Statistical Stories of the 2012 Season

David Carr - Finally Makes It

David Carr has been the red-headed step child of SFL quarterbacks since the league formed. Texans' GM Wade Pearce did not want him, instead opting for an inexperienced but slightly better Patrick Ramsey in the first season (predictably with the same result). Carr bounced around the league, playing for the Cardinals, Browns, returning to the Texans, the Panthers and finally the Colts. He has been the ultimate journey man and despite that journey in most seasons he has been given a start.

But the 2012, at the age of 33, was Carr's season of validation with the culmination of 11 years of hard slog seeing him top out the QB rating for the league with a season rating of 104.7. This is his first season surpassing the 100 mark and an improvement on the 2011 season's 90. But Carr didn't do it with spikes scattered amongst a field of mediocrity. No, from the 12 full games he played (we're not counting the week 7 game he only made 2 pass attempts before getting injured), Carr recorded a QB rating of 100 or better in 7 of those games. A QB consistently throwing up 100+ QB rating games is a rarity in this league and for Carr to do it after the journey he has had is something of note.

We can only hope for the 2013 season he stays healthy (if the Colts continue to start the veteran).

Tyler Thigpen - The SFL Tom Brady

Speaking of quarterbacks, we cannot pass Tyler Thigpen. Another quarterback who posted a season with a QB rating over 100 at 103.4, Thigpen's number got called heavily by GM Norbert Huszti in gameplanning and Thigpen replied. His 2012 season finished with 4,474 yards passing and 35 touchdowns. This surpassed his previous best season by over 600 yards and 8 touchdowns. Improvement is expected but to basically blow away your personal best and post a season QB rating of 103.4 is an amazing achievement.

But we have to remember that Thigpen was never a high profile draft target and full credit has to go to Norbert. Drafted 166th overall with the 6th pick in the 6th round, Thigpen passed a lot of propective teams draft boards. But Norbert leant into Tyler from the first season and while the rookie season was a standard rookie QB season and his second season was limited, Thigpen has continued to grow into one of the league's premier play callers. Not bad for someone who was picked a lot closer to the end of the draft than the start.

Cedric Cobbs - A Machine

"To hell with old age" is likely what Cedric Cobbs said everytime he walked into the locker room on a Sunday. In his 9th season in the league, Cobbs lead the league in rushing and set a personal best in yards and yards-per-carry for his career at the tender age of 31. Until the 2012 season, Cobb had never reached the personal mark of 1,897 yards he had set as a rookie in the 2004 season but that was not to say he wasn't consistent. Every season for Cobb has been a 1,000-yard rushing season. The Bears have been able to put Cobb on the field from day 1 and get production from him.

But as the league looks away from veterans, Cobb stuck a giant middle finger into the faces of the league collective and then ran over them. I don't know what they put in his water this last season but if a 31 year old running back can come back to lead the league in rushing yards, any veteran has a chance.

Dez Bryant - Best Season Yet

The Jaguars finished the 2012 season by posting their first winning record in 5 seasons. Unfortunately it did not result in a playoff appearance but kept GM Olivier Ratajczak comfortably in the driver's seat. But 2010 #1 overall draft pick Dez Bryant just keeps adding to his credentials. After a rookie season with 1,473 yards and a stellar sophmore season of 1,718 yards Dez went HAM and led the league with 1,880 receiving yards and 18 touchdowns, both of which are career bests. That performance moves him to 4th overall for a season record in both categories.

Bryant has blown the lid off the receiving game since joining the league and has more than acquited himself as one of the premier receivers in the league. At only 25 years of age, the AFC South have a lot of pain in front of them.

Adrian Peterson - Pure Gold

Since being picked 18th overall in the 2007 draft by the Packers, Adrian Peterson has been the epitome of what a team wants their running back to do. His worst season as a running back so far was 2010 where he put up a lazy 1,310 yards rushing. While his 1,619 yards in the 2012 season did not surpass his career best 1,966 yards, his 16 touchdowns were a personal best for a season and led the league in 2012. Peterson has been a career constant for the Packers at running back but with rumours of him being shopped around as he enters "veteran" status, it will remain to be seen if he can continue to carry the Packers moving forward.

Champ Bailey - The Vortex

Like others, Bailey shrugged off the concept of old age and in the last 2 seasons has combined for 23 interceptions. While he has started to lose a step or 2 in the twilight of his career, it is worth pointing out that he led the league for a second year running in interceptions. While he shared that honour in 2012 with the Cardinals' Keenan Lewis, the 10 interceptions Bailey pulled in this year pushed him into territory only he occupies: career interception leader for the SFL. With his career 65 interceptions, Bailey is now 5 clear of his nearest rival in Patrick Surtain (retired) and 6 clear of Chris McAlister (retired). The nearest active player is the Bills' Fred Smoot who is 10 interceptions behind Bailey.

Whether Bailey stays in Indianapolis or moves to another team, we are certain he will put up some more picks on that career leaders board and retire the league's all time best in that category.

Ricky Schmitt - Kicker Maths

Schmitt's league-leading 43 field goals may not have broken any season records, but an interesting stat is that he alone accounted for nearly 40% of the Eagles total offensive scoring in the 2012 season. Now, this unlikely to be an anomaly in any fashion but figured the maths would be a cool tidbit. So for anybody left in the world thinking kickers aren't worth the free pizza they cost to have on the roster, be warned they probably carry the bulk of your offensive scoring!

Keenan Clayton - Act Natural

A callout to the Panther's Keenan Clayton whose 13 sacks tied him for 2nd best in the league. He does look out of place though as an outside linebacker surrounded by defensive ends. Act natural kid!

Punt Returns - Bask In The Donut

After 11 seasons, nobody in the SFL has ever returned a punt return for a touchdown. Will they ever?