Pacstud's O-line analysis has been enlightening, so I thought I would try a new approach and judge the Defensive line to see how well they perform on every play. Grading is nearly identical for O-lineman, the way Pacstud does it, but for different results. Players are given one of 3 ratings, with a few half ratings when the player action goes in between. Here are the ratings: 2- given to a player who is either a) double teamed and holds POA (point of attack) b) able to shed block and make a sack, TFL (tackle for loss), pass TA (throw away) or SNG (stop for no gain). 1- given to a player who a) makes a tackle on contact point or gap responsibility after a yardage gain b) sheds block and redirects offensive player c) collapses lane d) hurries a throw. 0- given to a player who is a) driven away, or defeated in any manner b) penalized. The system is more helpful for running plays. For passing plays, players get a 1 for successfully containing the pocket if they have to. If there is no rating, player was not involved in front line and dropped into coverage or was away from the play. Players will be identified by number with their score below their name. Alignment is based off front line, left to right, and second line after the hyphen. At the end will be a total average score for all players. 

99-K Burnett, 96-T Johnson, 95-SPF95, 94-J Tucker, 93- El Toro, 91- O.G. , 90-A Applewhite, 74- J Cesaire, 71- A Garay, 59- King Kong, 57- B Lang, 54- Coop, 42- K Wilson (English, Merriman, Boone, Martin, Thomas inactive)

After down and distance: R=Run P=Pass

1st Drive

1st-10P

90 74  71  93  95 

1    1   1.5   1.5  - (Garay doubled) 

2nd-3P

94  93  74  95  32 blitz 

1    1    0    .5    1

1st-10R

54  90  74  71  93  95

.5   .5    1   1.5   1.5    .5  (blocked well, Garay makes great swim, but can't get runner. El Toro doubled)

2nd-5P

94  74  93  95  99

1   1.5  1.5  1     2 (OLB pressure makes for early screen, Toro reads it early, Burnett too, blows up play. Awesome)

3rd-5P

94  74  93  95

1    0     1     1 ( Too much time, Castillo held slightly, not enough for flag though)

1st-10R

90  96  71  91  95- 54  99

 0    1    0     0     0    1    0   (everyone blocked well. Coop unblocked, had to make play)

2nd-6R

94  71  96  90- 32  99

0     0    .5    0     -      1

3rd-2R

94  74  71  93  95- 99  54

0     0    .5     -     -     .5   1  ( Coop shed block, too slow to runner. Tucker overruns, as usual. Had Garay been over LG, play goes for nothing. Cesaire was stumped)

1st-10P

94  93  74  95

 -     1    0    .5 (Playaction, Phillips watches the play develop unblocked, Cesaire bites hard, driven away)

2nd-3R

90  74  91  93  95- 54  99

 -     0    0     .5   0     .5   0 (Phillips draws hold, Coop had a chance, Burnett overruns, opens lane. Everyone owned)

2nd-13P

74  91  95  54  93  90

1     0     0    .5   1.5 (Castillo gets in DA's face, sails pass, INT by Steve Suspension Gregory)

2nd Drive

1st-10P

95  74  71  93  54  90

 -      0    1     1    0    1 

2nd-10R

94  74  54  99  93  95

.5    1    .5     -     -     - (Weddle reads it, helps blow it up)

3rd-8P

94  74  99  54  93  95

 -      0   .5     -     2    0 (Strickland blitzes, gets pressure, thanks to El Toro getting doubled to the right)

1st-10P

90  74  71  93  95  99

 -     1    .5    .5    -    1.5 (amazing how you can get pressure by confusing blitz looks)

1st-10P

90  96  71  91  95

 0    0     0    0     0 (Anderson could have sat, thrown to right post for TD, instead overthrows Williams) 

2nd-10P

94  96  91  95

 0   .5     0    1

3rd-5P

94  91  96  95  99

.5    0    0     0    2 (credit the coverage for the sack)

2nd Quarter: 3rd Drive

1st-10R

90  74  71  93  95- 99  54

 0    0    .5    .5    -     1    0 (Garay, Toro get good push, no one comes off to tackle, Wells just waits around)

2nd-3R

90  74  71  93  95- 54  99

 0    .5    1   1.5   -    1     0    (see previous play)

1st-10R

95  74  71  93  90- 54  99

 1   1.5  1    1     -     2     1 (All Coop and Cesaire, Burnett cleans up. Castillo throws cut blocker to floor. LoL)   

2nd-12P

94  91  96  95

 0    1   1.5  1.5 (T Johnson shows that 1st round value)

