Don't know if it was posted: http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/5619814?GT1=8192 Looking at the best and worst QB situations OK, everyone writes and says too much about quarterback play. It happens every season. But in the end, just like last season's playoffs, quarterbacks tend to deliver a championship. Ben Roethlisberger saved his worst postseason performance for the Super Bowl, but the Pittsburgh Steelers never would have added a fifth Vince Lombardi Trophy to their display case without Big Ben's stellar play in wins over Indianapolis and Denver. Three teams helped themselves greatly this off-season with quarterback acquisitions; New Orleans, Miami and Chicago all made significant deals with veteran quarterbacks. The Bears signed journeyman Brian Griese, thus giving the NFC North champions a tremendous security blanket should Rex Grossman end another season on the injury list. Just the presence of Griese guarantees that the Bears will be a heavy favorite to repeat as champs. The Saints finally ended their failed relationship with Aaron Brooks (now in Oakland) and acquired Drew Brees, one of the game's most-competitive players at the position. Brees has excelled in a run-first offense in San Diego, and he should do the same with the Saints — who will have a backfield of Deuce McAlister and rookie Reggie Bush. Rookie head coach Sean Payton is salivating at the offensive possibilities. The Dolphins really haven't had a quarterback since Dan Marino in his prime, but Daunte Culpepper gives them a playmaker that is capable of 4,000 yards and 30 touchdowns. Don't worry, Culpepper will be ready. But it's the flip side of the NFL where quarterback trouble is brewing and those storylines are the most intriguing. Here's how I rank the potential quarterback disasters: 1) San Diego; 2) Minnesota; 3) Detroit; 4) New York Jets; 5) Houston and 6) Tennessee. Let's examine them city-by-city: San Diego: The Chargers have made tremendous progress the past two seasons with Brees as their starter and with improved defensive play. Of course, the franchise would have had no success without LaDainian Tomlinson, one of the best all-around runners. But the dependence on former first-round pick Philip Rivers could prove to be the undoing of both GM A.J. Smith and coach Marty Schottenheimer. Neither man agrees on much these days, such is the turmoil in San Diego, but at least they both thought Rivers was the best choice when they drafted him in 2004. Remember, Eli Manning rejected them and they passed on Roethlisberger. Consequently, if Rivers fails, both Smith and Schottenheimer could be unemployed next year. Minnesota: In one year's time, the Vikings have taken an unbelievable free fall. They have traded the magical duo of Randy Moss and Daunte Culpepper while also developing into one of the most dysfunctional front offices in the league. They have already fired their top personnel man in Fran Foley, who wasn't qualified to begin with. Kevin Warren, who was dumped by the Rams and Lions, has stirred the pot internally, and first-time head coach Brad Childress is counting on immobile Brad Johnson and the thoroughly inaccurate Mike McMahon to make the Vikings competitive. It is definitely asking way too much, considering the running back stable is bare, and Troy Williamson must emerge immediately as a 80-catch receiver. It's funny to think that this organization had more stability with Red McCombs and Denny Green running the show. Well, at least they were feared on Sundays. Detroit: Mike Martz has a solid backup in Jon Kitna and a very athletic Josh McCown to develop. It's a lot to ask of an offensive genius like Martz. Neither quarterback seems to possess the accurate touch that Kurt Warner and Marc Bulger had in St. Louis; nor do the Lions have the offensive weapons the Rams had when they went to consecutive Super Bowls. The Lions had to rid themselves of big baby Joey Harrington, who pointed the finger at everyone but himself before flying off to Miami for even more guaranteed money. The big problem for Martz is that he could become frustrated with the lack of offensive explosion; that could spell doom for new head coach Rod Marinelli. New York Jets: The first thing GM Mike Tannenbaum will tell you is that he has a stable of quarterbacks. He has two rookies, Chad Pennington, whose middle name is Torn Rotator Cuff, and Patrick Ramsey, the one who couldn't please Joe Gibbs in Washington. This team has spent millions on the unlucky Pennington, a player that most love and respect. Chad is a good kid, but will he ever be able to play at a high level again? If he can't, Ramsey will be the starter until he fumbles and as is sacked too many times. Oregon rookie Kellen Clemens is a project, someone Eric Mangini really wouldn't want to play this season. Mangini believes that Pennington will play this season; he's just not saying when he will practice or when he might be ready to play. Houston: Every Texan fan will be watching how Vince Young and Matt Leinart do this season and every season thereafter. Gary Kubiak, who coached one of the best in John Elway, believes he can fix David Carr and make him very productive. Kubiak is staking his career on just that. Carr has been a workout warrior this season, repaying the new coach's belief in him. In Kubiak's first draft, he chose defense over offense, which proves he's very much a modern-day gambler. Tennessee: It's a given that Steve McNair will be in Baltimore before training camps open; so the Titans must rely on Billy Volek, one of the NFL's best backups, and No. 1 pick Vince Young, the choice of owner Bud Adams. Volek has had some solid games, but Tennessee simply hasn't had a damaging running game since Eddie George was in his prime. Can they regain it with rookie LenDale White? Volek won't succeed without a running game, and the Titans want to keep Young on the sidelines this season. Jeff Fisher and Norm Chow, his offensive coordinator, seem to be in an impossible situation. The situation will be rougher if McNair is a winner again with the Ravens.
