Giants QBs Partly to Blame for O-line's Historically Bad Season

While this data doesn't absolve the offensive line for its part in a historically bad season--the 85 sacks allowed is the second most surrendered by a team in league history since sacks became a tracked stat--the tendency of the Giatns quarterbacks to hold onto the ball at alarmingly long intervals played a part on their weekly beatings by opposing defenses.

Coaches prefer quarterbacks to get rid of the ball in 2.5 seconds or less. If the protection is clean, that's a reasonable metric to meet, assuming the quarterback is processing the post-snap reads quickly enough to get the ball out of his hand.

Sometimes, however, a quarterback will add to his average time to throw because he's rolling around the pocket to buy time or avoid a rush.

How did the Giants quarterbacks do in 2023?

Jones averaged 2.28 seconds when kept clean, but he also threw three interceptions to two touchdown passes, his receivers dropping three balls. His average time to throw jumped to 3.54 seconds when under pressure, with three interceptions, no touchdowns, and just one dropped pass.

Taylor averaged 2.34 seconds to throw when kept clean, throwing four touchdowns to two interceptions. His intended targets also dropped six passes under those circumstances. Under pressure, he averaged 3.61 seconds to throw, tossing one touchdown and one interception while having his pass catchers drop another three balls.

DeVito, the undrafted rookie pressed into action probably well before he was ready, averaged 2.54 seconds to throw when kept clean, completing six touchdowns and throwing just three interceptions with ten passes dropped. He averaged 3.86 seconds to throw under pressure, completing two touchdowns and no interceptions, with just two dropped balls.

Again, not all pressures are created equal, and this isn't to say that the Giants offensive line was better than what its historically bad numbers otherwise suggest.

This is just a reminder that not all sacks and pressures are created equal and that some of the blame must be placed elsewhere, such as the running back or tight end who fails to chip or, more importantly, the quarterback who holds onto the ball endlessly out of fear of making a mistake.