Friday, Oct. 8, 1999

By the numbers

PFW editor-in-chief Ron Pollack chews on some eye-opening statistics

What follows are statistics I find to be eye-opening through the first four weeks of the NFL season:

• I find it absolutely shocking that Saints QB Billy Joe Hobert, a guy nobody thinks is especially good who is throwing to wide receivers nobody thinks are especially good, is leading the NFL in percentage of first downs per pass attempt in 3^rd-and-long situations. He is 7-of-14 so far this season.

• What’s wrong with Dan Marino? He has been terrible statistically on third downs this season. His percentage of first downs per passing attempt on 3^rd-and-long is a hideous 19.0 (4-of-21), which is seventh worst in the NFL. Furthermore, he is fourth worst in the league in percentage of first downs per passing attempt in 3^rd-and-medium situations (25.0 percent, 2-of-8). In percentage of passes on third down as a whole, Marino is fourth worst in the NFL at 22.2 percent (6-of-27)

• Here are a few stats that concern me about Jaguars QB Mark Brunell. He is tied for fourth worst in the NFL in percentage of completions in the fourth quarter at 44.4 percent (12-of-27). He is eighth worst in the NFL in percentage of first downs on third-down passes at 27.5 percent (11-of-40). Brunell’s fourth-quarter passer rating is a paltry 30.6, which is fourth worst in the NFL.

• You may recall that the Vikings’ offense really bogged down in the second half of last season’s NFC title-game loss to the Falcons. In that game, the Vikings scored 20 points in the first half but only seven in the second half and overtime. With that as a backdrop, take a look at some interesting statistics regarding Vikings QB Randall Cunningham this season. Cunningham has thrown five TD passes in the first half of games but only two in the second half. He has completed 72.2 percent of his passes in the first half, compared to only 56.1 percent in the second half.

• The exact opposite of Cunningham has been Patriots QB Drew Bledsoe. Bledsoe has completed 62.5 percent of his first-half passes this year. In the second half of games, he has completed a league-best 69.9 percent. Furthermore, Bledsoe’s fourth-quarter passer rating is an astonishing 122.9, easily the best in the league. (The runner-up is Rams QB Kurt Warner at 107.3.)

• By the way, to show you how the Vikings’ firepower has declined this season to date, consider the fact that Cunningham has only one of the NFL’s 20 longest completions.

• Doug Flutie has also been clutch in the second half of games, when things get interesting. In the first half of games this season, Flutie has completed only 48.5 percent of his passes, seventh worst in the NFL. In the second half, Flutie has completed 68.0 percent, second best in the NFL.

• Redskins QB Brad Johnson has been outstanding and consistent. He has the third-best passer rating in the NFL in the first half of games (122.2). He also ranks No. 3 in the NFL in passer rating in the second half of games (117.1).

• I always considered four yards per carry to be the measuring stick of whether a running back or team was running the ball effectively, but so far this season, only 10-of-31 NFL teams are averaging 4.0 yards per rushing attempt or better.

• Who would have thought that Baltimore RB Errict Rhett would be leading the league in rushing yards in close games so far this season?

• Carolina RB Tim Biakabutuka has four of the nine longest runs of ’99.

• I find it very surprising that Arizona’s Frank Sanders and Cincinnati’s Darnay Scott share the league lead in passes thrown to them (though not necessarily caught) with 47 apiece.

Editor's note: To see the NFL statistics section that Pollack refers to, click here, and to see the NCAA statistics section that is also available, click here.

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