Brees versus Rodgers by the Numbers

[PackwillBEback]

So it looks like on ESPN' sportsnation poll, Brees is edging or tied with Rodgers on who is having a more impressive season. Yes Brees is doing something impressive, by breaking the passing yards record...however much more to a quarterback than that, plus you must look at how he got that many yards.

By the Numbers

Yards:
Brees 5,087 yards over Rodgers 4,643 yards (Brees has 9.56% more yards than Rodgers)

Completions:
Brees 440 completions over Rodgers 343 completions (Brees has 28.7% more completions than Rodgers)

Completion %:
Brees 70.7% over Rodgers 68.3% (%'s speak for themselves)

Yards Per attempt:
Rodgers 9.25 yards per attempt over Brees 8.18 yards per attempt (Rodgers has 13.1% more yards per attempt than Brees)

Interceptions:
Brees 13 interceptions over Rodgers 6 interceptions (Brees has 116.7% more interceptions than Rodgers)

Touchdowns:
Rodgers 45 touchdowns over Brees 41 touchdowns (Rodgers has 9.75% more touchdowns than Brees)

Touchdown to Interception Ratio
Rodgers 7.5:1 over Brees 3.15:1 (ratios..speak for themselves, Rodgers ratio is nearly two and half times better)

Interception % (Interceptions/Attempts)
Brees 2.95% over Rodgers 1.75% (%'s speak for themselves)

Passer Rating:
Rodgers 122.5 rating over Brees 108.4 (Rodgers has a 13% greater rating...if you want to calculate it that way...)

Rushing Yards:
Rodgers 257 yards over Brees 81 yards (Rodgers has 217% more rushing yards than Brees)

Rushing Yards per attempt:
Rodgers 4.3 yards per attempt over Brees 4.1 yards per attempt (Rogers has 4.9% more rushing yards per attempt than Brees)

Rushing Touchdowns:
Rodgers 3 touchdowns over Brees 1 touchdown (3 times as many TD's for Rodgers)

Total Touchdowns:
Rodgers 48 touchdowns over Brees 42 touchdowns (14.3% more touchdowns for Rodgers than Brees)

Wins:
Rodgers 14 wins over Brees 12 wins

Head to head:

Rodgers 1-0 versus Brees 0-1



The only category Brees dominates in completions over Rodgers and has the advantage is passing yards and completion rate. However, Rodgers averages more yards per attempt, negating a lot of Brees' advantage in that category (granted he did break the record...). However, Rodgers dominates in TD to INT ratio, passer rating, yards per passing attempt, (the lack of) interceptions and total touchdowns. Rodgers has the advantage in wins, passing touchdowns, rushing touchdowns, yards per rushing attempt, and has the head to head win. Rodgers will likely break the passer rating record as well.

 

[ThorMatthews]

Brees has over 120 more attempts than Rodgers, that should be taken into consideration.
Aaron also gets benched when the Packers have a 3+ TD lead, opposed to Brees and the Saints who continue to run up the score.

 

[PackwillBEback]

Yep. If we assume Rodgers had attempted as many passes as Brees (holding the average yards per attempt), Rodgers would have thrown for 5753 yards.

 

[Frozencheese]

You have to be a complete idiot to give Brees the MVP vote over Rodgers, it make no sense what so ever. The yards record is nice and all, but I have WAY more respect for the era in which Marino accomplished 5,000 yards. These days, 5000 yards is the new 4000 yards now that you cant even look at a reciever without drawing a flag.

 

[realcaliforniacheese]

You have to be a complete idiot to give Brees the MVP vote over Rodgers, it make no sense what so ever. The yards record is nice and all, but I have WAY more respect for the era in which Marino accomplished 5,000 yards. These days, 5000 yards is the new 4000 yards now that you cant even look at a reciever without drawing a flag.

Exactly, tell that to everyone complaining about all the yards the D gives up. If we let Aroge go full bore every game to the very end instead of a clock management and win scenario, ARoges yards would be better than Bree's. I would like to see how many consecutive 4th quarters the saints entered with the lead. Can't wait to get him out of his dome.

But, having said all that. Saints fans have as much right to party as we do. that's what football is all about. Fun.

 

[Helmets]

Would be interesting to see the number of drops that the Saints receivers have vs. the Packer receivers. Not sure what it would tell us - but I would like to see the stat.

