“I Don’t Know Who The Hell Makes Up These Stats”
October 14th, 2020
Bucs coach Bucco Bruce Arians reacts upon learning some websites have Bucs with most dropped passes.
Stats on dropped passes are very subjective.
The NFL does not have an official stat for drops. And if you think about it, what is a drop?
Is it when a guy lets a ball hit the dirt after getting hit in the numbers? Or tips a ball? Or the ball just nicks his fingers from an outstretched arm as the receiver is jumping high? Or dives for a pass that falls between his hands two inches off the turf?
So without a set definition of a drop, how do you know it is a drop? Still, various websites calculate drops — and you will see the numbers all over the map. It’s wildly inconsistent.
For stats, Joe leans heavily on four sites: Pro-Football-Reference.com, NFL.com, TeamRankings.com and BSPN. Joe understands some believe the PFF tribe is the bible of football numbers; for Joe, it’s not even bathroom reading.
(And for reasons unknown, Joe struggles to ever find meaningful stats on that damn site. The menu is weak and confusing and the search engine is awful. But you sure can find their go$ #$&n grades.)
Bucs coach Bucco Bruce Arians today was asked about stats on drops and the Bucs being league leaders. For background, Joe was told by phone today that the PFF tribe claims the Bucs lead the NFL in drops (good luck finding that on the friggin’ site) with Ronald Jones the top culprit. Joe cannot find those stats to confirm this info, but it’s what Joe was told.
Pro Football Reference has the Bucs tied for first with the Cowboys and Dixie Chicks, each with 13.
When Arians was asked about how an unnamed site had the Bucs with the most drops, he snickered, suppressing a laugh.
“I don’t know who the hell makes up these stats,” Arians said. “I don’t see us dropping the ball that much. We had a game where we did.
“I don’t put any stock in it. Our guys can catch and we don’t say sh!t about it.”
Well, Joe can say with first-hand experience that in practice, Arians says more than just “sh!t” about drops. His full colorful four-letter-ridden vocabulary is used, loudly, when Bucs receivers drop passes in practice.
The most Joe has ever heard Arians holler in practice has been about drops. The last practice Joe and other media were allowed access to in training camp, a certain backup/bubble tight end got an earful from Arians when he dropped a very catchable pass along the left sideline.
Are the Bucs dropping a lot of passes? Arians doesn’t think so aside from one game. But trust Joe, Arians surely focuses on players catching the ball in practice.
October 14th, 2020 at 2:07 pm
I can’t remember a Bucs season where I’ve seen so many dropped passes and we’re not even at the halfway point yet.
I think not having an offseason is a big reason for so many drops this season.
October 14th, 2020 at 2:42 pm
I like how you explained it Joe. Who knows what a drop is exactly??? I say open and hits you in the hands and can’t come through (Shady in the end zone). I don’t know if others have noticed, but I know what they mean by Brady throwing good incompletions. Jameis would already have 30 picks.
October 14th, 2020 at 2:48 pm
Yelling and cursing does not make good coaching!!!!!!!!! The result speak for themselves!!!!!!!!!!! So other than sloppy coaching and lack of attention to details, the next huge problems for the Bucs penalties and the cap!!!!!!!! The “real” fans suggest that Joe add OverTheCap.com and NFLPenaties.com to his football site list!!!!!!!!!!!!! And maybe Monster.com to see if the Bucs post a listing for New GM position and New Head Coach position listings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
go bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
October 14th, 2020 at 3:03 pm
Dropped passes always remind me of the guy who rhymes with piano.
We’re having a lot of dropped passes because our receivers aren’t used to catching such accurate passes.
October 14th, 2020 at 3:11 pm
@Joe
You have to pay to see their stats for which I agree is dumb.
October 14th, 2020 at 3:26 pm
Rojo and McCoy are almost into double digits combined.
October 14th, 2020 at 3:46 pm
Dropped passes, stupid ill-timed penalties, and poor execution all falls on you BA. Clean it up!
October 14th, 2020 at 5:20 pm
How many have our backs dropped? I can think of 6 passes so far dropped by rojo, mccoy and vaughn. Thats just off the top of my head too.
October 14th, 2020 at 7:52 pm
Yeah. Joe isn’t ragging on people for it. But it is a subjective stat. What might be a drop to some is uncatchable to others. So it is understandable why drop stats are all over the map from site to site.
October 14th, 2020 at 7:57 pm
Per Pro Football Reference, RoJo 3, Shady 2, Fournette 1, Ke’Shawn Vaughn 1.
October 14th, 2020 at 8:52 pm
You’d think going from a guy with a cannon for an arm to a guy with a middle of the road arm would lead fewer drops
October 15th, 2020 at 10:00 am
If they can’t catch Brady nice easy passes he should find someone to throw to.
October 15th, 2020 at 12:07 pm
Pro football reference and football outsiders are my 2 favorite sources for diving into all sorts of stats, from simple to advanced. Football outsiders is especially good for offensive line analysis. FYI.