Mayfield powered the Browns resurgence in 2018.
In 2017, the Colts averaged 5.06 ANY/A, 25th-best in the NFL, with Andrew Luck missing the season due to injury. Last year, with a healthy Luck, Indianapolis finished 10th in ANY/A with a 6.90 average.
In 2017, the Packers finished 30th in ANY/A with a 4.66 average as Aaron Rodgers missed over half of the season due to injury; last year, with Rodgers back, Green Bay averaged 6.58 ANY/A, 13th-best in the league.
But the biggest jump from ’17 to ’18 came from the Cleveland Browns. After adding Baker Mayfield, the Browns jumped from last in ANY/A at 3.63 to 17th with a 6.25 average.
Yesterday, I looked at the teams that saw the biggest year-over-year declines in passing efficiency. Today, the opposite: which teams made the biggest ANY/A improvement each year? That’s what is shown in the table below. For example, in 2017, the Rams made the biggest jump in ANY/A. The year before, the Rams averaged 3.98 ANY/A, worst in the league, behind mostly Case Keenum (although a rookie Jared Goff was miserable as a starter in 7 games). The next year, Los Angeles averaged 7.47 ANY/A 4th-best in the league, as Goff made an enormous leap.
| Year | Team | N-1 ANY/A | N-1 Rk | Yr N-1 QB | Yr N ANY/A | Yr N Rk | Yr N QB | ANY/A Diff |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | CLE | 3.63 | 32 | DeShone Kizer (83%) | 6.25 | 17 | Baker Mayfield (85%) | 2.61 |
| 2017 | LAR | 3.98 | 32 | Case Keenum (60%) | 7.47 | 4 | Jared Goff (92%) | 3.48 |
| 2016 | ATL | 6.18 | 17 | Matt Ryan (99%) | 9.01 | 1 | Matt Ryan (99%) | 2.83 |
| 2015 | JAX | 3.97 | 32 | Blake Bortles (85%) | 6.08 | 19 | Blake Bortles (100%) | 2.11 |
| 2014 | NYG | 4.35 | 31 | Eli Manning (97%) | 6.66 | 11 | Eli Manning (99%) | 2.31 |
| 2013 | PHI | 5.22 | 24 | Michael Vick (57%) | 7.84 | 2 | Nick Foles (62%) | 2.62 |
| 2012 | DEN | 4.77 | 24 | Tim Tebow (63%) | 7.85 | 1 | Peyton Manning (99%) | 3.07 |
| 2011 | CAR | 2.85 | 32 | Jimmy Clausen (62%) | 6.29 | 11 | Cam Newton (100%) | 3.43 |
| 2010 | TAM | 3.64 | 29 | Josh Freeman (55%) | 6.89 | 5 | Josh Freeman (96%) | 3.25 |
| 2009 | MIN | 5.32 | 20 | Gus Frerotte (67%) | 7.7 | 3 | Brett Favre (96%) | 2.39 |
| 2008 | MIA | 4.25 | 28 | Cleo Lemon (55%) | 7.19 | 3 | Chad Pennington (97%) | 2.94 |
| 2007 | NWE | 6.04 | 9 | Tom Brady (98%) | 8.77 | 1 | Tom Brady (99%) | 2.73 |
| 2006 | NOR | 4.31 | 24 | Aaron Brooks (78%) | 7.39 | 3 | Drew Brees (96%) | 3.08 |
| 2005 | WAS | 4.03 | 30 | Patrick Ramsey (53%) | 6.08 | 10 | Mark Brunell (94%) | 2.04 |
| 2004 | SDG | 4.67 | 22 | Drew Brees (68%) | 7.59 | 3 | Drew Brees (89%) | 2.93 |
| 2003 | MIN | 4.99 | 24 | Daunte Culpepper (98%) | 7.13 | 3 | Daunte Culpepper (87%) | 2.14 |
| 2002 | KAN | 5.16 | 15 | Trent Green (99%) | 7.11 | 1 | Trent Green (99%) | 1.95 |
| 2001 | GNB | 5.33 | 13 | Brett Favre (97%) | 7.02 | 2 | Brett Favre (100%) | 1.69 |
| 2000 | SFO | 4.56 | 23 | Jeff Garcia (67%) | 7.28 | 2 | Jeff Garcia (96%) | 2.72 |
| 1999 | STL | 4.17 | 25 | Tony Banks (73%) | 8.02 | 1 | Kurt Warner (94%) | 3.85 |
| 1998 | BUF | 3.43 | 29 | Todd Collins (72%) | 6.59 | 7 | Doug Flutie (77%) | 3.16 |
| 1997 | OAK | 4.81 | 17 | Jeff Hostetler (75%) | 6.21 | 6 | Jeff George (98%) | 1.39 |
| 1996 | CAR | 3.9 | 27 | Kerry Collins (81%) | 5.79 | 6 | Kerry Collins (75%) | 1.89 |
