‘Six Stats’ you might not know about… Scott Tolzien’s debut as Packers starting QB
Scott Tolzien (Photo credit: eytonz)
When former University of Wisconsin quarterback Scott Tolzien started at QB for the Packers last Sunday against the New York Giants, he became the 25th different QB to make his debut as starting QB for the Packers since 1960. Tolzien was only the fifth QB to make his debut as the Pack’s starting signal-caller since 1992 (Seneca Wallace, Aaron Rodgers, Matt Flynn and Brett Favre). From 1960 to 1991, 20 different QBs made their debut as the starting QB for the Packers. This was the first year since 1990 that two or more players made their debut as a starting QB for the Packers. In 1990, Anthony Dilweg and Blair Kiel both made their first starts at QB for Green Bay.
Here’s a look at six stats from Tolzien’s debut and how it matches up against the other 24 starters.
1. Since 1960, when the Pack has started a new QB, the team has won 12, lost 12 and tied one. Tolzien and Wallace both lost their starts this season; Rodgers won his first Packers start in 2008, making his the last Packers QB to make his debut as a starter in a winning contest. The starting QBs who won their Packers debut: Rodgers (2008), Favre (1992), Dilweg (1990), Alan Risher (1987), Randy Wright (1984), Randy Johnson (1976), John Hadl (1974), Jerry Tagge (1973), Scott Hunter (1971), Don Horn (1969), Zeke Bratkowski (1964), John Roach (1963). Those players who lost their first start as the Packers’ QB: Tolzien (2013), Wallace (2013), Matt Flynn (2010), Mike Tomczak (1991), Kiel (1990), Jim Zorn (1985), David Whitehurst (1977), Lynn Dickey (1976), Carlos Brown (1976), Don Milan (1975), Jack Concannon (1974), Jim Del Gaizo (1973). Don Majkowski started his first Packers game in 1987; that game ended in a tie.
2. Tolzien’s 24 completions against the Giants is tied for the most completions by a Packers QB making his starting debut. Flynn had 24 completions in his first start in 2010 against New England. The most pass attempts by a player making his debut as Packers starting QB was Tomczak in 1991 when he threw 40 passes in his first starting assignment for the Pack.
3. Tolzien became the fourth QB to have a completion rate over 70% in his Packers starting debut. The others were Wallace (100%… he was 5-for-5 before he was injured in his first start for the Packers), Rodgers (81.8%; he was 18-for-22 in his debut as a starter) and Favre (he completed 73.7% of his passes in his first start for Green Bay).
4. Tolzien became the first QB for the Packers to throw for over 300 passing yards in his first start for the team. He had 339 yards passing in his starting debut against the Giants. Tomczak with 271 yards and Flynn with 251 yards are the only other Packers QBs to have over 250 yards passing in their first start with the team.
5. Tolzien became the fourth Packers QB to throw three interceptions in his starting debut. The others: Whitehurst, Brown and Horn. Flynn and Dilweg are the only Packers QBs to have three TD passes in their debut as a starting QB with the Pack.
6. Tolzien had a Passer Rating of 65.7 in his starting debut. Only four Packers QBs had a Passer Rating over 100 in their first start at QB for the team: Favre (144.6), Dilweg (117.7), Rodgers (115.5) and Flynn (100.2). Three QBs had a Passer Rating under 20 in their starting debut for the Packers: Hunter (11.9), Brown (12.8) and Horn (18.5).
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Seneca Wallace joins short list of Green Bay Packers starting QBs
Two of the four starting quarterbacks of the Green Bay Packers since 1992: Don Majkowski and Brett Favre (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
With the injury to Aaron Rodgers, the Packers will look to Seneca Wallace to start behind center in their game this week against the Philadelphia Eagles. Wallace will become only the fifth player to start at QB for the Packers since 1992. It was that year that Brett Favre replaced Don Majkowski at QB and then went on to start 253 games for the Pack. In addition to Majkowski, Favre, Rodgers and Wallace (this week), the only other player to start a game at QB for the Packers since 1992 was Matt Flynn.
