Here are some Bradford's stats:
Positives:
- Threw A LOT. 590 attempts for a rookie record, and #3 in the league.
- Completed 60% of his passes, which for a rookie is great.
- Threw more TDs than INTS, and a very good 2.5 INT% (INTS per attempt). Very good for a rookie.
Negatives:
- Had a putrid 6 YPA, 30th in the league, only Jimmy Clausen had worse
- Had an average 76.5 QB rating, 25th in the league, surpasses by the likes of Donovan McNabb, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Alex Smith...
- Had an awful 36 passes for over 20 yards (including screens and such), good for 22nd in the league.
- Had a terrible 4 passes for over 40 yards, 24th in the league.
So, to sum it up, Bradford was accurate, careful with the ball, and was used a lot. But he didn't make many plays, didn't complete many deep balls, and overall was nothing more than an average game manager.
Considering he was a rookie in a bad team, he had a good season. But nothing that even comes close to indicate he's gonna be an elite QB, not on what he accomplished in the season, that is.
So, what explains the big change in the W column? Defense.
On offense, they were only 26th in PPG, with a bad 18.1 average. But it was a progression from the 2009 Rams, who were dead last in the league with 10.9 YPG. While an improvement, still a bad offense.
But on defense, the improvement was big. From a horrible 27.2 PPG in 2009, 31st in the league, they jumped to 12th in the league, with a respectable 20.5 PPG.
So, with a big improvement on defense, and an easier schedule, in an even easier division, was the main cause.
