NFL passing stats

[bignateyk]

Is it just me or are QB's throwing for more and more yards in the last few years? If you just look at this week alone you have brady over 500, and several other QB's over 400 yards. It seems that a decade ago it was an accomplishment for a QB to throw for over 300 yards in a game. Now it seems like the norm.

Have there been rule changes over that span that have opened the field up to favor the offense? I assume all the rules protecting the QB have helped, and probably some of the rules protecting WR's.

 

[SlitheryDee]

Have there been rule changes over that span that have opened the field up to favor the offense? I assume all the rules protecting the QB have helped, and probably some of the rules protecting WR's.

Oh yes. People like to watch games with big pass plays. The league is attempting to oblige them by making it easier to pass. I wonder if this is starting to make the game too one dimensional though...

 

[vi edit]

Absolutely. It's a pass first league at this point. The days of a the dedicated workhorse running back are dwindling. More teams are going to platoon back rotations and more and more halfbacks need to be able to catch the ball out of the backfields.

Many teams have almost given up on the run and only use it to keep defenses honest and or for clock management. Not many teams have an even split of run/pass plays anymore.

 

[kranky]

It's actually getting monotonous and too clinical IMHO and my interest is waning. I don't know what the answer is but the monotony of pass, pass, pass just doesn't captivate me. It's not every team, but some of them, especially the teams that play indoors.

 

[purbeast0]

i'm not sure if this is statistically true or anything, this is just totally from my memory recollection, but i also think that the scores have been higher in the past years too. teams are staritng to realize that you can get more points with the big passing plays, as well as a fast paced passing offense.

more points = more wins.

also, and again from memory and this may be wrong too, i thought the past few years a lot of these big passing games are typically early on in the season. maybe it's because it takes some time for the defenses to gel a bit, and to get more film to study what the teams are doing the current season.

 

[Deeko]

Have there been rule changes over that span that have opened the field up to favor the offense? I assume all the rules protecting the QB have helped, and probably some of the rules protecting WR's.

Yes. Between the fact that the defense is barely allowed to touch the QB and the illegal contact rule, its definitely become a league more and more dominating by big passing games. Which has been the nature of changes over the past century or so...the game slowly but surely morphed into a pass first, high yardage/high scoring game.

 

[vi edit]

There's the addage that "Defense wins championships" that really isn't entirely true anymore. It's getting easier to bottle up the "between the tackles" runs anymore. Defensive linemen are absolute mountains of men that can move fast respective to their size. Look at guys like Willfork and Haynesworth and compare them to defensive linemen of 20 years ago. More and more plays are going to stretches, screens, and backfield passes instead of straight up the gut runs. That stretches out the defense. When you do that you leave pockets in the middle for the slot receivers and a skilled QB to dice up.

At this point, a QB like Brady, Manning, Rodgers or Brees will destroy even the best defenses if they can get the ball out of their hands. The skill at the QB position is insane at this time. Going to smaller, faster backs that can catch out of the backfield just adds to the frustration for defensive planning.

 

[Exterous]

There's the addage that "Defense wins championships" that really isn't entirely true anymore. It's getting easier to bottle up the "between the tackles" runs anymore. Defensive linemen are absolute mountains of men that can move fast respective to their size. Look at guys like Willfork and Haynesworth and compare them to defensive linemen of 20 years ago. More and more plays are going to stretches, screens, and backfield passes instead of straight up the gut runs. That stretches out the defense. When you do that you leave pockets in the middle for the slot receivers and a skilled QB to dice up.

At this point, a QB like Brady, Manning, Rodgers or Brees will destroy even the best defenses if they can get the ball out of their hands. The skill at the QB position is insane at this time. Going to smaller, faster backs that can catch out of the backfield just adds to the frustration for defensive planning.

:thumbsup: esp the defensive lineman part. As everyone gets taller, faster, bigger there becomes less room in the middle of the field to run and easier to throw to your taller/faster receivers

 

[KMFJD]

Will be hunting for Matt Cassel this weekend...

 

[purbeast0]

Will be hunting for Matt Cassel this weekend...

wow was that this past weekend?

that was fucking DIRTY. did he get ejected? he could have seriously injured him.

 

[Glitchny]

wow was that this past weekend?

that was fucking DIRTY. did he get ejected? he could have seriously injured him.

