Post by The President on Jul 16, 2007 8:41:29 GMT -5
Inside the huddle, it's all about who's got your (quarter)back
www.sportsline.com/print/nfl/story/10256159/2
Two of Philadelphia's last four NFC East championships were won not by Donovan McNabb but by backup quarterbacks who stepped in to lead the Eagles to the playoffs.
In case you weren't paying attention, there's a message there: Backups matter.
Jeff Garcia was ready when Philadelphia needed him, and he parlayed that success into an expected starting gig for Tampa Bay.
Jeff Garcia won five of his last six regular-season starts in 2006 to catapult the Eagles to their fifth division title in six years. Then he parlayed that experience into a big contract with Tampa Bay, where he's expected to be the starter.
Damon Huard was so impressive in Kansas City that the Chiefs kept him, not starter Trent Green, after the season was over. Now Huard battles for the starting job with Brodie Croyle, and stay tuned.
My point is this: If you're serious about reaching the playoffs you better have a capable quarterback to step in for your starter. In 2006, only 16 quarterbacks -- or 50 percent -- didn't miss starts, and that included two who wound up in the Super Bowl.
Backups helped navigate Kansas City, Dallas, Seattle and Philadelphia into the post-season, with at least two of them -- Garcia and the Cowboys' Tony Romo -- finding starting spots in the process. OK, let's count Huard as a third.
That leaves a lot of talent in the Avis position. So which of them would you choose to shadow your next starter? I have my five favorites, and don't ask about Daunte Culpepper. I don't know what to do with him, and neither does Miami.
1. David Carr, Carolina
This could wind up being one of the best off-season acquisitions. In 2002, Carr was the first pick of the draft. Five years later, Carolina signs him as a free agent. Wow. If the guy is anything close to what Houston envisioned five years ago, the Panthers can send Bob McNair a thank-you note. What I like about Carr is that he has a strong arm, hangs tough in the pocket and is resilient. What I don't like is that he hasn't won or put up big numbers. But as one scout said, "You can't blame him for the system. The poor guy got killed in Houston. Hey, David Carr hasn't forgotten how to play football."
Roger and out. When the Texans assembled their franchise, they forgot that offensive lines were meant to protect quarterbacks. Instead, they called together a bunch of matadors, lined them up for the next set of bull rushers and -- Ole! Just like that -- Carr went from quarterback to tackling dummy. In five years, he was sacked 249 times, including an NFL-record 76 in 2002 and 68 in 2005. Maybe that had an irreparable impact on the guy, I don't know. What I do know is I'd like to find out. So Carr is in Carolina where the offensive line is better and where he can sit behind Jake Delhomme, catch his breath and not worry about being the franchise quarterback. My guess? This is Carolina's future starter.
2. Brian Griese, Chicago
I like this guy because he's experienced and because he's won. So he struggled at times in Denver. He still got the Broncos to the playoffs, and he helped get Tampa Bay there, too. In fact, he was 5-1 with the Bucs as a starter in 2005 before bowing out with a season-ending injury. Griese is a complicated guy. He's the ultimate perfectionist, which means he can be tough on himself and tough on others. One NFL assistant described him as one of the smartest quarterbacks he'd been around -- and one of the most arrogant. That can be a difficult combination, and, for the moment, it has Griese on the bench in Chicago.
But Brian Griese is too good to keep down. He could be -- maybe should be -- the starter in Chicago. He has all sorts of talent and won't make the mistakes that Rex Grossman committed in droves down the stretch. All I know is that if I'm Chicago, I feel fairly secure at the quarterback position. The Bears have one guy who quarterbacked them to the Super Bowl and another who knows how to make it to the playoffs. I'd watch this competition carefully during preseason. I'm not convinced Griese stays on the bench.
3. David Garrard, Jacksonville
The Jags think so much of Garrard they handed him the ball a year ago and told him to take them to the top. He did not, which is why he's on this list. Garrard has done plenty in a short period of time, but he hasn't done enough. Yes, he led the Jags to the playoffs two years ago, but the club didn't have sufficient confidence in him to start him over Byron Leftwich in its wild-card game. It had enough confidence a year later, however, to start him the last 10 games of the season, and Garrard produced immediate results: He won five of his first seven, including defeats of Philadelphia and Indianapolis, and produced passer ratings of 118.0 or higher in three of his first six starts. Then Christmas rolled around, and Garrard -- and the Jags -- went haywire, losing their last three and blowing what once seemed like a sure playoff spot.
Garrard is mobile, accurate and doesn't make big mistakes. In five of his first six starts, he didn't throw an interception. The knock, of course, is that he doesn't make a lot of big plays with his arm, but who cares so long as he wins? And he did -- initially. Now he's back on the bench, watching Leftwich huddle the offense. All I know is that Garrard can and will step in to win big games. He beat Indianapolis, the Super Bowl champ, last season and was 4-1 the year before. "He's not going to score a lot of points for you," said one scout, "but he's not going to muck things up, either."
