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Cowboy Played Long Ball: Breakdown Of Mason Rudolph’s 2017 Deep Pass Attempts

By now, you’ve probably already figured out that new Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph was pretty damn good at Oklahoma State when it came to the deep passing phase of his game. Just how good was he, though?

Now that I have finished contextualizing every throw that Rudolph made at Oklahoma State during the 2017 season, I have a nice set of data to work with and especially when it comes to his deep pass attempts. To be clear, I count a deep pass attempt as one that flies in the air 16 or more yards past the original line of scrimmage as this is what constitutes a deep attempt in the NFL.

Overall Rudolph was 61-of-130 for 2,259 yards with 21 touchdowns and 4 interceptions on his deep pass attempts in 2017. Just so you know, that 46.9% completion percentage is quite impressive and especially when you take into account that 68.5% of his deep pass attempts in 2017 flew more than 20 yards in the air past the original line of scrimmage. Even better, Rudolph was 21-of-50 (42%) for 1,066 yards and 11 touchdowns and 2 interceptions on his 2017 pass attempts that flew more than 30 yards in the air past the original line of scrimmage.

As far as Rudolph’s deep pass attempts in 2017 that were between the numbers (DIL,DM,DIR), he was 36-of-66 (54.6%) for 1,386 yards with 14 touchdowns and 3 interceptions. That’s impressive as well.

I will close this post out by letting you know that Rudolph’s average intended deep pass attempt in 2017 flew 28.9 yards and the average distance of his 61 completed deep pass attempts was 28.1 yards. That’s quite an average.

It’s also worth noting that 4 of Rudolph’s deep pass incompletions in 2017 I charted as being drops. Conversely, 8 of his deep pass incompletions I charted as being interceptable. One of his 4 interceptions also came on an end-of-game Hail Mary attempt.

Rudolph’s longest pass attempt of 2017 flew 56 yards in the air past the original line of scrimmage and that was also an end-of-game Hail Mary. His longest completed deep pass in 2017 flew 49 yards in the air past the original line of scrimmage.

QRT TME SCR DWN DST LOS RES YDS TRG DIR DST YAC SG PA RSH CONTEXT
1 13:06 0-0 3 5 TLSA 44 C 44 T.Johnson DWR 39 5 Y 4 Deep pass TD left side as hit
1 6:42 0-7 2 11 TLSA 40 C 40 J.Washington DM 42 -2 Y 4 Deep pass TD middle of field
2 4:51 14-28 1 10 TLSA 24 I 0 J.McCleskey DWR 24 0 Y 5 Underthrown deep right side
2 2:04 14-31 1 10 OKST 23 C 77 J.Washington DIR 48 29 Y Y 4 Underthrown nice WR adjustment for TD
3 8:43 17-38 1 10 TLSA 32 I 0 C.Lacy DWL 21 0 Y 4 Flushed out to left threw short on move
1 14:22 0-0 2 7 OKST 28 I 0 J.Washington DWR 40 0 Y 4 Deep shot right sideline good coverage
1 7:44 0-0 3 2 USA 14 I 0 M.Ateman DWL 17 0 Y 4 Fade to EZ dropped
1 1:53 10-0 1 10 USA 34 C 30 J.Washington DWR 29 1 Y 4 Deep bucket pass right sideline
2 14:37 17-0 2 3 OKST 16 I 0 T.Johnson DWR 32 0 Y 4 Deep open overthrow right
2 0:36 17-0 1 10 USA 36 I 0 J.McCleskey DIL 33 0 Y 6 Overthrew open TD seem
3 5:27 34-0 3 10 OKST 46 I 0 D.Stoner DIL 18 0 Y 6 Low throw after avoided rush
1 14:33 0-0 2 6 OKST 29 I 0 C.Lacy DM 42 0 Y Y 4 Money throw seem through hands PI?
