d34ng3l021
11-03-2008, 10:26 AM
Here is a list of statistics that I think get overlooked when judging a player. A QB rating is decent in combining comp. %, TDs thrown, and interceptions, but its still a poor way to judge a QB. Interceptions are the same thing.
Yards Per Attempt
Like I said, the QB rating is nice, but one awesome statistic is the YPA. This is where you get the idea of how the QB plays. Is he the type of guy to check down constantly to his backs and TE or is he a guy who will take shots downfield to keep the defense honest? If you add this statistic with the comp. %, you can really gauge the type of player he is. High YPA, low comp % = Gunslinger. Low YPA, high comp. % = Captain Checkdown.
Fumbles lost
When taking into account how well a QB does, we only refer to interceptions, yet fumbles lost can often be even more devastating, especially because they occur 5-10 yards behind the LOS, as oppose to an interception which is more downfield. A lost fumble by a QB can change the momentum so much more than an interception. At least you can think of some picks as punts. Lost fumbles by the QB? Blocked punts. Also, lost fumbles might even let you know about the QB's pocket presence. How often does he realize he is being pressured? Does he know he can get off that throw in time?
Sacks allowed/ Penalties
This stat only gets overlooked because official sites like NFL.com or ESPN.com do not have it, but there are a few places that update every week or so that have a way to rate offensive lineman. I dont know the site off the top of my head, but I will add it later if I find out. Its impossible to watch every game and watch the offensive tackle each time to gauge their performance, but by the end of the season, the number of sacks they have given up along with the number of penalties garnered, you might have a good idea of who the top performers of the season are. Looking at the number of times the team passed might be a good idea as well.
Drops
A lot more widely used statistic than previous ones, but drops can often kill drives and momentum. Number of receptions with YPC and YAC is great, you look at guys like Larry Fitzgerald and Marvin Harrison and there are consistent guys you can count on every play. Braylon Edwards and Terrell Owens? Not nearly as much.
Pressures
Sacks are very hard to get, especially considering that a QB can usually avoid the pressure of one of the guys on D and throw the ball away or throw to a checkdown, but pressures are where its at. You pressure a QB into getting sacked by another player. You pressure a guy to waste a play by throwing it away. You pressure a guy to make a dumb throw. I know this statistic is available somewhere, but once again, its really hard to come by.
Tackles for losses
Tackles are nice, but they can be made all over the field and they still show up the same. You can tackle a guy 1 yard past the LOS and it would show up as the same thing as tackling him 5-6 yards downfield. Tackles for losses helps figure out how well the player is getting penetration and how instinctive they may be. Of course you cannot just judge a player based on this statistic, but for DL, it really does help.
Thrown at/ Completed
This statistic is really hard to come by, especially because theres often confusion about whether the player was playing zone or man, but in order to judge a CB, anything may be better than interceptions. Interceptions probably occur more time than not with over or under thrown passes, rather than good coverage. It really does annoy me when people try to use the Player A has more interceptions than Player B. The point of a CB is to play such tight coverage and not get passes thrown his way, in which case, how is he going to rack up interceptions like other CBs?
They really need to revamp the statistic system and make these stats available to the public. I know they have a lot of these, as they are often flashed during game time, but would it be too hard to upload them on a site?
Feel free to add more of what you think.
Yards Per Attempt
Like I said, the QB rating is nice, but one awesome statistic is the YPA. This is where you get the idea of how the QB plays. Is he the type of guy to check down constantly to his backs and TE or is he a guy who will take shots downfield to keep the defense honest? If you add this statistic with the comp. %, you can really gauge the type of player he is. High YPA, low comp % = Gunslinger. Low YPA, high comp. % = Captain Checkdown.
Fumbles lost
When taking into account how well a QB does, we only refer to interceptions, yet fumbles lost can often be even more devastating, especially because they occur 5-10 yards behind the LOS, as oppose to an interception which is more downfield. A lost fumble by a QB can change the momentum so much more than an interception. At least you can think of some picks as punts. Lost fumbles by the QB? Blocked punts. Also, lost fumbles might even let you know about the QB's pocket presence. How often does he realize he is being pressured? Does he know he can get off that throw in time?
Sacks allowed/ Penalties
This stat only gets overlooked because official sites like NFL.com or ESPN.com do not have it, but there are a few places that update every week or so that have a way to rate offensive lineman. I dont know the site off the top of my head, but I will add it later if I find out. Its impossible to watch every game and watch the offensive tackle each time to gauge their performance, but by the end of the season, the number of sacks they have given up along with the number of penalties garnered, you might have a good idea of who the top performers of the season are. Looking at the number of times the team passed might be a good idea as well.
Drops
A lot more widely used statistic than previous ones, but drops can often kill drives and momentum. Number of receptions with YPC and YAC is great, you look at guys like Larry Fitzgerald and Marvin Harrison and there are consistent guys you can count on every play. Braylon Edwards and Terrell Owens? Not nearly as much.
Pressures
Sacks are very hard to get, especially considering that a QB can usually avoid the pressure of one of the guys on D and throw the ball away or throw to a checkdown, but pressures are where its at. You pressure a QB into getting sacked by another player. You pressure a guy to waste a play by throwing it away. You pressure a guy to make a dumb throw. I know this statistic is available somewhere, but once again, its really hard to come by.
Tackles for losses
Tackles are nice, but they can be made all over the field and they still show up the same. You can tackle a guy 1 yard past the LOS and it would show up as the same thing as tackling him 5-6 yards downfield. Tackles for losses helps figure out how well the player is getting penetration and how instinctive they may be. Of course you cannot just judge a player based on this statistic, but for DL, it really does help.
Thrown at/ Completed
This statistic is really hard to come by, especially because theres often confusion about whether the player was playing zone or man, but in order to judge a CB, anything may be better than interceptions. Interceptions probably occur more time than not with over or under thrown passes, rather than good coverage. It really does annoy me when people try to use the Player A has more interceptions than Player B. The point of a CB is to play such tight coverage and not get passes thrown his way, in which case, how is he going to rack up interceptions like other CBs?
They really need to revamp the statistic system and make these stats available to the public. I know they have a lot of these, as they are often flashed during game time, but would it be too hard to upload them on a site?
Feel free to add more of what you think.