 

[Ceodore]

Interceptions:
Brees 13 interceptions over Rodgers 6 interceptions (Brees has 116.7% more interceptions than Rodgers)

Touchdowns:
Rodgers 45 touchdowns over Brees 41 touchdowns (Rodgers has 9.75% more touchdowns than Brees)

Touchdown to Interception Ratio
Rodgers 7.5:1 over Brees 3.15:1 (ratios..speak for themselves, Rodgers ratio is nearly two and half times better)

Interception % (Interceptions/Attempts)
Brees 2.95% over Rodgers 1.75% (%'s speak for themselves)

In my personal opinion these stats matter the most. As well as the rushing touchdowns. The public is caught up in the DB hype a little bit. While i would say DB is second, to my AR has the stats that matter most. Hopefully the people that decide will realize that Rodgers has been consistently excellent for the entire year. Maybe i'm jaded from the Favre era, but the interception are what stands out the most to me. Especially on a 2/3 pass 1/3 run kind of team. It's not like he's only passing 10 times a game or something. 6 in a year? are you kidding me? BF probably threw 6 in a game!

 

[ExpatPacker]

If Brees throws for 300+ yards and 3+ TDs next week in a Saints' romp he will win the MVP. Count on it. Rodgers will probably play less than a half next week. All it will take is for Brees to be close enough to Rodgers in TDs. He trails him by 4. If he ends up within 1 or 2 that will be enough for most of the voters to say he's the "best" and give it to him.

 

[Bensalama21]

Brees has over 120 more attempts than Rodgers, that should be taken into consideration.
Aaron also gets benched when the Packers have a 3+ TD lead, opposed to Brees and the Saints who continue to run up the score.

This and this.
I have argued all season with people that Brees never gets pulled out and Rodgers get pulled out in the 3rd and 4th quarter in 6 or 7 games this year.

 

[Greenbayphil]

I think passer rating is an important stat here aswell,
Remember Aaron set a record for 11 consecutive games with a passer rating of over 110, no ones ever done that.
He also tied the record for consecutive games with a passer rating of over 140.
He will also break Mannings record for passer rating in a season.

So he has not only broke that record but has really set an entirely different standard
When people talk about passer rating they will refer to Rodgers in nearly every category.

I dont think Rodgers has blown Brees out the water though, both have had tremendous seasons.
But Arod is doing this coming off a superbowl and put together one of the best winning streaks (only behind brady and the pats 21 streak) that we have ever seen.

Brees didn't do that.

 

[PackersRS]

Great post man!

First of all, sporstnation is composed of mostly morons. Just look at the format of the show and the hosts. It's an all-presentation, no-content parody of a sports show. What's good a bunch of baseball, basketball and college fans voting about football? They only know what freaking ESPN tells them.

As for the numbers, quite frankly, the only reason Brees surpasses Rodgers in any stats is due to scheme, because his scheme calls for A LOT more passing and A LOT more short passing. That's why the completion percentage is bigger and the YPA is much lower. Projecting Rodgers' numbers with the number of attempts Brees has, it's nowhere near close.

Here are Rodgers' projected numbers, if he had the same number of attempts as Brees has:
424 completions, for 5,735 yards, 57 TDs, 7 INTs

Of course, one could argue that, with 120 more attempts Rodgers' TD ratio, INT ratio and Y/C could be diluted, but projecting those numbers gives a very good parameter to judge how both seasons compare.

Brees, in any other year, would be MVP of the league, no doubt.

But, this year, it's not close, and if Rodgers isn't unanimously voted MVP, it's a travesty.

 

[ExpatPacker]

I'm basing my opinion that Brees will win it on the fact that he is the sentimental favorite, and one should never ever underestimate how much a part that plays in voting for things like the MVP. Sure, I think that Rodger's numbers and value to his team should make him the MVP, but beating Marino's record while leading a powerhouse Saints offense and being a really nice guy and wanting New Orleans to have a sports hero that everyone can look up to and say, Yes! New Orleans is finally bouncing back after Hurricane Katrina!...those things count more than we think.

 

[Greenbayphil]

But, this year, it's not close, and if Rodgers isn't unanimously voted MVP, it's a travesty.

I dont think he will win it unanimously, it's going to be close. Breaking Marino's record is going to swing largely in his favour.

 

[GreenBlood]

I'm basing my opinion that Brees will win it on the fact that he is the sentimental favorite.

Based on what?

 

[7thFloorRA]

I'm basing my opinion that Brees will win it on the fact that he is the sentimental favorite, and one should never ever underestimate how much a part that plays in voting for things like the MVP. Sure, I think that Rodger's numbers and value to his team should make him the MVP, but beating Marino's record while leading a powerhouse Saints offense and being a really nice guy and wanting New Orleans to have a sports hero that everyone can look up to and say, Yes! New Orleans is finally bouncing back after Hurricane Katrina!...those things count more than we think.

So he should win for reasons that have absolutely nothing to do with football. Awesome.