1 14:11 0-0 1 10 OKST 41 C 26 J.McCleskey DM 16 10 Y Y 4 Deep post on money
1 7:56 7-0 2 10 OKST 46 C 54 D.Stoner DM 19 35 Y Y 4 Deep pass down seem for TD
1 4:48 14-0 2 7 OKST 23 I 0 J.Washington DM 31 0 Y Y 4 Overthrow deep post
1 4:35 14-0 1 10 OKST 32 I 0 M.Ateman DWL 26 0 Y 4 Deep left sideline high OOB
1 3:51 14-0 3 11 OKST 31 C 69 M.Ateman DWL 35 34 Y 4 Nice escape to left deep throw TD
2 11:31 28-0 1 10 PITT 40 C 40 J.McCleskey DM 18 22 Y Y 5 Deep post MOF TD off play-action
2 7:15 35-7 3 7 PITT 47 C 31 J.Washington DWR 29 2 Y 4 Deep sideline bucket throw
2 4:06 42-7 1 10 OKST 31 C 21 M.Ateman DWL 19 2 Y 4 Back shoulder left side
2 3:51 42-7 1 10 PITT 48 C 48 J.McCleskey DM 22 26 Y Y 4 Deep post TD MOF
3 11:51 49-14 1 10 OKST 1 C 39 J.Washington DWR 21 18 Y 4 Deep fade left side
3 10:45 49-14 1 10 PITT 25 IN 0 J.McCleskey DWR 22 0 Y 6 Baited into INT deep right seem
1 8:38 3-0 3 11 OKST 35 I 0 M.Ateman DIL 43 0 Y 3 Go route deep left too far
1 2:27 6-0 2 6 OKST 14 C 86 J.Washington DIR 49 37 Y Y 4 Deep seem TD on money
2 12:33 13-7 2 8 TCU 44 I 0 Nobody DWR 20 0 Y Y 4 Flushed out to left and threw away
2 12:09 13-7 1 10 TCU 34 I 0 J.Hill DM 18 0 Y Y 4 Too long to RB up MOF tight coverage
2 5:49 20-7 2 6 TCU 29 I 0 Nobody DWR 17 0 Y Y 4 Flushed out threw away right
2 4:54 20-7 3 8 TCU 12 I 0 M.Ateman DWL 18 0 Y 4 Fade to left in EZ too high
2 3:00 20-10 2 14 OKST 20 I 0 M.Ateman DIL 46 0 Y 4 Deep seem nice throw broken up
2 2:52 20-10 3 14 OKST 20 I 0 Nobody DWL 25 0 Y 3 After time threw away left side
3 10:42 27-10 1 10 OKST 45 I 0 Nobody DWL 18 0 Y Y 4 Threw away left side due to pressure
3 8:46 27-10 2 11 TCU 14 C 14 D.Stoner DIR 19 -5 Y Y 4 Extends play right for EZ TD pass
3 4:34 34-17 1 10 OKST 25 C 21 J.McCleskey DM 20 1 Y Y 3 Nice post throw MOF
4 11:41 37-17 2 10 OKST 35 I 0 J.McCleskey DM 25 0 Y Y 3 Just out of reach MOF
4 4:11 37-24 1 10 TCU 37 C 34 J.McCleskey DWR 28 6 Y 4 Wheel route right side
4 2:27 44-31 2 10 OKST 23 I 0 J.Washington DWR 22 0 Y 3 Right sideline throw behind WR
1 9:26 7-0 1 10 OKST 30 C 37 K.Brown DM 19 18 Y Y 3 Seem shot to right
2 12:36 14-7 2 8 50 C 30 J.Washington DM 19 11 Y Y 4 Steps up strike to post MOF
2 6:45 14-14 2 10 OKST 12 C 30 M.Ateman DWL 29 1 Y Y 4 Avoids pressure long left side
3 15:00 21-17 1 10 OKST 25 I 0 J.Washington DWR 45 0 Y Y 4 Deep pass right side dropped
