Passer rating: Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|Measure of the performance of passers in gridiron football}} |
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'''Passer rating''' (known as '''passing efficiency''' or '''pass efficiency''' in [[NCAA football]]) is a measure of the performance of [[quarterback]]s or any other passers in [[American football]] and [[Canadian football]]. There are at least two formulae currently in use: one officially used by the [[National Football League]] and the [[Canadian Football League]], and one used in [[college football]]. Passer rating is calculated using each quarterback's completion percentage, passing yardage, [[touchdown]]s and [[interception]]s. |
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{{Distinguish|total quarterback rating}} |
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{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}} |
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A perfect passer rating in the NFL is 158.3. A perfect passing efficiency in college football is 1261.6. |
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'''Passer rating''' (also known as '''passing efficiency''' in college football) is a measure of the performance of passers, primarily [[quarterback]]s, in [[gridiron football]].<ref name="NFLQBRating">{{cite web | url=http://www.nfl.com/help/quarterbackratingformula | title=NFL.com – NFL Quarterback Rating Formula | website=[[NFL.com]] | access-date=August 6, 2011 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110814052052/http://www.nfl.com/help/quarterbackratingformula | archive-date=August 14, 2011 }}</ref> There are two formulas currently in use: one used by both the [[National Football League]] (NFL) and [[Canadian Football League]] (CFL), and the other used in [[NCAA football]]. Passer rating is calculated using a player's passing attempts, completions, yards, [[touchdown]]s, and [[interception]]s. Passer rating in the NFL is on a scale from 0 to 158.3. Passing efficiency in college football is on a scale from −731.6 to 1261.6. |
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Since 1973, passer rating has been the official formula used by the NFL to determine its passing leader.<ref name="b">{{cite web|title=NFL's Passer Rating|date=January 1, 2005|url=http://www.profootballhof.com/history/release.aspx?release_id=1303|website=Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site|publisher=NFL|access-date=December 27, 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151003213325/http://www.profootballhof.com/history/release.aspx?release_id=1303|archive-date=October 3, 2015}}</ref> |
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Passer rating is sometimes colloquially referred to as ''quarterback rating'' or ''QB rating''; however, the statistic applies only to passing (not to other contributions by a quarterback) and applies to any player at any position who throws a [[forward pass]], not just to quarterbacks. Other measurements, such as [[ESPN]]'s [[total quarterback rating]] and [[Pro Football Focus]] grades have been produced to take account for non-passing contributions or mistakes made by passers. |
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==History== |
==History== |
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The NFL's complex passer rating was devised in 1971 by a special committee headed by Don R. Smith, an executive at the [[Pro Football Hall of Fame]].<ref name="bs_com">{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-statistics.com/Greats/Century/passer-rating.htm |title=Passer Rating Formula |publisher=Baseball-statistics.com |date= |accessdate=2011-11-15}}</ref><ref name="hof">{{cite web|url=http://www.profootballhof.com/history/release.aspx?release_id=1303 |title=History Release » NFL's Passer Rating |publisher=Profootballhof.com |date=2010-02-07 |accessdate=2011-11-15}}</ref> Don Weiss created the passer rating.<ref name="hof"/> Prior to that, the NFL had struggled with how to crown a passing king using multiple statistics.<ref name="bs_com"/> |
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Before the development of the passer rating, the NFL struggled with how to crown a passing leader. |
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==NFL== |
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The calculation of the NFL passer rating involves more steps than the NCAA formula. In order to establish a maximum value for an NFL player's passer rating, a separate calculation needs to be completed involving each of the following four categories: Completion Percentage, Average Yards Per Attempt, Percentage of Touchdown Passes, and Percentage of Interceptions. If the result in any category is less than 0, the given result should be 0. If the result in any category is greater than 2.375, the given result should be 2.375. This makes the maximum possible quarterback rating for the NFL 158.3. A perfect rating requires at least a 77.5% completion rate, at least 12.5 yards per attempt, a touchdown on at least 11.875% of attempts, and no interceptions.<ref name="NFLQBRating"/> |
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From 1932 to 1937, it was the quarterback with the most passing yardage, and from 1938 to 1940, it was the quarterback with the highest completion percentage. In 1941, a system was created that ranked the league's quarterbacks relative to their peers' performance. Over the next thirty years, the criteria used to crown a passing leader changed several times, however, the ranking system made it impossible to determine a quarterback's rank until all quarterbacks had completed their games that week, or to compare quarterback performances across multiple seasons. |
