NFL 2011

[ghost]

Being a good recruiter is almost completely irrelevant to the NFL game.

That's the whole point. 

[01101010]

Being a good recruiter is almost completely irrelevant to the NFL game.

That's the whole point. 

Yeah, coaches don't really recruit in the Pro's. Owners with big wallets do. Recruitment matters if there is a next step, if you can give them that, you can stream in top talent. The NFL IS the top talent.

[Cyrrex]

Well, he's reportedly a good motivator and gets players to buy-in.  Of course, that only lasts as long as you're able to win.  Despite all the poking fun at this team, I imagine they themselves have a fairly positive outlook...2010 with a new coach, a lot of new players, a division championship and a highly emotional playoff win against the defending champs.  That's the wave they are riding, not the 7-9 record.

Of course, maybe that all goes out the window when Tavaris Jackson is your starting QB.  I think their success or failure ultimately boils down to him and whether or not he "emerges".  And there is no reason to think that he will.

[ghost]

Tavaris Jackson is your starting QB.

 

I find it odd that they could have gotten Leinart.  Surely he's a better option than the three slugs they've got on the roster. 

[Nebu]

Question for Wed: How many weeks until Ponder is starting for Minnesota?  I just don't think McNabb has it in him anymore.  As soon as they go 1-4 or 2-4, I'm betting he gets the hook. 

[ghost]

McNabb hasn't had it for years.  I'm not sure he ever had it, really, and that it was actually TO that had it.

[shiznitz]

McNabb hasn't had it for years.  I'm not sure he ever had it, really, and that it was actually TO that had it.

That is overly harsh.  McNabb had a flash for a while. Then the Eagles franchised him and he gave up.

[ghost]

Is it?  He really only had one truly great year, 2004.  The rest of the time his QB rating was in the 70s and 80s, which is pretty mediocre. 

[HaemishM]

McNabb hasn't had it for years.  I'm not sure he ever had it, really, and that it was actually TO that had it.

You really need to rethink that. Before TO got there, he had NOBODY to throw to. NOBODY. I mean, Pinkston, Thrash, Lewis? These were his wideouts through most of those years. He had Brian Westbrook as his main weapon most of those years, and while Westbrook was really good, he was still a RB with 3 or 4 total lumps of meat as his wideouts. And he still got them to 3 straight NFC Championships before the Super Bowl year. He also never threw more INTs than TD's in any season prior to last year - and he was on a BAD team last year. McNabb has most certainly lost it, probably for good. But he has always been an underrated passer IMO. Shit, you put him on a team with better receivers like last year's Green Bay team, or with Moss/Welker like Brady had in '07 or even Harrison/Wayne on the Colts in 2006, and he would have shined. Hell, even with TO, he still didn't have a good 2nd wide receiver.

[WayAbvPar]

He also threw into the dirt like he was running infield practice. I have never seen a QB throw more low uncatchable balls in my life. He was mediocre at best, and once his legs went he wasn't even that. Grossly overrated his whole career.

[naum]

Tavaris Jackson is your starting QB.

 

I find it odd that they could have gotten Leinart.  Surely he's a better option than the three slugs they've got on the roster. 

Jacksonville is starting Luke McCown at QB.

[ghost]

McNabb hasn't had it for years.  I'm not sure he ever had it, really, and that it was actually TO that had it.

You really need to rethink that. Before TO got there, he had NOBODY to throw to. NOBODY. I mean, Pinkston, Thrash, Lewis? These were his wideouts through most of those years. He had Brian Westbrook as his main weapon most of those years, and while Westbrook was really good, he was still a RB with 3 or 4 total lumps of meat as his wideouts. And he still got them to 3 straight NFC Championships before the Super Bowl year. He also never threw more INTs than TD's in any season prior to last year - and he was on a BAD team last year. McNabb has most certainly lost it, probably for good. But he has always been an underrated passer IMO. Shit, you put him on a team with better receivers like last year's Green Bay team, or with Moss/Welker like Brady had in '07 or even Harrison/Wayne on the Colts in 2006, and he would have shined. Hell, even with TO, he still didn't have a good 2nd wide receiver.

