Submitted by Andy Barall, Sep 9, 2008 08:48

For years, Mr. Barra has been trying to analyze football with statistics. Unfortunately, football is not a stat game. There is no more meaningless stat than the quarterback rating. Milt Plum has a higher quarterback rating that Johnny Unitas. The quarterback rating measures four things- completion percentage, yards gained, interceptions, and touchdown passes- in a formula.If the quarterback throws a screen pass, in the air for two yards, to a running back who breaks six tackles and goes 60 yards for a touchdown, the QB gets credit for a completion, 60 yards passing, and a TD pass, even though he threw the ball two yards in the air. Conversely, the QB can drop back, make the correct read and a perfect pass 50 yards downfield, where the receiver drops it. This will go as an incompletion and against his quarterback rating. The QB rating is almost meaningless. There are too many variables that go into playing the position. Playing quarterback is not about your completion percentage or your quarterback rating. It's about getting off the ground when you get hit in the mouth and leading your team to victory on the road against a divisional opponent with the crowd going crazy- like Eli Manning did in game two of the 2006 season in Philadelphia. He was sacked nine time and hit many more times. The Giants trailed 24-7 late in the third quarter on the road. He brought them back to win the game in overtime. That's what playing quarterback is about. As to Kurt Warner, just watch him play. He plays the game way too slowly, takes too many sacks because he holds the ball way too long in the pocket, and fumbles repeatedly when hit. Playing in perfect conditions in Arizona late in the season, all he does is compile meaningless completions in meaningless games, especially in the fourth quarter with his team safely defeated. It makes his quarterback rating look good. Don't be fooled (like the media).

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