It's a little different drafting a QB in the first round who has had alot of success in college then an undrafted free agent signed from the practice squad.
I voted for Clemens but can make a case for Ratliff. He showed a tremendous amount of improvement from year one to year 2. He went from barely being able to call a play in the huddle, being on the practice squad and nearly cut to pushing Clemens for the #2 spot this season. He looked much better than Clemens in preseason against the same competition showing good pocket presence, poise, live arm, accuracy and ability to read a defense. If he continues to make that kind of progression I have no doubt he'll be an NFL starter.
Ratliff has all the physical tools that you look for in a qb. Good size, mechanics and a great arm. Chad always had a ceiling due to his lack of arm strength and Clemens is very short for a qb. If Ratliff can be coached properly and learns how to read defenses and go through progressions he has the potential to be a very good qb. He has not proven any of this but he seems to have the physical ability.
the grass is always greener... everyone always roots for the underdog, etc. Its alot easier to root for someone you can relate with, Chrebet..etc It's human nature, although the chances of that person actually succeding are very low
I agreee it is this kind of dynamic that explains the Ratliff love. I'm not saying I think he would suck. But there's no real good reason for all the love shown him here.
Adolescents often fantasize about cute girls they know -- but not too well, to have a sense of mystery, to leave space to fill them in with their fantasies -- and then in their imagination enhance the girls to be the perfect sex goddess in order to get off. What we have here on this board is adolescents taking a mysterious player who looked pretty attractive the couple times they saw him from afar, and then closing their eyes to fill in the rest with their inner football fantasies & then masturbating to that fantasy on these pages, in front of our eyes.
When the Mets sucked in the early 60's everyone loved them. It's only with expectations that fans become wolves. Watching a young player with talent develop is something a fan can root for. Watching a HOF mercenary act like he doesn't give a shit or is dumb as shit is a whole diffent animal. I would love to see both Clemens and Ratliff develop and if they both turn into something even better than we have a valuable commodity that can be turned into another great player. That's something a fan wolf like myself can get behind. I can't see Favre getting better unless he is willing to play a complete different style of O and that takes commitment.
Not claiming him to be a great QB, but he is much better when playing against second stringers on offense and defense
People in the Jets organization say they like him. So..........lets see what he can do. I'm not sold on him but if people think he is a player then lets see him get a shot and play.
i agree with abyz. this is a kid who was an undrafted practice squad over-acheiver. i would love more than anything for him to succeed but i also know that its very unlikely. until he goes against some starters and plays with some starters, then everyone needs to get off his nutsac
So, when you say 'Jets organization', do you mean the coaching staff that just got canned or the FO that brought in Father Time to be our starting QB? :breakdance: I remember Mangini saying he was impressed with Ratliff's improvement and that he had good height, arm, and mechanics, but he was also about to be cut from the team for being a bum.. and that improvement is what saved him. It's impossible to tell what the kid's got at this point and it likely will be until he's given a chance to start. I see a lot of upside in Clemens, but at the same time I'm alright with Ratliff getting a shot if our new coach thinks he's the real deal. Until that's decided, I think Clemens has to be the guy.
Look at the other choices. I voted for Ratliff because I don't like any of the other options except Favre, who I don't think is coming back. The other guys were either bad on other teams or in college.
I want to pose a question to every "elitist" here who snidely puts down the very idea of Brett Ratliff because he hasn't done anything against an NFL starting defense... What the hell is wrong with him getting a shot at a starting NFL defense so we can find out for sure???
Thanks for the videos edge, good read by Ratty on the dropped pass. I think much like when Mangini came onto the scene, there should be an open QB competition next year between Clemens, Ratty, and a rookie QB if drafted.
him and Clemens played against the same competition in the preseason.... ratliff looked better, and that was Ratliffs first time ever playing in the NFL. Clemens has had 3 years and looked worse.... in preseason. I want the kid to start against 1st stringers in preseason. I'd like to see more, but in terms of why he is the likable prospect to me is what he did by himself on the field, nevermind the competition. The ability to lead a huddle, to see the open man, make a read, roll out when needed, slide in the pocket while still looking up field - that ability to feel the rush. One announcer even said that he did things most young undrafted guys don't do until they hit year 4. Thats why he is the likable candidate. I like him because during the Chad vs Kellen battle, I didn't want either to win so I picked Ratliff. And then he had his great preseason.
