Hello Lions fans,
The analytics debate is heating up in Detroit — and this time, it’s the players taking aim at Pro Football Focus (PFF). Several members of the Detroit Lions defense have voiced frustration over what they believe are inaccurate and misleading player evaluations from the popular football analytics site.
“They Don’t Know the Scheme” – Terrion Arnold Sounds Off
Cornerback Terrion Arnold didn’t mince words when addressing his issues with PFF. He recalled a play where the grading didn’t match reality:
“I stopped checking when there was a play where I was in Cover 2 and they said I was in man. They don’t really know the scheme,” Arnold said. “Then I saw another one where I supposedly gave up a touchdown — but I wasn’t even in coverage. They just see who’s closest to the ball.”
Amik Robertson Backs Him Up
Fellow corner Amik Robertson echoed Arnold’s criticism, saying he lost faith in PFF early in his career.
“PFF is just guys who never played the game. They don’t even know what defense we’re in,” Robertson said. “I don’t care about rankings. The eye in the sky don’t lie.”
Grant Stuard Offers a Measured Take
Linebacker Grant Stuard took a more neutral stance but admitted the grades don’t carry much weight among players.
“I can understand why fans look at it,” Stuard said. “But they don’t really know what we’re running. Nobody does but us.”
The Bigger Picture
This latest criticism adds to the long-running debate between analytics vs. on-field context. While PFF provides accessible data for fans and media, players argue that it overlooks key factors — such as play design, individual assignments, and film study — that define true performance.
As Robertson summed it up perfectly:
“The eye in the sky don’t lie.”