4. Chris Simms, Tampa Bay
This is based on what I saw of him in 2005, not 2006. He was terrific down the stretch two years ago but dreadful before bowing out three games into last season. I don't know how he'll be after that ruptured spleen, but I do know that I'd never quit on this guy. OK, so he's the backup to Garcia, but he's been in this position before and fought his way to the top. And it wasn't easy. Remember, he's a left-handed quarterback playing for a head coach who prefers righties. Nevertheless, Jon Gruden has to admire Simms' tenacity. He's relentless and tough, plus he can win -- as he demonstrated two years ago when he took over for the injured Griese and steered the Bucs to an NFC South title. Simms is technically sound which -- considering his family history -- isn't exactly a surprise, and he's an accurate thrower. He also has the ability to throw on the run, which is critical in the West Coast offense. So he floats some passes. So he struggled in big games. The guy's only 26 for crying out loud. All I know is he's one of the toughest and hardest working quarterbacks out there, and, yeah, those are two qualities I want in my backup.
5. Charlie Batch, Pittsburgh
I'll tell you what I like about Charlie Batch: Though he seldom plays, he never complains. He's smart. He's tough. He's a hard worker and a supportive veteran. And he produces when called on. Take last year's opener. Batch had to start when Ben Roethlisberger underwent an emergency appendectomy. It wasn't how the Steelers planned to defend their Super Bowl title, but they had no choice. Result: Batch had his best game in years, throwing for three touchdowns -- including an 87-yarder in the fourth quarter -- in a 28-17 defeat of Miami. Batch would not start again, though he played in eight games. But it's not so much what he did that I liked last season as it was what he didn't do: Namely, commit mistakes. He threw 53 times, with five TDs, no interceptions and a 121.0 passer rating.
By contrast, Roethlisberger -- who was so unflappable the year before -- produced an NFL-high 23 interceptions or one every 20 times he threw. I'm not suggesting Batch should start here. He shouldn't. But he's the ideal backup for someone like Roethlisberger: An experienced and unruffled leader who isn't a threat but can win when called on.
Honorable mention
Mark Brunell, Washington
Yeah, he's near the end of the line. But he's not there yet. Which means he can still win ball games. Sure, he doesn't throw the ball down the field, and he can't move as he once did. But Brunell is smart, tough and accurate, and all three qualities were there when he led Washington to a 36-30 overtime upset of Jacksonville last season. But he also turns 37 and is worn down by years of getting hammered in and out of the pocket. He doesn't make many mistakes, but he doesn't make a lot of big plays, either. In only one game last season did he run for more than seven yards, and in only two did he throw more than one scoring pass. Nevertheless, he provides enough leadership and sound play to qualify here. If Washington loses Jason Campbell for a series of games, I'd have no reservations about having to win with Brunell.
www.sportsline.com/print/nfl/story/10256159/2
Two of Philadelphia's last four NFC East championships were won not by Donovan McNabb but by backup quarterbacks who stepped in to lead the Eagles to the playoffs.
In case you weren't paying attention, there's a message there: Backups matter.
Jeff Garcia was ready when Philadelphia needed him, and he parlayed that success into an expected starting gig for Tampa Bay.
Jeff Garcia won five of his last six regular-season starts in 2006 to catapult the Eagles to their fifth division title in six years. Then he parlayed that experience into a big contract with Tampa Bay, where he's expected to be the starter.
Damon Huard was so impressive in Kansas City that the Chiefs kept him, not starter Trent Green, after the season was over. Now Huard battles for the starting job with Brodie Croyle, and stay tuned.
My point is this: If you're serious about reaching the playoffs you better have a capable quarterback to step in for your starter. In 2006, only 16 quarterbacks -- or 50 percent -- didn't miss starts, and that included two who wound up in the Super Bowl.
Backups helped navigate Kansas City, Dallas, Seattle and Philadelphia into the post-season, with at least two of them -- Garcia and the Cowboys' Tony Romo -- finding starting spots in the process. OK, let's count Huard as a third.
That leaves a lot of talent in the Avis position. So which of them would you choose to shadow your next starter? I have my five favorites, and don't ask about Daunte Culpepper. I don't know what to do with him, and neither does Miami.
1. David Carr, Carolina
This could wind up being one of the best off-season acquisitions. In 2002, Carr was the first pick of the draft. Five years later, Carolina signs him as a free agent. Wow. If the guy is anything close to what Houston envisioned five years ago, the Panthers can send Bob McNair a thank-you note. What I like about Carr is that he has a strong arm, hangs tough in the pocket and is resilient. What I don't like is that he hasn't won or put up big numbers. But as one scout said, "You can't blame him for the system. The poor guy got killed in Houston. Hey, David Carr hasn't forgotten how to play football."
Roger and out. When the Texans assembled their franchise, they forgot that offensive lines were meant to protect quarterbacks. Instead, they called together a bunch of matadors, lined them up for the next set of bull rushers and -- Ole! Just like that -- Carr went from quarterback to tackling dummy. In five years, he was sacked 249 times, including an NFL-record 76 in 2002 and 68 in 2005. Maybe that had an irreparable impact on the guy, I don't know. What I do know is I'd like to find out. So Carr is in Carolina where the offensive line is better and where he can sit behind Jake Delhomme, catch his breath and not worry about being the franchise quarterback. My guess? This is Carolina's future starter.
