NFL 2014: QBs Off to Historically Efficient Start
NFL 2014: QBs Off to Historically Efficient Start

 

2013 was considered by many to be the "Year of the Quarterback." 2014 is off to a good start as well.

Through Week 3, the league-wide passer rating is 90.6, on pace to be the highest of any season in NFL history. The mark is also the highest of any NFL season through three weeks.

 

The NFL seasons with the highest league-wide passer rating:

Through Week 3 Full Season
Season Passer Rating Season Passer Rating
Source: NFL
201490.6201386.0
201188.2201285.6
201387.7201184.3
201287.6201084.1
200786.3200883.2

 

NFL quarterbacks have been particularly effective at avoiding interceptions in 2014, which has helped fuel the record passer rating.

Through Week 3, the league-wide interception percentage is 2.15 percent, the lowest ever at this point in a season and on pace to be the best mark in NFL history for a full year.

"It's huge to not have negative plays -- especially in the passing game," says Cincinnati quarterback Andy Dalton, who has led the Bengals to a 3-0 start and thrown just one interception in 84 attempts in 2014. "Not giving the other team the ball, it's been a thing we've really prided ourselves on. That's one of our top goals."

 

The NFL seasons with the lowest league-wide interception percentage:

Through Week 3 Full Season
Season INT Pct Season INT Pct
Source: NFL
20142.1520122.63
20132.5520132.77
20122.5820082.81
20082.6320112.91
19972.6820102.96

Teams that avoid interceptions have translated that efficiency into wins. In Week 2 of this season, 15 of the 16 winning teams threw no interceptions, tied for most such games of any week in NFL history (Week 13, 2011).

Since realignment in 2002, NFL teams have a record of 1,705-730-6 (.700) in games in which they threw no interceptions.

"It's all about the number of possessions," says NFL Network analyst and former head coach STEVE MARIUCCI about the importance of avoiding interceptions. "It's about possession time, clock time and the number of chances to score points. If you give the ball away three times a game, that's three opportunities out of 12 or 13 that you don't have a chance to score. Plus, you're providing the other team with a short field."

 

The NFL teams with the most games with no interceptions since 2002:

Team Games with 0 INTs W-L-T Pct.
Source: NFL
New England10190-11-0.891
Jacksonville9356-37-0.602
Philadelphia8964-25-0.719
Indianapolis8874-14-0.841
Kansas City8752-35-0.598
San Diego8465-19-0.774
San Francisco8465-18-1.780
Baltimore8269-13-0.841
Denver8163-18-0.778
Tennessee8162-19-0.765

 

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NFL 2014 - QBs Off to Historically Efficient Start