Fantasy Index

header banner img
OUR FANTASY BASEBALL MAGAZINE IS BACK! PRE-ORDER NOW
Win here.

Factoid

Passing

Interceptions way down in 2016

I notice that there are a lot of quarterbacks who are doing a really good job of taking care of the ball – guys who almost never throw interceptions. Not just Alex Smith and Aaron Rodgers, but a bunch of others who simply rarely throw it to the other team.

I decided to look at the numbers from other years, and it’s even more pronounced than I thought. Looking at quarterbacks from this century (that is, the 17 seasons from 2000 to 2016), the quarterbacks from this current season have been the best by far at avoiding the dreaded pick.

Of the top 14 quarterbacks of the last 17 years (and this is hard to believe), over half of them have come from our current season.

Weird.

Rules changes, I suppose, are the leading factor. They’ve reduced contact, and they’re not allowing defensive backs to light up pass catchers with hits to the head and neck area. Those kind of bang-bang hits have cause some interceptions in the past.

But the drop still looks awfully severe.

Here are the top 60, with the caveat that quarterbacks must have attempted 200 passes. (Tom Brady no doubt will wind up on this list; he’s attempted 134 passes this year, with no interceptions.)

LOWEST INTERCEPTION PERCENTAGES SINCE 2000
YearPlayerAttIntPct
2016Brian Hoyer, Chi.20000.00%
2006Damon Huard, K.C.24410.41%
2016Sam Bradford, Minn.24310.41%
2013Josh McCown, Chi.22410.45%
2013Nick Foles, Phil.31720.63%
2016Russell Wilson, Sea.26720.75%
2016Dak Prescott, Dall.24820.81%
2010Tom Brady, N.E.49240.81%
2016Derek Carr, Oak.35430.85%
2016Alex Smith, K.C.23320.86%
2007David Garrard, Jac.32530.92%
2014Aaron Rodgers, G.B.52050.96%
2016Andy Dalton, Cin.28831.04%
2016Tyrod Taylor, Buff.26831.12%
2015Tom Brady, N.E.62471.12%
2011Alex Smith, S.F.44551.12%
2008Jason Campbell, Wash.50661.19%
2000Brian Griese, Den.33641.19%
2011Aaron Rodgers, G.B.50261.20%
2007Jeff Garcia, T.B.32741.22%
2008Seneca Wallace, Sea.24231.24%
2012Tom Brady, N.E.63781.26%
2010Josh Freeman, T.B.47461.27%
2012Robert Griffin III, Wash.39351.27%
2016Matt Ryan, Atl.31341.28%
2010Ben Roethlisberger, Pitt.38951.29%
2014Alex Smith, K.C.46461.29%
2009Aaron Rodgers, G.B.54171.29%
2000Doug Flutie, S.D.23131.30%
2009Brett Favre, Minn.53171.32%
2002Brad Johnson, T.B.45161.33%
2014Carson Palmer, Ariz.22431.34%
2006Marc Bulger, St.L.58881.36%
2005Brad Johnson, Minn.29441.36%
2015Josh McCown, Clev.29241.37%
2012Colin Kaepernick, S.F.21831.38%
2013Alex Smith, K.C.50871.38%
2007Tom Brady, N.E.57881.38%
2015Aaron Rodgers, G.B.57281.40%
2016Drew Brees, N.O.34751.44%
2004Kurt Warner, St.L.27741.44%
2012Aaron Rodgers, G.B.55281.45%
2008Chad Pennington, Mia.47671.47%
2007Donovan McNabb, Phil.47371.48%
2014Ben Roethlisberger, Pitt.60891.48%
2015Alex Smith, K.C.47071.49%
2002Chad Pennington, NYJ39961.50%
2013Peyton Manning, Den.659101.52%
2013Sam Bradford, St.L.26241.53%
2005Jake Plummer, Den.45671.54%
2006Mark Brunell, Wash.26041.54%
2003Aaron Brooks, N.O.51881.54%
2014Tom Brady, N.E.58291.55%
2014Russell Wilson, Sea.45271.55%
2010Matt Cassel, K.C.45071.56%
2016Aaron Rodgers, G.B.31851.57%
2016Matthew Stafford, Det.31851.57%
2010Matt Ryan, Atl.57191.58%
2015Tyrod Taylor, Buff.38061.58%
2013Andrew Luck, Ind.57091.58%

—Ian Allan

Fantasy Index