https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2016/01/12/pro-2015-most-valuable-player/
Winner
Carson Palmer, QB, Arizona Cardinals
No one was even close to being as consistent as Palmer game in and game out. It was a truly dominant season, nearly on par with those we saw from Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees in the “Year of the Quarterback” back in 2011. Palmer didn’t have a single game graded negatively, and only three of his games earned a grade lower than +2.0 (0.0 for a game is average). The reason? Downfield accuracy and efficiency, the likes of which we haven’t seen in the PFF era.
It’s easy to look at Palmer’s 63.6 completion percentage and declare him inaccurate, but that disregards the fact that his average depth of target was the deepest in the NFL this year (11.3 yards downfield). The average completion percentage in the NFL on throws targeted between 10-20 yards downfield was 54.6 percent—Palmer’s completion percentage on those same throws was a ludicrous 62.6 percent.
It follows naturally that Palmer would have a ton of his yards come before the catch. He was only fourth overall in total yards passing (4,671), but in terms of air yardage, Palmer had the most in NFL by almost 200 yards (2,923). His 5.4 yards in the air per attempt was the highest we’ve seen in our nine seasons of charting, and over half a yard better than Cam Newton’s.
Maybe the most amazing part of it all is that it came seemingly out of nowhere. The highest Palmer had ever previously finished in PFF’s QB rankings for a season was 10th, and that was all the way back in our first year of grading, 2007. At 36 years old, Palmer had an all-time season in him.
Winner
Carson Palmer, QB, Arizona Cardinals
No one was even close to being as consistent as Palmer game in and game out. It was a truly dominant season, nearly on par with those we saw from Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees in the “Year of the Quarterback” back in 2011. Palmer didn’t have a single game graded negatively, and only three of his games earned a grade lower than +2.0 (0.0 for a game is average). The reason? Downfield accuracy and efficiency, the likes of which we haven’t seen in the PFF era.
It’s easy to look at Palmer’s 63.6 completion percentage and declare him inaccurate, but that disregards the fact that his average depth of target was the deepest in the NFL this year (11.3 yards downfield). The average completion percentage in the NFL on throws targeted between 10-20 yards downfield was 54.6 percent—Palmer’s completion percentage on those same throws was a ludicrous 62.6 percent.
It follows naturally that Palmer would have a ton of his yards come before the catch. He was only fourth overall in total yards passing (4,671), but in terms of air yardage, Palmer had the most in NFL by almost 200 yards (2,923). His 5.4 yards in the air per attempt was the highest we’ve seen in our nine seasons of charting, and over half a yard better than Cam Newton’s.
Maybe the most amazing part of it all is that it came seemingly out of nowhere. The highest Palmer had ever previously finished in PFF’s QB rankings for a season was 10th, and that was all the way back in our first year of grading, 2007. At 36 years old, Palmer had an all-time season in him.