3 14:35 21-17 1 10 OKST 35 C 19 M.Ateman DM 16 3 Y Y 5 Bit high but caught MOF
4 9:56 34-34 1 10 OKST 25 C 16 M.Ateman DM 16 0 Y Y 3 In-breaking route MOF
4 9:01 34-34 3 7 OKST 44 C 20 J.Washington DM 20 0 Y 3 Post om money in traffic
4 2:23 34-34 3 5 OKST 26 C 26 M.Ateman DIL 23 3 Y 4 Jump ball left side
1 7:17 7-0 3 11 BAY 49 I 0 M.Ateman DWL 24 0 Y 3 Overthrow open WR left sideline
1 4:48 7-0 1 10 OKST 48 I 0 J.Washington DM 16 0 Y Y 5 Off target MOF interceptable
1 0:12 7-7 1 10 OKST 35 C 45 J.Washington DWR 45 0 Y Y 3 Deep to open WR right sideline
2 14:56 7-7 2 15 BAY 25 I 0 C.Lacy DM 17 0 Y 3 Dig route MOF interceptable
2 14:49 7-7 3 15 BAY 25 C 25 J.McCleskey DIL 24 1 Y 5 Long seam TD left
2 6:01 21-10 2 11 BAY 41 I 0 T.Johnson DWL 24 0 Y 4 Lobbed over top left sideline
2 5:54 21-10 3 11 BAY 41 C 40 M.Ateman DWL 30 10 Y 4 Deep go route left side
2 2:16 28-10 1 10 BAY 44 C 43 J.Washington DM 36 7 Y Y 5 Deep post MOF
2 1:27 28-10 1 10 OKST 31 I 0 J.Washington DM 42 0 Y 4 Deep post pressure in face MOF incomplete
3 14:52 35-10 1 10 OKST 20 C 54 J.Washington DIR 46 8 Y Y 4 Under-thrown deep right seam
3 10:49 35-13 1 10 OKST 49 I 0 C.Lacy DWL 37 0 Y 4 Deep left sideline underthrown
3 10:19 35-13 1 10 BAY 27 I 0 J.Washington DWR 28 0 Y 4 Deep right side in EZ interceptable
3 2:22 45-16 2 1 BAY 17 I 0 T.Wallace DM 19 0 Y 5 MOF EZ throw interceptable
1 6:37 0-0 1 10 OKST 38 C 29 J.McCleskey DM 18 11 Y Y 3 Post MOF
1 6:03 0-0 2 7 TEX 30 C 20 C.Lacy DIL 19 1 Y 3 Deep seam left
1 1:03 7-0 2 8 TEX 36 I 0 C.Lacy DM 17 0 Y Y 4 In-breaking route from left PBU
2 0:03 7-7 2 19 OKST 44 I 0 Everybody DWR 56 0 Y 3 Hail Mary
3 3:54 10-7 3 17 TEX 46 I 0 J.McCleskey DIR 28 0 Y 3 Deep post right likely TD dropped
4 14:12 10-7 1 10 TEX 34 C 23 J.McCleskey DIR 17 6 Y Y 3 Deep post right side
4 6:42 10-10 2 10 OKST 14 C 66 M.Ateman DIL 46 20 Y Y 3 Deep seam DB fell down
4 2:04 10-10 3 4 OKST 27 I 0 J.Hill DWL 29 0 Y 4 Deep left sideline off target
4 1:14 10-10 1 10 OKST 8 I 0 J.Washington DWR 29 0 Y 3 Deep right sideline interceptable
1 9:41 0-0 2 5 WVU 35 I 0 J.McCleskey DIR 24 0 Y Y 3 Overthrown deep seam interceptable
1 4:11 7-0 1 10 WVU 36 I 0 J.Washington DM 32 0 Y Y 3 Deep MOF post overthrown interceptable
3 6:11 30-10 3 9 WVU 32 I 0 J.Washington DM 16 0 Y 3 Behind WR MOF tipped second level
4 12:28 30-24 2 1 WVU 15 I 0 J.Washington DWR 18 0 Y 5 Right fade to EZ in hands PBU
