Drew Brees and Matt Ryan threw only 23 and 20 touchdown passes in the regular season, yet those teams are playing in postseason games this weekend. Who saw that coming?
Ryan, after all, was the league MVP a year ago, tossing 38 touchdown passes. He and the rest of the offense never really got in sync in the regular season. Offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan took a job with the 49ers; that was probably the driver.
With the Saints, they shifted to more of a run-oriented system, with Brees putting up more modest numbers. His touchdown passes dropped from 37 down to 23.
Among quarterbacks who started all 16 games, those are two of the largest declines we’ve seen by quarterbacks in this century. Since 2000, only 10 other quarterbacks have declined by double-digit touchdown passes.
DISAPPEARING TOUCHDOWN PASSES | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Quarterback | Years | Before | After | Decline |
Matthew Stafford, Det. | 2011-12 | 41 | 20 | 21 |
Peyton Manning, Ind. | 2004-05 | 49 | 28 | 21 |
Matt Ryan, Atl. | 2016-17 | 38 | 20 | 18 |
Peyton Manning, Den. | 2013-14 | 55 | 39 | 16 |
Drew Brees, N.O. | 2016-17 | 37 | 23 | 14 |
Andy Dalton, Cin. | 2013-14 | 33 | 19 | 14 |
Russell Wilson, Sea. | 2015-16 | 34 | 21 | 13 |
Drew Bledsoe, Buff. | 2002-03 | 24 | 11 | 13 |
Blake Bortles, Jac. | 2015-16 | 35 | 23 | 12 |
Jeff Garcia, S.F. | 2001-02 | 32 | 21 | 11 |
Trent Green, K.C. | 2004-05 | 27 | 17 | 10 |
Brett Favre, G.B. | 2004-05 | 30 | 20 | 10 |
Eli Manning, NYG | 2015-16 | 35 | 26 | 9 |
Tom Brady, N.E. | 2012-13 | 34 | 25 | 9 |
Jake Plummer, Den. | 2004-05 | 27 | 18 | 9 |
Matthew Stafford, Det. | 2015-16 | 32 | 24 | 8 |
Eli Manning, NYG | 2012-13 | 26 | 18 | 8 |
—Ian Allan