 

[Greenbayphil]

So he should win for reasons that have absolutely nothing to do with football. Awesome.

Well apparently you can get the MVP award without playing a damn game all season.

 

[Southpaw]

Brees will not win the MVP, if he does there should be an investigation.

He has a better oline than Rodgers, a better defense than Rodgers, and a better run game than Rodgers. Yet his team hasn't won as many games, he doesn't have as many TD passes as Rodgers, he has over twice the interceptions, he plays in a dome.....

Rodgers succeeds and wins in spite of the rest of the team. Protection has been awful, receivers are probably top 3 in the league in passes dropped, defense can' stop anybody. Yet Rodgers can continually hang 30+ on opposing teams without breaking a sweat.

And for the millionth time why should the yards record matter in terms of player value? What is valuable about passing yards? They don't win games. Scoring does and Rodgers is #1 in that category.

Also given the fact that on Sunday, Tom Brady will also break Marino's previously held record, it will mean even less because Brees is not the only player that was able to do it.

 

[Bogart]

I think Brees wins it easily on the percentage completion, but one thing no one is going to mention is that Rodgers don't really have much of a running game, which is why he has more TD's than Brees. The Saints have a top 10 rushing attack, with 3 power backs.


This is really getting old. Everytime I come on it's nothing but complaining about how Brees shouldn't win it, or how Rodgers should win it and this ones better than the other one, the Saints have a better O-line than us, we're better than them...etc do you want to win a Super Bowl or do you want to win the MVP?

I'll be laughing if he wins it and you guys keep *****ing about how they ran the score up on Atlanta, or Indianapolis, or the poor old Vikings and that contributed to him winning it. Really that's the funniest part of all the bickering about New Orleans. Is there a law against running the score up or do people just want to find something to throw around so they have an excuse to not like them?Why is that being thrown around this year and no one brought up in 2009 when they really could run it up on people?

If it was your team, I'm sure you'd want the Packers to score 50 points on some teams, cause I know when we played Denver, I was dying to see them score 50 points just to laugh about it. Overall, we're not that innocent as far that goes. When we played Dallas last year, were the fans NOT chanting for them to go for it and try and to score 50 on the sorry *** Cowboys? McCarthy was still slinging it calling pass plays with Flynn under center, going for it, and trying to score more TD's. Stop whining that another team can score in the 4th quarter, this is the NFL, not college.

The Falcons *****ing about them running the score up just proves they are babies. A real team and a real coach would take it with disgust that their defense sucks.

 

[Southpaw]

I think Brees wins it easily on the percentage completion, but one thing no one is going to mention is that Rodgers don't really have much of a running game, which is why he has more TD's than Brees. The Saints have a top 10 rushing attack, with 3 power backs.


This is really getting old. Everytime I come on it's nothing but complaining about how Brees shouldn't win it, or how Rodgers should win it and this ones better than the other one, the Saints have a better O-line than us, we're better than them...etc do you want to win a Super Bowl or do you want to win the MVP?

I'll be laughing if he wins it and you guys keep *****ing about how they ran the score up on Atlanta, or Indianapolis, or the poor old Vikings and that contributed to him winning it. Really that's the funniest part of all the bickering about New Orleans. Is there a law against running the score up or do people just want to find something to throw around so they have an excuse to not like them?Why is that being thrown around this year and no one brought up in 2009 when they really could run it up on people?

If it was your team, I'm sure you'd want the Packers to score 50 points on some teams, cause I know when we played Denver, I was dying to see them score 50 points just to laugh about it. Overall, we're not that innocent as far that goes. When we played Dallas last year, were the fans NOT chanting for them to go for it and try and to score 50 on the sorry *** Cowboys? McCarthy was still slinging it calling pass plays with Flynn under center, going for it, and trying to score more TD's. Stop whining that another team can score in the 4th quarter, this is the NFL, not college.

The Falcons *****ing about them running the score up just proves they are babies. A real team and a real coach would take it with disgust that their defense sucks.

Since you have a raging ******* for Brees, why don't you go to a Saints message board.

 

[Jules]

I think Brees wins it easily on the percentage completion, but one thing no one is going to mention is that Rodgers don't really have much of a running game, which is why he has more TD's than Brees. The Saints have a top 10 rushing attack, with 3 power backs.


This is really getting old. Everytime I come on it's nothing but complaining about how Brees shouldn't win it, or how Rodgers should win it and this ones better than the other one, the Saints have a better O-line than us, we're better than them...etc do you want to win a Super Bowl or do you want to win the MVP? He's got a higher completion rate with average.