4 8:27 37-24 2 12 WVU 19 C 19 J.Washington DWR 20 0 Y 3 Right fade TD
1 11:11 0-3 1 10 OKST 36 I 0 K.Edison-McGruder DIL 18 0 Y 4 Deep post WR fell down interceptable
1 8:59 3-7 2 10 OKST 25 C 60 T.Johnson DM 43 17 Y 3 Deep switch route MOF
2 14:45 21-10 2 2 OKST 33 C 51 J.Washington DWR 44 7 Y 4 Deep go right side
2 13:34 28-17 2 8 OKST 27 I 0 M.Ateman DIL 36 0 Y Y 4 Deep left side pass wrong shoulder
2 13:28 28-17 3 8 OKST 27 C 32 C.Lacy DWL 28 4 Y 4 Deep right sideline
2 8:12 35-24 1 10 OKST 25 I 0 J.Washington DWR 40 0 Y Y 4 Deep right sideline
2 7:22 35-24 1 10 OKLA 35 C 35 J.Washington DM 40 0 Y Y 4 Deep post TD MOF
3 7:36 38-38 1 10 OKST 3 I 0 J.Washington DWR 47 0 Y Y 4 Deep go right side
3 3:51 41-38 2 9 OKST 39 I 0 J.Washington DIR 37 0 Y Y 4 Deep post from left off fingertips PBU
3 2:52 41-38 2 3 OKLA 20 I 0 J.King DWR 22 0 Y 3 RB wheel in EZ tight coverage
4 13:10 48-38 3 20 OKST 45 C 19 M.Ateman DWL 19 0 Y Deep out left side
4 12:37 48-38 1 10 OKLA 33 C 33 T.Johnson DWR 37 0 Y Y 4 Deep right side bucket TD
4 11:09 55-45 1 10 OKLA 34 I 0 D.Stoner DWR 24 0 Y 3 Threw away deep right after fumbling
4 10:19 55-45 4 12 OKLA 36 C 18 M.Ateman DWL 18 0 Y 5 Deep out left side far hash
4 9:57 55-45 1 10 OKLA 18 C 18 T.Johnson DM 24 0 Y Y 4 Post TD in EZ
4 2:58 55-52 1 10 OKST 35 I 0 T.Johnson DWL 18 0 Y 4 Deep left OOB under pressure
4 1:10 55-52 3 8 OKLA 38 I 0 D.Stoner DIR 19 0 Y Y 3 Off target right side tipped
4 1:06 55-52 4 8 OKLA 38 I 0 T.Johnson DWR 35 0 Y 4 Overthrew deep right sideline
4 0:42 62-52 1 10 OKST 25 I 0 M.Ateman DWL 22 0 Y 3 High pass deep left sideline
4 0:11 62-52 1 10 OKLA 46 I 0 Everybody DWR 51 0 Y 3 Hail Mary in EZ OOB
4 0:03 62-52 2 10 OKLA 46 IN 0 Everybody DIR 53 0 Y 3 Hail Mary in EZ INT
1 1:40 0-14 2 7 ISU 21 C 21 M.Ateman DIL 30 0 Y Y 3 Pocket time TD back of EZ left
3 14:25 21-21 2 13 OKST 22 I 0 C.Lacy DWL 16 0 Y Y 3 On target left side broken up
3 14:20 21-21 3 13 OKST 22 C 25 T.Wallace DM 20 5 Y 3 Avoids pressure MOF completion
3 13:46 21-21 1 10 OKST 47 C 16 J.McCleskey DIR 16 0 Y Y 3 Seam throw right side
3 1:49 28-24 1 10 OKST 18 C 81 J.McCleskey DIR 16 65 Y Y 3 Deep right seam
4 10:35 35-31 2 15 ISU 30 I 0 J.Washington DWR 34 0 Y Y 3 Miscommunication with WR
4 8:38 42-34 1 10 OKST 25 C 22 J.Washington DWR 22 0 Y Y 3 Deep back shoulder right side
4 6:03 42-34 3 22 ISU 30 C 30 M.Ateman DWL 36 0 Y Y 3 Bought time deep TD left in EZ
