Yards per Pass play. The most important stat in football? According to football stat geeks everywhere….Absolutely.
All you football nerds have heard this stat before, but this is our first time mentioning it on our blog, so perhaps some of you will find this to be “new”. Many stat geeks claim that if you want to pick ONE football stat that is the best indicator of who wins/loses a football game, it’s the “yards per pass play”. Let’s see how that played out in week 7 and let’s see how it has held up for the Steelers.
This past weekend, teams winning the “Yards Per Passing Play” battle were 10-4. (FYI…Oakland, Washington, Houston, and Tampa Bay all lost the battle but won the game).
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Let’s look at the Steelers season:
Week 1:
Pittsburgh 6.6 vs Cleveland 4.0——Steelers WIN
Week 2:
Pittsburgh 6.7 vs Buffalo 4.2———Steelers WIN
Week 3:
Pittsburgh 6.6 vs San Francisco 5.4——–Steelers WIN
Week 4:
Pittsburgh 5.7 vs Arizona 5.8—————Steelers LOSE
Week 5:
Pittsburgh 7.2 vs Seattle 3.2———-Steelers WIN
Week 7:
Pittsburgh 6.7 vs Denver 7.5———Steelers LOSE
Interesting, eh? So when the Steelers win the Yards Per Pass Play battle they go 4-0. When they lose, they go 0-2.
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Top 5 Offenses (in Yards Per Pass Play)
1. New England (7-0)
2. Dallas (6-1)
3. Texas (3-4)
4. Colts (6-0)
5. Cleveland (3-3)
Worst 5 Offenses (lowest YPPP)
1. San Francisco (2-4)
2. New Orleans (2-4)
3. Baltimore (4-3)
4. Minnesota (2-4)
5. St. Louis (0-7)
Top 5 Defenses (giving up fewest YPPP)
1. Washington (4-2)
2. Pittsburgh (4-2)
3. Colts (6-0)
4. Titans (4-2)
5. Tampa Bay (4-3)
Worst 5 Defenses (giving up most YPPP)
1. Miami (0-7)
2. Saints (2-4)
3. Jets (1-6)
4. Broncos (3-3)
5. Bears (3-4)
Great stuff, I haven’t seen it broken down like that before.
I was wondering if you guys thought the Keisel “flex position” experiment has been a sucess. He doesn’t have any sacks and has less tackles than several backups.
Very interesting. I think that it’s important to keep in mind, though, that a statistic like this is probably more correlational than causal when it comes to a Team’s winning record.
I love Keisel but I have been a bit disappointed this year. I thought this was his coming out party.
I keep reading articles in the Post-Gazette and Trib (online) that Keisel is doing a GREAT JOB but his efforts aren’t showing up in sacks. I think he has a bunch of hurries, and pressures but thats about it.
Personally, I think it’s cool that we use him as a “flex” but in terms of pure pass rushing ability we’d be better off with Woodley in there. HOWEVER…Woodley wouldnt’ really be a “flex guy” as he cant line up and stop the run like Keisel and he doesnt know the defense well enough yet ( i assume). He did play DL in college though. Hmm.
What do you think Charles?
I haven’t even heard Keisel’s name called this season. Certainly a disappointment.
This stat is one that proves how great a QB ben is. He has one of the highest of all time.
Personally I think the most important stat in football is the Ben Roethlisberger ‘Career High’ stat. Anytime Ben sets or ties a career high (passing yards, attempts, TD’s, INT’s (obviously) etc) it directly correlates to a loss.
I agree the Diesel is having a down stat year, but their ‘backer sacks are up this year. I think he’s tying up blockers more this year than last and it’s freeing up lanes for his linebackers.
Good point about ‘Backers sacks.
[insert joke here]
I’ve been very disapointed with Keisel, he may have alot of hurries but he’s done nothing to stick out in my mind through 6 games. I have no idea if Woodley could handle the “flex” position but I’m not sure that we even need one. Keisel seemed better last year when he was just an athletic DE. Hopefully the coaching staff can get Woodley on the field more at the expense of Haggans. I could be way off on all of this, there is a reason why I’m not the head coach afterall.
Right. I’ll say this….no matter who was in the game or what formations we were playing this past weekend, nothing “fooled” or “rattled” Jay Cutler while we went 22/29 on us.
Nothing more frustrating in all of football (imo) than watching the other team’s QB dink and dunk and complete 10-15 yard passes at will….as if it’s a 7-on-7 drill in the preseason.
Somewhat related to the topic since it has do with our lack of pressure on Cutler, but how did Aaron Smith’s injury go down? Was it a ‘Bronco Special’ chop block? I didnt have the DVR set and it happened so quick I missed it.
No, i watched it. He got run into by 2 of his own teammates. He didnt hobble off the field or anything and the announcers didnt even notice. Hopefully it wasn’t too bad.
No chop-block involved though.