Justin Fields In Bottom Tier of QB Analytical Leaders
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Justin Fields is in the bottom tier of analytical analysis from Week 1 of the 2024 season.
PITTSBURGH — Quarterback Justin Fields finished in the bottom tier of NFL quarterbacks in EPA per play for his Week 1 performance in the Pittsburgh Steelers opener against the Atlanta Falcons. Fields finished the team’s 18-10 first-week win over the Falcons with -0.09 EPA per play. EPA stands for expected points added, and is the accumulation of positive and negative plays, compared to the scoring average for the situation.
Adjusted EPA numbers after Week 1.
Because sample sizes are small, QBs affected by high-leverage drops get a large boost (Darnold, Purdy, Stafford, Burrow). Stafford also gets a large boost due to disastrous pass protection. pic.twitter.com/yDIwMk1m8C
— Computer Cowboy (@benbbaldwin) September 11, 2024
The -0.09 had Fields tied for 21st in the league for Week 1, even with Gardner Minshew of the Las Vegas Raiders. That’s slightly behind where Fields was in 2023, when he finished with -0.02 EPA per play, but was also tied for 21st.
His adjusted EPA per play, which accounts for pass protection, drops, and luck, was -0.06, tied for 23rd.
Offensive coordinator Arthur Smith explained some of the reasons that Fields was less than prolific against the Falcons, saying part of it was the game plan, and part of it was some decision-making details that Fields can improve upon.
“This game comes down to details,” Smith said about a third-down play in the fourth quarter. “You got what you wanted, the problem is, it’s such a small margin. I don’t know want to sound like I’m taking anything from Atlanta, but where that ball was caught, and the timing of that, that’s the stuff you’ve got to clean up week-to-week. …
“There’s a lot of things as you go through it. … We’ve got to be more detailed.”
But he did credit Fields for taking care of the football and sticking to the somewhat conservative game plan, which was designed to minimize Atlanta’s star safeties, Jessie Bates III and Justin Simmons.
RELATED: Arthur Smith Explains Steelers Avoiding Middle of Field vs Falcons
“I thought he was very disciplined,” Smith said. “He didn’t get greedy. When the shots were there, the opportunities were there, we took advantage of them. It’ll change week to week, but the way that game flowed, I thought he played really disciplined, which is why he had an efficient day.”
In more traditional stats, Fields finished the week 26th in passing yards, 24th in completions, eighth in completion percentage, 14th in passer rating, 19th in QBR and 21st in adjusted net yards per attempt.
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