ESPN's QBR stat is hogwash

I know I've written about this before, but it bears repeating, ESPN's QBR stat is hogwash.

There's a reason no other sports network or publication ever talks about a player's QBR. It's such appalling trash, garbage-people won't even pick it up on Wednesdays. 

Don't believe me? Think I'm exaggerating? Here's a current rundown of the bottom half of the league when it comes to ESPN's QBR rankings: 

17) Russell Wilson: 58.9 (65.9%, 16 TD, 4 INT, 8.5 ypa, 112.8 rating, 77 rush yards)

18) Aaron Rodgers: 57.6 (61.3%, 13 TD, 1 INT, 8.0 ypa, 100.4 rating, 116 rush yards)

19) Joe Flacco: 56.7 (61.1%, 12 TD, 6 INT, 6.6 ypa, 84.9 rating, 45 rush yards)

20) Jameis Winston: 56.1 (64.9%, 6 TD, 10 INT, 8.0 ypa, 74.7 rating, 109 rush yards, 1 TD)

21) Marcus Mariota: 54.8 (66.0%, 3 TD, 5 INT, 6.9 ypa, 78.5 rating, 185 rush yards, 1 TD)

22) Dak Prescott: 54.4 (62.1%, 8 TD, 4 INT, 6.9 ypa, 87.4 rating, 236 rush yards, 2 TDs)

23) Blake Bortles: 52.0 (60.3%, 10 TD, 8 INT, 7.0 ypa, 81.4 rating, 261 rush yards, 1 TD)

24) Alex Smith: 50.8 (63.2%, 8 TD, 2 INT, 6.8 ypa, 91.3 rating, 97 rush yards, 1 TD)

25) Derek Carr: 50.6 (72.0%, 10 TD, 8 INT, 7.8 ypa, 94.5 rating, 36 rush yards, 1 TD)

26) Case Keenum: 43.5 (63.9%, 10 TD, 10 INT, 7.3 ypa, 83.0 rating, 35 rush yards, 1 TD)

27) C.J. Beathard: 43.2 (60.4%, 8 TD, 7 INT, 6.5 ypa, 81.8 rating, 69 rush yards, 1 TD)

28) Eli Manning: 40.4 (68.3%, 8 TD, 6 INT, 7.5 ypa, 90.9 rating, 19 rush yards)

29) Josh Rosen: 38.1 (55.6%, 5 TD, 6 INT, 6.3 ypa, 69.9 rating, 48 rush yards)

30) Baker Mayfield: 36.1 (58.3%, 8 TD, 6 INT, 6.6 ypa, 78.9 rating, 91 rush yards)

31) Sam Darnold: 35.2 (55.2%, 11 TD, 10 INT, 6.8 ypa, 74.5 rating, 61 rush yards, 1 TD)

32) Ryan Tannehill: 32.3 (65.9%, 8 TD, 5 INT, 7.5 ypa, 92.9 rating, 91 rush yards)

33) Josh Allen: 30.0 (54.0%, 2 TD, 5 INT, 6.0 ypa, 61.8 rating, 155 rush yards, 3 TD)

Look at those numbers very carefully. Jameis Winston, who was suspended for the first three games of this season, is tied for the league lead in interceptions with 10. He has a 3:5 touchdown:interception ratio to his credit - the worst in all of football. Yet the guy is just two spots below Aaron Rodgers and three behind Russell Wilson, who have combined to throw 29 touchdowns while only being picked off 5 times - a ratio that's nearly 6:1? Really? Rodgers is only 1.5 points better than Winston? Wilson is just 2.8 points better than him? The passer rating, while imperfect, grades quarterbacks based on their accuracy, yards per attempt, and touchdown to interception ratio. According to this formula, Winston possesses a below-average score of 74.7, while Wilson and Rodgers possess elite numbers, at 112.8 and 100.4, respectively. So how in the world could anyone in their right mind place Winston directly below the two Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks? Is it his running skills? Wilson and Rodgers have an average of 96.5 yards on the ground to their credit, while Winston has 109. A couple yards per game is hardly worthy of the gap narrowing between these three players. So what is it, record? Winston is 1-2 in games started this year, which is worse than both Wilson (4-3) and Rodgers (3-3-1). When looking at quarterback rating, Jameis Winston ranks 30th, so how in the world is a guy that ranks 30th in that category, doesn't rush the ball like Michael Vick or Cam Newton, and loses more games than he wins ranked ten spots ahead of that mark? There's only one logical explanation: ESPN's QBR stat is hogwash.