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With this in mind, in 1971, [[NFL commissioner]] [[Pete Rozelle]] asked the league's statistical committee to develop a better system:<ref name="a">{{cite web|url=http://www.bluedonut.com/qbrating.htm|title=QB Rating story / GQ magazine / by Don Steinberg<!-- Bot generated title -->|website=bluedonut.com|access-date=April 29, 2018|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130918021025/http://www.bluedonut.com/qbrating.htm|archive-date=September 18, 2013}}</ref> this committee was headed by Don Smith of the [[Pro Football Hall of Fame]], [[Seymour Siwoff]] of the [[Elias Sports Bureau]], and NFL executive Don Weiss. Smith and Siwoff established passing performance standards based on data from all qualified pro football passers between 1960 and 1970, and used those data to create the passer rating, with the formula being adopted by the NFL in 1973.<ref name="b" /> |
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==NFL and CFL formula== |
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The NFL passer rating formula includes five variables: pass attempts, completions, passing yards, touchdown passes, and interceptions. Each of those variables is scaled to a value between 0 and 2.375, with 1.0 being statistically average (based on league data between 1960 and 1970). When the formula was first created, a 66.7 rating indicated an average performance, and a 100+ rating indicated an excellent performance.<ref name="a" /> However, passing performance has improved steadily since then and in 2017 the league average rating was 88.6,<ref>{{cite web|last1=SteelersFan|first1=Tim|date=July 23, 2009|title=Did NFL Passer Ratings Spike in 2004 Or Have They Risen Steadily?|url=http://bleacherreport.com/articles/222790-did-nfl-passer-ratings-spike-in-2004-or-standardly-evolve|website=bleacher report|publisher=Bleacher Report, Inc|access-date=December 27, 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20161228042801/http://bleacherreport.com/articles/222790-did-nfl-passer-ratings-spike-in-2004-or-standardly-evolve|archive-date=December 28, 2016}}</ref> and by 2020 it was 93.6.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2020/|title = 2020 NFL Standings & Team Stats| website=[[Pro-Football-Reference.com]] }}</ref> |
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The four separate calculations can be expressed in the following equations: |
The four separate calculations can be expressed in the following equations: |
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<math>a = \left ({\text{ |
<math>a = \left ({\text{CMP} \over \text{ATT}} - 0.3 \right ) \times 5</math> |
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<math>b = \left ({\text{ |
<math>b = \left ({\text{YDS} \over \text{ATT}} - 3 \right ) \times 0.25</math> |
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<math>c = \left ({\text{TD} \over \text{ATT}} \right ) \times 20</math> |
<math>c = \left ({\text{TD} \over \text{ATT}} \right ) \times 20</math> |
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where |
where |
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: '''ATT''' = Number of passing attempts |
: '''ATT''' = Number of passing attempts |
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: ''' |
: '''CMP''' = Number of completions |
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: ''' |
: '''YDS''' = Passing yards |
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: '''TD''' = Touchdown passes |
: '''TD''' = Touchdown passes |
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: '''INT''' = Interceptions |
: '''INT''' = Interceptions |
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If the result of any calculation is greater than 2.375, it is set to 2.375. If the result is a negative number, it is set to zero. |
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Then, the above calculations are used to complete the passer rating: |
Then, the above calculations are used to complete the passer rating: |
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<math>Passer |
<math>\text{Passer Rating} = \left ({a + b + c + d \over 6} \right ) \times 100</math> |
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where <math>mm(x) = \text{max}(0, \text{min}(x, 2.375))</math> |
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{| class="wikitable" |
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==NCAA== |
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! style="text-align: left; width: 50%" | A perfect passer rating (158.3) requires at least:<ref name="NFLQBRating"/> |
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Passer rating, known formally in [[college football]] as [[passing efficiency]] or pass efficiency, is based on player performances. The [[National Collegiate Athletic Association|NCAA]] passing efficiency formula is far simpler<ref>{{cite web|url=http://football.stassen.com/pass-eff/ |title=NCAA and NFL Passing Efficiency computation |publisher=Football.stassen.com |date= |accessdate=2011-11-15}}</ref> than the NFL formula, as it lacks limits on the four components: |
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! style="text-align: left;" | A minimum rating (0.0) requires at best: |
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|- |
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| |
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77.5% completion percentage (31 completions in 40 attempts)<br/> |
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12.5 yards per attempt<br/> |
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11.875% TD/ATT (1 TD/8.421ATT)<br/> |
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No interceptions |
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| |
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30.0% completion percentage<br/> |
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3.0 yards per attempt<br/> |
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No touchdowns<br/> |
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9.5% INT/ATT (1INT/10.526ATT) |
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|} |
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==NCAA formula== |
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<math>Passer Rating_{NCAA} = {(8.4 \times YDS) + (330 \times TD) + (100 \times COMP) - (200 \times INT) \over ATT}</math> |
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The [[National Collegiate Athletic Association|NCAA]] passing efficiency formula is similar to that of the NFL passer rating, but does not impose limits on the four components. The formula is based on college football data between 1965 and 1978, and when the formula was first created, a 100 passer efficiency indicated an average performance. |
