Colin Kaepernick had kind of an off year last season. His completion percentage dipped and he took too many sacks.
When looking at those numbers, however, we must factor in degree of difficulty. He’s not checking the ball down for 5-yard completions on third-and-12. He’s driving the ball downfield far more often than most quarterbacks.
Two years in a row, he’s averaged over 13 yards per completion. Only three other quarterbacks in this century have done that (Ben Roethlisberger, Philip Rivers and Cam Newton). And only 36 quarterbacks in the last 14 years have done this (at least when also completing 100 passes).
I’m not arguing that this metric is the key number to look at when grading a quarterback. Skimming over the list below, I see some lesser passers. Tim Tebow, Patrick Ramsey, Josh Freeman, Matt McGloin and J.T. O’Sullivan.
But the stat helps put what Kaepernick was doing into context. He played better than what some of the traditional stats suggest. (And also give him props for working most of the year without Michael Crabtree).
QUARTERBACKS AVERAGING OVER 13 YARDS PER COMPLETION | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Team | Player | Comp | Yards | Avg |
2006 | Phil. | Donovan McNabb | 180 | 2647 | 14.71 |
2000 | St.L. | Kurt Warner | 235 | 3429 | 14.59 |
2013 | Phil. | Nick Foles | 203 | 2891 | 14.24 |
2000 | St.L. | Trent Green | 145 | 2063 | 14.23 |
2005 | Pitt. | Ben Roethlisberger | 168 | 2385 | 14.20 |
2011 | Hou. | Matt Schaub | 178 | 2479 | 13.93 |
2011 | Oak. | Carson Palmer | 199 | 2753 | 13.83 |
2012 | Car. | Cam Newton | 280 | 3869 | 13.82 |
2011 | NYG | Eli Manning | 359 | 4933 | 13.74 |
2011 | Den. | Tim Tebow | 126 | 1729 | 13.72 |
2004 | Ind. | Peyton Manning | 336 | 4557 | 13.56 |
2011 | G.B. | Aaron Rodgers | 343 | 4643 | 13.54 |
2004 | Den. | Jake Plummer | 303 | 4089 | 13.50 |
2009 | S.D. | Philip Rivers | 317 | 4254 | 13.42 |
2000 | N.O. | Aaron Brooks | 113 | 1514 | 13.40 |
2011 | Ariz. | Kevin Kolb | 146 | 1955 | 13.39 |
2004 | Pitt. | Ben Roethlisberger | 196 | 2621 | 13.37 |
2008 | Car. | Jake Delhomme | 246 | 3288 | 13.37 |
2012 | S.F. | Colin Kaepernick | 136 | 1814 | 13.34 |
2010 | Pitt. | Ben Roethlisberger | 240 | 3200 | 13.33 |
2009 | Phil. | Donovan McNabb | 267 | 3553 | 13.31 |
2012 | T.B. | Josh Freeman | 306 | 4065 | 13.28 |
2000 | Minn. | Daunte Culpepper | 297 | 3937 | 13.26 |
2002 | St.L. | Marc Bulger | 138 | 1826 | 13.23 |
2006 | Dall. | Tony Romo | 220 | 2903 | 13.20 |
2010 | S.D. | Philip Rivers | 357 | 4710 | 13.19 |
2013 | S.F. | Colin Kaepernick | 243 | 3197 | 13.16 |
2002 | Was. | Patrick Ramsey | 117 | 1539 | 13.15 |
2013 | G.B. | Aaron Rodgers | 193 | 2536 | 13.14 |
2013 | Oak. | Matt McGloin | 118 | 1547 | 13.11 |
2008 | S.F. | J.T. O’Sullivan | 128 | 1678 | 13.11 |
2011 | Car. | Cam Newton | 310 | 4051 | 13.07 |
2013 | Sea. | Russell Wilson | 257 | 3357 | 13.06 |
2005 | Car. | Jake Delhomme | 262 | 3421 | 13.06 |
2011 | Phil. | Michael Vick | 253 | 3303 | 13.06 |
2011 | N.E. | Tom Brady | 401 | 5235 | 13.05 |
—Ian Allan