Mike Glennon 2013 Statistics Roundup: What Do the Numbers Say About the Buccaneers Rookie Quarterback?
By Leo Howell
Dec 22, 2013; St. Louis, MO, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Mike Glennon (8) throws against the St. Louis Rams at the Edward Jones Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
It’s All About Timing
One of my primary complaints about Glennon was his indecision in the pocket, and his reluctance to make throws to open receivers, waiting for completely open targets before throwing.
The numbers show this to be quite true.
Pro Football Focus keeps track of time to throw for NFL quarterbacks, and it reveals some interesting information about Glennon. According to their statistics, Glennon was much better from a QB rating standpoint when he takes more than 2.5 seconds to throw the football.
His QB rating on throws coming in under 2.5 seconds was 75.5, while his QB rating on longer “time to throw” attempts was 91.4.
Glennon was among the leaders in the amount of throws that took more than 2.5 seconds. 57.5 percent of his throws came after more than 2.5 seconds, which was fifth-highest in the NFL.
The increase in QB rating from quicker throws to slower throws puts him in rare company with the wrong kind of crowd. Only four players had more than a 10 point increase on throws requiring 2.6 seconds or more: Glennon, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Matt Schaub and Eli Manning.
What do these quarterbacks have in common? They wait for plays to develop rather than anticipating and making quick decisions.
The best quarterbacks in the NFL thrive on quicker throws, as they quickly diagnose a defense and make a throw that didn’t even seem to be open at the time of release. Glennon and those like him wait for receivers to make breaks and come open before winding up, putting more pressure on the offensive line to protect, and allowing defensive backs to get a read on the quarterback’s intentions.
If Glennon does retain his starting job in 2013, this is something Jeff Tedford will need to work closely with him on improving. Hesitance is one of the worst traits for an NFL quarterback, as avoidable sacks and dumpoff passes to open receivers in long-yardage situations are not the recipe for a productive offense.