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The passing efficiency formula is:<ref>{{cite web |url=http://football.stassen.com/pass-eff/ |title=NCAA and NFL Passing Efficiency computation |publisher=Football.stassen.com |access-date=November 15, 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111110083943/http://football.stassen.com/pass-eff/ |archive-date=November 10, 2011 }}</ref> |
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The NCAA passer rating has an upper limit of 1,261.6 (every attempt is a 99-yard completion for touchdown), and a lower limit of -731.6 (every attempt is completed, but results in a 99-yard loss). A passer who throws only interceptions will have a -200 rating, as would a passer who only throws completed passes losing an average of 35.714 yards. |
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<math>\text{Passer Efficiency}_{\text{NCAA}} = {(8.4 \times \text{YDS}) + (330 \times \text{TDP}) + (100 \times \text{CMP}) - (200 \times \text{INT}) \over \text{ATT}}</math> |
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==Limitations== |
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As mentioned, both the NFL and NCAA passer rating formulae are only based on completion percentage, passing yardage, touchdowns, and interceptions. As the NFL notes, "It is important to remember that the system is used to rate passers, not quarterbacks. Statistics do not reflect leadership, play-calling, and other intangible factors that go into making a successful professional quarterback."<ref name="NFLQBRating">{{cite web | url=http://www.nfl.com/help/quarterbackratingformula | title= NFL.com - NFL Quarterback Rating Formula | accessdate=2011-08-06}}</ref> For example, it does not factor in rushing yards gained by such quarterbacks as [[Cam Newton]], [[Randall Cunningham]], [[Steve Young]], [[Michael Vick]], [[John Elway]], and [[Tim Tebow]] who were also known for their running ability. Nor does it measure a quarterback's win-loss record, how many times he has fumbled or been sacked, or evaluate his leadership and performance during different situations. |
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where |
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In 2011, the American sports network [[ESPN]] developed an alternative statistic called the [[total quarterback rating]] which purports to more accurately measure quarterbacks' contribution to their teams' winning.<ref>[http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/6833215/explaining-statistics-total-quarterback-rating Guide to the Total Quarterback Rating]</ref> |
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: '''ATT''' = Number of passing attempts |
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: '''CMP''' = Number of completions |
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: '''YDS''' = Passing yards |
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: '''TDP''' = Touchdown passes |
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: '''INT''' = Interceptions |
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The NCAA passer efficiency has an upper limit of 1,261.6 (every attempt is a 99-yard completion for a touchdown), and a lower limit of −731.6 (every attempt is completed, but results in a 99-yard loss). A passer who throws only interceptions will have a −200 efficiency, as would a passer who only throws completed passes losing an average of 35.714 yards. |
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==Advantages== |
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In 2011, ''[[Sports Illustrated]]'' published an article by Kerry Byrne of ''Cold Hard Football Facts'' highlighting the importance of passer rating in determining a team's success.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.si.com/more-sports/2011/08/03/defending-qb-rating|title=Kerry J. Byrne: In defense of passer rating|website=si.com|date=August 3, 2011 |access-date=April 29, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20171211112151/https://www.si.com/more-sports/2011/08/03/defending-qb-rating|archive-date=December 11, 2017}}</ref> "Put most simply," the article states, "you cannot be a smart football analyst and dismiss passer rating. In fact, it's impossible to look at the incredible correlation of victory to passer rating and then dismiss it. You might as well dismiss the score of a game when determining a winner. [...] Few, if any, are more indicative of wins and losses than passer rating. Teams that posted a higher passer rating went 203–53 (.793) in [[2010 NFL season|2010]] and an incredible 151–29 (.839) after Week 5." Byrne made an expanded defense of the passer rating and its importance for the [[Pro Football Researchers Association]] in 2012.<ref>[http://www.coldhardfootballfacts.com/content/40-and-fabulous-praise-passer-rating/14959 Cold Hard Football Facts: 40 and Fabulous: in praise of passer rating] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120817080016/http://www.coldhardfootballfacts.com/content/40-and-fabulous-praise-passer-rating/14959/ |date=August 17, 2012 }}</ref> The study showed that all of the eight teams since 1940 that led the league in both offensive passer rating and defensive passer rating won championships.<ref>[[1941 Chicago Bears season|1941 Bears]], [[1943 Chicago Bears season|1943 Bears]], [[1949 Philadelphia Eagles season|1949 Eagles]], [[1955 Cleveland Browns season|1955 Browns]], [[1958 Baltimore Colts season|1958 Colts]], [[1959 Baltimore Colts season|1959 Colts]], [[1966 Green Bay Packers season|1966 Packers]], and [[1996 Green Bay Packers season|1996 Packers]]</ref> |
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== Flaws == |
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The passer rating equation does not take into account sacks, fumbles, or a quarterback's rushing production, although by definition it only measures passing statistics.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Paine|first=Neil|date=2019-01-04|title=Kirk Cousins Is Not Better Than Joe Montana. So Let's Fix Passer Rating.|url=https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/kirk-cousins-is-not-better-than-joe-montana-so-lets-fix-passer-rating/|access-date=2020-11-12|website=FiveThirtyEight|language=en-US}}</ref> |
