYAR

Rec
DYAR

Opp

Derrick Henry

TEN

4/4

-55

-31

-25

HOU

Henry became the first player in NFL history with 20 or more touches and 15 or fewer yards from scrimmage, but this isn’t the lowest DYAR game of the season. That’s still Deon Jackson of Indianapolis with 13 carries for 14 yards, five catches for 14 yards, and two fumbles back in Week 1 against Jacksonville.

Worst Running Back by DYAR (Rushing)

Player

Team

Runs

Rush
Yds

Rush
TD

Rec

Rec
Yds

Rec
TD

Total
DYAR

Rush
DYAR

Rec
DYAR

Opp

Najee Harris

PIT

0/0

-39

IND

Harris had only one first down, on a 15-yard carry. He also fumbled the ball away and had four runs for a loss or no gain.

Five Best Wide Receivers and Tight Ends by DYAR
Rk	Player	Team	Rec	Att	Yds	Avg	TD	Total DYAR	Opp
1.	Jaylen Waddle	MIA	8	9	142	17.8	1	76	NYJ
This was one off from the high for any receiver gaining yards against the Jets, which was CeeDee Lamb back in Week 2 with 143 receiving yards. Waddle’s receptions included a 25-yard gain on fourth-and-5 and a 19-yard gain on third-and-7. His one bad play other than the incomplete was a loss of a yard on a first-and-20 screen. Waddle goes from 60 YAR to 76 DYAR with opponent adjustments.
2.	Jordan Addison	MIN	6	6	111	18.5	2	72	CIN
This was the top game of the week without opponent adjustments, with two gains of 35 or more yards and three first downs to go with the two touchdowns and a 9-yard gain on first-and-10.
3.	Chris Godwin	TB	10	12	155	15.5	0	50	GB
Godwin had five targets on third downs and converted four of them with catches to move the chains.He also had four other catches over 20 yards.
4.	Josh Palmer	LAC	4	4	113	28.2	1	42	LV
Palmer’s big play here is a 79-yard touchdown with 50 yards after the catch, but he also had a 25-yard catch on second-and-10 and a 7-yard conversion on third-and-5.
5.	Amon-Ra St. Brown	DET	7	9	112	16.0	1	42	DEN
St. Brown drops from 53 YAR to 42 DYAR due to opponent adjustments because the opponent adjustments are still accounting for what Denver did in those first five weeks. St. Brown had three gains of 20 or more yards plus a 15-yard touchdown on third-and-7.

Worst Wide Receiver or Tight End by DYAR
Rk	Player	Team	Rec	Att	Yds	Avg	TD	Total DYAR	Opp
MNF	Tyler Lockett	SEA	3	9	21	7.0	0	-36	PHI
1.	Darnell Mooney	CHI	2	8	14	7.0	0	-35	CLE
This is not including the failed Hail Mary at the end of the game, which is listed with no intended receiver. Seven of Mooney’s eight targets came in the first half, but only two were complete. He had three incomplete targets on third-and-mediums (4, 4, and 5 yards to go). Mooney was even lower (-42 YAR) without opponent adjustments.

Week 15 Quick Reads: James Cook Destroys the Cowboys

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