Pro Football Focus' latest Joe Tippmann narrative won't fool Jets fans

For the sake of his bank account, New York Jets guard Joe Tippmann should be grateful he signed a lucrative contract extension this past summer.

Had Tippmann stayed on course for free agency, he’d have every right to be concerned after a mediocre Week 5 performance. Social media users lambasted the fourth-year vet for struggling against an aggressive Cleveland defense, and Pro Football Focus credited him with allowing two sacks. 

But if you expected PFF to severely punish Tippmann, then you’re clearly not familiar with the controversial service. The outlet gave him a season-high 77.5 overall grade despite his ugly 38.8 pass-block score and two penalties, one of which was a false start.

Does it make sense to you? No? Well, that’s Pro Football Focus in a nutshell.

New York Jets guard Joe Tippmann is more reason not to blindly trust Pro Football Focus

PFF loved Tippmann’s run-blocking performance, with his 85.1 grade easily his best through five games. But if he only had a 38.8 pass-block rating, then how does that result in a 77.5 final score? 

Let us reiterate that Tippmann gave up two sacks. We’re not talking about pressure or Geno Smith getting hit after throwing the ball. Sacks speak for themselves, or at least we always imagined they did. Maybe we’re stuck in a time warp from 2004, though, and we haven’t caught up with the modern age. 

Tippmann’s 75.5 overall PFF grade ranks 13th among 75 qualified guards this season, and this isn’t to criticize his season's play. Whether you believe in the eye test or are overly reliant on analytics, both show that the ex-Wisconsin standout has been his usual steady self. 

That said, don’t let anyone tell you that Tippmann played at an above-average level last Sunday afternoon, because that’s simply not the case. An offensive lineman giving up two sacks, a quarterback pressure, and drawing two penalties wouldn’t even warrant a passing grade when applying common sense.

We’ve said it before, and we’ll keep arguing that PFF grades should be taken with a grain of salt. The data is best used as supplementary context when pointing out the eye test and the reality of a given situation.

If you think Tippmann looked sharp against the Browns solely because Pro Football Focus said so, then we suggest finding the easily accessible tape via your X/Twitter feed and making your own decision. 

Trust us, you won’t need long to figure out the true answer. 

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