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Due to rule changes and improvement in quarterback play, the league-wide passer rating has increased by an average of 0.63 points per season since its introduction in 1973, from 61.7 that year to 93.6 in 2020, which makes passer rating a poor statistic for comparing quarterbacks from different seasons or eras.<ref>{{Cite web|title=NFL Season By Season Passing|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/NFL/passing.htm|access-date=2021-09-02|website=ProFootballReference|language=en}}</ref> |
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== Other measurements == |
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=== Total quarterback rating === |
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{{main|Total quarterback rating}} |
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ESPN's total quarterback rating is a proprietary statistic that was introduced in 2011 and is designed to measure the total effectiveness and performance of a quarterback. The metric takes into account all of a quarterback's contribution to a game, including passing, rushing, sacks, penalties, touchdowns, and turnovers.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|date=2011-08-02|title=ESPN Introduces The Total Quarterback Rating|url=https://espnpressroom.com/us/press-releases/2011/08/espn-introduces-the-total-quarterback-rating/|access-date=2020-11-12|website=ESPN Press Room U.S.|language=en-US}}</ref> Moreover, each play is weighted based on its "difficulty", the context of the game, and the strength of the opposing defense. This means that statistics in garbage time of a blowout game hold less merit than statistics in a close game. Also, a quarterback who throws for four touchdowns and 300 yards against a strong defense will have a higher QBR than a quarterback who has the same stat line against the worst defense in the NFL.<ref name=":1" /> |
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QBR functions on a 0–100 scale, where an average NFL quarterback typically has around a 50 QBR, while a [[Pro Bowl]] caliber quarterback will have approximately a 75. This scale also represents a percentile of overall quarterback performances since 2006. This means that if a quarterback has a QBR of 90 their performance in that game is, on average, better than 90% of other quarterback performances.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2016-09-08|title=How is Total QBR calculated? We explain our quarterback rating|url=https://www.espn.com/blog/statsinfo/post/_/id/123701/how-is-total-qbr-calculated-we-explain-our-quarterback-rating|access-date=2020-11-12|website=ESPN.com|language=en}}</ref> |
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It is also very common for there to be significant differences between QBR and passer rating leaders due to the additional variables and situational play context that contribute to the calculation of QBR. For example, in 2019, [[Lamar Jackson]] had a league leading QBR of 83.0 and earned [[NFL Most Valuable Player Award|MVP honors]]. However, in terms of passer rating, Jackson (113.3) finished behind [[Ryan Tannehill]] (117.5) and [[Drew Brees]] (116.3), who finished ninth and third in QBR, respectively. |
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=== PFF Player Grades === |
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[[Pro Football Focus]] (PFF) is a football website that conducts in-depth analysis on NFL and NCAA games and players. Part of this analysis involves assigning each player in the NFL, as well as the [[Power Four conferences|Power Four]] at the collegiate level, a grade that indicates their performance.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|title=PFF Player Grades|url=https://www.pff.com/grades|access-date=2020-11-12|website=PFF|language=en}}</ref> |
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According to PFF, the group's algorithm analyzes every play for each individual player and measures the impact that said player has while on the field. A player's impact is then given a grade between −2 and +2 in 0.5 increments.<ref name=":2" /> Each position has a scale with a unique algorithm and rules. The scale also takes into account game context, so a strong play in the fourth quarter of a close matchup will be graded higher than one in the 2nd quarter of a blowout game. |
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A 0 player grade on any given play represents any position player performing at an expected level and in a manner that neither positively nor negatively impacts their team. An example of this is a running back taking a carry through the correct hole and picking up three to four yards in a [[Down (gridiron football)|1st and ten]] situation. Meanwhile, a +2 represents an incredible performance on a play that shifts the dynamic of a game in favor of the player's team. Philadelphia Eagles defensive end [[Brandon Graham]]'s strip sack on [[Tom Brady]] in [[Super Bowl LII]] would have easily been a +2 rating.<ref name=":2" /> On the other hand, a −2 is a play that catastrophically hinders a team's chance of winning, such as a quarterback throwing a pick-six in the fourth quarter of a close game. Ambiguous plays where the outcome is unclear on how a player impacted their team are typically given a 0. |
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The sum of these plus-minuses are then converted on a 0–100 scale and produce a grade for a single game. However, a player's season grade is not the average of the 17 grades a player receives each game. Instead, PFF credits a player's entire body of work and longevity throughout the season. It is, therefore, possible for a player to have a higher season grade than any individual grade that a player received in any game he played in.<ref name=":2" /> |
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==Records== |
==Records== |
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===NFL=== |
===NFL=== |
