Get ready for a thrilling dive into the world of NFL statistics and a closer look at some of the league's brightest stars!
The Christian McCaffrey Phenomenon
Christian McCaffrey, the dynamic running back for the NFL, had an incredible performance in Week 9 against the New York Giants. With 28 carries, he rushed for 106 yards and added another 67 yards through the air with five receptions. This dual-threat performance, resulting in both rushing and receiving touchdowns, solidified his place in NFL history as he set a regular-season record for the 16th time! (Marshall Faulk also achieved this feat, but only if we include the postseason.)
But here's where it gets interesting... McCaffrey's performance, while impressive, doesn't even crack the top DYAR (Defense-adjusted Yards Above Replacement) games of the week. Why? It's all about context and opponent adjustments.
The Giants' defense has been notoriously weak against running backs, and this is where opponent adjustments come into play. Without these adjustments, McCaffrey's game would tie him with Chris Rodriguez Jr. for the best running back performance of the week. However, with adjustments applied, his DYAR drops significantly, ranking him 27th among backs!
So, is this the biggest gap between DYAR and YAR (Yards Above Replacement) for a running back? Not even close! The largest gap actually occurred last year, in Week 9, when Alvin Kamara faced the Carolina Panthers. Kamara's impressive 29 carries for 155 yards and six catches for 60 yards resulted in a massive drop from 58 YAR to -13 DYAR when opponent adjustments were applied. The Panthers' run defense was simply abysmal that year!
And this is the part most people miss... These extreme opponent adjustments aren't just a modern phenomenon. In fact, some of the most significant adjustments occurred in the 20th century. Take, for example, Christian Okoye's game against the 1989 Dolphins, which saw his YAR of 39 drop to -27 DYAR, or Ricky Williams' performance against the 1999 Browns, where his 11 YAR became -54 DYAR after adjustments.
Here's a closer look at the best and worst games of Week 9 by DYAR.
So, what do you think? Are these opponent adjustments fair, or do they sometimes take away from the raw talent and performance of these NFL stars? Let us know in the comments; we'd love to hear your thoughts and spark a discussion on this controversial topic!
