Colts QBs: The Downward Spiral

Thanks to the nflFastR project and NFL NextGen Stats for the timely sources of data.

For those of you new to this, I will publish key QB stats each week judging how well the Colts passing game performed. Yes, O-Line, receivers, and play-calling impact these numbers but they are primarily QB measures. I will probably modify the charts throughout the season. Commentary will be brief but feel free to let me know in the comments that stats aren’t everything. (click charts for larger view)

All of these stats are game level stats, so they are a blend of both Nick Foles and Sam Elhlinger.

HOW WELL?

Since there was only one interception this week, the EPA efficiency improved all the way up to 25th best! Of course, the passing success rate was even worse than last week, with only 9 positive value throws all day.

It’s trending worse with each passing week.

Conversely, Dan Jones had the best day of any QB.

HOW FAR?

A 5.2 YPA is bad and both QBs are to blame, but Ehlinger was far worse than Foles (4.3 vs 6.2).

Short passes.

TO WHO?

Hey, a receiver broke 50 yards!! And 49 of that came from one pass.

HOW ACCURATE?

The QB room is still trying the strategy of being inaccurate. I don’t think its going to work out.

HOW FAST?

No Time to Throw stats this week (too few attempts for either QB).

TO WHERE?

Deep passing was a net positive . . . all 2 attempts.

DASHBOARD

Well, the Colts tried running the ball (28th edp), but were bad at it (26th arsr). So, then they tried short passes (23rd adot), but were inaccurate (23rd cpoe) and the receivers couldn’t gain any yards (27th YAC). And the low yardage pass plays (26th YPA, 26th ny/d) weren’t enough to convert first downs (28th 1st%), which made it hard to get TDs (19th td%). Thrown in a pick-6 (14th to%) and that all but killed any chance for the pass game to add any real value (25th EPA/d, 26th psr).

Just one more week. You can make it.