How do you have 209 total yards, 32 yards rushing, convert 1 of 14 third downs and have a chance to win a football game? Easy, play in the talent diluted NFL.
Last night’s football game between the Vikings and the Bears was tough to watch. It was two teams on a mission to lose a game despite their defenses best efforts.
The game got me to thinking. I don’t understand how the NFL has reached this point. It used to be that it seemed like there were only 33 punters and 33 kickers that could play at the NFL level. You would see a kicker or punter get cut and then picked up the next week. It seemed like there was only one punter or kicker that would be out of football at a time and they were next on the list to take over for the next cut. Very little new blood was brought into these two positions.
Now it seems that the NFL quarterback position has fallen into this same pattern. When Tavaris Jackson and Kyle Orton are the starting quarterbacks in a late season NFL game that has playoff implications for not only the two teams playing but for four other teams I think it’s a sign that the NFL is lacking talent at QB.
QB talent lacking in the NFL? That's an understatement! What are there, 5-6 good QBs? Couple of great ones? The Bears have no QBs. How far can the Vikes get with their sub-par QB-not very. Who develops QBs for Chicago-Clarabelle the clown?
I have to dissagree...
what is sadly lacking are wide receivers
even a fair QB looks good with a good WR.
The QB's today only exacute the coaches plays
where is the freedom to call your own game.So
if you want to complain about the QB it's also the guy telling him what to do.....
Be carful when you say there are no good Quaterbacks. Mabey there are no good offensive lines or no good wide recivers. Heck, mabey even there are no good running backs. Football is a team sport, and a QB is only one piece of the puzzle.
I don't know about that. Qbs need to be in the right system and have an O-line capable of giving them time to throw. Couple of quick examples come to mind. Brett Favre would have never ever gotten a chance in Atlanta. Suppose he wasn't traded to Green Bay? He probably would have packed up and moved to Mississippi and called it a day. Tom Brady was a 6th round pick. What if Bledsoe doesn't go down? Does Brady get a shot in New England? Is he the same QB if he started his playing career somewhere else? What if the Browns started Quinn instead of giving Anderson a shot? I don't if Anderson will continue to put up numbers over the long haul, but he certainly has had a good year. These are just a few examples. QBs are out there. GM's and talent evaluators need to recognize QB's strengths and either change their system to fit their strengths, or employ QB's that fit your system.
This was a very good idea to write an article about. The only problem was the guy didn't write out an article, nor did he elaborate on any of his points. Good idea, bad writing. He elaborated more on his point about kickers and punters in history. His only point about QB's were the issue that Kyle Orton and Tavaris Jackson were starting QB's playing in meaningful season ending games. Get it together dude. This couldn't have been that hard for you. But you have a very good point. You just need to expand on that.
It's Tarvaris!!!!!!! TARVARIS not Tavaris (that's how it's pronounced)
C'mon you're gunna critique a guy you've never heard of... Tarvaris isn't going to do anything Brady/Romo/Manning (Peyton of course) like in a game, but he'll manage the game and win it for you.
And this ####, what is he doing starting for a team in a game with play off implications????
You #### he's been the starter all year and if not for him they might not be in the play off chase. People constantly say it's Peterson winning the games. If you watched the same game as me it was clear that had it not been for Tarvaris Jackson the Vikings would have probably lost.
So Re-Cap:
1- It is Tarvaris
2- He's been the starter and will remain the starter
3- If it wasn't for him they would've lost
If you have two (or three) QBs that mean you have no QB...
The QB's are out there; however, the willingness for a coach (or front office) to find and/or develop talent is not. The crop of coaches, GMs, and Personnel Directors subscribe to the "Have an ill? Then take a pill" American mentality. They want an instant fix. Need it now bc I will be let go. This is often true! Why? Because even as fans we want the instant fix...it is cyclical.
Quinn could not turn out. JaMarcus may never develop. Even Tom Brady may have fallen flat if he was thrown in front of professional pass rushers his first year.
As it turned out he (T. Brady) was given a year behind Bledsoe (which isn’t much) and under the tutelage of Bill Belichick and Charlie Weis.
On the other hand – JaMarcus Russell is sitting behind journeymen. Quinn is getting to see another relatively inexperienced QB have a run at it... he may turn out okay in a year or so. Who knows who has a potential “ace in the hole” yet they are unaware. Does that mean they are unable to see potential even after all those looks on the practice squad and/or during regular team practice?
Brady a 199th pick, Romo was undrafted, Kurt Warner was undrafted, Dave Krieg undrafted, Moon UNDRAFTED!
Also worth noting - Brad Johnson (227th pick), and Jeff Hostetler (59th pick) have won rings – they were barely an afterthought when they were selected at the time.
Also undrafted and currently active- Jon Kitna (so so), Jeff Garcia (better then I think he gets credit for), Jake Delhomme (not great but better then most – such as Eli Ma
Jackson wins games? Are you kidding me? The offensive line, the combo of Pederson and Taylor, and the defensive line is what wins games for the Vikings. Pederson single handedly won the Bears and Chargers games. Nobody is scared of Jackson. Most D-coordinators are more than willing to put 9 guys in the box and MAKE Jackson throw the ball.
This blog is one without a foundation. People seem to think that in order for it to be "a good era for QB's" every single team needs to have an all-pro calibur signal caller lining up behind center. Lets take a look at tha current state of QB's in this league.
Right now, three of the top five QB's in the history of the game are playing at their highest levels, those obviously being Favre, Manning and Brady, not in any particular order.
Below them, there are a few that while not elite, have established themselves as, at worst, above average. That list includes Matt Hasselback, Marc Bulger, Donovan McNabb, Drew Brees, Carson Palmer and Ben Roethlesberger.
Furthermore, there are also a number of up and comers, or even "good but still getting better QB's" in today's NFL. Tony Romo, David Gerrard, Jay Cutler, Philip Rivers(regressed a bit, but still solid), Derek Anderson and Matt Schaub all fall under that list.
Those are fifteen QB's that are at worst, good quarterbacks. Consider that Brady Quinn, Eli Manning, Vince Young, Matt Leinart, JaMarcus Russell, Kevin Kolb, Trent Edwards all have flashed potential and still are very young, and the future of the position doesn't look to bleak either.
Lastly, with what looks to be a solid group of QB's coming into the league via next year's draft, the position will only be bolstered further.
Just because some teams, like the Bears and Vikings, dont have good QB's doesn't mean the state of QB's throughout the league is in disarray. By that logic, the league is also void of wide recievers, considering that the best wide reciever o
Chitownsfinest - What you say makes a lot of sense. Many good quarterbacks out there - a few teams have had a problem this year so it looks worse than it is. But - you have to admit that not many are non on a high roll this year - many good ones (McNabb?) are struggling.
I think another thing is the QB carousel that's happened to a lot of teams. You've got Carolina starting multiple QB's as well as Miami and Baltimore. You need to have the same QB behind center and not a QB by committee or you screw everything up. A different QB disrupts the timing of everybody on the offense and having that week to week will hurt even the best teams.
gtg you are nuts!! Who is on your list of good QB's??? Romo, Manning, Brady, McNabb, Brees, Hasselbeck, Big Ben.....then who Carson Palmer NO!!,Derek Anderson NO!! Kurt freakin Warner!!!
Brees, Brady, Manning (god not Eli), Romo, Favre, Hasselbeck McNabb Big Ben.....then who?? There is 32 teams people, not 8. Its not the WRs (see favre,brees), not the line (see mannings and Mc
Nabbs line), not the coaches (packers, saints) Its the lack of talent and too many good young athletes playing running back and WR or basketball.
