Now that teams have played a meaningful number of games – 6-7 for each team – there’s enough data that it’s worthwhile to look at various areas. I was looking short-yardage rushing earlier. Here’s a quick glance at how quarterbacks have fared inside the 10.
On this one, I’ve pulled out all quarterbacks with at least 10 pass plays in that part of the field. That includes Eli Manning, who’s attempted only 9 passes (he gets up to 10 on the basis of being sacked once in that part of the field).
Most of the numbers I think you’ll be familiar with. Notice that I use “EZ” rather than touchdowns. This is because I’m including 2-point conversions in this study. Those aren’t official NFL plays, but I think they’re meaningful, so I’m leaving them in there.
(More accurately, Andy Richardson is leaving them in there. He pulls out all of these plays each week and loads them into our database.)
It works out as follows …
| PASSING INSIDE THE 10 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Att | Comp | EZ | Pct | Int | Sack |
| A.Rodgers, GB | 22 | 16 | 11 | 50% | 0 | 0 |
| A.Dalton, CIN | 12 | 6 | 6 | 50% | 1 | 0 |
| B.Hoyer, HST | 11 | 6 | 6 | 50% | 0 | 1 |
| C.Palmer, ARZ | 19 | 10 | 9 | 47% | 0 | 0 |
| P.Rivers, SD | 15 | 9 | 7 | 47% | 1 | 0 |
| R.Fitzpatrick, NYJ | 15 | 9 | 7 | 47% | 0 | 0 |
| K.Cousins, WAS | 22 | 14 | 10 | 45% | 0 | 0 |
| A.Luck, IND | 14 | 8 | 6 | 43% | 0 | 0 |
| M.Stafford, DET | 14 | 8 | 6 | 43% | 0 | 0 |
| B.Bortles, JAX | 18 | 10 | 8 | 42% | 1 | 1 |
| B.Roethlisberger, PIT | 12 | 8 | 5 | 42% | 0 | 0 |
| M.Ryan, ATL | 17 | 8 | 7 | 41% | 2 | 0 |
| D.Carr, OAK | 10 | 5 | 4 | 40% | 0 | 0 |
| M.Mariota, TEN | 13 | 7 | 5 | 38% | 0 | 0 |
| J.Winston, TB | 16 | 8 | 6 | 35% | 0 | 1 |
| T.Brady, NE | 23 | 11 | 8 | 35% | 0 | 0 |
| R.Tannehill, MIA | 24 | 10 | 8 | 33% | 1 | 0 |
| J.McCown, CLE | 12 | 6 | 4 | 31% | 0 | 1 |
| A.Smith, KC | 17 | 9 | 5 | 29% | 0 | 0 |
| T.Bridgewater, MIN | 11 | 5 | 4 | 29% | 0 | 3 |
| J.Flacco, BLT | 19 | 10 | 5 | 26% | 1 | 0 |
| S.Bradford, PHI | 11 | 6 | 3 | 25% | 1 | 1 |
| E.Manning, NYG | 9 | 4 | 2 | 20% | 1 | 1 |
| D.Brees, NO | 16 | 9 | 3 | 19% | 1 | 0 |
| J.Cutler, CHI | 21 | 9 | 4 | 18% | 1 | 1 |
| P.Manning, DEN | 11 | 5 | 2 | 18% | 1 | 0 |
| R.Wilson, SEA | 10 | 3 | 2 | 18% | 0 | 1 |
| C.Kaepernick, SF | 17 | 5 | 3 | 17% | 0 | 1 |
Notice that while Aaron Rodgers is seemingly having a lesser year, he’s been able to get the ball in the end zone on half of his plays in that part of the field. That’s as good as anyone.
Brian Hoyer, remarkably, is right there are the top with Rodgers and Andy Dalton. Brian Frickin’ Hoyer! Maybe we should all be thinking more about him as a bye-week fill-in option.
Tom Brady is seemingly having a great year. He’s seemingly playing some of the best ball of his career. But he hasn’t posted great numbers in this part of the field. He’s actually put the ball in the end zone on only 8 of 23 pass plays. That’s well below where you typically see Brady on these kind of charts. (Damn nice player, though, and if he happens to be on your fantasy roster, I don’t see any need to release him just yet.). These numbers, by the way, do not include the Thursday night game.
Teddy Bridgewater remarkably has been sacked on 3 of 14 plays inside the 10. No other quarterback has been sacked more than once. Put Bridgewater under pressure, it seems, and there’s a pretty good chance he’ll just eat the ball and settle for a field goal attempt.
Colin Kaepernick has been the worst of all quarterbacks in this area, successfully getting the ball in the end zone on only 3 of 18 pass plays.
Four other quarterbacks are under 20 percent (not completion percentage, but end zone percentage) and three are pretty notable quarterbacks: Russell Wilson, Peyton Manning and Drew Brees.
Here are the guys with under 10 plays …
| FEWER THAN 10 PLAYS | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Att | Comp | EZ | Pct | Int | Sack |
| C.Newton, CAR | 8 | 4 | 3 | 33% | 0 | 1 |
| T.Romo, DAL | 9 | 4 | 2 | 22% | 0 | 0 |
| B.Weeden, DAL | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0% | 0 | 1 |
| R.Mallett, HST | 8 | 6 | 4 | 50% | 0 | 0 |
| L.Jones, PIT | 6 | 1 | 1 | 14% | 0 | 1 |
| M.Hasselbeck, IND | 7 | 4 | 3 | 43% | 0 | 0 |
| T.Taylor, BUF | 7 | 5 | 3 | 43% | 0 | 0 |
| N.Foles, SL | 4 | 1 | 1 | 20% | 2 | 1 |
| E.Manuel, BUF | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0 |
| M.McGloin, OAK | 2 | 1 | 1 | 50% | 0 | 0 |
| Z.Mettenberger, TEN | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0% | 1 | 0 |
| C.Hogan, BUF | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0 |
| J.Manziel, CLE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0 |
| L.McCown, NO | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0 |
| M.Vick, PIT | 1 | 1 | 1 | 100% | 0 | 0 |
—Ian Allan