4 4:22 42-42 2 7 ISU 48 C 31 M.Ateman DM 30 1 Y Y 3 Time results in deep MOF WR open
1 8:30 7-0 3 6 OKST 37 I 0 J.Washington DIR 44 0 Y 4 Too far deep right
1 5:51 7-0 1 10 KSU 38 C 38 J.Washington DM 38 0 Y Y 4 Deep post TD
2 8:13 21-13 1 10 OKST 37 IN 0 J.Washington DM 43 0 Y 4 Deep post MOF overthrown for INT
2 4:17 21-13 1 20 KSU 41 I 0 M.Ateman DWL 35 0 Y 5 Deep left sideline dropped
2 4:11 21-13 2 20 KSU 41 IN 0 J.Washington DIR 22 0 Y 4 Overthrow right for INT
3 4:49 42-13 2 4 OKST 42 C 52 J.Washington DWR 47 5 Y 4 Deep sideline right side
4 12:24 45-20 1 10 OKST 37 I 0 J.Washington DWR 18 0 Y Y 4 Flushed right floater OOB
4 5:52 45-27 1 10 OKST 31 C 63 M.Ateman DWL 45 18 Y 4 Deep go route left side
1 14:15 0-0 2 9 OKST 42 C 54 M.Ateman DIL 18 36 Y Y 3 Left side seam
1 1:28 10-3 1 10 OKST 41 I 0 J.McCleskey DWR 27 0 Y 3 Too deep right sideline
2 15:00 10-3 1 10 KU 23 I 0 J.Washington DWR 27 0 Y Y 3 Deep EZ right sideline PBU
2 10:52 17-3 2 8 OKST 24 C 76 D.Stoner DIL 26 50 Y Y 3 Deep switch route TD blown coverage
2 7:01 24-3 3 7 OKST 36 C 17 J.Washington DM 16 1 Y 4 Square in right MOF
2 6:28 24-3 1 10 KU 47 I 0 M.Ateman DM 32 0 Y 3 Flea-flicker MOF too deep
2 3:13 27-3 1 10 OKST 31 C 31 M.Ateman DWL 27 4 Y Y 3 Deep left sideline
3 14:06 10-34 1 10 KU 30 C 30 J.Washington DWR 34 0 Y Y 4 Deep TD right sideline
3 12:27 10-41 1 10 OKST 41 I 0 J.Washington DWR 44 0 Y 4 Too deep right sideline
3 2:57 17-41 1 15 KU 38 C 23 J.Washington DWR 23 0 Y Y 4 Flushed right to WR on sideline
4 15:00 17-48 2 5 OKST 13 I 0 J.Washington DWR 48 0 Y Y 3 Deep right sideline too far
1 14:38 0-0 1 10 VT 38 I 0 J.Washington DM 36 0 Y Y 4 Deep post MOF inaccurate
1 7:39 3-7 1 10 OKST 34 I 0 M.Ateman DWL 26 0 Y Y 4 Deep left back shoulder
2 4:03 6-7 3 8 OKST 27 I 0 J.Washington DIR 21 0 Y 2 Off target miscommunication deep right
2 1:04 6-7 2 6 OKST 49 C 50 M.Ateman DWL 36 14 Y Y 3 Deep left sideline
3 13:14 13-7 2 9 OKST 22 I 0 J.Washington DIL 49 0 Y Y 4 Flushed left threw up deep left side
3 11:32 13-7 1 10 VT 17 C 17 D.Stoner DWR 18 0 Y 4 Flushed left finds WR for TD EZ pylon
3 5:47 14-20 2 12 OKST 35 C 65 J.Washington DIL 38 27 Y Y 3 Deep post TD left MOF
4 14:45 14-27 1 10 OKST 27 C 35 J.Washington DM 31 4 Y Y 4 Deep post MOF hit while throw
4 8:43 14-27 2 6 VT 42 I 0 J.Washington DM 42 0 Y 4 Deep post MOF too far
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