The Read Optional ROPE Index — Week 16
The Read Optional ROPE Index is our in-house statistical passing efficiency metric, analyzing the performance of the NFL quarterbacks. Based loosely on the passer rating formula, I have taken it further by analyzing data that looks at the receiving and blocking parts of the offense to give a more rounded view of the passing offense. In total there are six metrics that are measured to give a ROPE Index score for a quarterback; completion percentage, yards per attempt, yards per completion, touchdown percentage, interception percentage and adjusted sack rate. For a full breakdown of the way the ROPE Index is put together, including the thresholds for achieving a ‘perfect’ game, you can find my original post explaining it here.
With one week to go of the regular season, Matt Ryan retains top spot in the rankings with a 68.2% grade as the Falcons won in Carolina, their third straight win. Tom Brady recovered from his worst grade of the season in week 15 to post a 72.7% grade in beating the Jets but will need a near perfect passing performance alongside a regression from Ryan in week 17 to finish on top of the rankings.
Dak Prescott has the top ROPE grade of week 16 with an 87.9% grade, his second highest grade of 2016. His second touchdown pass to Dez Bryant was one of the prettiest throws you will see all year. Poor Jared Goff retains last place in the rankings and outdid himself in week 16 with a 6.1% showing against the 49ers, his worst and the joint second worst score of the entire season. His 25.3% overall rating is 6% worse than any other quarterback and 9% worse than any other quarterback to start at least six games (Blaine Gabbert).
With the regular season nearly complete and looking ahead to the post-season, here are the top 10 rated quarterbacks over the last four weeks.
NameTeamGamesComp %YPAYPCTD %INT %Adj Sack %ROPE %1Matt RyanATL471.2%9.313.16.8%0.8%7.1%72.3%2Aaron RodgersGB469.7%8.612.47.4%0.0%7.6%70.8%3Andrew LuckIND466.2%8.412.77.7%3.1%1.5%69.3%4Matt MooreMIA258.3%9.816.812.5%4.2%2.0%64.4%5Tom BradyNE463.6%7.511.84.9%0.7%2.7%60.6%6Kirk CousinsWAS463.4%8.112.83.0%2.2%3.6%59.8%7Alex SmithKC467.8%8.212.12.6%2.6%2.5%58.7%8Sam BradfordMIN471.3%7.19.92.9%0.6%6.0%58.7%9Ben RoethlisbergerPIT463.2%7.912.54.4%4.4%2.2%57.2%10Matt BarkleyCHI463.9%8.212.83.8%6.0%2.9%56.8%
A minor footnote that RGIII has qualified for the ROPE Index as he has now attempted over 100 passes on the season. Sadly for him he’s ended up in the concussion protocol because he was smashed to bits by the Chargers and sacked seven times so he’s almost certain not to be able to improve his position as the 36th ranked quarterback.
ROPE Index — Season to Date — Min 100 pass attempts
RankNameTeamGamesComp %YPAYPCTD %INT %Adj Sack %ROPE %LW Rank1Matt RyanATL1569.5%9.313.36.8%1.4%6.7%69.1%12Tom BradyNE1166.7%8.212.36.3%0.5%3.6%68.0%23Dak PrescottDAL1568.1%8.011.85.1%0.9%5.3%65.4%34Drew BreesNO1570.9%7.811.05.6%2.2%3.9%63.4%45Kirk CousinsWAS1567.3%8.112.14.2%1.8%3.2%63.0%56Aaron RodgersGB1565.5%7.211.06.3%1.2%5.6%58.9%97Ben RoethlisbergerPIT1464.4%7.511.65.7%2.6%3.2%58.9%88Brian HoyerCHI667.0%7.210.83.0%0.0%1.5%58.6%79Derek CarrOAK1563.7%7.011.05.0%1.1%3.0%57.9%1010Marcus MariotaTEN1561.2%7.612.45.8%2.0%5.1%57.4%611Ryan TannehillMIA1367.1%7.711.54.9%3.1%6.9%56.6%1112Andrew LuckIND1463.8%7.812.25.7%2.4%6.8%56.4%1213Russell WilsonSEA1565.0%7.711.93.9%2.1%7.2%55.9%1314Sam BradfordMIN1471.3%7.09.83.3%0.8%6.7%55.4%1415Alex SmithKC1466.6%7.010.52.8%1.5%5.5%54.0%1616Philip RiversSD1560.6%7.612.65.7%3.5%6.3%53.6%1717Matthew StaffordDET1565.5%7.211.04.0%1.6%6.0%53.0%1518Andy DaltonCIN1564.7%7.411.53.2%1.5%7.0%53.0%1819Jameis WinstonTB1561.0%7.312.05.1%3.2%5.8%51.9%1920Eli ManningNYG1563.0%6.710.74.6%2.8%3.4%49.8%2021Cody KesslerCLE765.8%7.110.82.7%1.1%9.4%49.4%2222Carson PalmerARI1461.6%7.111.54.1%2.3%6.5%49.0%2523Trevor SiemianDEN1259.1%6.911.73.3%2.0%5.8%48.6%2124Matt BarkleyCHI658.9%7.412.54.0%5.9%2.4%48.2%2425Tyrod TaylorBUF1561.8%6.911.23.9%1.4%8.8%48.1%2726Joe FlaccoBAL1564.9%6.510.03.2%2.2%4.4%47.9%2327Cam NewtonCAR1452.7%6.813.03.8%2.3%6.5%45.3%2628Colin KaepernickSF958.4%6.611.44.9%1.3%7.9%44.3%3129Jay CutlerCHI559.1%7.713.12.9%3.6%11.0%44.2%2830Carson WentzPHI1562.4%6.310.02.5%2.5%5.2%43.9%2931Case KeenumLA961.0%6.911.42.9%3.5%6.8%43.8%3032Ryan FitzpatrickNYJ1355.9%6.712.02.7%4.5%4.6%42.0%3233Blake BortlesJAX1558.5%6.210.53.8%2.7%5.2%39.7%3334Brock OsweilerHOU1459.6%5.89.73.0%3.4%4.9%37.9%3435Blaine GabbertSF656.9%5.810.23.1%3.8%6.4%34.3%3536Robert GriffinCLE454.2%6.111.30.0%1.9%14.4%32.6%-37Josh McCownCLE554.5%6.712.23.6%3.6%9.8%32.1%3638Bryce PettyNYJ457.0%6.210.82.3%4.7%7.9%31.8%3739Jared GoffLA653.5%5.29.82.7%3.8%9.3%25.3%38
Look for my weekly RODS rankings on thereadoptional.com, ranking the 32 NFL teams based on our in-house advanced metrics and my ROPED Rankings, looking at the best pass defences.
