What passing stats still matter to you?

[Gary Najman]

Yards per completion is about it for me. Guys who complete almost 70% of their passes for minimal yardage don’t impress me in the least. I like guys who aren’t afraid to take some risks and throw it down the field.

And a lot of the younger fans really hold it against some of the passers of yesteryear for what they perceive as insane interception totals. Back then you could play defense. Back then if it was 3rd and 17 you were throwing the ball 17 yards or more.

That’s why I think Fran Tarkenton is underrated even for his era, because he had more TDs than picks for most of the seasons he played p, and his rushing yards also are impressive considering how many times he had to (really) improvise.

[Ronfitch]

Yards per attempt and yards per completion.

I believe that Allen Berra considered one of these (don't recall which off the top of my head) to be the single game statistic (individual or team) which most consistently aligns with the game outcome, back in NFL of the late '80s.

I agree that it is about context. In today's game, a high completion rate is common. But so is the number of short passes to WRs, which is the short game that the running game was in years past (and taking its place in play calling).

If a QB has close YPA and YPC numbers, it *typically* means a lot of short passes by a QB if that QB is throwing 15-20 times a game or more. If the gap is wide, that is a QB to watch (IMO) because he is slinging it and completing enough to significantly widen that gap.

Why does that "matter" to me? Because it is going to be fun to watch that QB. Might not want to make bets, but fun to watch.

[sheajets]

Yards per completion is about it for me. Guys who complete almost 70% of their passes for minimal yardage don’t impress me in the least. I like guys who aren’t afraid to take some risks and throw it down the field.

And a lot of the younger fans really hold it against some of the passers of yesteryear for what they perceive as insane interception totals. Back then you could play defense. Back then if it was 3rd and 17 you were throwing the ball 17 yards or more.

That’s why I think Fran Tarkenton is underrated even for his era, because he had more TDs than picks for most of the seasons he played p, and his rushing yards also are impressive considering how many times he had to (really) improvise.

And he took a good amount of punishment and remained very durable. All that scrambling behind the line, making the 1st defender miss, buying time...but they would inevitably get to him a lot of times when the ball came out. As well as when he took off down the field.