 
|
NFL Quarterback Passing Ratings
|
|
The NFL rates its passers for statistical purposes against a fixed performance standard based on statistical achievements of all qualified pro passers since 1960. The current system was adopted in 1973, largely to provide a means of comparing passing performances from one season to the next.
There are four categories used in compiling a rating:
The average standard is 1.000. The bottom is .000. To earn a 2.000 rating, a passer must perform at exceptional levels, i.e., 70 percent in completions, 10 percent in touchdowns, 1.5 percent in interceptions, and 11 yards average gain per pass attempt. The maximum a passer can receive in any category is 2.375.
As an example, to gain a 2.375 in completion percentage, a passer would have to complete 77.5 percent of his passes. The NFL record is 70.55 by Ken Anderson (Cincinnati, 1982). To earn a 2.375 in percentage of touchdowns, a passer would have to achieve a percentage of 11.9. The record is 13.9 by Sid Luckman (Chicago, 1943). To gain 2.375 in percentage of interceptions, a passer would have to go the entire season without an interception. The 2.375 figure in average yards is 12.50, compared with the NFL record of 11.17 by Tommy O'Connell (Cleveland, 1957).
Finally, in order to make the rating more understandable, the point rating is converted into a scale of 100. For instance, if a passer completes 11 of 23 passes for 114 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions, the four components would be:
Percentage of Completions—11 of 23 is 47.8 percent. The point rating is 0.890.
Percentage of Touchdown Passes—1 touchdown in 23 attempts works out to 4.3 percent for a rating of 0.860.
Percentage of Interceptions—You can't do better than zero, so the passer receives a maximum rating of 2.375.
Average Yards Gained per attempt—114 yards divided by 23 attempts equals 4.96 yards per attempt for a corresponding rating of 0.490.
The sum of the four components is 4.615, which converts to a rating of 76.9. In order for a passer to achieve a rating of 100, his points would have to total 6.000. In rare cases, when statistical performance has been superior, it is possible to surpass 100.
Source: ESPN.com
