Levi's lone interception on the Season.

[covcaj]

I suspect the answer is a curve, highly dependent upon whether the INTs are a function of poor decisions or aggressive play (or the ratio of same). So therefore dependent upon the QB and different for each.

I could play 100% conservatively (from an INT perspective) and run every down. Zero INTs. Or I could play 100% recklessly and throw every down, into double coverage etc and throw a ton of picks. Somewhere in between is the sweet spot where I am aggressive enough to maximize scoring while tolerating some INTs. (And minimizing negative affects on actually winning the game).

The question for Lewis, is “are we too close to the conservative end of the curve to maximize scoring”? The goal of the offense is maximum score, not minimize INTs. And it is NOT axiomatic that minimum INTs means maximum score.

The goal of the office is not just to maximize scores. To give a ridiculous example to make my point, if the Offense scored every other time they got possession of the ball, but on alternate possessions threw a pick six, that would not be good. So it is something more than maximizing score. It seems to me that is maximizing score without giving your opponent a chance to score off of Offensive mistakes. Just a thought.

[CajunVic]

True. Point taken. Which complicates the question further. Edited to account.

Would you agree that minimizing INTs at all costs does not necessarily mean maximizing win chances?

I would agree, however who said that we are minimizing INTs at any cost?

[CharlieK]

I would agree, however who said that we are minimizing INTs at any cost?

Turbine’s stat from the OP would suggest that would be the course. My point is it’s much more complicated than that and really comes down to what risk level maximizes scoring or as you accurately pointed out, maximizes winning.

[Turbine]

Turbine’s stat from the OP would suggest that would be the course. My point is it’s much more complicated than that and really comes down to what risk level maximizes scoring or as you accurately pointed out, maximizes winning.

I'm suggesting in my Opening Post that the average interception has a regressive value and I'm trying to find that value by throwing out a hard number.

[covcaj]

I'm suggesting in my Opening Post that the average interception has a regressive value and I'm trying to find that value by throwing out a hard number.

And I believe there are way too many variables to come up with a number that is meaningful.

[Turbine]

There is a football phrase "He's throwing the game away."

[CharlieK]

And I believe there are way too many variables to come up with a number that is meaningful.

Bingo.

And it is not as intuitively simple as "more interceptions bad". Not IF more interceptions are a byproduct of controlled aggressive play that ultimately leads to more scoring and more wins.

Jake Delhomme's Cajun career is an example. That dude threw a lot of picks (57!). But he also made a ton of plays. Would we have been better if he was super conservative and never threw a pick? I doubt it.

I really like Lewis, and think he gets a bum rap from some here. But I do think he needs to turn it loose a little more often. But I'M A FOOTBALL MORON, RELATIVELY SPEAKING...that's why I trust Napier, who decidedly, is not.

[CharlieK]

There is a football phrase "He's throwing the game away."

There is also a fooball phrase "scared money don't make money".

[Turbine]

There is also a fooball phrase "scared money don't make money".

Some phrase old, some phrase new, something borrowed something to chew.

[CajunVic]

Levi must satisfy me and ewe,
Less his horse may turn to glue.

[Turbine]

Levi must satisfy me and ewe,
Less his horse may turn to glue.

What happened to chew... ing gum?

[CajunVic]

What happened to chew... ing gum?

Had to work in the sheep . . .