YAC

[t96]

I want to preface this by saying that I don't typically like to use stats to make arguments since they can be handpicked to fit pretty much any argument you want. So much goes into plays and this is an entire team game so looking at an individual's stats doesn't even tell part of the story. Things like Cam changing protections, making an audible, throwing a perfect deep ball to Ginn only to be dropped, tossing a TD pass that goes off of the receiver's hands and into the defenders for an INT, etc. don't show up on his stats sheet but are things that QBs that may have comparable stats can't do and will never be able to do. Going by the eye test and watching the plays through this year by the different candidates, Cam should hands down be MVP even though the stats may not suggest it. He's been better and more important to our success (as the best team in the league by 2 games) than any other player in the league including the other candidates for MVP: Brady, Dalton and Palmer. That being said I found these YAC stats to be interesting and worth posting.

 

I'll start by just posting the stats for YAC:

Carolina Panthers:

Greg Olsen ranks 32nd in the league with 265 YAC and 4.3 YAC/reception

Jerricho Cotchery: 138th in the league with 128 YAC and 4.7 YAC/reception

Ted Ginn Jr: 144th in the league with 122 YAC and 3.5 YAC/reception

Mike Tolbert: 162nd in the league with 100 YAC and 7.7 YAC/reception

Fozzy Whittaker: 193rd in the league with 77 YAC and 11.0 YAC/reception

Jonathan Stewart: 211th in the league with 65 YAC and 4.3 YAC/reception

Devin Funchess: 258th in the league with 43 YAC and 2.3 YAC/reception

***Corey Brown: 300th in the league with 26 YAC and 1.4 YAC/reception

***last in the league among qualified receivers

 

Team Total: 826 YAC

 

New England Patriots:

Rob Gronkowski: 3rd in the league with 445 YAC and 7.8 YAC/reception

Dion Lewis: 17th in the league with 337 YAC and 9.4 YAC/reception

Julian Edelman: 19th in the league with 325 YAC and 5.3 YAC/reception

Danny Amendola: 58th in the league with 218 YAC and 3.9 YAC/reception

Donald LaFell: 129th in the league with 134 YAC and 5.4 YAC/reception

James White: 169th in the league with 95 YAC and 4.3 YAC/reception

Scott Chandler: 239th in the league with 54 YAC and 2.3 YAC/reception

Aaron Dobson: 276th with 38 YAC and 2.9 YAC/reception

LeGarrette Blount: 282nd in the league with 34 YAC and 5.7 YAC/reception

 

Team Total: 1680 YAC

 

YAC is typically a pretty good indicator of how good a player is with the ball in their hands and whether they can make a guy/guys miss and make plays in open space. That being said, things like scheme and ball placement by the QB definitely can factor into YAC so that's why I don't love stats, but still interesting.

Once I get some more time I'll post the Cardinals and Bengals stats as well but for now the two front runners for MVP... Brady has over twice as much YAC from his receivers as Cam, even with many of those shifty receivers who make plays with the ball in their hands being out recently. Cam has ONE player in the top 137, only Olsen. One of his starting receivers is LAST, the other being 144th. Brady has 3 better than our best in YAC and 5 better than our 2nd best and both of our starting WRs... Take away YAC and Cam has 1,971 passing yards and Brady has 2,232 passing yards, much closer #s. I'm not saying Brady's receivers are doing the work for him, but they've definitely contributed more in play making with the ball in their hands than Cam's receivers have. Edelman and Lewis are easily two of the best YAC guys in the league, though they are now hurt, and Gronk is arguably the best offensive skill player (not incl. QB) in the league. And Amendola, LaFell are better than all of our guys except for Olsen for YAC. Just something I thought was interesting, and exactly what I see when I watch both Cam and Brady play and how their receivers play. Cam should MVP without debate at the three quarters mark.

[Datawire]

I have also noticed this. Kelvin had the same issues last season before Cam got better on the over throwing. Kelvin had to jump catch the ball and then went down. I was very frustrated by it last season.

