I don't have a problem projecting Collins as a 4,000+ yard passer for 2005. Even if we assume the addition of Jordan allows Turner to resume a more normalized run/pass ratio this year, I see no reason why Collins won't have 540-570 pass attempts, which implies 3,800 yard+ if Collins averages his YPA of a year ago (which is also roughly in line with Turner's offensive YPA over his coaching tenure). So if you project that Moss will help Collins' YPA in 2005 (a logical assumption), it's by no means a stretch to think he can/will pass for 4,100+ yards (assuming a 7.5 YPA).
But the problem I'm having is the assumption that somehow Moss' addition puts Collins into the 30+ TD category.
Let's look at the following datapoints:
Pass Atts per TD in Norv Turner's coaching career = 167 TD passes in 4,329 attempts = 25.92 attempts per pass TD
Pass Atts per TD in Kerry Collins' career = 153 TDs in 4,517 attempts = 29.52 attempts per pass TDStartingly similar, no? Now, again it's perfectly reasonable to assume some improvement based on the addition of Randy Moss.
Pass Atts per TD by QBs throwing to Randy Moss = 210 TDs in 3,573 attempts = 17.01 attempts per pass TDI would make the case that while Moss' addition helps matters, the likely outcome is going to be somewhere in between Moss' MIN QB output (different offensive philosophy) and Collins/Turner's career TD/Pass output. But let's look at a range of options:
HIGH END = 1 TD per 17 passes = 32.9 pass TDs (560 PA / 17)
MID POINT = 1 TD per 23.25 passes = 24.1 pass TDs (560 PA / 23.25)
LOW END = 1 TD per 29.5 passes = 19.0 pass TDs (560 PA / 29.5)The bullish folk will contend that Moss will somehow magically change 10 years of history and completely remake both Collins and Turner into as explosive as the MIN offense under Denny Green/Scott Linehan. But if we're looking at more modest improvement, it would appear 24-25 passing TDs along with 4,100 yards or so is the more logical yet promising upside for Collins.
Clearly not a bad fantasy output, and worthy of a starting spot in most leagues to be sure, but enough to justify a top 5 draft spot? We'll have to wait and see.
great post jason,the numbers add up, & the logic is flawless & seems to point to an inexorable conclusion.
i might add that, while going back & looking at collins past, APART FROM turner, & turner's past, APART from collins, is of interest & should carry some weight... the most useful datapoint for our purposes (at least for that part of the model that leaves out moss & CAN'T account for it... YET :^)... is last season... when their careers intersect.
a recurring theme in the thread is that the raiders as a team had 24 TDs (most, but not all, by collins, post-gannon injury)... without moss.
in the end, after constructing a comprehensive model that accounted for not only collins & turner's past, but also moss in MIN... somehow we ended up with a number that closely resembles what OAK did last year... again, without moss.
you characterized 24-25 as logical but promising upside for collins.
i feel like i must be missing something. if we are in agreement that collins now is in a better position with moss on board (though HOW much better seems to be a contentious but healthy & interesting debate between those projections in this thread)... & granted that turner may have been conservative historically... but turner was there last season when they got 24 (& yes, they didn't have viable RB & might run more... but that could enable them to sustain more drives & score more... some of which could benefit collins & moss, & lead to more yards & TDs... not less, & doesn't necessarily suggest negative or neutral impact)... your number of 24-25 would seem to correspond to what i would call the baseline, if not the floor... based on last season.
upside would seem to point to a number higher than 24-25... since they already did that last season, without moss... based on last season.
this again, may be due to fact that your model is perhaps conservative, in that it incorporates data from collins prior years in which he never had as good a WR to throw to as moss... & years in which turner never had as good a WR as moss to call plays for.
not trying to put too fine a point on things, but when OAK threw 24 TDs in '04, & your model spits out an "upside" number only 1 more than what they did last season... than they add maybe one of the top 1-2 greatest WRs in history of the NFL... that HAS to be good for more than 1 additional TD.
either i am not accounting for something important... or this speaks to the model not sufficiently taking into account the "moss effect".
by the way... where do you see collins ADP being? do you see it as 5... you have used the number, but i wasn't sure if you were merely commenting to other points in the thread. it should be interesting to get some more ADP data in in the wake of the moss trade.
EDIT/ADD - just for fun, & i am too lazy to look up, but it would be very suggestive & possibly instructive to know... who did collins throw to in CAR? clearly moss would be far better than toomer, & imo porter is substantial upgrade over hilliard.
how bout turner... what were the WRs like in WAS? was bryan westbrook top WR?
EDIT/ADD II - i forgot... turner doesn't call the plays... that is of course the purview of the puppet master, al davis. :^) count chocula is going to command his minions to make daryl "the mad bomber" lamonica days look like trent dilfer & kyle boller.