Coulda woulda shoulda.  I'm not buying it.

[01101010]

Jacksonville is starting Luke McCown at QB.

I give him 3 games before the rookie starts. Going to be a fun year.

[HaemishM]

I expect McNabb might make 6 games at most as starter. I really think his time as a starter is just about done. I think you guys hating on McNabb's past have been watching different games than I have. He was never elite, but he was pretty good. He was also real injury prone, but remember. The guy played one whole game with a broken leg.

[ghost]

I expect McNabb might make 6 games at most as starter. I really think his time as a starter is just about done. I think you guys hating on McNabb's past have been watching different games than I have. He was never elite, but he was pretty good. He was also real injury prone, but remember. The guy played one whole game with a broken leg.

He was mediocre most of the time, had 3-4 good years, and one elite year.  That pretty much sums up his career.  Had he won the big game, like Roethlisberger, he might be remembered in a different light.  Winning the superbowl makes a big difference in the career achievement race.

[01101010]

I expect McNabb might make 6 games at most as starter. I really think his time as a starter is just about done. I think you guys hating on McNabb's past have been watching different games than I have. He was never elite, but he was pretty good. He was also real injury prone, but remember. The guy played one whole game with a broken leg.

He was mediocre most of the time, had 3-4 good years, and one elite year.  That pretty much sums up his career.  Had he won the big game, like Roethlisberger, he might be remembered in a different light.  Winning the superbowl makes a big difference in the career achievement race.

Just ask Jim.  I'd like to think he would have his ring if he wouldn't have got stuck with Buffalo.

[01101010]

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/6939814/peyton-manning-indianapolis-colts-opener-sunday-bill-polian-says

Wow.. No Peyton. The streak is over... Favre lives on...

[shiznitz]

I have Collie in another league.  Sitting him out...

[naum]

On McNabb, you are all nuts. He might be done for, something might have happened in Philly that permanently zapped his QB mojo or it might be just the performance distortion field that seems to afflict every 21st century Washington Redskin acquisition. We'll see soon enough as playing the Packers, Bears, and even Lions will put his aged frame to the test.

But McNabb for 2000's decade, has been a stellar performer, taking his team to 5 NFC championship games and 1 SB (which was a close game, but he was bested by a better Tom Brady). Yeah, you might say he "choked" in those games, but I'd be just as likely to center the crosshairs on Andy Reid, who's always struck me in the mold of Schottenheimer and Cowher as the biggest "choke" coaches in the history of professional football. Cowher got redemption in 2005, but he lost 4 AFC championship games (I believe all were in home turf in Pittsburgh) and '95 SB (though Neil O'Donnel certainly didn't help his cause there).

About the only knack is he gets hurt a lot, and I think, finally the run of injuries has just done him in for good.

[Ingmar]

Tavaris Jackson is your starting QB.

 

I find it odd that they could have gotten Leinart.  Surely he's a better option than the three slugs they've got on the roster.  

Leinart is awful. His career passer rating is like a 70 vs. Jackson's 86. He lost his starting job to Derek Anderson the year AFTER Anderson had that historically awful season in Cleveland. I'd be betting on Jackson over him for sure.

[ghost]

Tavaris Jackson is your starting QB.

 

I find it odd that they could have gotten Leinart.  Surely he's a better option than the three slugs they've got on the roster.  

Leinart is awful. His career passer rating is like a 70 vs. Jackson's 86. He lost his starting job to Derek Anderson the year AFTER Anderson had that historically awful season in Cleveland. I'd be betting on Jackson over him for sure.

That surprises me.  Leinart, if nothing else, has the talent to be a decent QB if he could stop partying.  Plus he's played for Petey before.  Maybe that would be the match made in Seattle. 

