PFF: Grading Colt McCoy and QB's Under Pressure

by Chris Pokorny on Feb 7, 2012 9:27 PM EST

Last week, Pro Football Focus graded quarterbacks under pressure. How did Colt McCoy do compared to the rest of the league's quarterbacks? PFF broke things down into the following categories: avoiding sacks under pressure, touchdown to interception ratio under pressure, and completion percentage under pressure.

Pressured Into Sacks: McCoy was pressured on 179 of his dropbacks, getting sacked 33 times (18.4% of the time). He ranked 16th in the league in this category. The top three quarterbacks in the league were Eli Manning (11.5%), Michael Vick (11.6%), and Drew Brees (13.8%). Among the people below McCoy were Aaron Rodgers (22.8%) and Ben Roethlisberger (21.6%). I don't think this was a make-or-break issue for McCoy, especially when quarterbacks have to take more sacks when their receivers can't get separation.
Touchdown to Interception Ratio Under Pressure: McCoy ranked 26th in the league in this category, throwing 2 touchdowns to 4 interceptions under pressure. I'm not sure what PFF considers under pressure, but I think a lot of us remember plays in which McCoy would roll out and stupidly throw an interception deep down the field on an early down. Those type of decisions can't hang around long-term for a starting quarterback.
Completions Under Pressure: McCoy completed 58-of-125 passes (46.4%), which was good for 14th best in the league. Out of all the categories, this one seems to have the closest reflection to the actual ability of a quarterback. It's a two-way street for McCoy's percentage to improve here -- better receivers at getting open, and better ball placement by McCoy.

To close things out, PFF had an "Overall Grade" for pressured passing. I'm not sure exactly how they calculated it, but their overall assessment of McCoy under pressure was quite low. He ranked 31st overall, with only Blaine Gabbert, Joe Flacco, and Mark Sanchez ranking worse. As always, interpret all of this information with a grain of salt, as many final statistics don't tell the true story of a quarterback's success.

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This is more than just looking at the raw numbers, but looking at the context of the throws made. A positive completion percentage may show a QB dumping a ball off on third down for a short gain that sees the punting team coming on the field. Our grading can look at a quarterback evading pressure, throwing a perfect ball, only for it to be dropped–yet still rewarding the QB for his excellent play.

This explains a lot.

by HenryDawg on Feb 7, 2012 9:35 PM EST reply actions

those numbers are not able to reflect poor pass protection and even worse receiver play, hopefully Colt gets some weapons in the draft to get a fair chance to lead the Browns to wins!

I can't stand OU, but I HATE the $EC...BIG12 all day!!!

by okhornfan on Feb 7, 2012 10:36 PM EST via Android app reply actions

Well apparently it does account for drops.

Steel Nick

by nickjs21 on Feb 8, 2012 12:42 AM EST via Android app up reply actions

McCoy was pressured on 179 of his dropbacks, getting sacked 33 times (18.4% of the time). He ranked 16th in the league in this category.

Um…

"An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools" -Hemingway

by notthatnoise on Feb 8, 2012 1:12 PM EST up reply actions

Weird how they calculated the overall rating. With the stats they put up, it would seem that McCoy would have fallen anywhere between 16-22.

Yes im a troll. Yes I hate everyone. Yes I like Colt McCoy. Yes Im 4 years old. Yes I get butt hurt. Deal with it.

by dirtyjoe on Feb 7, 2012 10:41 PM EST reply actions

My thoughts exactly!

by BornAKardiacKid on Feb 7, 2012 11:58 PM EST up reply actions

This is more than just looking at the raw numbers, but looking at the context of the throws made. A positive completion percentage may show a QB dumping a ball off on third down for a short gain that sees the punting team coming on the field. Our grading can look at a quarterback evading pressure, throwing a perfect ball, only for it to be dropped–yet still rewarding the QB for his excellent play.

by HenryDawg on Feb 8, 2012 12:27 PM EST up reply actions

I like the idea of what PFF tries to do with their rankings, I don’t know if I always agree with them on their more subjective evaluations, and I don’t know how reliable we can trust them to be when they have to do all of this stuff in a relatively short time frame for every single team in the league.

With that said, these types of key plays are exactly the ones that could keep us in the games we haven’t been in and could help us win close games that we lost. Whether it is a new QB or Colt McCoy finally showing some improvement in year 2 of the WCO, here’s hoping we find a way to make them.

"Statistics are like bikinis. What they reveal is suggestive, but what they conceal is vital." - Aaron Levenstein

by rufio on Feb 7, 2012 10:48 PM EST reply actions

The question it would seem they should be obligated to answer is their definition of pressure. A pocket collapsing but one in which a QB can still step into their throw is one thing; uncovered blitzes is another, etc. Regardless, I always enjoy the detail they put into their analyses and gobble up these links when posted here.

I’d be curious what sort of variables they’d put into a points off of turnovers grading. Admittedly, our defense wasn’t a turnover machine this year but looking back on the season my very unscientific memory thinks that the Browns rarely made the opponents pay when we did get a turnover. At those points in a game it’s time for all 11 on offense to step it up, especially the QB, seize momentum and perform “under pressure.”

by Mal Reynolds on Feb 8, 2012 12:44 AM EST reply actions