Pro Football Prospectus 2003

by Sean Lahman, Todd Greanier

Football coaches say the greatest improvement occurs between games one and two of the season. If that adage can be applied to football books, you’re in for a treat, as Pro Football Prospectus builds on its successful debut with the 2003 edition. Improving on what FOXSports.com called "361 pages of football goodness" will be tough, but Sean Lahman, Todd Greanier, and their collection of football connoisseurs are back to cogitate on the 2002 season and calculate what might happen in 2003. Pro Football Prospectus builds from the innovative Football Project, a full play-by-play database that allows an evaluation of every offensive and defensive series leaguewide. In the 2002 edition, it provided statistics for a unique sacks-to-pass-plays ratio. In the 2003 edition, discover whether scrambling QBs are more effective than pocket passers, and see the true impact of special teams play. The Prospectus also features a brand new statistic, DPro, to rate defensive players. It combines sacks, tackles, assists, interceptions, fumble recoveries, and defensive touchdowns-the NFL doesn’t even officially collect tackle and fumble recovery stats, but the Football Project does!-to give the reader a statistical comparison of defensive players by position. This year’s edition introduces Adjusted Yards, a system for rating offensive players and return specialists that helps answer such questions as, Does it make sense to draft quarterbacks in the first round? Who really are the greatest running backs of all time? At what age do wide receivers peak? No other football annual provides so much information about the game’s past and present and insights into future seasons. With statistics, essays, discussions, and even fantasy football rankings, Pro Football Prospectus gives you the ultimate football experience!

368 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2003