With the latest headlines showing that former Bomber QB Matt Nichols will sign with the Toronto Argos, the Argonauts have a tough call to make in 2020 – who do they start? In this article, we’ll be taking a stats perspective at their careers to evaluate who should get the starting role in 2020.
Passing
Completion percentage
It wouldn’t really be fair to compare the career yardage of the two QBs, as MBT has played for a full 5 seasons less than Nichols, so this is the next best thing. In the air, Nichols has gone for 1582 for 2373, giving a completion percentage of 66.67%. MBT has completed 535 of 798 – lower numbers, yes, but giving him a 67.04% completion rate. This is pretty important in evaluating these QBs – while they’re almost equally successful, it can be argued that Nichols has had a stronger team. As such, you could say that MBT has been as accurate as Nichols, but with a weaker team. The ability to make plays out of a receiving corps with a lower skillset is a big bonus, and will suit the Argos well in the long run.
Winner: McLeod Bethel-Thompson
Touchdown / Interception ration
TD/INT ratio is very important in evaluating a QB, as it shows how productive and efficient can be without getting picked. With 35 touchdowns and 23 interceptions, MBT’s ratio stands at 1.52, meaning that he gets picked on average every 1.52 touchdowns. Conversely, Nichols stands at 1.8, with 108 TDs and 60 interceptions. Again, the weak-team-factor is in play here, as Bethel-Thompson is more likely to get picked with weaker offensive support – in light of this, he’s maintained a strong ratio, but Nichols gets the edge here.
Winner: Matt Nichols
Average passing yards
The average yards a QB throws is a great indicator of what kind of player they are, and to an extension what kind of team they have. A higher average indicates a risk-taking QB with a strong arm and great receivers, whereas a lower average is an indicator of a more conservative quarterback who creates more yards on the ground than in the air. Bethel-Thompson and Nichols stand very closely on this stat at 7.8 and 7.7 respectively. This is a great sign of a strong arm and willingness to take risks from both QBs; additionally, their season average yards have been steadily increasing over their careers – a trend that bodes well for the Argos.
Winner: Split
Rushing
Average rushing yards
With Bethel-Thompson’s average of 5.8 yards per carry vs. Nichols’s 4.4, it’s pretty clear who’s more efficient with the ball on the ground. While neither of these QBs are exceptional in running with the ball, they’re both pretty dynamic and can run the ball themselves if needs be. With the loss of star RB James Wilder Jr. in the offseason, QB rush plays will likely become more common in Toronto.
Winner: McLeod Bethel-Thompson.
Average rushing TDs per season
This is an important strat when assessing a QB’s rushing skills, as it gives a good indication of how efficient their run-game is and how often they’re able to complete drives. In terms of the average rushing TDs they score per season, Matt Nichols sits head and shoulders above Bethel-Thompson with an average of 1.6, compared to MBT’s 1. While Bethel-Thompson has been able to get away with a strong arm and good playcall abilities, he needs to show that he’s more dynamic if he wants to earn the starting role in Toronto.
Winner: Matt Nichols
Bonus stat – Games started
Over their respective careers, Matt Nichols has started 73 games compared to MBT’s 20. This may be the most important stat of them all, as with playtime comes experience, and Matt Nichols has more of it as a result of his longer career. With more than triple the starts Bethel-Thompson, Nichols has learned more about the game – what plays to call, how to assess the field, how to adapt to the weather and to things falling apart on offence: he’s been in a wide variety of situations that will serve him well in his tenure with the Argos.
Winner: Matt Nichols
Verdict: Start Nichols
Experience and efficiency weigh heavily on the side of veteran QB Matt Nichols, who has proven time and time again that he’s a strong competitor with dynamic abilities on the field. McLeod Bethel-Thompson would be a great asset to him as a backup and has several outstanding facets of his own playstyle, but MBT’s inability to elevate a struggling Argos team over the past two years likely means that Toronto is ready for a change.
I don’t have to ask what you think about this article – you’ve already told me! Here’s the results of the Twitter poll asking the same question this article addresses – thanks for your votes!
The End Zone 
Leave a comment