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{{see also|List of National Football League records (individual)#Passer rating|l1=NFL passer rating records}} |
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[[Aaron Rodgers]] holds the NFL record for the highest career passer rating for any player with at least 1,500 attempts, with a current mark of 103.7.<ref>[http://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/pass_rating_career.htm "NFL Career Passer Rating Leaders"] Pro-Football-Reference.com</ref> Through week 14 of the 2011 NFL season, Rodgers was on pace to have the highest passer rating for a season with 122.5. Peyton Manning currently holds the record of 121.1, set in the 2004 season (Peyton Manning also has completed four games with a perfect passer rating, another NFL record). Also in 2004, [[Ben Roethlisberger]] posted a mark of 98.1, setting a record for rookies. [[Wide receiver]] [[Antwaan Randle El]], with a passer rating of 157.5 from 21 completed passes of a possible 26, has the highest career rating of any non-QB with more than twenty attempts.<ref name="randle el passer rating">{{cite web|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/peter_king/11/14/monday-morning-qb-week-10/3.html|title=Patriots? Jets? Giants? There are no super NFL teams this season|last=King|first=Peter|date=2010-11-15|publisher=''[[Sports Illustrated]]''|accessdate=2011-01-06}}</ref> As of 2010, 60 NFL quarterbacks have [[List of NFL quarterbacks who have posted a perfect passer rating|completed a game with a perfect passer rating]] of 158.3, and seven have done so multiple times. |
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* '''Highest passer rating, career''' (minimum 1,500 attempts): 103.6, [[Aaron Rodgers]], 2005–2023<ref>{{cite web|title=NFL Passer Rating Career Stats|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/pass_rating_career.htm|website=Pro Football Reference|access-date=October 3, 2020}}</ref> |
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===NCAA=== |
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* '''Highest passer rating, season''' (minimum 200 attempts): 122.5, [[Aaron Rodgers]], 2011<ref>{{cite web|title=Player Game Finder Query Results|url=http://pfref.com/tiny/aFdHe|website=Pro Football Reference|access-date=November 27, 2018}}</ref> |
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In [[Football Bowl Subdivision|Division I FBS]] (formerly Division I-A), the career record for passing efficiency is held by [[Sam Bradford]] of [[Oklahoma Sooners football|Oklahoma]], who had a career mark of 175.6 between [[2007 Oklahoma Sooners football team|2007]] and [[2009 Oklahoma Sooners football team|2009]].<ref>{{cite web|title=2011 Football Bowl Subdivision Records|url=http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_records/2011/FBS.pdf|publisher=NCAA|accessdate=5 September 2011|page=7}}</ref> The single-season record belongs to [[Robert Griffin III]] of [[Baylor Bears|Baylor University]], who achieved a passer rating of 192.3 over the 2011 season,<ref>{{cite web|title=2011 Football Bowl Subdivision Records|url=http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_records/2011/FBS.pdf|publisher=NCAA|accessdate=8 December 2011|page=6}}</ref> while the freshman record belongs to [[Michael Vick]] of [[Virginia Tech Hokies football|Virginia Tech]], whose rating during the [[1999 Virginia Tech Hokies football team|1999 season]] was 180.4. |
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Wide receiver [[Antwaan Randle El]], with a passer rating of 157.5 from 21 completed passes of a possible 26, has the highest career rating of any non-QB with more than twenty attempts.<ref name="randle el passer rating">{{cite magazine|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/peter_king/11/14/monday-morning-qb-week-10/3.html|title=Patriots? Jets? Giants? There are no super NFL teams this season|last=King|first=Peter|date=November 15, 2010|magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]]|access-date=January 6, 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101207151242/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/peter_king/11/14/monday-morning-qb-week-10/3.html|archive-date=December 7, 2010}}</ref> [[Lamar Jackson]], [[Ben Roethlisberger]], and [[Peyton Manning]] are tied for the record for the most games with a perfect passer rating (4). As of 2023, 78 NFL quarterbacks have [[List of NFL quarterbacks who have posted a perfect passer rating|completed a game with a perfect passer rating]] of 158.3, and seven have done so multiple times. [[Phil Simms]] holds the record for the highest passer rating in a Super Bowl, at 150.92 in [[Super Bowl XXI]]. |
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=== All-time NFL passer rating leaders === |
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{{Main article|List of National Football League career passer rating leaders}} |
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=== NCAA (Division I FBS) === |
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{{see also|List of NCAA football records#Passing|l1=NCAA passing efficiency records}} |
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* '''Highest passing efficiency, career''' (minimum 325 completions): 199.4, [[Tua Tagovailoa]], [[Alabama Crimson Tide football|Alabama]], 2017–2019<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/tua-tagovailoa-1.html|title=Tua Tagovailoa College Stats|website=College Football at Sports-Reference.com|language=en|access-date=2020-01-27}}</ref> |
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* '''Highest passing efficiency, season''' (minimum 15 attempts per game): 208.0 – [[Jayden Daniels]], [[2023 LSU Tigers football team|LSU Tigers]], 2023<ref>{{cite web |last1=Alexander |first1=Wilson |title=Jayden Daniels claims the Heisman Trophy, becoming 3rd winner in LSU history |url=https://www.nola.com/sports/lsu/lsu-quarterback-jayden-daniels-wins-the-heisman-trophy/article_48f8a28a-96f6-11ee-bafb-3fed75c48468.html |website=NOLA.com |publisher=[[The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate]] |access-date=May 13, 2024 |date=December 9, 2023 |archivedate=May 13, 2024 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20240513170900/https://www.nola.com/sports/lsu/lsu-quarterback-jayden-daniels-wins-the-heisman-trophy/article_48f8a28a-96f6-11ee-bafb-3fed75c48468.html |url-status=live }}</ref> |
