The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1000643
166 ■ THE WOLFPACKER ■ PACK PROS Top Five Seasons In 2017 1. Russell Wilson, QB, Seattle Seahawks Despite Wilson's team missing the playoffs for the first time in his career, he notched his best-ever finish (No. 11) in the NFL Network Top 100, which is voted on by the players. Wilson checked in at No. 93 in Pro Football Focus' (PFF) analytical-based listing, but even it revealed numbers that make the rank seem low. PFF explained Wilson "was still excellent overall" and tied for sixth in its grades among quarterbacks (87.2). But it also pointed out "another atrocious offensive line and marginal rushing attack" had him "under pressure more than any other quarterback." Despite that, nobody was better in the fourth quar - ter. In the final frame, Wilson threw for an NFL-record 19 touchdowns (shattering the previous mark of 15) against just one interception for a passer rating of 138.2, easily besting No. 2 Drew Brees (117.6). "The Seattle Seahawks were kept in the playoff hunt seemingly all year behind magic from their quarterback Russell Wilson," PFF wrote. Three-time Super Bowl champion Willie McGinest may have put it best when he called Wilson "the LeB - ron James of Seattle" for his success despite not much help, noting he "was involved in 97.4 percent of the Seahawks' offensive touchdowns (37 of 38), the high - est percentage by any player in the Super Bowl era." All-Pro safety Tyrann Mathieu took it a step further, saying his No. 1 vote for the NFL Network list went to Wilson. "You can only name probably one of his wide re - ceivers, two maybe," he marveled. "And it's like, how does he win 11 games every year? Who does he throw the ball to? How does he do it? "I've played against other quarterbacks, the great ones, and he's different. He's a magician, and a lot of times you run into people that are just as good as you at football, but they can do a little bit of magical stuff. I think he's one of those guys. He just disappears, and the ball ends up in the end zone. I don't know how he does it." 2. Philip Rivers, QB, Los Angeles Chargers In PFF's numbers, Rivers was heading the wrong way entering his 14th professional season. In 2015, he was graded 83.0 to rank 16th at his position before step - ping back to an 80.1 mark and 18th ranking in 2016. Last year, despite the team moving from San Diego to Los Angeles, he reversed the trend and posted his highest grade from the website since 2014. Rivers finished eighth among quarterbacks with an 85.5 mark, thanks to a late-season push that almost put the Chargers into the playoffs. PFF noted he had the second highest mark of all quarterbacks over the final seven weeks. He checked in at No. 56 on the NFL Network's top 100 and finished just 62 yards shy of league leader Tom Brady in passing yards. He also posted his best touchdown-to-interception ratio (28-10) and passer rating (96.0) since 2013, and tied a career low with just 11 turnovers, including lost fumbles (only one in 2017). While directing the Chargers to their first winning campaign since 2014, Rivers became the ninth passer in league history to reach 50,000 yards, and he takes the NFL's longest active iron man streak (192 straight starts) into 2018. 3. Joe Thuney, OL, New England Patriots His 2017 grade of 79.0 from PFF ranked 14th among guards in the NFL — a significant rise from his rookie- year mark of 53.6, which drew the website's praise in mid-November. "Thuney's development at offensive guard is un - paralleled among the other guards in the 2016 draft class," PFF wrote. For the second straight year, he started all 19 reg - ular-season and playoff games, and he played in his second Super Bowl in two professional seasons. Linemen are never going to draw much notice, but Thuney's career couldn't be off to a better start. 4. Stephen Hauschka, K, Buffalo Bills Buffalo is not a dream destination for kickers — though neither is Seattle, where Hauschka spent his previous six seasons while becoming one of the NFL's best — but the free agent addition stayed his consistent self in his new home. Hauschka went 29 of 33 on field goals (87.9 percent), helping the Bills break the longest playoff drought in major professional sports (17 years). His field goal percentage ranked 11th among kickers with at least 10 attempts, while he tied for 13th in overall makes and didn't miss from inside of 40 yards. Though his NFL-record streak of 13 straight from 50 yards or more came to an end, he once again was among the league's most reliable big legs — he went 7 of 9 from 50 yards or more, ranking second in made kicks from that distance, and tied an NFL single-season record with four makes from 55 yards or more. His career success rate of 87.3 sits fourth in NFL annals. 5. Jacoby Brissett, QB, Indianapolis Colts After unexpectedly getting a chance to start two games in his rookie year, another surprise came Bris - sett's way Sept. 2 when he was traded from New England. After throwing for 341 yards and accounting for five touchdowns in the preseason finale, Brissett was dealt to the Indianapolis Colts, who were in the quarterback market when it became clear Andrew Luck wouldn't return from shoulder surgery. Eight days later, Brissett appeared off the bench in the Colts' season opener, and then took over the starting gig the rest of the way. The second-year pro became a 3,000-yard passer and accounted for 17 touchdowns in 15 starts. The Indianapolis Star reported the Colts declined two trade proposals this offseason for the young quarterback, "because of his value to the franchise." Russell Wilson continued his stellar work for the Seahawks last year despite a weak sup- porting cast, throwing for 3,983 yards and an NFL-best 34 touchdowns. PHOTO COURTESY SEATTLE SEAHAWKS