Rookie QBs

[Mike]

Interesting year for the rookie signal callers. Already, most of them are leading their teams to wins. Today, the Colts already doubled their win total from a year ago to go to 4-3 -I know a lot you thought they were worst than they really were. My opinion on the Colts, is that they were not as bad as their record last year, not even close, but thats another matter. The Seahawks started out really hot leading the NFC West for a number of weeks and they still have a chance to compete for a playoff spot. The Browns have struggled mightily, however they look better than they have in years. The Bills are lucky to have played them so early in the year, if they played towards the end of the year I believe the game might have had a far different ending. The Redskins, outside of a couple of games, have been dynamic on offense and if it were not for a few major injuries and a little bad luck this team would be in position to get a wildcard spot. And lastly the Dolphins, at 4-3 and 3 straight wins there is little doubt now who is the second best team in the division. More importantly, if it were not for a few bad breaks this Dolphins team might be 6-1.

Recap: Rookie QBs leading teams to Wins!
1) Seattle starts hot, but after two loses to formidable foes goes to 4-4
2) Colts have already doubled last seasons total wins and now have a winning record of 4-3
3) Redskins are 3-5 but have one of the best offenses in the NFL but their defense has given up as many points as the Bills D and you know how bad that is.
4) The Browns have the look of a team that is improving and become a dangerous spoiler.
5) Phins are a few unlucky bounces from being 5-2 or even 6-1. At this point they are 2nd best team in division and have the 2nd, 3rd & maybe 4th best QBs in the division.

[Mike13]

Brandon Weeden is doomed to fail because of his age.
The Browns will never build a quality team around him before he hits his "prime"

RGIII, Tannehill, Luck and Wison all seem like the real deal.

I'm just glad after a decade of ****ty QB play Miami has found a legit QB.

[Mike]

Maybe but Weeded is already better than Fitz, or Tebow, or Sanchez. He and Tennehil are about as good as each other and if he were younger than he would have been drafted ahead of Tennehil.

[feldspar]

Just wait until it plays out. It's early yet. Yeah, some of these guys are playing well now, but wait until other teams get a hold of a full-season's game-tape on them and all their tendencies are better known. It'll be easier to exploit their weaknesses in most cases probably. Wait'll next year...you may have to cut your list in half. Look at what's happening to Cam Newton as compared to last year, for example.

Needless to say that each QB is an individual with a different story, too. Gotta look at who these guys are replacing...not hard to improve over those guys, almost always.

Some will improve, some will peter out. I wish we had Andrew Luck though.

[Mike]

Just wait until it plays out. It's early yet. Yeah, some of these guys are playing well now, but wait until other teams get a hold of a full-season's game-tape on them and all their tendencies are better known. It'll be easier to exploit their weaknesses in most cases probably. Wait'll next year...you may have to cut your list in half. Look at what's happening to Cam Newton as compared to last year, for example.

Needless to say that each QB is an individual with a different story, too. Gotta look at who these guys are replacing...not hard to improve over those guys, almost always.

Some will improve, some will peter out. I wish we had Andrew Luck though.

You know it goes both ways....
For one, you are absolutely right, sometimes players are figured out and are easy to stop, ala Fitz. However, you have to see why these QBs are excelling to be able to know if they are the real deal or a one trick pony. Fitz is a one trick pony as are Sanchez -I dont know even if he has one trick- and Tebow.

RG3 on the other hand reminds me Steve Young. He can beat you with his feet, his arm, and his mind. He is very accurate, has a great arm, and is excelling at reading defenses. He is everything the Falcons wanted Vick to be. Luck is in the same class. He is very cerebral and great at manipulating opposing players. I opposed Cam all of last year and ate a lot of Crow -was happy to. The thing I did not like about Cam is his lack of accuracy and understanding of the game, which is being exposed this year. No more 1-2 read and throw. Teams are taking those options away and challenging him to find the open 3 or 4 option or thread the needle. There are things I like about Weeded and Tennehil however I have not watched them play all that much so I cant speek about them. I really like Russel Wilson. He is a very smart QB, great leader and has a very good touch. I dont know if I see him being a top 5 QB or a QB on the same lavel as an RG3 or Luck but I think he will be a great started for many years to come. The type of QB that will help his teams win games, lead them to victory but not be truly elite. In the end, its all about depth.

[Historian]

I think Ponder and Tannehill are the real deal.

Good for them...proving the 'experts' wrong.

[better days]

Matt Moore looked pretty good at QB for the Fins yesterday. I think he is a FA next year & would be happy if the Bills signed him.

[Extremebillsfan247]

3 to 5 years from now, more than half of these young QB's will be riding the bench.

[LtFinFan66]

3 to 5 years from now, more than half of these young QB's will be riding the bench.
love to hear why you think this?

