Category: Stat Sheet Misconceptions
Introducing the PFF Passer Rating
A few months back, I took a look at a number of statistics and problems in the way that they are used in a series called Stat Sheet Misconceptions. A number of these dealt with common statistics for quarterbacks, leading to a discussion about the current passer rating and the problems I have with it. At that [...]
Stat Sheet Misconceptions: Punting Yards Per Attempt
In all of my time working at Pro Football Focus, I don’t think we have had an article devoted specifically to punters. That ends today and so does the Stat Sheet Misconceptions series as we examine punting yards per attempt. Outside of Brian Moorman, Shane Lechler, and whoever the punter on your favorite team is, [...]
Stat Sheet Misconceptions: Field Goal Percentage
After a bit of a hiatus thanks to preparing for the draft and recapping it, the stat sheet misconceptions return. We’ve taken a look at a number of offensive statistics as well as most of the common defensive ones, now we turn to special teams. There are two times where fans typically notice kickers. One [...]
Stat Sheet Misconceptions: Sacks, Interceptions, Fumble Recoveries
After seeing that tackles don’t quite cut it as a raw stat to measure defenders by, there are a number of other defensive metrics that deserve a look as well. Sacks are commonly used to see judge pass rushers, interceptions have been the bottom line for defensive backs, and fumbles forced and fumbles recovered are [...]
Stat Sheet Misconceptions: Tackles
After we looked at five different statistics to judge offensive players, it’s time to turn the ball over to the defense and focus on the most common defensive statistic: Tackles. From 1994 to 2001 the statistic was consistently kept, but it wasn’t until 2001 that it became official. A Tackles is a statistic that any [...]
Stat Sheet Misconceptions: Yards Per Catch – Revisited
On Sunday, I posted a Stat Sheet Misconception article on Yards Per Catch and, near the end of it, I presented the idea of “Yards Per Target” at an alternative. In the days following, Chase Stuart of Pro-Football-Reference.com referred me to a pair of posts from their website’s blog regarding the Yards Per Target metric [...]
Stat Sheet Misconceptions: Yards Per Catch
In 2010, Tony Romo had 1611 passing yards. This was his lowest total in years, but it wasn’t because he had a bad season; it’s because he got injured. Something that gives us a better idea about what he actually accomplished is dividing his yardage total by his 213 attempts to get 7.6 yards per [...]
Stat Sheet Misconceptions: Rushing Yards
After three straight articles on numbers used to evaluate the quarterback, it’s time to move on to the next most popular position in football, the running back. The statistics historically kept for running backs are attempts, yards, touchdowns and fumbles, with a rate stat of yards per run as well. The one we’ll take a [...]
Stat Sheet Misconceptions: Passer Rating
Before we move on to statistics for other positions, I think it’s necessary to examine my least favorite for quarterbacks, the Passer Rating. This number combines all of the basic statistics that are used to measure a quarterback’s passing performance into a single final figure, designed to be the ultimate evaluation for comparison’s sake. As [...]
Stat Sheet Misconceptions: Interceptions
Now that we’ve seen the flaws in completion percentage, it’s time to examine another statistic commonly used to evaluate quarterbacks. This time we’ll look at every quarterback’s worst enemy: the interception. Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of Tom Brady’s impressive 2010 season was that he was intercepted only four times. That low pick total was [...]
