Year of the Quarterback?

by ForeverYoung on Nov 19, 2011 2:34 PM PST

Is 2011 the Year of the Quarterback as ESPN is touting on its website? To put it simply, no.

The year got started in a flurry with Tom Brady topping 500 yards and rookie Cam Newton topping 400 yards, but things have leveled off.

Overall, passing yards per game played in the NFL are up slightly from 2010. In the 256 games played in 2010 there was an average of 443.1 yards passing. In the 147 games played in 2011 that average is up to 462.5. The difference is relatively small. Certainly not enough to declare this year some kind of historic passing season.

Yards are everything, however. Touchdowns and interceptions are likely more important and they do nothing to make the argument that 2011 is the Year of the QB. Interceptions are up slightly per game this season from 1.99 in 2010 to 2.02 in 2011. Furthermore, touchdowns are down, going from 2.93 last season to 2.83 this season. The difference of 0.10 may seem small but over the course of the season it will represent 25.6 less touchdown passes collectively.

How could the league start off so hot in the passing game and yet fall back to normal? Defenses adjusted. It's that simple. Defenses have adjusted and offenses can't re-adjust. The passing game is all about timing. That timing is mostly developed during the offseason with all the workouts teams do. Offenses don't have that kind of timing this season.

In early games, defenses weren't up to speed yet. Think about it like you would a playground football game. Passing rules and people get burned deep because the defense isn't really organized.

After a few weeks the defenses got up to speed and got organized. Without all the complicated timing routes, offenses aren't equipped to dominate in the passing game. The playground style doesn't work anymore.

Why does this matter? In the grand scheme of things it doesn't, but to San Francisco 49ers fans it signifies that this isn't some kind of all encompassing passing year where teams can pass at will. The 49ers should be fine how they are. Run heavy but pass enough to keep the opposing defense balanced.

Quarterback Alex Smith won't be passing for 4,000 yards like almost all other quarterbacks on top teams will, and that is just fine.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of Niners Nation's writers or editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of Niners Nation's writers or editors.

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Comments

Its kind of like when a baseball player gets hot early in the season

This guy is on pace for 212 homeruns, do you think he can keep it up? No. This is actually the worst year for quarterbacks that I have seen in a while. Usually Manning and Brady are battling it out with Drew Brees looking like a monster and Phillip Rivers playing excellent. This year it is Aaron Rodgers and then there is everybody else. Manning is gone, Brady is struggling, Brees is playing well, Rivers is garbage. Vick fell back to Earth. No, I don’t see anything special.

Follow @FLPReliableCPR

by mcwagner on Nov 19, 2011 2:56 PM PST reply actions

Don’t look now, but Brady is having and absolutely fantastic year.

For want of a defense….

Once more, coming to you by proxy.

by howtheyscored on Nov 19, 2011 9:19 PM PST up reply actions

Brees, too, for that matter.

Once more, coming to you by proxy.

by howtheyscored on Nov 19, 2011 9:20 PM PST up reply actions

Though, you did say that Brees is playing well.

Carry on. I’m just constantly surprised by the “Brady is Struggling” talk. He had one mediocre game.

Once more, coming to you by proxy.

by howtheyscored on Nov 19, 2011 9:23 PM PST up reply actions

+1000

I have many leather-bound books.

by I'm Friends With Merlin Olsen on Nov 20, 2011 12:11 AM PST up reply actions

This is just a guess...

But maybe it’s in small or large part just a matchup thing… Perhaps some of the early numbers are just a random result of who’s-playing-who. Brady goes for 500 but it’s against the Dolphins. That kind of thing…

And I agree a lot w/mcwagner… A lot of good QBs struggling for a variety of known and unknown reasons.

And as for the yardage… Totally OVERRATED stat when simply looked at by itself. Both offensively and defensively. SCORING is a better indicator of how well you both throw and defend against throwing.

I think the 49ers have done an effective job throwing the ball since the PHL game though the yardage total is still pedestrian. They also play the run so well and have been winning games so passing yardage allowed has been inflated.

I have many leather-bound books.

by I'm Friends With Merlin Olsen on Nov 19, 2011 4:21 PM PST reply actions

(clarifying -- Rivers, Flacco, Bradford, etc.)

I don’t consider Brady or Brees to be struggling… You ain’t goin’ 50 & 8 or 36 & 4 every year. Both will have typical MONSTER numbers by the end of this season.

I have many leather-bound books.

by I'm Friends With Merlin Olsen on Nov 20, 2011 12:14 AM PST up reply actions

Evolution

Tactically as well as envioromentally you evolve to your enviroment or you die – this is clearly demonstrated in the NFL where for example the singeltaryosaurus became extinct late in the sadplayociene period of 49er development as the Harbosaurus evolved and became dominant

by Dubniner on Nov 19, 2011 4:32 PM PST reply actions

Yes , passing is over rated , just ask Singletary ...!!

I'm your " Huckelberry "...it's just my game ..( .AleX ) was asked , what do you think about all the game manager talk ... AleX i guess i just managed myself a VIctory ... Extend the Man ...!!

by Edggy on Nov 20, 2011 6:37 AM PST up reply actions