Completed Air Yards per Pass Attempt Calculator
Definition of Completed Air Yards per Pass Attempt:
Completed Air Yards per Pass Attempt (CAY/PA) measures the average air yards gained on all pass attempts, including incompletions but excluding yards after catch.
The result is:
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What is the completed air yards per pass attempt for a quarterback who has 2000 total completed air yards on 500 pass attempts?
Formula Explanation:
The formula for calculating CAY/PA is: Total Completed Air Yards / Pass Attempts. This formula provides the average air yards gained per pass attempt.
Detailed Explanation:
Completed Air Yards per Pass Attempt measures how many air yards, on average, a quarterback gains per pass attempt. It combines elements of passing depth and completion percentage into a single metric. A higher CAY/PA suggests more successful downfield passing, while a lower CAY/PA could indicate either a more conservative passing attack or difficulty completing deeper passes.
Importance:
This stat is crucial for understanding a quarterback's overall effectiveness in gaining yardage through the air. It provides a more complete picture than Intended Air Yards per Attempt or Completed Air Yards per Completion alone, as it accounts for both passing depth and completion rate.
Historical Use:
CAY/PA is a relatively new statistic that has gained prominence with the advent of advanced tracking technologies in football.
Historical Context:
As tracking technology has improved, stats like CAY/PA have become more prevalent and important in analyzing quarterback play. It's part of a broader trend towards more comprehensive, efficiency-based statistics in football analysis.
Limitations:
While CAY/PA provides insight into a quarterback's passing efficiency, it doesn't account for yards after catch or differentiate between short and long incompletions. It also doesn't consider the context of the throws (e.g., down and distance, game situation).
Example:
If a quarterback has 2000 total completed air yards on 500 pass attempts, their CAY/PA would be calculated as follows: 2000 / 500 = 4.0 CAY/PA.
Famous Examples:
While specific records aren't widely publicized, quarterbacks known for their efficient deep passing games, like Aaron Rodgers or Patrick Mahomes, often have higher CAY/PA.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What is considered a good Completed Air Yards per Pass Attempt in the NFL?
In the NFL, a CAY/PA around 4.0-5.0 is generally considered average. Above 5.5 would be considered high, indicating efficient downfield passing.
How does CAY/PA relate to other quarterback stats?
CAY/PA is closely related to yards per attempt, but excludes yards after catch. It's also related to completion percentage and average depth of target.
Can a low CAY/PA still indicate an effective quarterback?
Yes, some effective quarterbacks have relatively low CAY/PA. This could indicate a quick-release, high-percentage passing game that relies heavily on yards after catch, which isn't captured in this stat.
Sources:
Completed Air Yards per Pass Attempt
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Result
0
Total Completed Air Yards
2000
Pass Attempts
500
What is the completed air yards per pass attempt for a quarterback who has 2000 total completed air yards on 500 pass attempts?
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