ALT Passing Yards refer to the combined total of Air Yards and Led Yards on a pass play in American football. Breaking it down:
Components of ALT Passing Yards
- Air Yards: This is the vertical distance the ball travels in the air from the line of scrimmage to the point where it is caught or where it is targeted (if incomplete). It measures the quarterback's downfield throw depth.
- Led Yards (Yards After Catch / YAC): This is the distance the receiver gains with the ball after making the catch, before being tackled or going out of bounds. It measures the receiver's ability to gain additional yardage post-catch.
The formula is simple: ALT Passing Yards = Air Yards + Led Yards (YAC).
Why You Need to Know ALT Passing Yards
Understanding ALT Passing Yards provides crucial context beyond the basic "passing yards" stat:
- Assessing Quarterback Skill Differentiation: It separates a QB's responsibility (Air Yards) from the receiver's contribution (Led Yards/YAC). A QB throwing a 5-yard slant resulting in 50 yards has different credit than one completing a 50-yard bomb in the air. ALT analysis shows the type of yards being produced.
- Evaluating Receiver Value: High Led Yards (YAC) highlight receivers who excel at gaining significant yardage after securing the catch, turning short passes into big gains. Conversely, receivers excelling on deeper routes generate high Air Yards but may have lower YAC.
- Analyzing Offensive Scheme & Play-Calling: Teams heavily reliant on short passes will accumulate passing yards primarily through high Led Yards (YAC). Downfield passing attacks generate yards primarily through Air Yards. ALT data reveals the offensive strategy's core execution.
- Predicting Efficiency & Sustainability: Offenses heavily dependent on extremely high Led Yards (YAC) for production can be volatile, as YAC often relies on broken tackles or poor defensive execution and is harder to consistently replicate than efficient downfield passing generated through Air Yards. Knowing the source of passing yards aids in evaluating offensive consistency.
- Defensive Performance Insight: Analyzing ALT Yards against a defense shows how they are conceding yardage. Are they vulnerable to deep balls (high Air Yards allowed) or struggling to tackle in space (high Led Yards/YAC allowed)? This informs defensive adjustments.
In essence, ALT Passing Yards deconstructs the quarterback-to-receiver connection, offering a far more nuanced and actionable view of passing game efficiency, player roles, and offensive/defensive tendencies than total passing yards alone.
