Percentage of incompletions

The percentage of incompletions is a statistic measuring the player’s efficiency as the receiver. It calculates how often this player admits natural incompletions. The latter excludes fumbles, handing the ball off or laterals.

According to the rules, the pass can only be forward. Any lateral throws aren’t considered passes, so there are no limits on their quantity. If we see the fumbled snap, we keep silent because if the QB drops the ball without pressure before a pass attempt, it’s not a pass. After all, the ball moves backward.

However, this statistic includes interceptions. Yeah, theoretically, the pass is complete, but the rules interpret the completed pass only if the teammate catches the ball. Otherwise, all quarterbacks would have high completion rates independently of the play outcome.

Another type of incomplete pass is the spike. This term means the situation when the QB stops the clock in this manner. The leagues immediately award the incomplete pass for it. However, their effect on the quarterback’s completion rate is negligible because the spikes are rare in modern football.