Statistical Comparison: Drew Bledsoe vs. Kerry Collins

[Alluro]

Bledsoe: 6'5, 240, born in 1972
Collins : 6'5, 245, born in 1972

Last years stats:

YARDS
Bledsoe: 4359 yds
Collins : 4073 yds

ATTEMPTS
Bledsoe: 610
Collins : 545

TDs - INTs
Bledsoe: 24 TDs - 15 INTs
Collins : 19 TDs - 14 INTs

COMPLETION %
Bledsoe: 61.5 %
Collins : 61.5 %

SACKS
Bledsoe: 54
Collins : 24

YARDS PER ATTEMPT
Bledsoe: 7.1
Collins : 7.5

QB Rating:
Bledsoe: 86.0
Collins : 85.4

I don't know whether this speaks more about Kerry Collins or Drew Bledsoe, but i thought it was interesting that they are very similar QBs in many ways. Just on name basis, DREW BLEDSOE is much more marquee than Kerry Collins but their numbers aren't all that different. They pretty much have the same build, are immoble, and complete passes at the same %. Their QB ratings are also both surprisingly close. One alarming stat that really stuck out to me was just how many times Drew was sacked. The Bills offense was allegedly better than the Giants all the way around last season except for TE. You would think that Collins would have been the one hitting the carpet more than Drew. And also, not to pile on drew, but you would think with Moulds, Price, and O'Henry, your numbers would be be A LOT better than kerry collins with tiki barber, amani toomer, and ike hilliard? If the situations were reversed, do you think Drew would have had as good a season on the Giants and Kerry would have put up the same numbers on the Bills? .... So what does all of this mean?

Either:

A) Kerry Collins is a much better QB than he is given credit for

or

B) Maybe Drew Bledsoe's "hall of fame" statistics are being put up in an era where kerry collins can put up similar stats, and grocery baggers can come off the street and win SB and Regular season MVP awards.

I'm really not sure what conclusion to draw, but i thought it was an interesting comparison to throw out there and let others chew on.

[Ebenezer]

I read into it that it is more fuel for wys...

[Patrick76777]

Actually, I think K. Collins has really turned a corner the past few years. He’s always going to get bashed for the stuff early in his career but this guy has been playing good football. Remember he was a top 5 draft pick.

[TedMock]

Collins is a solid QB. I always thought he kind of got the shaft in NY. He's not bad. As far as sacks go, they're both pretty much not moving anywhere fast. I think Drew's a very good QB but at times he looks for the big play too often and it costs him a sack. On top of that, don't forget that our OL was fairly young and they allowed a few pathetic moments also. The QB no doubt was responsible for several sacks himself but you also can't blame him for the ones where his arm is cocked back and he's blindsided and fumbles. Hopefully, going toward more of a power game will allow Drew to not feel like he has to make the big play and a years worth of experience on the OL will change this stat. I'd even go as far as saying 50% of the sacks were probably on Drew and no, I'm not bad mouthing him or suggesting we go in another direction by any means.

[WG]

You're absolutely correct Alluro. I've pointed the exact same thing out a couple of times in the past. Your point that Collins had nowhere near the same weapons is eye-opening too.

I think it's a little of both. Collins is probably a tad bit underrated and has improved. But I think you are correct when you say that it's Bledsoe's marquee status that has carried him quite a bit.

As I've said before, if Bledsoe plays this year the way he has for 10 seasons and last year in particular, it will show this year. There are no excuses. Last year the D got blamed even though it played fine in most games that Drew struggled and improved as the season went on. I mean you can't blame the D when Drew tosses an INT to a lineman at our own 9 who runs in for a score, Price fumbles for another TD setup, and Bledsoe tosses another INT setting up a FG in a game w/ lose by 10. That just isn't the D's fault, you can't expect miracles from a no-talent D. Henry also took the heat for fumbling when, even if by chance, his fumbles did not cost us more than a game.

This year we will be solid if nothing else. We have some question marks in our LBing and DE positions on D. But our O should have all that Drew needs and more than 25+ other teams in the league. So miserable performances against the top teams will be extremely noticeable. I'm sure some of the folks hammering on me will find quite a few excuses for Drew. But they won't be viable if this happens.

I sure hope it doesn't, believe me! But history suggests that's it's more likely than not. As to D's challenge about "what would have been", that's water under the bridge, but I'd swap Haynes for Drew in a NY second! That's just me though. All we'd need to replace him effectively is a QB who doesn't toss 15 INTs in 7 losses. I don't think that'd be too hard to find. Blake didn't do that all season long.

[WG]

Here's another very interesting thing Alluro:

If you look at the yards that a QB throws for to achieve a TD, Drew consistently ranks near the bottom. You can look at that for any particular season or overall for the most part.