[naum]

Introducing Grantland's Bad QB League

There is too much attention and praise showered on the modern elite quarterback. The Tom Bradys, Peyton Mannings and Aaron Rodgers of the league are celebrated as genius demigods, just because they can make split-second decisions and deliver precise passes while being chased by gigantic men who spent an entire week figuring out ways to injure them. Blah fucking blah. The more compelling narrative is that of the modern failure. Because when things go wrong for an NFL quarterback, they go spectacularly wrong. And there will be no shortage of that this season. On-field arguments. Botched handoffs. Locker room backstabbing. Seeing that unfold is way more fun than watching Brady sling the ball around for a bit, droneishly drop clichés at the press conference, then go home to the hottest woman on the planet.

This year, we're going to make it even more interesting, using an old trick: adding a draft, a scoring system, and gambling.

Start writing an e-mail to seven of your friends now, because you don't have much time to get going on your own Bad Quarterback League. The steps are simple:

1. Find eight people dumb enough to participate in a Bad Quarterback League.
2. Set the stakes.
3. Draft four NFL teams using a snake-style draft.
4. Each week, choose two teams to start (you can start a team no more than 13 times a season and no less than five times a season). Just so we're clear — you're drafting a team, and you get every quarterback on that team.
5. Check Grantland each week to get the scoring from the weekly scorecard.
6. Remember that every QB on your roster is eligible for 24/7 points. That means even if you didn't start the Seahawks on Sunday, you still get the 150 points when Tarvaris Jackson's penis appears on a blog on Tuesday.
The Scoring System

POSITIVE POINTS:

Benched during game (non-injury): 35 points
Concussed: 10 points
Interception for TD: 25 points
Interception (non-TD): 5 points
Fumbles lost: 5 points
Fumbles kept: 2 points
3-turnover game: 12 points
4-turnover game: 16 points
5-turnover game: 24 points
6-turnover game: 50 points
No passes of 25+ yards: 10 points
No passing/rushing TDs (QBs only): 10 points
Under 200 passing yards: 6 points
Under 150 passing yards: 12 points
Under 100 passing yards: 25 points
Under 50 percent completion rate: 5 points
Under 40 percent completion rate: 15 points
Under 30 percent completion rate: 25 points
Teammate/Coach/Fan argument on sidelines replayed replayed on SportsCenter: 15 points

24/7 POINTS:

Arrested: 50 points
Detained/questioned by police: 10 points
Practice/locker room fight (physical): 20 points
Apology press conference: 75 points
Penis picture on blog: 150 points
Official vote of confidence from coach: 10 points
Bitching about his linemen: 10 points
Suspended: 50 points per game

NEGATIVE POINTS:

300-349 yards passing: -6 points
350-399 yards passing: -9 points
400+ yards passing: -12 points
75+ yards rushing: -8 points
3 passing/rushing TDs: -5 points
4 passing/rushing TD’s: -10 points
5 passing/rushing TD’s: -20 points
Game-winning drive (last two minutes): -12 points

[shiznitz]

He also threw into the dirt like he was running infield practice. I have never seen a QB throw more low uncatchable balls in my life. He was mediocre at best, and once his legs went he wasn't even that. Grossly overrated his whole career.

6 Pro Bowls.  C'mon.  It is ok to hate good players, but that hate doesn't make good players bad players.  Does anyone believe McNabb won't be a Hall of Famer? 

[Paelos]

He also threw into the dirt like he was running infield practice. I have never seen a QB throw more low uncatchable balls in my life. He was mediocre at best, and once his legs went he wasn't even that. Grossly overrated his whole career.

6 Pro Bowls.  C'mon.  It is ok to hate good players, but that hate doesn't make good players bad players.  Does anyone believe McNabb won't be a Hall of Famer? 

I don't believe he's a Hall of Famer. He's got no Super Bowl wins, and he's got less yards and less TDs than Boomer Esiason who isn't in there. Hell, why not put in Jim Everett? He's got similar numbers.

