You know that YAC is yards after catch to define what receivers do after making a catch and tracking how many yards they gain. Well our new Kyle Orton originated stat is YAPD, YARDS AFTER PREVENT DEFENSE, or “Muffy”, MFY, MEANINGLESS FUTILE YARDAGE, after the game is out of reach and the defense lets you gain yards and chew up the clock.
Orton seems to cherish these yards. He thrives on them and fattens up the stats. After Oakland went to the Prevent Defense on the Monday Night Season Opener in Denver Orton was 7 for 11 for 71 yards and his only TD in the final drive. This made his final stat line 24 of 46 for 304 yards. If my math is right he was 17 of 35 for 234 yards before the final meaningless drive when the game was decided and the outcome wasn’t really in doubt. So the “Muffy”, or MFY, Meaningless Futile Yardage was 71 this game, nearly a third of his total to that point in the contest. It is fascinating how when the game is still in doubt he throws the ball out of bounds or into the stands to avoid interceptions but he can hit nearly 70% when no one is really guarding his receivers. Wait, maybe that isn’t so good either.
I felt this stat was needed because of how much Orton prospers in these situations. His Red Zone failures are already well documented, as well as 3 rd down inadequacies, but there wasn’t really a serious measurement of how many yards he throws for when no one cares. YAPD, or MFY may simply be renamed “ORTONS” for the QB who inspired the stat. Fantasy Leagues may want to give only half credit for these numbers. Or maybe they will begin to include practice stats. I hear Orton is really good out there too.