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==See also== |
==See also== |
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*[[List of NFL quarterbacks who have posted a perfect passer rating]] |
* [[List of NFL quarterbacks who have posted a perfect passer rating]] |
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*[[List of NFL quarterbacks who have posted a passer rating of zero]] |
* [[List of NFL quarterbacks who have posted a passer rating of zero]] |
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*[[NFL career passer rating leaders]] |
* [[NFL career passer rating leaders]] |
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* [[List of National Football League season passer rating leaders]] |
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==References== |
==References== |
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{{reflist}} |
{{reflist|30em}} |
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==External links== |
==External links== |
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* [http://www.primecomputing.com/ Online passer rating calculator for NFL/CFL, NCAA and AFL formulas] |
* [http://www.primecomputing.com/ Online passer rating calculator for NFL/CFL, NCAA and AFL formulas] |
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* [http://classic17.wordpress.com/2009/10/19/nfl-passer-ratings/ A look at and breakdown of the NFL Passer Rating] |
* [http://classic17.wordpress.com/2009/10/19/nfl-passer-ratings/ A look at and breakdown of the NFL Passer Rating] |
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* [ |
* [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/pass_rating_career.htm NFL Career Passer Rating Leaders] |
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* [http://brucey.net/nflab/statistics/qb_rating.html QB Rating Calculator] |
* [http://brucey.net/nflab/statistics/qb_rating.html QB Rating Calculator] |
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* [ |
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20130615214855/http://qbranking.com/ Adjustable NFL passer rating calculator and database. Stats from 1932 – present.] |
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* [https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=940CEFD61330F937A25752C0A9629C8B63 New York Times – The N.F.L.'s Passer Rating, Arcane and Misunderstood – January 14, 2004] |
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[[Category:American football quarterbacks|+]] |
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[[es:Eficiencia de pase]] |
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[[simple:Passer rating]] |
Latest revision as of 04:57, 4 November 2024
Passer rating (also known as passing efficiency in college football) is a measure of the performance of passers, primarily quarterbacks, in gridiron football.[1] There are two formulas currently in use: one used by both the National Football League (NFL) and Canadian Football League (CFL), and the other used in NCAA football. Passer rating is calculated using a player's passing attempts, completions, yards, touchdowns, and interceptions. Passer rating in the NFL is on a scale from 0 to 158.3. Passing efficiency in college football is on a scale from −731.6 to 1261.6.
Since 1973, passer rating has been the official formula used by the NFL to determine its passing leader.[2]
Passer rating is sometimes colloquially referred to as quarterback rating or QB rating; however, the statistic applies only to passing (not to other contributions by a quarterback) and applies to any player at any position who throws a forward pass, not just to quarterbacks. Other measurements, such as ESPN's total quarterback rating and Pro Football Focus grades have been produced to take account for non-passing contributions or mistakes made by passers.
History
[edit]Before the development of the passer rating, the NFL struggled with how to crown a passing leader.
From 1932 to 1937, it was the quarterback with the most passing yardage, and from 1938 to 1940, it was the quarterback with the highest completion percentage. In 1941, a system was created that ranked the league's quarterbacks relative to their peers' performance. Over the next thirty years, the criteria used to crown a passing leader changed several times, however, the ranking system made it impossible to determine a quarterback's rank until all quarterbacks had completed their games that week, or to compare quarterback performances across multiple seasons.
With this in mind, in 1971, NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle asked the league's statistical committee to develop a better system:[3] this committee was headed by Don Smith of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Seymour Siwoff of the Elias Sports Bureau, and NFL executive Don Weiss. Smith and Siwoff established passing performance standards based on data from all qualified pro football passers between 1960 and 1970, and used those data to create the passer rating, with the formula being adopted by the NFL in 1973.[2]
NFL and CFL formula
[edit]The NFL passer rating formula includes five variables: pass attempts, completions, passing yards, touchdown passes, and interceptions. Each of those variables is scaled to a value between 0 and 2.375, with 1.0 being statistically average (based on league data between 1960 and 1970). When the formula was first created, a 66.7 rating indicated an average performance, and a 100+ rating indicated an excellent performance.[3] However, passing performance has improved steadily since then and in 2017 the league average rating was 88.6,[4] and by 2020 it was 93.6.[5]
The four separate calculations can be expressed in the following equations:
where
- ATT = Number of passing attempts
- CMP = Number of completions
- YDS = Passing yards
- TD = Touchdown passes
- INT = Interceptions
If the result of any calculation is greater than 2.375, it is set to 2.375. If the result is a negative number, it is set to zero.
