IAYPA - The Results of the Most Infallible Statistic Ever

Now that the NFL season is over, we are left with dreary formalities that are of interest only to a few fanatics in Indianapolis and Nashville. What better time to revisit the IAYPA rankings?

Meet the new generation of NFL quarterbacks. The old warhorses have been banished from the top 5:
- Rivers SD, 7.2
- Pennington MIA, 6.9 (how sweet is that?)
- Schaub HOU, 6.7
- Ryan ATL, 6.7
- Brees NOR, 6.6

The shocker is Pennington, who's never been anywhere near the top of the rankings. Ryan's rookie performance is great, but it's not unheard of - Roethlisberger was great his rookie year, too.

But there are three decrepit old men lined up after this group - Warner (6.5), Delhomme (6.5), and Garcia (6.4). It's funny, none of these guy has ever looked that bad on IAYPA, but Warner and Garcia have to fight for playing time. Garcia was actually benched this season, and Warner had to win the Arizona job in the preseason (he reportedly consoled Leinart by pointing out that "I'm pretty good"). These guys play well every time they get a chance to play. How is it that people don't notice this?

There are a couple of surprises in the bottom 5 - Favre is in it (league-leading 22 INTs), and Orton (5.1) is not:
- Fitzpatrick CIN, 3.9
- Anderson CLE, 4.3
- Favre NYJ, 4.5
- Frerotte MIN, 4.7
- Bulger STL, 4.7

The NFL median was 5.8. Other notables:
- Matt Cassell (6.1) was slightly above-average on IAYPA which is just unbelievable. Not only was he was a rookie, he was sacked 47 times, most in the NFL.

- There was talk of getting rid of McNabb (5.9) earlier in the season, no doubt promulgated by Limbaugh disciples, but he is still a very solid quarterback.

- Roethlisberger (5.4) has dropped out of the elite levels, probably because of injuries to his shoulder, and, perhaps more importantly, to his head. Pittsburgh is my Church of Football, so I hate to even seem to criticize them...but should this guy even be playing anymore? He was flat on his back for 15 minutes on Sunday, then taken to a hospital...and he's supposed to be back to start in the playoffs? Head injuries just don't heal that fast.

The most vexing question that IAYPA raises for me is: what is up with the Bears? They live at the bottom of these rankings, and yet play well enough to contend. They have nursed along the same pair of no-talents - Orton and Grossman - for four years. It is part of a historical pattern so powerful it almost ranks as a biblical curse.

Well, perhaps it's not the players, perhaps it's the system. Ha! It's the players. They're impulsive, boozing, immature idiots. Peyton Manning prepares harder before breakfast Monday morning than these guys do in a week of practice.

And yet...I find myself rooting for them, particularly Grossman. Because Grossman exemplifies the adolescent spirit that the NFL has done everything possible to exterminate, a spirit perfectly captured here and here. Of course it doesn't work. Impulsive adolescent decisions never work out well. But dammit, it has its place...there is something to it. And if "fuck it, I'm going deep" doesn't capture the essence of football, what does?

Hey, I've got Al (the phone just rang) Davis on my side here - how wrong can I be?