I'll be laughing if he wins it and you guys keep *****ing about how they ran the score up on Atlanta, or Indianapolis, or the poor old Vikings and that contributed to him winning it. Really that's the funniest part of all the bickering about New Orleans. Is there a law against running the score up or do people just want to find something to throw around so they have an excuse to not like them?Why is that being thrown around this year and no one brought up in 2009 when they really could run it up on people?

If it was your team, I'm sure you'd want the Packers to score 50 points on some teams, cause I know when we played Denver, I was dying to see them score 50 points just to laugh about it. Overall, we're not that innocent as far that goes. When we played Dallas last year, were the fans NOT chanting for them to go for it and try and to score 50 on the sorry *** Cowboys? McCarthy was still slinging it calling pass plays with Flynn under center, going for it, and trying to score more TD's. Stop whining that another team can score in the 4th quarter, this is the NFL, not college.

I am not sure I understand Bogart. Are you hoping Brees wins it almost?

And honestly I still don't get the argument. Rodgers has had a remarkable season and one of the best I have ever seen. The quotes from him make me love him even more since he sounds almost oblivious to all the records and stats at times. It's about the team to him more then just padding his stats.

I told my mother about this earlier and she said lol "Aaron is still young. When they get older at QB the records are all they got." My mom is awesome. She loves Aaron now. She finds him "interesting".

I do want Aaron to win MVP but.....
A small part of me wants Brees to win it though just because I feel Brees could go all Tom Brady in the playoffs when Peyton was getting all the glory for all the numbers his offenses put up back in the day. As much as I love Peyton I do admit.....it's easier when you are a dome team. And Brees has had one of the cushiest schedules I have seen in terms of playing conditions.

 

[Jules]

I think passer rating is an important stat here aswell,
Remember Aaron set a record for 11 consecutive games with a passer rating of over 110, no ones ever done that.
He also tied the record for consecutive games with a passer rating of over 140.
He will also break Mannings record for passer rating in a season.

So he has not only broke that record but has really set an entirely different standard
When people talk about passer rating they will refer to Rodgers in nearly every category.

I dont think Rodgers has blown Brees out the water though, both have had tremendous seasons.
But Arod is doing this coming off a superbowl and put together one of the best winning streaks (only behind brady and the pats 21 streak) that we have ever seen.

Brees didn't do that.

Funny you don't hear much about this one......

I never thought anyone could break Peyton's passer rating record if even Brady in 2007 couldn't.

 

[Bogart]

I am not sure I understand Bogart. Are you hoping Brees wins it almost?

And honestly I still don't get the argument. Rodgers has had a remarkable season and one of the best I have ever seen. The quotes from him make me love him even more since he sounds almost oblivious to all the records and stats at times. It's about the team to him more then just padding his stats.

I told my mother about this earlier and she said lol "Aaron is still young. When they get older at QB the records are all they got." My mom is awesome. She loves Aaron now. She finds him "interesting".

I do want Aaron to win MVP but.....
A small part of me wants Brees to win it though just because I feel Brees could go all Tom Brady in the playoffs when Peyton was getting all the glory for all the numbers his offenses put up back in the day. As much as I love Peyton I do admit.....it's easier when you are a dome team. And Brees has had one of the cushiest schedules I have seen in terms of playing conditions.

I think Brees if wins it, he will have deserved it...If Rodgers wins it, he deserves it too.

This is really a toss up cause it's my two favorite QB's in the league, and I really wouldn't care who won it either way I guess. It's been over 20 years I had 2 quarterbacks I loved in the NFL, and that didn't last a long time.

 

[Southpaw]

When you look at the stats and all the intangibles and the adversity this team has experienced throughout this course of this season, this is a clear MVP season for Rodgers. This season is arguably better than Peyton Manning's best career season. If this doesn't constitute him winning the award, please tell me what does.

Of course I'd like to see us win another superbowl, but this is one of the best seasons a QB's has ever had, and it deserves proper recognition.

 

[Jules]

I think Brees if wins it, he will have deserved it...If Rodgers wins it, he deserves it too.

This is really a toss up cause it's my two favorite QB's in the league, and I really wouldn't care who won it either way I guess. It's been over 20 years I had 2 quarterbacks I loved in the NFL, and that didn't last a long time.

Problem is for me personally I don't even have Brees as #2. I think it's Brady at #2. And I hate the Pats and I have Brady at #2.

But, to each their own.

Rodgers is the younger and bigger talent IMO over Brees. Brees is winning over more hearts though since he has often been the feel good story.

 

[neilfii]

I personally believe Rodgers has the better stats and is more deserving of the MVP, but I certainly don't think it would be a complete travesty or sham if Brees won it; he is having an exceptional year as well (though not as good as Rodgers).