Since 1992, Packers quarterbacks have thrown 12,103 passes. Favre and Rodgers threw 11,670 of those passes, an amazing 96.4 percentage of the Packers pass attempts.
Speaking of pass attempts by Green Bay quarterbacks, here’s a little quiz. Since 1992, 11 quarterbacks have attempted 10 or more passes for the Packers. Can you name the 11? (Answer at the end of the column.)
While the Pack has started only four different QBs since 1992 (soon to become five), 10 NFL teams have started 20 or more different QBs in that same timeframe. Heading the list are the Bears and Browns, each with 26.
Here’s another trivia question: Since 1992, only two teams have had two players start at quarterback for their team in 100 or more games. Can you name those two teams?
Number of different quarterbacks started by each NFL team since 1992 (through Week #9 of the 2013 season)
26: Chicago, Cleveland
24: Arizona, Oakland
23: Washington
22: Miami
21: New York Jets, St. Louis
20: Detroit, Minnesota
18: Tampa Bay
17: Atlanta, Dallas, Denver, New Orleans, Philadelphia
16 Baltimore (joined league in 1996), Buffalo, San Francisco, Seattle, Tennessee
15: Jacksonville, Kansas City
14: Carolina (joined league in 1995), Cincinnati, Indianapolis, San Diego
11: Pittsburgh
9: New York Giants
8: Houston (joined league in 2002), New England
4: Green Bay
Quiz answer: The 11 quarterbacks who attempted 10 or more passes for the Packers since 1992 are: Favre (8754), Rodgers (2916), Flynn (132), Doug Pederson (77), Majkowski (55), Craig Noll (48), Matt Hasselbeck (29), Mark Brunell (27), Ty Detmer (21), Seneca Wallace (19) and Steve Bono (10).
Quiz answer #2: The only two teams to have two different players start at QB for 100 or more of their games since 1992 are Dallas (Troy Aikman, 127 and Tony Romo, 102) and the New England Patriots (Tom Brady, 170 and Drew Bledsoe, 123).
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Aaron Rodgers to Jordy Nelson: NFL’s ‘big play’ combo
Sports Stats ‘on Tapp’ is a sports statistics blog published with a focus on stats that go beyond the numbers.
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The big play in Green Bay‘s 19-17 win over the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday was a 64-yard TD pass from Aaron Rodgers to Jordy Nelson late in the third quarter that put the Packers ahead 16-3. The Rodgers-to-Nelson combination has become one of the best (if not the best) big play combos in the NFL… and we have numerical proof.
For the sake of this article, let’s define a “big play” as a run or pass from scrimmage that goes for 30 or more yards. Looking at this season, there have been 282 “big plays” through the first six weeks of the season. Over 84% of those big plays (238) have been passes; 44 have been runs of 30-plus yards.
The Philadelphia Eagles lead the NFL this season with the most big plays with 20. The Packers are a close second with 19 (more on team big plays in a moment). But let’s get back to Rodgers and Nelson.
If we look at which players have been involved in the most big plays this year, Rodgers and Nelson top the list. Rodgers leads all QBs with 15 big play passes. Nelson tops receivers with seven big play receptions.
Here’s a look at the top four players in three different offensive categories for big plays (plays of 30-plus yards).
Quarterbacks
1. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay, 15
2. Joe Flacco, Baltimore, 12
3. Jay Cutler, Chicago, 12
4. Peyton Manning, Denver, 11
Receivers
1. Jordy Nelson, Green Bay, 7
2. DeSean Jackson, Philadelphia, 5
3. Alshon Jeffery, Chicago, 5
4. Josh Gordon, Cleveland, 5
Runners
1. Adrian Peterson, Minnesota, 4
2. Alfred Morris, Washington, 4
3. Michael Vick, Philadelphia, 3
4. LeSean McCoy, Philadelphia, 3
With Vick, Jackson and McCoy as big play threats, it’s no surprise that the Eagles are leading the league so far in most big plays with 20. Following are the number of big plays from each team this season.