[YardRat]

How is Newton working out for the Panthers this season?

[Luisito23]

You don't pronounce any rookie or young QB the "real deal" so early....Just ask Sanchez, and soon to be Newton.

Besides, aside from Luck and RG3 they all seem to be nothing but game managers anyways.

[Ingtar33]

The Steelers shut down RG3 by forcing him to beat them with his arm. He wasn't able to do it.

[IlluminatusUIUC]

The Steelers shut down RG3 by forcing him to beat them with his arm. He wasn't able to do it.

A rookie can't beat Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh in a driving rainstorm?

Bust.

[Mouldsie]

How is Newton working out for the Panthers this season?
He's playing pretty well. Very little support magnifies his mistakes.

[YardRat]

He's playing pretty well. Very little support magnifies his mistakes.

Unacceptable.

According to some, a 'franchise' QB elevates the abilities of their 'support', and are able to overcome the lack thereof and still produce victories. Can't win without a QB, right?

Well, apparently either you can't win with one either, or Newton isn't one at the moment.

[better days]

He's playing pretty well. Very little support magnifies his mistakes.

I heard an "expert" (can't remember who) say that the problem with Cam is he has never faced adversity in Football before being drafted by the Panthers & he doesn't know how to handle it.

Won a national championship at Florida sitting on the bench.
Then won the Jr College Championship at Blinn College.
Then won the National Championship at Auburn.

When things aren't going great on the Panthers, he sits alone on the bench with a towel over his head. That is not something a leader would do.

[Mike]

The Steelers shut down RG3 by forcing him to beat them with his arm. He wasn't able to do it.

Did you watch the game? His WR dropped 10 passes! Thats 10, some of which would have gone for scores...

[Ingtar33]

A rookie can't beat Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh in a driving rainstorm?

Bust.

Did i use the words "bust"? Frankly I think he looks fantastic. Michael Vick with an accurate arm, and much better head. I'm just pointing out he was stopped. I remember Rick Meyer took the league by storm his rookie year... then a DC realized he could only throw to the left side of the field (how the scouts missed that... ). End of Rick Meyer's career.


Did you watch the game? His WR dropped 10 passes! Thats 10, some of which would have gone for scores...

I don't recall that many "atrocious" drops. My point is time will tell if he's the next Steve Young, or Michael Vick. He's a much better passer then Vick, so i doubt that will be his fate. However there might be a fatal flaw in his game yet. Time will tell.

Don't forget, that while Shannahan is running quite an advanced playbook for him, he's also doing a lot of the things that coaches did to protect Leinart and Culpepper; such as giving him a lot of 2 read plays and ton of roll-outs (which simplifies the passing options). So while he's playing with a fairly advanced playbook formation wise, it's still dumbed down a bit (not as much as for leinart or culpepper, but dumbed down none the less), which means a good DC should be able to stop most of the things he's doing.

which is what happened in Pittsburgh

[Mouldsie]

He threw for 4 TD's vs Pittsburgh, only 1 was caught.

[Ingtar33]

He threw for 4 TD's vs Pittsburgh, only 1 was caught.

that's a wysian argument if i've ever seen one.

[Extremebillsfan247]

love to hear why you think this?
Many of them in my opinion are, and have been benefiting from a very mediocre league since the establishment of the new CBA. Eventually it will catch up with them just like it's starting to with QB's like Cam Newton, Christian Ponder, Jake Locker, Blaine Gabbert, etc.

[stuckincincy]

Many of them in my opinion are, and have been benefiting from a very mediocre league since the establishment of the new CBA. Eventually it will catch up with them just like it's starting to with QB's like Cam Newton, Christian Ponder, Jake Locker, Blaine Gabbert, etc.

Add Dalton to your list. I posted several weeks ago that he was regressing. Part in due to the lousy plays called by Jay Gruden. His shining star has definitely diminished. a draw, a screen pass seems outside his ken. Like Gailey, he has a 90 lb. playbook that overwhelms. He only called 3 passes to AJ Green against PG's iffy defensive backfield. A good OC dictates, doesn't react.

CIN sorely misses C Kyle Cook. Late signing Faine is ok in pass protect, but is terrible in the run. Which he was on the shelf, wanted by nobody when CIN had to sign somebody.

[SABURZFAN]

Matt Moore looked pretty good at QB for the Fins yesterday. I think he is a FA next year & would be happy if the Bills signed him.

judging your evaluations on QBs the last couple of years, i think it would be a bad idea.

[better days]

judging your evaluations on QBs the last couple of years, i think it would be a bad idea.

Well, you may be right, but I still have faith Tebow will have his day in the Sun in the NFL.

[SABURZFAN]

Well, you may be right, but I still have faith Tebow will have his day in the Sun in the NFL.


he would see better days (pun intended) with the CFL in the Toronto Sun.