No that was Pre-season.. and he got fined IIRC. He also threw a punch at someone in a different preseason game.

 

[CRXican]

I miss the run game

 

[AMDZen]

They had a stat last night on the NE v. Mia game showing that this is the first week in history that both QB's in 5 games threw for 300 yrds against each other.

Ari v. Car
GB v. NO
NE v. Mia
2 other games where both QB's each threw for 300 yds

Can't remember them all

 

[JujuFish]

They had a stat last night on the NE v. Mia game showing that this is the first week in history that both QB's in 5 games threw for 300 yrds against each other.

Ari v. Car
GB v. NO
NE v. Mia
2 other games where both QB's each threw for 300 yds

Can't remember them all

Bears vs. Falcons
Jets vs. Cowboys
The 7842 net passing yards across all games is also a record.

 

[rasczak]

Is it just me or are QB's throwing for more and more yards in the last few years? If you just look at this week alone you have brady over 500, and several other QB's over 400 yards. It seems that a decade ago it was an accomplishment for a QB to throw for over 300 yards in a game. Now it seems like the norm.

Have there been rule changes over that span that have opened the field up to favor the offense? I assume all the rules protecting the QB have helped, and probably some of the rules protecting WR's.

A lot of the rule changes on the defensive side of the ball were made to produce these kinds of numbers. The NFL understands passing is what the fans want, so they gave it to them. It sucks, but that's the way it is now. I personally hate it. The game is meant to be a physical game where you beat your man, whether it's a pancake block, or a devastating tackle, a juke, or swim move to get open, if you beat your man, you win. Now the defensive backs and linebackers are forced to play with their hand tied. Plain bullshit if you ask me.

 

[rasczak]

I miss the run game

Man I feel you. I miss having the great backs who could carry your team. There aren't too many of them anymore. It's all this running back by committee crap. The run game eventually will become swing pass to the flat with a s couple of blockers. Hand-offs will become obsolete.

 

[AstroManLuca]

No that was Pre-season.. and he got fined IIRC. He also threw a punch at someone in a different preseason game.

Last year's preseason. And he only got a smallish ($7500) fine and a 15 yard personal foul penalty.

That guy does seem to have some anger issues, but I guess that's a good thing in a defensive lineman as long as he can avoid those penalties.

 

[AstroManLuca]

Bears vs. Falcons
Jets vs. Cowboys
The 7842 net passing yards across all games is also a record.

Lots of points too. The lowest scoring game this week was the Tennessee-Jacksonville game, which was 14-16. But I looked it up and apparently this week wasn't that close to the all-time record for points scored in a week.

 

[KMFJD]

Good thing McNabb contributed with his 39 yards of passing last weekend.....

 

[SunnyD]

I miss the run game

They're still there. 7 runners with 100 yards or more. The only difference is that with runners, a 25 yard run isn't usually as flashy as a 25 yard pass with a 25 yard after the catch run.

 

[rasczak]

They're still there. 7 runners with 100 yards or more. The only difference is that with runners, a 25 yard run isn't usually as flashy as a 25 yard pass with a 25 yard after the catch run.

I would personally beg to differ. I understand how hard it is to run past 11 guys trying to beat you to a pulp. A receiver only has 1 potentially 2 people to beat. Running is an art form.

 

[edro]

The NFL is making is easier to pass so Fantasy Football Pass per Reception leagues are more fun.

 

[AstroManLuca]

Good thing McNabb contributed with his 39 yards of passing last weekend.....

LOL, I noticed that. McNabb throws for 39 yards. Meanwhile, the Vikings' old QB Tarvaris Jackson threw for 190 with the Shithawks. I never thought I'd say I wanted T-Jack back!

 

[Inspector Jihad]

these things are cyclical imo. now that everything is pass heavy, including defensive coverages, in a year or two some coach is gonna go to the run pretty heavily and people will call him a genius. then the rest of the league will follow.

 

[vi edit]

these things are cyclical imo. now that everything is pass heavy, including defensive coverages, in a year or two some coach is gonna go to the run pretty heavily and people will call him a genius. then the rest of the league will follow.

Wildcat is probably the most recent changeup in offenses we've seen recently. That's run heavy with a threat of pass.