20: Philadelphia
19: Green Bay
15: Chicago
12: Cleveland, Denver, Baltimore
10: Minnesota, New Orleans, New York Jets, Pittsburgh, San Francisco
9: Buffalo, Miami, New England
8: Cincinnati, Dallas, Detroit, Tennessee, San Diego, Seattle
7: Atlanta, Indianapolis, New York Giants, Oakland
6: Houston, Washington
5: Jacksonville, St. Louis, Tampa Bay
4: Arizona, Carolina, Kansas City
Note: In last week’s games we had 46 “big plays” of 30-plus yards. The Packers had the most with five, followed by the Ravens, Eagles and Browns with four.
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99 Stats Until Kickoff: (#27) Aaron Rodgers 50-plus sacks can’t stop him from another 100+ Passer Rating Season
From May 30 and every day until September 5… the start of the 2013 NFL season… Sports Stats ‘on Tapp’ will publish “99 Stats Until Kickoff” a daily dose of NFL stats that will get you ready for the 2013 NFL season.)
(Photo credit: elviskennedy)
As the Green Bay Packers starting QB the past five seasons, Aaron Rodgers has definitely set a standard that will be hard to duplicate when he hangs up his #12 uniform. Whether it’s TD passes, a career passer rating over 100, or a 52-26 regular season record as the Packers starting QB, Rodgers has put some eye-opening numbers on his professional football resume.
Here’s another one to consider: Rodgers this year became the first QB in NFL history to have two seasons where he was sacked 50-plus times but compiled a passer rating of 100 or more in that season. This year Rodgers was sacked 51 times and had a passer rating of 108. In 2009, Rodgers was sacked 50 times yet still had a season passer rating of 103.2.
Nine times there have been NFL quarterbacks who were sacked 50 or more times in a season yet the QB was able to compile a passer rating of 90 or above. With his 108 passer rating this year with 51 sacks, Rodgers now has the highest season passer rating of any NFL QB with 50-plus sacks.
Here’s a look at the QBs who have had a passer rating of 90 or above in a season when they were sacked 50-plus times.
Quarterback, season, passer rating (sacks)
1. Aaron Rodgers, 2012, 108 (51)
2. Aaron Rodgers, 2009, 103.2 (50)
3. Ben Roethlisberger, 2009, 100.5 (50)
4. Steve Bartkowski, 1983, 97.6 (51)
5. Ken O’Brien, 1985, 96.2 (62)
6. Steve Beuerlein, 1999, 94.6 (50)
7. Tony Eason, 1984, 93.4 (59)
8. Jeff George, 1997, 91.2 (58)
9. Craig Morton, 1981, 90.5 (54)
Rodgers this season became the 13th QB in NFL history to get sacked 50 or more times in two or more seasons. Here are those 13 QBs:
50-plus sack seasons, QBs
4: Randall Cunningham
3: Mark Brunell, Ken O’Brien, Phil Simms
2: Steve Beuerlein, Drew Bledsoe, David Carr, Tim Couch, Jeff George, Jon Kitna, Dave Krieg, Neil Lomax, Aaron Rodgers
Did you know:
* Rodgers was the only QB to get sacked 50 or more times this season. No QB was sacked 50-plus times last year. The only QB to get sacked 50-plus times in 2010 was Jay Cutler of the Bears who was sacked 52 times.
* David Carr holds the NFL record with 76 sacks in 2002 when he was the Houston QB.
* Rodgers’ 39 touchdown passes this season is the most by a QB who was sacked 50 or more times in a season. The previous high was 36 by Steve Beuerlein in 1999.
* Rodgers’ 67.2 percent pass completion rate this season is the highest of any QB who was sacked 50 or more times in a season. The previous high was 66.6 percent by Ben Roethlisberger in 2009.
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