3rd-12P

94  91  99  54  96  95

 1    0      -     -     1    2 (Phillips timed the snap beautifully)

4th Drive

1st-10P

94  54  74  93  95

1     -      0   1.5   0 (Castillo pressure, Cason defends. Great job)

2nd-10P

94  54  74  93  95

0     -      1     1    2    

3rd-13P

94  74  93

1     1     1 (Tucker is the only 1 on 1, Phillips pick 6, Castillo Pancakes lineman for SP95, Weddle leads him out)

5th Drive

1st-10P

94  74  96  57

 0    0     1    0

2nd-5P

94  71  96

 1    1     0

1st-10P

94  71  96

 1    2     0 (Garay swims over, easy sack. Even if doubled, Tucker got the edge)

2nd-19P

94  71  96

 1    1    2

3rd-19P

96  71  90

 1     1    0

4th-2P

94  74  54  93  95  99

.5    0     -     0     0

3rd Quarter: 6th Drive

1st-10R

95  74  71  93  90- 99  54

 1    .5    1     -      -    0    1

2nd-6P

94  74  93  95

 0    1     0    0

3rd-6P

94  74  93  95  28blitz

 2    0     1    0    1

7th Drive

1st-10R

90  91  96  95- 99  54

 0    1    1     0     1     0

2nd-7R

90  91  96  95- 99  54

.5    1     1    .5     1    1

3rd-7P

90  91  96  95

 0    0     1    .5

1st-10P

90  91  99  71  54  93  95 

 -     1     2    0    0     0     - (Castillo recovers fumble, but gets no push, bad cross with Garay)

8th Drive

1st-10P

90  74  71  93  95

 -     0     1    1     1    

2nd-10P

74  71  99  93  95

 0    1     0    -      -

3rd-5P

90  99  74  93  95

 1   0     1     1    2 (Phillips can't be stopped)

4th Quarter: 9th Drive

1st-10P

57  96  71  91  95

 0    1     1     1    -    (OG finally getting pressure, Garay needed half a second to beat the double team)

2nd-10P

57  91  96  95

 0    1     0     0 (good protection that time)

3rd-4P

74  90  93  95

 1    0    1     1 (Castillo doubled, they leave SP95 free)

10th Drive

1st-10R

90  96  71  91  95- 54  99

 0    0     1     0    -     1     1

2nd-9P

90  96  71  91  95

 -     1     0   1.5    1   

1st-10P

90  96  54  71  91 

 0    0    0     1    1

2nd-3R

90  74  91  93  95- 54  99

 0    1     1    1     - 

1st-10R

90  74  91  93  95- 54  99 

 0    0     1    1     0    1   1.5

2nd-9P

57  93  74  95

 0   1.5   .5   2 (SP95 reads the quick pass, knocks it down)

3rd-9P

57  74  93  95

 0    0     2    1 (Castillo doubled, still gets pressure, Hall runs away, gives Phillips a free sack)

End

Arizona had just 6 plays go for more than 10 yards, and only one for more than 20

The Charger Defense managed 9 sacks, 8 TFLs, 8 QB Hits, and 8 passes defensed. Brilliant. 4 of Arizona's 10 drives ended in Negative net yardage. Amazing. The Defense was fantastic and Ron Rivera is amazing. I was right last week when I mentioned in an article that Ron would find a way around the loss of Merriman. Many offset 3-4 formations and more Ends in a 4 technique to let Cooper, Siler, and Burnett rip the middle. It worked great. It at least gives us hope that Merriman, although a necessary presence, can be played around.

First half average scores(rounded out) by player number:

54	57	71	74	90	91	93	94	95	96	99
0.7	0.0	0.8	0.5	0.3	0.15	1.1	0.6	0.65	0.8	0.8

So, thanks to numerous double teams, Castillo was the most consistent. Only one zero all first half. That's why I call him El Toro. He's a bull. Hard to stop one on one. Phillips, Burnett, Garay, very steady. OG, Applewhite, Lang struggle (Guess Merriman is important) .

Second half average scores(rounded out) by player number: 

54	57	71	74	90	91	93	94	95	96	99
0.57	0.0	0.75	0.6	0.2	0.9	0.9	1.0	0.7	0.6	0.7

The second half was very different. OG picked it up greatly, as did Tucker. Castillo drew the most double teams by far this game, and its like that almost every game. He's extremely disruptive if not doubled, and that's probably why he's earned the highest Madden rating of the whole D-line. When Merriman comes back, this unit will be almost as elite as the offense.