I notice that there are a lot of quarterbacks who are doing a really good job of taking care of the ball – guys who almost never throw interceptions. Not just Alex Smith and Aaron Rodgers, but a bunch of others who simply rarely throw it to the other team.
I decided to look at the numbers from other years, and it’s even more pronounced than I thought. Looking at quarterbacks from this century (that is, the 17 seasons from 2000 to 2016), the quarterbacks from this current season have been the best by far at avoiding the dreaded pick.
Of the top 14 quarterbacks of the last 17 years (and this is hard to believe), over half of them have come from our current season.
Weird.
Rules changes, I suppose, are the leading factor. They’ve reduced contact, and they’re not allowing defensive backs to light up pass catchers with hits to the head and neck area. Those kind of bang-bang hits have cause some interceptions in the past.
But the drop still looks awfully severe.
Here are the top 60, with the caveat that quarterbacks must have attempted 200 passes. (Tom Brady no doubt will wind up on this list; he’s attempted 134 passes this year, with no interceptions.)
LOWEST INTERCEPTION PERCENTAGES SINCE 2000 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Player | Att | Int | Pct |
2016 | Brian Hoyer, Chi. | 200 | 0 | 0.00% |
2006 | Damon Huard, K.C. | 244 | 1 | 0.41% |
2016 | Sam Bradford, Minn. | 243 | 1 | 0.41% |
2013 | Josh McCown, Chi. | 224 | 1 | 0.45% |
2013 | Nick Foles, Phil. | 317 | 2 | 0.63% |
2016 | Russell Wilson, Sea. | 267 | 2 | 0.75% |
2016 | Dak Prescott, Dall. | 248 | 2 | 0.81% |
2010 | Tom Brady, N.E. | 492 | 4 | 0.81% |
2016 | Derek Carr, Oak. | 354 | 3 | 0.85% |
2016 | Alex Smith, K.C. | 233 | 2 | 0.86% |
2007 | David Garrard, Jac. | 325 | 3 | 0.92% |
2014 | Aaron Rodgers, G.B. | 520 | 5 | 0.96% |
2016 | Andy Dalton, Cin. | 288 | 3 | 1.04% |
2016 | Tyrod Taylor, Buff. | 268 | 3 | 1.12% |
2015 | Tom Brady, N.E. | 624 | 7 | 1.12% |
2011 | Alex Smith, S.F. | 445 | 5 | 1.12% |
2008 | Jason Campbell, Wash. | 506 | 6 | 1.19% |
2000 | Brian Griese, Den. | 336 | 4 | 1.19% |
2011 | Aaron Rodgers, G.B. | 502 | 6 | 1.20% |
2007 | Jeff Garcia, T.B. | 327 | 4 | 1.22% |
2008 | Seneca Wallace, Sea. | 242 | 3 | 1.24% |
2012 | Tom Brady, N.E. | 637 | 8 | 1.26% |
2010 | Josh Freeman, T.B. | 474 | 6 | 1.27% |
2012 | Robert Griffin III, Wash. | 393 | 5 | 1.27% |
2016 | Matt Ryan, Atl. | 313 | 4 | 1.28% |
2010 | Ben Roethlisberger, Pitt. | 389 | 5 | 1.29% |
2014 | Alex Smith, K.C. | 464 | 6 | 1.29% |
2009 | Aaron Rodgers, G.B. | 541 | 7 | 1.29% |
2000 | Doug Flutie, S.D. | 231 | 3 | 1.30% |
2009 | Brett Favre, Minn. | 531 | 7 | 1.32% |
2002 | Brad Johnson, T.B. | 451 | 6 | 1.33% |
2014 | Carson Palmer, Ariz. | 224 | 3 | 1.34% |
2006 | Marc Bulger, St.L. | 588 | 8 | 1.36% |
2005 | Brad Johnson, Minn. | 294 | 4 | 1.36% |
2015 | Josh McCown, Clev. | 292 | 4 | 1.37% |
2012 | Colin Kaepernick, S.F. | 218 | 3 | 1.38% |
2013 | Alex Smith, K.C. | 508 | 7 | 1.38% |
2007 | Tom Brady, N.E. | 578 | 8 | 1.38% |
2015 | Aaron Rodgers, G.B. | 572 | 8 | 1.40% |
2016 | Drew Brees, N.O. | 347 | 5 | 1.44% |
2004 | Kurt Warner, St.L. | 277 | 4 | 1.44% |
2012 | Aaron Rodgers, G.B. | 552 | 8 | 1.45% |
2008 | Chad Pennington, Mia. | 476 | 7 | 1.47% |
2007 | Donovan McNabb, Phil. | 473 | 7 | 1.48% |
2014 | Ben Roethlisberger, Pitt. | 608 | 9 | 1.48% |
2015 | Alex Smith, K.C. | 470 | 7 | 1.49% |
2002 | Chad Pennington, NYJ | 399 | 6 | 1.50% |
2013 | Peyton Manning, Den. | 659 | 10 | 1.52% |
2013 | Sam Bradford, St.L. | 262 | 4 | 1.53% |
2005 | Jake Plummer, Den. | 456 | 7 | 1.54% |
2006 | Mark Brunell, Wash. | 260 | 4 | 1.54% |
2003 | Aaron Brooks, N.O. | 518 | 8 | 1.54% |
2014 | Tom Brady, N.E. | 582 | 9 | 1.55% |
2014 | Russell Wilson, Sea. | 452 | 7 | 1.55% |
2010 | Matt Cassel, K.C. | 450 | 7 | 1.56% |
2016 | Aaron Rodgers, G.B. | 318 | 5 | 1.57% |
2016 | Matthew Stafford, Det. | 318 | 5 | 1.57% |
2010 | Matt Ryan, Atl. | 571 | 9 | 1.58% |
2015 | Tyrod Taylor, Buff. | 380 | 6 | 1.58% |
2013 | Andrew Luck, Ind. | 570 | 9 | 1.58% |
—Ian Allan