On Players' Health: Luck vs. Skill

[Joshua]

While there is no single variable which can explain all, I don't think there is any doubt that a player's ability to avoid injuries is rather significant. Call it skill, toughness, what have you. For instance, Peyton Manning has been sacked 205 times in his career but he's never missed a start. By comparison, Schaub has missed 10 games in 2 years on 39 sacks. I don't think circumstances alone explain how Manning can weather 166 more sacks than Schaub but never miss a game compared to Schaub's 10. Simply put, there is something about Manning that makes him better at it. There are multiple reasons to point to - his ability to avoid the rush, his ability to get rid of the ball fast, him having a bigger frame for taking the abuse, maybe greater flexibility in his joints, arguably higher pain tolerance. I don't consider any of these circumstantial but are all skills he possesses that keep him on the field while others will be in the training room. As you said Bigtinylittle, one of the reasons for Schaub's injuries is how immobile he is. This is a skill (or rather a lack thereof).