| 1995 | CHI | 5.22 | 16 | Steve Walsh (68%) | 7.2 | 1 | Erik Kramer (100%) | 1.98 |
| 1994 | CHI | 3.35 | 27 | Jim Harbaugh (84%) | 5.22 | 16 | Steve Walsh (68%) | 1.87 |
| 1993 | DEN | 3.7 | 24 | John Elway (67%) | 6.52 | 4 | John Elway (100%) | 2.81 |
| 1992 | TAM | 2.77 | 28 | Vinny Testaverde (66%) | 4.51 | 19 | Vinny Testaverde (70%) | 1.73 |
| 1991 | WAS | 5.25 | 12 | Mark Rypien (57%) | 8.33 | 1 | Mark Rypien (94%) | 3.08 |
| 1990 | KAN | 4.98 | 14 | Steve DeBerg (74%) | 7.44 | 1 | Steve DeBerg (99%) | 2.45 |
| 1989 | SFO | 5.77 | 6 | Joe Montana (79%) | 8.54 | 1 | Joe Montana (80%) | 2.77 |
| 1988 | CIN | 5.23 | 10 | Boomer Esiason (93%) | 7.77 | 1 | Boomer Esiason (99%) | 2.53 |
| 1987 | NOR | 3.99 | 22 | Dave Wilson (80%) | 6.12 | 4 | Bobby Hebert (72%) | 2.13 |
| 1986 | MIN | 4.46 | 18 | Tommy Kramer (88%) | 6.85 | 2 | Tommy Kramer (72%) | 2.39 |
| 1985 | NYJ | 4.47 | 19 | Pat Ryan (58%) | 6.66 | 2 | Ken O'Brien (98%) | 2.19 |
| 1984 | MIA | 6.69 | 3 | Dan Marino (67%) | 8.85 | 1 | Dan Marino (99%) | 2.17 |
| 1983 | MIA | 3.57 | 23 | David Woodley (75%) | 6.69 | 3 | Dan Marino (67%) | 3.12 |
| 1982 | RAM | 2.69 | 28 | Pat Haden (56%) | 5.09 | 11 | Vince Ferragamo (70%) | 2.4 |
| 1981 | CIN | 3.71 | 24 | Ken Anderson (54%) | 6.93 | 2 | Ken Anderson (87%) | 3.22 |
| 1980 | DET | 2.79 | 26 | Jeff Komlo (81%) | 5.69 | 8 | Gary Danielson (99%) | 2.9 |
| 1979 | SFO | 1.08 | 28 | Steve DeBerg (69%) | 4.94 | 11 | Steve DeBerg (96%) | 3.86 |
| 1978 | NOR | 2.42 | 24 | Archie Manning (64%) | 5.37 | 3 | Archie Manning (98%) | 2.95 |
| 1977 | NYJ | 1.11 | 28 | Joe Namath (59%) | 2.82 | 21 | Richard Todd (74%) | 1.71 |
| 1976 | OAK | 4.02 | 14 | Ken Stabler (84%) | 7.08 | 2 | Ken Stabler (81%) | 3.06 |
| 1975 | BAL | 2.37 | 23 | Bert Jones (64%) | 5.87 | 2 | Bert Jones (97%) | 3.5 |
| 1974 | SDG | 1.6 | 26 | Dan Fouts (53%) | 4.18 | 13 | Dan Fouts (68%) | 2.58 |
| 1973 | RAM | 3.66 | 18 | Roman Gabriel (87%) | 6.69 | 1 | John Hadl (95%) | 3.03 |
| 1972 | NYJ | 3.19 | 18 | Bob Davis (44%) | 6.06 | 4 | Joe Namath (93%) | 2.88 |
| 1971 | NWE | 1.07 | 26 | Joe Kapp (56%) | 4.23 | 11 | Jim Plunkett (99%) | 3.15 |
| 1970 | SFO | 4.64 | 11 | John Brodie (70%) | 7.6 | 1 | John Brodie (99%) | 2.96 |
In 1993, the Bears finished 2nd to last (behind Washington) in ANY/A at 3.35, with Jim Harbaugh struggling at quarterback. In 1994, with Steve Walsh at quarterback, Chicago finished 17th in ANY/A with the biggest improvement (+1.87 ANY/A) in the league at that metric. And then in 1995, with Erik Kramer , Chicago jumped another 1.98 ANY/A; not only was that the biggest jump from ’94 to ’95, it also made the Bears the top passing team of 1995. In a span of two years, the Bears went from averaging 3.3 ANY/A to 7.2 ANY/A, increased their touchdowns from 7 to 29 and their average completion from 9.9 yards to 12.2 yards, while seeing their interceptions call from 16 to 10 and sacks drop from 48 to 15.
That’s one of two times a team had the biggest ANY/A improvement in back to back years. The other time involved Dan Marino and the Miami Dolphins; Miami made a huge jump going from not Marino to a rookie Marino in ’83, and then another big jump going from rookie Marino to HOF Marino in ’83.
What stands out to you?