Self-Assessment Quiz: Advanced Passing Metrics

Test your understanding of advanced passing metrics and their applications.

Section 1: Expected Points Added (Questions 1-8)

Question 1

Expected Points Added (EPA) measures:

A) Total yards gained on a play B) The change in expected points resulting from a play C) Points scored in the current drive D) The probability of scoring a touchdown

Question 2

A play has an EP before of 2.5 and an EP after of 4.0. What is the EPA?

A) 2.5 B) 4.0 C) 1.5 D) 6.5

Question 3

Which play would likely have the HIGHEST EPA?

A) 5-yard completion on 1st and 10 at own 30 B) 5-yard completion on 3rd and 4 at opponent's 35 C) 10-yard completion on 2nd and 15 at midfield D) 3-yard completion on 1st and goal at the 8

Question 4

An interception typically results in:

A) Zero EPA B) Positive EPA C) Negative EPA D) Depends on the quarter

Question 5

Why is EPA more informative than yards gained for evaluating passes?

A) It accounts for touchdown value B) It considers game situation context C) It measures defensive quality D) It tracks receiver separation

Question 6

A quarterback has an EPA per dropback of +0.15. This means:

A) He averages 0.15 yards per attempt B) He adds 0.15 expected points per pass play C) His completion probability is 15% D) 15% of his passes result in scores

Question 7

EPA "success rate" typically measures:

A) Completion percentage B) Percentage of plays with positive EPA C) Red zone conversion rate D) Third down conversion rate

Question 8

Which situation would have the LOWEST expected points (EP)?

A) 1st and 10 at own 20 B) 3rd and 15 at own 40 C) 2nd and 5 at opponent's 30 D) 1st and goal at the 5

Section 2: Completion Probability & CPOE (Questions 9-16)

Question 9

Completion Percentage Over Expected (CPOE) measures:

A) How often a QB completes passes B) How a QB's accuracy compares to expected based on throw difficulty C) The percentage of passes that should be caught D) Year-over-year improvement in completion percentage

Question 10

A quarterback has 70% completion percentage and +5% CPOE. His expected completion percentage was:

A) 75% B) 70% C) 65% D) 60%

Question 11

Which factor typically has the LARGEST impact on completion probability?

A) Down and distance B) Score differential C) Air yards (depth of target) D) Home/away status

Question 12

A QB has -3% CPOE. This indicates:

A) He completes 3% of his passes B) He completes passes at 3% below expected based on difficulty C) His throws average 3 yards past the line D) 3% of his passes are intercepted

Question 13

Passes under pressure typically have:

A) Higher completion probability B) Lower completion probability C) Same completion probability D) Depends on the quarterback

Question 14

Two QBs have the same CPOE of +4%. QB A has aDOT of 7, QB B has aDOT of 11. Which is likely more impressive?

A) QB A (lower aDOT) B) QB B (higher aDOT) C) They are equally impressive D) Cannot determine without more data

Question 15

A completion probability model that outputs 0.72 means:

A) The pass will be complete 72% of the time B) Based on similar throws, we expect 72% completion rate C) The QB has 72% career completion rate D) 72% of yards will be gained

Question 16

CPOE is considered more predictive than raw completion percentage because:

A) It adjusts for throw difficulty B) It accounts for drops C) It includes rushing plays D) It measures arm strength

Section 3: Air Yards Analysis (Questions 17-22)

Question 17

Average Depth of Target (aDOT) measures:

A) Total air yards in a season B) Average distance passes travel before reaching receiver C) Yards after catch average D) Distance to the line of scrimmage

Question 18

A quarterback has an aDOT of 11.2 yards. This suggests:

A) A conservative, short-passing offense B) An aggressive, downfield passing attack C) Heavy reliance on screens D) Poor pass protection

Question 19

Intended Air Yards per Attempt (IAY/PA) includes:

A) Only completed passes B) Only incomplete passes C) All pass attempts (complete and incomplete) D) Only deep passes

Question 20

Air yards share of 55% means:

A) 55% of passes were completed B) 55% of total receiving yards came from air yards C) 55% of passes traveled more than 10 yards D) The QB threw 55% of team's passes

Question 21

A receiver with high YAC (yards after catch) relative to air yards likely:

A) Runs deep routes B) Runs short/intermediate routes and gains yards with the ball C) Has poor hands D) Faces tough defensive coverage

Question 22

Which depth zone typically has the HIGHEST completion percentage?

A) Behind line of scrimmage B) Short (0-9 yards) C) Medium (10-19 yards) D) Deep (20+ yards)

Section 3: Adjusted Metrics (Questions 23-27)

Question 23

Pressure-adjusted completion percentage accounts for:

A) Offensive line quality B) Varying pressure rates faced by QBs C) Weather conditions D) Receiver separation

Question 24

A QB has 72% clean pocket completion rate and 45% pressured completion rate. The most notable observation is:

A) He's an elite passer B) His performance drops significantly under pressure C) He faces little pressure D) His line is excellent

Question 25

Opponent-adjusted stats are important because:

A) Some QBs face harder schedules than others B) Defenses don't affect passing stats C) All opponents are equally skilled D) Raw stats already account for opponent

Question 26

When adjusting for era, modern passing stats are typically:

A) Lower than historical stats B) Higher than historical stats (league-wide passing has increased) C) The same as historical stats D) More accurate than historical stats

Question 27

A "composite" QB metric combines multiple factors because:

A) Single metrics capture all QB skills B) Different metrics measure different aspects of performance C) Simple metrics are too accurate D) Composite metrics are easier to calculate

Section 4: Application & Analysis (Questions 28-30)

Question 28

For draft scouting, which advanced metric combination is MOST useful?

A) Completion percentage and touchdowns B) CPOE, aDOT, and pressure performance C) Total yards and games played D) Win-loss record and passer rating

Question 29

A QB has elite CPOE but poor EPA. The MOST likely explanation is:

A) He throws accurately but his throws don't create value B) The metrics are measuring the same thing C) He has poor receivers D) The data is incorrect

Question 30

Which statement about advanced passing metrics is TRUE?

A) CPOE fully replaces passer rating B) EPA only matters for deep passes C) Multiple metrics together provide better evaluation than any single metric D) Air yards don't affect completion probability

Answer Key

Scoring Guide

• 27-30 correct: Excellent! You have strong command of advanced passing metrics.
• 22-26 correct: Good understanding. Review the metrics where you struggled.
• 17-21 correct: Fair. Focus on understanding the purpose of each metric.
• Below 17: Review the chapter material and work through the exercises.

Topics to Review by Question