Then, the above calculations are used to complete the passer rating:
A perfect passer rating (158.3) requires at least:[1] | A minimum rating (0.0) requires at best: |
---|---|
77.5% completion percentage (31 completions in 40 attempts) |
30.0% completion percentage |
NCAA formula
[edit]The NCAA passing efficiency formula is similar to that of the NFL passer rating, but does not impose limits on the four components. The formula is based on college football data between 1965 and 1978, and when the formula was first created, a 100 passer efficiency indicated an average performance.
The passing efficiency formula is:[6]
where
- ATT = Number of passing attempts
- CMP = Number of completions
- YDS = Passing yards
- TDP = Touchdown passes
- INT = Interceptions
The NCAA passer efficiency has an upper limit of 1,261.6 (every attempt is a 99-yard completion for a touchdown), and a lower limit of −731.6 (every attempt is completed, but results in a 99-yard loss). A passer who throws only interceptions will have a −200 efficiency, as would a passer who only throws completed passes losing an average of 35.714 yards.
Advantages
[edit]In 2011, Sports Illustrated published an article by Kerry Byrne of Cold Hard Football Facts highlighting the importance of passer rating in determining a team's success.[7] "Put most simply," the article states, "you cannot be a smart football analyst and dismiss passer rating. In fact, it's impossible to look at the incredible correlation of victory to passer rating and then dismiss it. You might as well dismiss the score of a game when determining a winner. [...] Few, if any, are more indicative of wins and losses than passer rating. Teams that posted a higher passer rating went 203–53 (.793) in 2010 and an incredible 151–29 (.839) after Week 5." Byrne made an expanded defense of the passer rating and its importance for the Pro Football Researchers Association in 2012.[8] The study showed that all of the eight teams since 1940 that led the league in both offensive passer rating and defensive passer rating won championships.[9]
Flaws
[edit]The passer rating equation does not take into account sacks, fumbles, or a quarterback's rushing production, although by definition it only measures passing statistics.[10]
Due to rule changes and improvement in quarterback play, the league-wide passer rating has increased by an average of 0.63 points per season since its introduction in 1973, from 61.7 that year to 93.6 in 2020, which makes passer rating a poor statistic for comparing quarterbacks from different seasons or eras.[11]
Other measurements
[edit]Total quarterback rating
[edit]ESPN's total quarterback rating is a proprietary statistic that was introduced in 2011 and is designed to measure the total effectiveness and performance of a quarterback. The metric takes into account all of a quarterback's contribution to a game, including passing, rushing, sacks, penalties, touchdowns, and turnovers.[12] Moreover, each play is weighted based on its "difficulty", the context of the game, and the strength of the opposing defense. This means that statistics in garbage time of a blowout game hold less merit than statistics in a close game. Also, a quarterback who throws for four touchdowns and 300 yards against a strong defense will have a higher QBR than a quarterback who has the same stat line against the worst defense in the NFL.[12]
QBR functions on a 0–100 scale, where an average NFL quarterback typically has around a 50 QBR, while a Pro Bowl caliber quarterback will have approximately a 75. This scale also represents a percentile of overall quarterback performances since 2006. This means that if a quarterback has a QBR of 90 their performance in that game is, on average, better than 90% of other quarterback performances.[13]
It is also very common for there to be significant differences between QBR and passer rating leaders due to the additional variables and situational play context that contribute to the calculation of QBR. For example, in 2019, Lamar Jackson had a league leading QBR of 83.0 and earned MVP honors. However, in terms of passer rating, Jackson (113.3) finished behind Ryan Tannehill (117.5) and Drew Brees (116.3), who finished ninth and third in QBR, respectively.
PFF Player Grades
[edit]Pro Football Focus (PFF) is a football website that conducts in-depth analysis on NFL and NCAA games and players. Part of this analysis involves assigning each player in the NFL, as well as the Power Four at the collegiate level, a grade that indicates their performance.[14]
According to PFF, the group's algorithm analyzes every play for each individual player and measures the impact that said player has while on the field. A player's impact is then given a grade between −2 and +2 in 0.5 increments.[14] Each position has a scale with a unique algorithm and rules. The scale also takes into account game context, so a strong play in the fourth quarter of a close matchup will be graded higher than one in the 2nd quarter of a blowout game.
A 0 player grade on any given play represents any position player performing at an expected level and in a manner that neither positively nor negatively impacts their team. An example of this is a running back taking a carry through the correct hole and picking up three to four yards in a 1st and ten situation. Meanwhile, a +2 represents an incredible performance on a play that shifts the dynamic of a game in favor of the player's team. Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham's strip sack on Tom Brady in Super Bowl LII would have easily been a +2 rating.[14] On the other hand, a −2 is a play that catastrophically hinders a team's chance of winning, such as a quarterback throwing a pick-six in the fourth quarter of a close game. Ambiguous plays where the outcome is unclear on how a player impacted their team are typically given a 0.