2. Brian Griese, Chicago
I like this guy because he's experienced and because he's won. So he struggled at times in Denver. He still got the Broncos to the playoffs, and he helped get Tampa Bay there, too. In fact, he was 5-1 with the Bucs as a starter in 2005 before bowing out with a season-ending injury. Griese is a complicated guy. He's the ultimate perfectionist, which means he can be tough on himself and tough on others. One NFL assistant described him as one of the smartest quarterbacks he'd been around -- and one of the most arrogant. That can be a difficult combination, and, for the moment, it has Griese on the bench in Chicago.
But Brian Griese is too good to keep down. He could be -- maybe should be -- the starter in Chicago. He has all sorts of talent and won't make the mistakes that Rex Grossman committed in droves down the stretch. All I know is that if I'm Chicago, I feel fairly secure at the quarterback position. The Bears have one guy who quarterbacked them to the Super Bowl and another who knows how to make it to the playoffs. I'd watch this competition carefully during preseason. I'm not convinced Griese stays on the bench.
3. David Garrard, Jacksonville
The Jags think so much of Garrard they handed him the ball a year ago and told him to take them to the top. He did not, which is why he's on this list. Garrard has done plenty in a short period of time, but he hasn't done enough. Yes, he led the Jags to the playoffs two years ago, but the club didn't have sufficient confidence in him to start him over Byron Leftwich in its wild-card game. It had enough confidence a year later, however, to start him the last 10 games of the season, and Garrard produced immediate results: He won five of his first seven, including defeats of Philadelphia and Indianapolis, and produced passer ratings of 118.0 or higher in three of his first six starts. Then Christmas rolled around, and Garrard -- and the Jags -- went haywire, losing their last three and blowing what once seemed like a sure playoff spot.
Garrard is mobile, accurate and doesn't make big mistakes. In five of his first six starts, he didn't throw an interception. The knock, of course, is that he doesn't make a lot of big plays with his arm, but who cares so long as he wins? And he did -- initially. Now he's back on the bench, watching Leftwich huddle the offense. All I know is that Garrard can and will step in to win big games. He beat Indianapolis, the Super Bowl champ, last season and was 4-1 the year before. "He's not going to score a lot of points for you," said one scout, "but he's not going to muck things up, either."
4. Chris Simms, Tampa Bay
This is based on what I saw of him in 2005, not 2006. He was terrific down the stretch two years ago but dreadful before bowing out three games into last season. I don't know how he'll be after that ruptured spleen, but I do know that I'd never quit on this guy. OK, so he's the backup to Garcia, but he's been in this position before and fought his way to the top. And it wasn't easy. Remember, he's a left-handed quarterback playing for a head coach who prefers righties. Nevertheless, Jon Gruden has to admire Simms' tenacity. He's relentless and tough, plus he can win -- as he demonstrated two years ago when he took over for the injured Griese and steered the Bucs to an NFC South title. Simms is technically sound which -- considering his family history -- isn't exactly a surprise, and he's an accurate thrower. He also has the ability to throw on the run, which is critical in the West Coast offense. So he floats some passes. So he struggled in big games. The guy's only 26 for crying out loud. All I know is he's one of the toughest and hardest working quarterbacks out there, and, yeah, those are two qualities I want in my backup.
5. Charlie Batch, Pittsburgh
I'll tell you what I like about Charlie Batch: Though he seldom plays, he never complains. He's smart. He's tough. He's a hard worker and a supportive veteran. And he produces when called on. Take last year's opener. Batch had to start when Ben Roethlisberger underwent an emergency appendectomy. It wasn't how the Steelers planned to defend their Super Bowl title, but they had no choice. Result: Batch had his best game in years, throwing for three touchdowns -- including an 87-yarder in the fourth quarter -- in a 28-17 defeat of Miami. Batch would not start again, though he played in eight games. But it's not so much what he did that I liked last season as it was what he didn't do: Namely, commit mistakes. He threw 53 times, with five TDs, no interceptions and a 121.0 passer rating.
By contrast, Roethlisberger -- who was so unflappable the year before -- produced an NFL-high 23 interceptions or one every 20 times he threw. I'm not suggesting Batch should start here. He shouldn't. But he's the ideal backup for someone like Roethlisberger: An experienced and unruffled leader who isn't a threat but can win when called on.
Honorable mention
Mark Brunell, Washington
Yeah, he's near the end of the line. But he's not there yet. Which means he can still win ball games. Sure, he doesn't throw the ball down the field, and he can't move as he once did. But Brunell is smart, tough and accurate, and all three qualities were there when he led Washington to a 36-30 overtime upset of Jacksonville last season. But he also turns 37 and is worn down by years of getting hammered in and out of the pocket. He doesn't make many mistakes, but he doesn't make a lot of big plays, either. In only one game last season did he run for more than seven yards, and in only two did he throw more than one scoring pass. Nevertheless, he provides enough leadership and sound play to qualify here. If Washington loses Jason Campbell for a series of games, I'd have no reservations about having to win with Brunell.