While many Bills fans raved over yards, attempts, and completions, it seems to me that yards are only important if they lead to scores. Many people here see it differently. Yards, atts, and compls. are king. But in my book, who cares if you toss up 500 yards but can't punch the ball into the endzone.

Yet, Drew has one of the absolute worst Yds-thrown/TD ratios in the league. To me that means he's inefficient. To most I don't think it means a thing. Marquee status means more.

But again, per the numbers above, He averaged ~ 270 YPG but only 1 TD/game. That's abysmal by NFL QB standards. Even the worst QBs in the league are nowhere near that bad. I mean, heck, if we gotta toss near 300 yards to get the ball into the endzone once, what else needs to be said. Yet, that's inconsequential amongst fans who seem to think that a QB like that will breeze through the playoffs in spite of the laundry list of playoff debacles mentioned above. Like I said before, if Drew could string 3 playoff games back-to-back in which he played well, it'd be a miracle for one, and even one such game would be a first.

[Patrick76777]

yards that a QB throws for to achieve a TD


This is actually my favorite QB stat. It really demonstrates the quality of a QB.

[Alluro]

I think the loss of price leaves a huge void in the offense wys. I don't look for drew to match his numbers from last year because of that. Outside of Moulds, who the defense can willingly double all year now, Drew has NO proven targets to throw to....Yeah, Reed might be good, and then again he might not. Who knows at this point but he is a huge question mark. The backups after that are sketchy at best, and there is no one at TE to speak of.

I really hope TD can secure another receiver after June 1st, because I'm not sold on Travis henry either. Instead of considering him an elite back like some on this board, i view him talent wise as more of a Rodney Hampton/Barry Foster caliber player. He is a good RB, but he just doesn't have the natural physical ability to be great. Once the defenses take Henry and Moulds out of the game, Drew will be throwing to.....?

For the Bills to win the superbowl, they need to get another receiver. I would have liked to see them draft Calico in the 2nd round, but even he probably wouldn't contribute much in his rookie year.

[Alluro]

It's just apart of Drew's nature to look for the big play. He lives and dies by it. This late in his career, I think it's too late to ask him to pull in the reins and look for the dink and dump outlet. He just will naturally always look for the deep ball over the safe dump off and i think that mentality could prove to be disastrous.

Peerless Price may not have been a number 1 receiver, but he had speed and he provided Drew the outlet to continue to play to his strengths. THIS SEASON, who does drew have to throw to? Can you imagine how many times he will get sacked this year waiting for our 3rd rate receivers to get open while moulds is doubled?

[HenryRules]

I like my QB's to live and die by the big play. Favre does that ... Kelly did that ... Bradshaw did that. If you've got the arm, use it.

Oh, and I agree about PP being a big loss. Even if we're going to a power running game, running games are more effective when the other team's safeties have to stay back. With PP we had that - witness the cover 2's we played at the end of the year. Without him, I don't know other teams would lay back.

[Alluro]

Originally posted by HenryRules
I like my QB's to live and die by the big play. Favre does that ... Kelly did that ... Bradshaw did that. If you've got the arm, use it.

I agree, we just need to have our version of Swann/Stallworth, Brooks/Freeman/Rison or Reed/Lofton/Beebe....Instead, we have Moulds and no proven receivers after that. Drew needs more help to succeed this year.

[The Natrix]

I am fine with Moulds, Reed and Shaw. But you bring up a good point about the TE. I would have liked to see one taken early. I wouldn't have minded Dallas Clark with the #1.

[HenryRules]

In an ideal world, I would have liked to have seen a TE taken early, however I didn't like any of the TE's that were available this year. I was praying Witten was going to fall to us in the 3rd, but the Cowboys ruined that thought. I'd like to know what it would have cost TD to move up there.

That said, I don't think Witten, or any of the other TEs would have provided much help this year.

[Alluro]

I think McGahee was the right pick because i'm not sold on Henry long term....but to leave the cupboard so bare at WR is appalling.
Reed and Shaw? they have proven squat in their short careers in the NFL. Bledsoe is going to be under fire a lot if Reed doesn't step up in a big way. To take the pressure off of him, I really think TD should sign Kyle Brady to a contract after june 1st and pick up a cheap speed receiver.

[The Natrix]

I like a Reed a lot actually. He seems to have a good head on his shoulders and the fact that he did well as a rookie WR says a lot. What did Moulds and Price do as rookies?

Specifically what I like about him is his Route Running. It seems to be very smooth. I like his hands as I don't remember him having any big drops. But the thing that I like about him the most is how he attacks the ball, much like Moulds. If a pass is thrown to short he can adjust and go get it. Actually, I will be shocked if he doesn't pan out.

If he can except a #2 role for his entire career, I think he will go down as one of the better #2s ever.