[ghost]

McNabb has a career QB rating of 85.7 and no Superbowl ring.  That's about like Boomer.  It's also a lot like Farve, yet Farve has the ring.  Without a ring Favre doesn't look nearly as good, in my opinion.

[Rasix]

He also threw into the dirt like he was running infield practice. I have never seen a QB throw more low uncatchable balls in my life. He was mediocre at best, and once his legs went he wasn't even that. Grossly overrated his whole career.

6 Pro Bowls.  C'mon.  It is ok to hate good players, but that hate doesn't make good players bad players.  Does anyone believe McNabb won't be a Hall of Famer? 

He won't be.  Pro Bowls are meaningless.  He's had 2 really good statistical seasons and no Super Bowl wins.  He's a below 60% career passer. 

I suppose he compares statistically with another hall of famer, Jim Kelly, except that Kelly went to 4 Super Bowls to McNabb's 1.  Of course, another person he compares to is Rich Gannon.   

[Rasix]

McNabb has a career QB rating of 85.7 and no Superbowl ring.  That's about like Boomer.  It's also a lot like Farve, yet Farve has the ring.  Without a ring Favre doesn't look nearly as good, in my opinion.

He'd be just another Dan Marino. 

[ghost]

I'm not a fan of Marino.  He was the antithesis of a winner.

[Rasix]

Well, there's a place for guys that just blew up statistically or were able to keep up a high level of play for a long time like a Cal Ripken (different sport, same argument) or Brett Favre.

[ghost]

Sure there is.  Marino was the highest statistically productive passer of all time for a while and merits discussion in the all time greats.  He was on shitty teams a good deal of the time.  I just don't have much interest in losers and a guy of his talent level should have been able to bring home some trophy.

[naum]

Sure there is.  Marino was the highest statistically productive passer of all time for a while and merits discussion in the all time greats.  He was on shitty teams a good deal of the time.  I just don't have much interest in losers and a guy of his talent level should have been able to bring home some trophy.

Marino was dazzling and put up phenomenal numbers. His lack of SB shiny, it can be argued, could be due to poor Dolphin defenses during that period (that were just a shadow of the 70's legacy Killer B unit that they tried to emulate way too long, just as Noll and Steelers faded in the later 80s. OTOH, his teams (counting his days at Pitt when Pitt was a national powerhouse program) always seemed to "choke" in the big game -- he lost SB and Cotton Bowl in senior year that a victory would have netted national championship. It was pre-BCS era, and arguably the prior year, with only 1 loss, they should have netted national championship with Sugar Bowl win over Georgia but undefeated Clemson (a team that by today standard would be cast off as a Boise State wannabe, as ACC was not a major conference in likes of Big-10 or major independents like Pitt, Notre Dame, Penn State) beat a 2L Nebraska team and got it.

Oh, and I hate the BCS and prefer the old bowl system, at least in lieu of a REAL championship playoff…

[HaemishM]

Hey, I'm a McNabb fan/apologist but I don't think he's Hall of Fame material. I just don't think he's as bad as the haters say. He won't be in the Hall because he has no ring and his stats aren't the gaudy numbers that a guy without a ring like Marino has.

[Nebu]

Hey, I'm a McNabb fan/apologist but I don't think he's Hall of Fame material. I just don't think he's as bad as the haters say. He won't be in the Hall because he has no ring and his stats aren't the gaudy numbers that a guy without a ring like Marino has.

I want to go on record as stating that I'm not a McNabb hater.  He was good in his prime.  I just happen to think that he is past his prime. 

[shiznitz]

Hey, I'm a McNabb fan/apologist but I don't think he's Hall of Fame material. I just don't think he's as bad as the haters say. He won't be in the Hall because he has no ring and his stats aren't the gaudy numbers that a guy without a ring like Marino has.

I want to go on record as stating that I'm not a McNabb hater.  He was good in his prime.  I just happen to think that he is past his prime. 

No debate on that from me.  He's done.

[HaemishM]

Yeah, he's been done for the last 2-3 years, he just happened to show it when he got on a bad team like the Skins.