[kornicova]

Cam's accuracy could also be a part of the lack of YAC. Cam is not the most accurate passer in the league and sometimes the receiver has to adjust their route in order to catch the ball which limits their ability to turn up the field.

[GoobyPls]

I've been preaching this since last season, our receivers can't get YAC to save their lives.  

[motocross_cat]

For all the things our recivers lack they make up for in seperation.  Every single one does a great job of getting open.  Ill take that in our offense all day.

[*FreeFua*]

Cam's "accuracy" literally has ZERO to do with these guys not getting YAC 

We don't have a WR that can make guys miss with the ball in their hands it's that simple. Which is why I'd like to see us draft a playmaker like Braxton Miller, guy can flat out make people miss

[Davidson Deac II]

It might just be the design of our offense.  With teams showing so much concern about our run game, when one of our guys catches a short pass, a couple of defenders are usually close by.  And when Cam hits one of the long passes, they usually run out of bounds or don't have far to go to the end zone.  But yes, we do seem to struggle sometimes hitting receivers in stride. 

[pantherfan49]

2 minutes ago, *FreeFua* said:

Cam's "accuracy" literally has ZERO to do with these guys not getting YAC 

 

This is just wrong. 

 

Another factor that might hurt Cam is that teams sit back in zone against him, worrying about him taking off and running.   The zone leaves players open, but doesn't leave much for YAC.

[Davidson Deac II]

7 minutes ago, *FreeFua* said:

Cam's "accuracy" literally has ZERO to do with these guys not getting YAC 

We don't have a WR that can make guys miss with the ball in their hands it's that simple. Which is why I'd like to see us draft a playmaker like Braxton Miller, guy can flat out make people miss

Got to disagree with this.  Generally speaking,  a QB's accuracy has a lot to do with YAC.  And Ted Ginn in space might be one of the most dangerous runners in football, when he actually catches it. 

[Datawire]

2 minutes ago, Davidson Deac II said:

Got to disagree with this.  A QB's accuracy has a lot to do with YAC.  And Ted Ginn in space might be one of the most dangerous runners in football, when he actually catches it. 

I have been waiting, hoping, and wanting to see Ginn get a catch and then bust loose with his speed.

[*FreeFua*]

3 minutes ago, Davidson Deac II said:

Got to disagree with this.  Generally speaking,  a QB's accuracy has a lot to do with YAC.  And Ted Ginn in space might be one of the most dangerous runners in football, when he actually catches it. 

Ginn is dangerous when he has a lane due to his speed. Ginn in space with a defender in front isn't all that dangerous. Going back to his OSU days he simply just out ran guys and tried to beat guys to the edge vs going at them. 

 

[Frizzy350]

21 minutes ago, Datawire said:

I have been waiting, hoping, and wanting to see Ginn get a catch and then bust loose with his speed.

Yea... but Cotch is the quick screen guy.  So good luck ever seeing that happen.

[t96]

27 minutes ago, Davidson Deac II said:

Got to disagree with this.  Generally speaking,  a QB's accuracy has a lot to do with YAC.  And Ted Ginn in space might be one of the most dangerous runners in football, when he actually catches it. 

Ginn is fast so if he gets behind the D yes he'll get YAC, but he has never ever been good at "shaking" defenders or making guys miss. Edelman and Lewis catch little short passes around the LoS that any QB can throw and then make 2-3+ guys miss and take it for over 10. And Gronk literally carries guys on his back for 10 yards after he catches it. Accuracy IS absolutely a factor in YAC, but I disagree that it "has a lot to do with it." It's a factor but the skill of the player and the scheme I'd say are by far the two biggest factors.

[w280sax]

I feel like our receivers get open very well.  I rarely feel like cam is throwing into really tight coverage.  (The saints "secondary" may be clouding my memory). 

I also think we don't dink and dunk much at all.  Most of our throws are down the field so the lack of yac isn't stopping us from moving the chains.

I realize the drops are not great and the yac could be better, but I really do believe we have gotten more out of this core than I would have thought possible early in the year.