The sum of these plus-minuses are then converted on a 0–100 scale and produce a grade for a single game. However, a player's season grade is not the average of the 17 grades a player receives each game. Instead, PFF credits a player's entire body of work and longevity throughout the season. It is, therefore, possible for a player to have a higher season grade than any individual grade that a player received in any game he played in.[14]
Records
[edit]NFL
[edit]- Highest passer rating, career (minimum 1,500 attempts): 103.6, Aaron Rodgers, 2005–2023[15]
- Highest passer rating, season (minimum 200 attempts): 122.5, Aaron Rodgers, 2011[16]
Wide receiver Antwaan Randle El, with a passer rating of 157.5 from 21 completed passes of a possible 26, has the highest career rating of any non-QB with more than twenty attempts.[17] Lamar Jackson, Ben Roethlisberger, and Peyton Manning are tied for the record for the most games with a perfect passer rating (4). As of 2023, 78 NFL quarterbacks have completed a game with a perfect passer rating of 158.3, and seven have done so multiple times. Phil Simms holds the record for the highest passer rating in a Super Bowl, at 150.92 in Super Bowl XXI.
All-time NFL passer rating leaders
[edit]NCAA (Division I FBS)
[edit]- Highest passing efficiency, career (minimum 325 completions): 199.4, Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama, 2017–2019[18]
- Highest passing efficiency, season (minimum 15 attempts per game): 208.0 – Jayden Daniels, LSU Tigers, 2023[19]
See also
[edit]- List of NFL quarterbacks who have posted a perfect passer rating
- List of NFL quarterbacks who have posted a passer rating of zero
- NFL career passer rating leaders
- List of National Football League season passer rating leaders
References
[edit]- ^ a b "NFL.com – NFL Quarterback Rating Formula". NFL.com. Archived from the original on August 14, 2011. Retrieved August 6, 2011.
- ^ a b "NFL's Passer Rating". Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site. NFL. January 1, 2005. Archived from the original on October 3, 2015. Retrieved December 27, 2016.
- ^ a b "QB Rating story / GQ magazine / by Don Steinberg". bluedonut.com. Archived from the original on September 18, 2013. Retrieved April 29, 2018.
- ^ SteelersFan, Tim (July 23, 2009). "Did NFL Passer Ratings Spike in 2004 Or Have They Risen Steadily?". bleacher report. Bleacher Report, Inc. Archived from the original on December 28, 2016. Retrieved December 27, 2016.
- ^ "2020 NFL Standings & Team Stats". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
- ^ "NCAA and NFL Passing Efficiency computation". Football.stassen.com. Archived from the original on November 10, 2011. Retrieved November 15, 2011.
- ^ "Kerry J. Byrne: In defense of passer rating". si.com. August 3, 2011. Archived from the original on December 11, 2017. Retrieved April 29, 2018.
- ^ Cold Hard Football Facts: 40 and Fabulous: in praise of passer rating Archived August 17, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ 1941 Bears, 1943 Bears, 1949 Eagles, 1955 Browns, 1958 Colts, 1959 Colts, 1966 Packers, and 1996 Packers
- ^ Paine, Neil (January 4, 2019). "Kirk Cousins Is Not Better Than Joe Montana. So Let's Fix Passer Rating". FiveThirtyEight. Retrieved November 12, 2020.
- ^ "NFL Season By Season Passing". ProFootballReference. Retrieved September 2, 2021.
- ^ a b "ESPN Introduces The Total Quarterback Rating". ESPN Press Room U.S. August 2, 2011. Retrieved November 12, 2020.
- ^ "How is Total QBR calculated? We explain our quarterback rating". ESPN.com. September 8, 2016. Retrieved November 12, 2020.
- ^ a b c d "PFF Player Grades". PFF. Retrieved November 12, 2020.
- ^ "NFL Passer Rating Career Stats". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved October 3, 2020.
- ^ "Player Game Finder Query Results". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved November 27, 2018.
- ^ King, Peter (November 15, 2010). "Patriots? Jets? Giants? There are no super NFL teams this season". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on December 7, 2010. Retrieved January 6, 2011.
- ^ "Tua Tagovailoa College Stats". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved January 27, 2020.
- ^ Alexander, Wilson (December 9, 2023). "Jayden Daniels claims the Heisman Trophy, becoming 3rd winner in LSU history". NOLA.com. The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate. Archived from the original on May 13, 2024. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
External links
[edit]- NFL.com QB Rating Page
- Online passer rating calculator for NFL/CFL, NCAA and AFL formulas
- A look at and breakdown of the NFL Passer Rating
- NFL Career Passer Rating Leaders
- QB Rating Calculator
- Adjustable NFL passer rating calculator and database. Stats from 1932 – present.
- New York Times – The N.F.L.'s Passer Rating, Arcane and Misunderstood – January 14, 2004