Self-Assessment Quiz: Defensive Metrics and Analysis

Test your understanding of defensive analytics concepts.

Section 1: Traditional Statistics (Questions 1-6)

Question 1

A linebacker leads the team with 120 tackles. This necessarily means:

A) He is the best defender on the team B) He makes lots of tackles, but we need more context C) The defense is bad (lots of opportunities) D) He plays the most snaps

Question 2

The main limitation of sack totals as a metric is:

A) They don't count B) They're highly volatile and partially luck-based C) Only defensive ends can get sacks D) Sacks don't matter

Question 3

Tackles for loss (TFL) are more valuable than regular tackles because:

A) They count as two tackles B) They prevent offensive success by stopping plays behind the line C) They require more skill D) They're counted differently

Question 4

Interceptions are somewhat "lucky" because:

A) The defender doesn't control when they're thrown at B) Many interceptions result from tipped balls C) INT rate is unstable year-over-year D) All of the above

Question 5

Which position typically leads teams in tackles?

A) Cornerback B) Defensive End C) Linebacker D) Safety

Question 6

Pass breakups (PBUs) are valuable because:

A) They count as interceptions B) They indicate the defender is in position to make plays on the ball C) They're more common than tackles D) They're easier to achieve than sacks

Section 2: Advanced Metrics (Questions 7-12)

Question 7

Defensive EPA allowed measures:

A) Total yards allowed B) Expected points surrendered per play C) Tackle efficiency D) Sacks per game

Question 8

A defense with -0.10 EPA per play allowed is:

A) Poor (negative is bad) B) Average C) Good (reducing opponent's expected points) D) Cannot determine without more context

Question 9

Success rate allowed (from defensive perspective) is also called:

A) Failure rate B) Stop rate C) Tackle rate D) Pressure rate

Question 10

On 2nd and 6, the offense gains 2 yards. From the defense's perspective, this is:

A) A successful stop (offense didn't gain 50% of needed yards) B) A failure (any positive yards is bad) C) Neutral D) Depends on field position

Question 11

EPA is preferable to yards allowed because:

A) It's simpler to calculate B) It accounts for down, distance, and field position C) It only counts passing plays D) It ignores turnovers

Question 12

A "positive play" for the defense is one where:

A) The defense gains yards B) The offense's EPA decreases (negative EPA for offense) C) The defense scores D) The defense gets a turnover

Section 3: Pass Rush (Questions 13-18)

Question 13

Pressure rate is defined as:

A) Sacks / pass attempts B) Pressures / dropbacks C) Hurries / completions D) Hits / incompletions

Question 14

Pass rush win rate (PRWR) measures:

A) Games won by the defense B) How often a rusher beats his blocker within 2.5 seconds C) Sack percentage D) Completion rate allowed

Question 15

A team has a 28% pressure rate and 7.2% sack rate. The sack conversion rate is:

A) 35.2% B) 3.86% C) 25.7% D) Cannot calculate

Question 16

Why is pressure rate considered more stable than sack rate?

A) More pressures happen than sacks B) Sacks require additional factors (QB doesn't escape, throw away, etc.) C) Both A and B D) Neither, they're equally stable

Question 17

When blitzing (sending 5+ rushers), defenses typically:

A) Generate more pressure but allow bigger plays when beaten B) Generate less pressure C) Have no change in pressure rate D) Always get sacks

Question 18

An elite pass rush pressure rate is approximately:

A) 15% B) 25% C) 35% D) 50%

Section 4: Coverage (Questions 19-24)

Question 19

Completion rate allowed measures:

A) Completions / total plays B) Completions / times targeted in coverage C) Incomplete passes / targets D) Interceptions / targets

Question 20

Passer rating allowed is useful because:

A) It combines multiple coverage outcomes into one number B) It's the only coverage metric C) It accounts for opponent strength D) It only measures interceptions

Question 21

An elite passer rating allowed for a cornerback is:

A) Above 100 B) Around 85-90 C) Below 70 D) Below 50

Question 22

"Target rate" (how often a defender is thrown at) matters because:

A) More targets always means better coverage B) Elite corners may be avoided, limiting their counting stats C) It determines passer rating D) It only applies to safeties

Question 23

Yards per target is more informative than yards allowed because:

A) It doesn't count incomplete passes B) It normalizes for how often a player is targeted C) It's easier to calculate D) It only counts touchdowns

Question 24

Zone coverage vs. man coverage typically shows:

A) Zone allows shorter completions, man is more boom-or-bust B) Man always has lower completion rates C) Zone always allows more yards D) No statistical difference

Section 5: Run Defense & Adjustments (Questions 25-30)

Question 25

Yards before contact (from defensive perspective) measures:

A) Running back skill B) How well the front seven controls gaps C) Secondary tackling D) Special teams performance

Question 26

Stuff rate measures:

A) Runs of 10+ yards B) Runs stopped at or behind the line of scrimmage C) First down conversions D) Touchdowns allowed

Question 27

An elite stuff rate for a run defense is approximately:

A) Above 10% B) Above 18% C) Above 25% D) Above 35%

Question 28

Opponent adjustment is important because:

A) All offenses are the same B) Facing weak offenses inflates defensive stats C) Strong schedules don't matter D) EPA already accounts for opponents

Question 29

If a team's opponent adjustment factor is 1.15, this means:

A) They faced easier than average opponents B) They faced harder than average opponents C) Their defense is 15% better than average D) Their defense is 15% worse than average

Question 30

The best single metric for overall defensive evaluation is:

A) Yards allowed B) Points allowed C) Defensive EPA per play D) Sacks

Answer Key

Scoring Guide

• 27-30 correct: Excellent! Strong grasp of defensive analytics.
• 22-26 correct: Good understanding. Review pass rush and coverage sections.
• 17-21 correct: Fair. Focus on advanced metrics concepts.
• Below 17: Review the chapter material thoroughly.

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