Previous Passing Stats:
In week 16 of the 1983 season, Lynn Dickey, Ron Jaworski, Joe Theismann, and a rookie John Elway each threw 4 interceptions. Four quarterbacks throwing four interceptions apiece in a single week was unusual even for the early ’80s, and it is downright unheard of now.
Well, I should say *was* unheard of in modern times. Because in week 11, for the first time in 36 years, four quarterbacks threw at least four interceptions. It started on Thursday Night Football, when Mason Rudolph threw four interceptions against the Browns. On Sunday, Jameis Winston had a casual 4-INT game, and Kyle Allen’s recent downward spiral resulted in an ugly 0-TD, 5 sack, 4-INT game against the suddenly dominant Atlanta Falcons defense. Rudolph and Allen were the worst two quarteracks of the week. Finally, last night, Philip Rivers threw four in a loss to the Chiefs, with Daniel Sorensen making a great grab to seal the game and capture the final interception of the week.
It was only two weeks ago when passing offenses had the best interception week ever: teams threw just 12 interceptions on 952 passes, a 1.26% interception rate. This week, there were 29 interceptions thrown on 1038 passes, a 2.79% interception rate.
The full week 11 passing stats below:
| Rk | Quarterback | Tm | Opp | Result | Att | Yds | TD | Int | Sk | Yds | ANY/A | VALUE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dak Prescott | DAL | DET | W 35-27 | 46 | 444 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 10.51 | 235 |
| 2 | Lamar Jackson | BAL | HOU | W 41-7 | 24 | 222 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 11.8 | 157 |
| 3 | Sam Darnold | NYJ | WAS | W 34-17 | 30 | 293 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 144 |
| 4 | Jimmy Garoppolo | SFO | ARI | W 36-26 | 45 | 424 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 16 | 8.47 | 139 |
| 5 | Josh Allen | BUF | MIA | W 37-20 | 33 | 256 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9.58 | 134 |
| 6 | Matt Ryan | ATL | CAR | W 29-3 | 31 | 311 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 19 | 9.18 | 125 |
| 7 | Kirk Cousins | MIN | DEN | W 27-23 | 35 | 319 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 35 | 8.6 | 124 |
| 8 | Drew Brees | NOR | TAM | W 34-17 | 35 | 228 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8.23 | 95 |
| 9 | Derek Carr | OAK | CIN | W 17-10 | 29 | 292 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 19 | 7.75 | 72 |
| 10 | Jeff Driskel | DET | DAL | L 27-35 | 26 | 209 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 18 | 7.97 | 71 |
| 11 | Baker Mayfield | CLE | PIT | W 21-7 | 32 | 193 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 6.94 | 47 |
| 12 | Courtland Sutton | DEN | MIN | L 23-27 | 1 | 38 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 38 | 32 |
| 13 | Julian Edelman | NWE | PHI | W 17-10 | 1 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 29 |
| 14 | Jared Goff | LAR | CHI | W 17-7 | 18 | 173 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7.11 | 29 |
| 15 | Nick Foles | JAX | IND | L 13-33 | 47 | 296 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 17 | 5.59 | 4 |
| 16 | Robert Griffin | BAL | HOU | W 41-7 | 2 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7.5 | 4 |
| 17 | Kenjon Barner | ATL | CAR | W 29-3 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | -3 |
| 18 | Bilal Powell | NYJ | WAS | W 34-17 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -6 |
| 19 | Ryan Fitzpatrick | MIA | BUF | L 20-37 | 45 | 323 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 43 | 5.38 | -7 |
| 20 | Sam Koch | BAL | HOU | W 41-7 | 1 | -2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -2 | -8 |
| 21 | Brandon Allen | DEN | MIN | L 23-27 | 39 | 240 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 5.05 | -19 |
| 22 | A.J. McCarron | HOU | BAL | L 7-41 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 10 | -5 | -21 |
| 23 | Patrick Mahomes | KAN | LAC | W 24-17 | 32 | 182 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4.7 | -27 |
| 24 | Chase Daniel | CHI | LAR | L 7-17 | 4 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0.83 | -28 |
| 25 | Kyler Murray | ARI | SFO | L 26-36 | 33 | 150 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 19 | 4.62 | -33 |
| 26 | Jacoby Brissett | IND | JAX | W 33-13 | 24 | 148 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 23 | 3.7 | -49 |
| 27 | Carson Wentz | PHI | NWE | L 10-17 | 40 | 214 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 40 | 4.31 | -54 |
| 28 | Tom Brady | NWE | PHI | W 17-10 | 47 | 216 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 4.35 | -55 |
| 29 | Dwayne Haskins | WAS | NYJ | L 17-34 | 35 | 214 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 43 | 4.05 | -60 |
| 30 | Mitchell Trubisky | CHI | LAR | L 7-17 | 43 | 190 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3.7 | -79 |
| 31 | Philip Rivers | LAC | KAN | L 17-24 | 52 | 353 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 8 | 3.43 | -113 |
| 32 | Deshaun Watson | HOU | BAL | L 7-41 | 29 | 169 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 49 | 2.14 | -118 |
| 33 | Jameis Winston | TAM | NOR | L 17-34 | 51 | 313 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 15 | 2.98 | -134 |
| 34 | Ryan Finley | CIN | OAK | L 10-17 | 31 | 115 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 42 | 0.78 | -170 |
| 35 | Kyle Allen | CAR | ATL | L 3-29 | 50 | 325 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 55 | 1.64 | -213 |
| 36 | Mason Rudolph | PIT | CLE | L 7-21 | 44 | 221 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 43 | 0.38 | -246 |
| Total | 1038 | 7111 | 46 | 29 | 80 | 566 | 5.51 | 0 |
I wrote yesterday that Dak Prescott was playing like an All-Pro, and his performance in week 11 certainly helped his numbers. Prescott was the most efficient passer of the week, although Lamar Jackson looks pretty good when you add in his 8 rushes for 87 yards and 4 first downs. The Ravens didn’t punt or turn the ball over once against Houston.
Finally, let’s close with a look at the passing differential numbers. This week was a big win for fans of passing efficiency. Only Nick Foles outdueling Jacoby Brissett came in a losing effort. And the story of the Colts/Jaguars game was indeed a story of the two ground games. Jacksonville had just 29 rushing yards and two rushing first downs on 9 carries, while Indianapolis had a whopping 266 rushing yards, 12 rushing first downs, and 3 rushing touchdowns on 34 carries (7.8 YPC) excluding kneels. The Colts had two running backs top both the 100-yard mark and the 7.5-YPC mark!
But in the other 13 games in week 11, the better passing team won.
What stands out to you?