Yeah the QB situation is rough for the Jets right now. The guy who wrote the article is smoking crack though if he thinks the Dolphins are in any better shape. Game 3 Culpepper could go down for his career essentially if he gets hit wrong and the knee blows out again. I still cannot believe that Saban invested any assets at all in a QB who not only has been unable to win recently but also had such a devastating knee injury last year. I'd have thought Saban was smarter than that.
best case QB situation: Healthy Chad returns to his old form worst case QB situation: see last season
A seasoned Brooks behind a better OL along with Kellen as the back up is a huge improvement over last year. I never believed in Fiedler before he was hurt and Brooks did enough under enermous pressure with a clueless coaching staff to warrant some support.
I don't understand why people are calling Clemens a project. If he wasn't injured this season he would have been drafted in the first round. He learned 3 different offensive systems in his college career and seems to have all the physical tools. Why is he being called a project?
Any first year QB is a project unless they're drawing Dan Marino/John Elway comparisons and obviously Clemens is not in that category at the moment.
I completely agree but the way they're saying it is like he's not a good QB coming out of the draft - Vince Young is probably more of a project than Clemens. I don't think they're trying to make the point that you did.
If he's smoking crack, you're shooting smack.... Damn, and just to think the Phinz could have hire you. What were we thinking!?!?!.....:lol:
I don't think Daunte was Saban's first target. I think his first choice was Brees which would've been a great fit. Another big target at TE, stud young running back and then add Chambers to the mix. I'm glad he's in NO and didn't wind up a Dolphin. IF Culepepper is healthy they'll have a shot at the division this year. But their defense is getting up their in age and while they seem to be a team on the rise their window won't be open for very long.
So basically you think there should be absolutely NO concern regarding the major injury Culpepper sustained last season, AND that he did nothing before the injury last season w/o Randy Moss?
Where did you get that impression??.... Br4dw4y5ux states, "He's smoking crack if he thinks Culpepper makes them{Miami} any better".... Now I'm no self-proclaimed NFL scout, guru, or expert, but I think it's safe to say that a healthy Culpepper will make Miami MUCH better. Only an idiot would deny that, so if he's not shooting smack, maybe then he's just absolutely clueless instead??....
Culpepper threw two interceptions for every touchdown he threw last year. He finished with a pass rating below 51 three times out of six last year. He had five fumbles in six games, and a 72.0 passer rating on the season. That's pretty amazing considering the numbers he's put up with an elite receiver. He'll have to adjust throw to 5'11" Chris Chambers and Marty Booker, as well as adjust to an offensive line that is full of run blockers rather than pass blockers as he had in the NFC. He'll have to play against two hybrid defensive looks twice a year next year with the Pats and the Jets. And he has trouble reading 4-3 defenses. But your probably right, he'll have an MVP calibre season and throw 45 touchdowns right before failing to make the playoffs during the last game of the season versus the depleted Colts defense.
Two things: 1. What makes you think Culpepper is ever going to qualify as healthy again in the NFL after tearing the ACL, MCL and PCL in his right knee? That's all the cartilage that attaches his right lower leg to the rest of his body. 2. Assuming he does manage to get back on the field after the extensive rehab needed, exactly how good a QB is he going to be with the big whonking brace on his knee? And believe me he's going to be wearing a big brace. The next time his knee goes he's in Namath land and that never works out in the end.
I don't agree with Br4dwy5ux on Culpepper, if he's healthy and put in a disciplined system he clearly upgrades Miami big time. That said he's health is a legitimate concern and if he isn't fully healthy he not only doesn't help them, he becomes an albatross around the neck of the team and the team will be mired in QB controversy for the next couple of years.
He probably isn't which may be a huge mistake. Pennington has allready proven that he is not capable of playing a full season and Ramsey has a lot to prove. Brooks may very well be the No. 1 option on opening day?
exactly. The dolphins are in a similiar boat as the jets. They have a seriously injured quarterback in culpepper like pennington. And they have an underachiever backing them up in harrington like ramsey for us. IMHO culpepper will never be as good as he once was. In his glory years, he had a great offensive coordinator in scott linehhan and a great wideout in randy moss. Last year when he didnt have either of them, he just plain sucked. Because of his knee he'll lose so much mobility and might not be ready to play week 1. Im tired of ppl saying the phins are gonna take over the AFC east and make a playoff run. It's BS. They lost what made their offense last year, Scott Linehan. Chambers wont have the same kind of year, they have no secondary and a seriously aging front 7 on Defense. And they have a somewhat grim situation at QB. the pats still own that division and the phins are overrated.
i personally would be more conformtable in putting clemens in opening day over brooks. We keep talking about his potential and how he would have been a top 3 QB if he never broke his ankle. So i want to see his talent over just watching brooks again.
