Stat Pack: Lacy, Pennel top producers

Pro Football Focus uses a complex system to analyze every NFL player involved in every snap in every game and assigns a grade based on how he performed on that play, with each position having its own set of grading guidelines. Plus/minus scores are given in 0.5 increments and a small normalization factor is applied to make 0.0 the average grade for a game or season. To learn more, visit www.profootballfocus.com

Three statistical takeaways from the Packers’ 28-7 win Sunday over the Cowboys:

1. The increased playing time given fullback John Kuhn is being credited for helping to power the Packers’ ground game (Kuhn has been in on 32% of the offense’s snaps over the last four games, compared to only 19% in the first nine). But Eddie Lacy’s big day against Dallas (season-best +2.3 overall grade) was largely his own making: 73 of his 124 rushing yards came after contact.  In fact, guard T.J.Lang was the only Packers lineman to earn a positive run-blocking grade (+1.5), and Kuhn had a negative grade (-0.4).

2. Mike Pennel produced the Packers’ highest overall grade on defense (+1.6) against Dallas, and his +7.4 grade for the season ranks second on the line only to Mike Daniels (+41.0). Pennel has made a defensive stop on 12.8% of his 94 run snaps, which ranks third in the NFL among 3-4 defensive ends. Little wonder Pennel is taking playing time away from Letroy Guion (-5.1 overall grade), whose 2.9 run-stop percentage ranks last in the league at his position.

3. Cowboys quarter Matt Cassel had a miserable day (-3.0 overall grade, which tied his season worst). Tony Romo’s stand-in went 3-for-10 on passes of more than 10 yards and was 4-for-11 for only 30 yards when facing a blitz. Of course, he got no help from star wide receiver Dez Bryant (three drops and a -3.1 overall grade).