Total QBR - Brian

ESPN has dedicated this year as the Year of the Quarterback, taking a deeper look at the most important position in football - the quarterback.

Along with their deeper analysis of this position, ESPN created the Total Quarterback Rating, or QBR, which throws out the Passer Rating and ushers in a new formula that takes into consideration more factors than just visual stats.

My only question - what took so long?

I have always had a problem with passer rating, as it only takes into consideration yards, completions, attempts, touchdowns, and interceptions. How does that tell the whole story of a QB's success?

If you have ever had the pleasure of listening to me talk endlessly about sports, then you have probably heard me argue for a stat that tracks wide receiver interceptions. I always hated that if a WR dropped a pass or it went through his hands and was intercepted, it still counted against the QB. How does that make sense?

Well now the QBR takes that into account. Thank goodness.

It also analyzes a QB's performance in certain situations. Did the QB throw a touchdown during garbage time, or was it a game winning or game sealing throw? Passer rating just counted a TD as a TD, regardless of how or when it happened. QBR gives more credit to clutch QB's stats than to a QB getting stats during a blowout.

As a stat nerd like myself, I find this all really exciting and much more useful. Interestingly enough, apparently an elite QB in an elite QB regardless of the rating system, as stalwarts such as Peyton Manning and Tom Brady remain at the top of the QBR, just as they did with passer rating.

Kudos to ESPN for spending the time and effort to create a more effective rating, and you can bet I will be using this stat a lot in blogs to come.