@shepwrite said:
I do this each year because it's almost always yields some pretty amazing results. Put simply, QBR, the passer rating, is almost a direct overlay with the playoff lineup each year. The teams that pass the ball the best win the most, period.
Here are the top 12 passers this year:
Brady (top passer, top seed, SB favorite)
Rivers (top O, top D... 9-7 record?)
Rodgers (10-6 in spite of injuries)
Vick (division champs, serious contenders)
Roethlisberger (division champs, probably end up in New England)
Freeman (breakout year, 10-6 record doesn't make the tourney)
Flacco (12-4, serious contenders)
Cassel (11-5, this year's Cinderella)
Schaub (great offense, no defense, no playoffs)
Manning (division champs in spite of injuries)
Ryan (#1 NFC seed at 14-2)
Brees (11-5, first SB team to not flop in a while)
Like Holmgren said: You can't compete in this league if you can't pass the ball at a very high level. Note that Brady, Rodgers, Vick, Roethlisberger, Flacco, and Cassel regularly play in shitty weather.
It's a two-way sword. Being an effective passer makes the team better, but playing on a better team makes for an effective passer too. One of the reasons these guy have great ratngs is because they play on good teams with lots of weapons, good blocking, good run game, etc. I think passer rating reflects the whole offense, not just the QB.