PFF somehow believes Bryce Young outplayed Trevor Lawrence in Panthers loss

The article discusses the discrepancy between traditional box score statistics and advanced analytics from Pro Football Focus (PFF) in evaluating the performances of Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young and Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence during their game. While the box score indicated that Lawrence outperformed Young, PFF grades told a different story.

According to the box score, Lawrence completed 19 of 31 passes for 178 yards, with one touchdown and one interception, whereas Young completed 18 of 35 passes for 154 yards, with one touchdown and two interceptions. However, PFF awarded Young a grade of 71.1, which was surprisingly higher than Lawrence's grade of 63.0, suggesting that Young had the superior performance according to their metrics.

The article explains that PFF grades take into account factors not reflected in traditional stats, such as expected completion percentage and on-target throws. It speculates that Young's grade may have been influenced by factors like dropped passes by his receivers, including a key end-zone drop and an out-of-bounds non-catch, which PFF might not attribute to the quarterback. Similarly, Lawrence's lower grade could be due to a particularly poor interception or other context not visible in the box score.

Despite the higher PFF grade, the article notes that Young would likely prefer Lawrence's stat line and game outcome, as Lawrence's team won while Young's lost. The piece concludes that while PFF grades offer a different perspective, they lack full context and may not align with real-world results or public perception, though they suggest Young's performance might not be as dire as some believe.