SB Nation - Kevin Kolb

Quarterback decisions, future and present, for the Rams

VanRam — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 16:39:33 -0000

Is this the next Rams QB?

Here's the least insightful statement you'll read today: The St. Louis Rams need a starting QB for the 2010 season. Discussion around that subject has begun in earnest in the wake of rookie Keith Null's debut against the Titans yesterday. GM Billy Devaney has several routes for finding the team's next signal caller with a very high pick in the draft or more financial flexibility thanks to lots of junk contracts going off the books after this season.

First, let's talk about the rest of the season. Devaney's reluctance to put Marc Bulger on IR and reports this weekend that he will miss at least two more games make me wonder if they aren't hoping that Bulger might be able to start the season's final game, a showdown with the 49ers at the Dome. Bulger's status with the Rams and in general is up in the air after this season. There are reports that Bulger might just retire after this season. Retire or not, it seems likely that the Rams would part ways with Bulger, since he clearly doesn't have much left in his abused body and may be unwilling to renegotiate his contract. So for the next two games it comes down to a choice between Keith Null and Kyle Boller, a push in my opinion.

There are some bona fide first round talents at the quarterback position this year, and the Rams will certainly go through their due diligence on those players. They have to. Of course, if history is any indication, the Rams might not be taking a QB in the first round, especially with what will most likely be the first or second overall pick. The last time a franchise that included Billy Devaney as a member of the front office staff drafted a QB was the San Diego Chargers in 1998 who drafted Ryan Leaf.

That leaves the free agent (or trade) market which is really, really tough to predict at this point given the labor dispute. Some of the names being mentioned include, surprisingly and unsurprisingly, two current members of the Eagles. From Peter King:

Interesting tidbit from respected St. Louis Post-Dispatch columnist Bernie Miklasz: "I would not be surprised, at all, to see the Rams make a play for Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick after the season.'' I agree.

Miklasz has a penchant for dramatics and overstating whispers. However, Vick might just be a decent fit for an offense that seems steadfastly determined to not throw a ball more than 7 yards down the field, no matter how much they might need to. And then there's this slightly more surprising tidbit:

Also would not be surprised to see the Rams make a very quiet inquiry about Donovan McNabb after the season either. Not saying the Eagles would make such a deal (two second-rounders and a four for McNabb?), but Kevin Kolb will be a fourth-year player, and Philly's not going to be able to keep him until McNabb retires.

Obviously, that's a little more of a stretch, but given the connections between this coaching staff and the Eagles, it's not surprising, since proximity does a lot to start rumors in the NFL. McNabb turns 34 next season, so it would be a short-term solution, like say if you were drafting a QB. I don't know that the Rams can really afford to be surrendering second round picks for 34-year-olds. Strangely enough Kevin Kolb has been mentioned as a possibility too.

Then, there's always Jason Campbell who has a 65 percent completion rate and has been playing at a high level this season despite the team around him.

Whoever the Rams start at quarterback next season, let's hope they get some receiving talent for that person to throw to, but that's another discussion for another time.

Finally, let's go back to the season at hand. Personally, I'd probably just start Null. The difference between him or Boller under center is neglible and doesn't increase the chances of the team winning either way. If Bulger is cleared to play in week 17, do you start him? Only three more games to think about the current crop of Rams quarterbacks, and that's good news in and of itself.

Poll

Who should be the Rams starting QB for the last three games of the season?

Will the '10s be a return of Quarterback prominence?

Niko Houllis — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 20:05:54 -0000

There were some good ones in the 90s. Great ones even; Brett Favre & Steve Young should top anyone's all time list. Troy Aikman is another, as there were a handful. There were also a lot of "Game Managers' as they like to say; Billy Joes, and Tony Banks, and a smattering of Erik Kramers. The 2000's were not much better, despite giving us maybe the greatest; Peyton Manning and Tom Brady.

Nope, it was the 1980s that was the Golden Age of Quarterbacks. Balls were flying due to new rules enacted in 1978 that gave the advantage to WR away from defensive backs with new pass interference penalties. And the Quarterbacks took advantage of them. The accurate winners of the 70s like Roger Staughback and Terry Bradshaw gave way to the greats of the decade of excesses. 1983 gave us half a dozen all in one draft; John Elway, Jim Kelly, Tony Eason, and Dan Marino all became stars during the decade. Add to that Jim McMahon, Joe Montana, Randall Cunningham, Danny White, Phil Simms, Joe Theismann, why I could go on forever. When you watched a football game in the 80s, Quarterbacks were the highlight of the show. In the 2000s, they 'managed the game', but a few decades before, they WERE the game.

Funny thing about twenty years, every time it comes around fads come back around too. Patterns like hair cuts, clothes styles, even music, they all work in cycles. Its starting to look like the age of the Quarterback is too.

Now its too early to anoint some of the young Quarterbacks as the next Jim Kellys or the next Dan Marinos, much less the next John Elway. But with the old adage that it takes years for QBs to develop being smashed by not one but two young guys last season, its starting to look like the Duran Duran years all over again. Joe Flacco and Matt Ryan are coming back to earth in their second seasons, but as those teams build players around their signal callers, they will continue to improve to an even higher level. Aaron Rodgers is well on his way to becoming an elite thrower for the Packers now that the community owned team is able to get over his replacing an icon.

The home of Dan Marino, Miami Dolphins are learning Chad Henne is loaded with talent as capable of leading the team when another 2000s 'manager' Chad Pennington went down with another injury.

This year, the stars developed first in New York where Mark Sanchez has wowed Jets fans even on days when he looks like a rookie. Same with us fans in Tampa Bay, watching Josh Freeman, who was held off until rookie Head Coach Raheem Morris felt he was absolutely ready. He shined against the Packers and drove the Bucs to a second 4th quarter comeback in as many weeks before succumbing to the callings of his 1st year status.

Then you have the Dan Fouts types, guys who spent the second part of their careers in the 80's, and you have guys like Drew Brees and Jay Cutler (give Cutler a few receivers in Chicago and he will be right back) who will be the feature players for many years to come into the Teens.

How much longer will Peyton Manning play? Kurt Warner? The guy who went Purple after being Green?

Will Vince Young be added to the list? Alex Smith? Matt Cassel?

What about Carson Palmer and Big Ben Roethlisberger?

Kevin Kolb was taken way after Jamarcus Russell and Brady Quinn were distant memories in the 2007 draft, but recent views of his work with the Philadelphia Eagles during Donavan McNabb's injury show he may be the real deal. Trent Edwards has shown promise with the Buffalo Bills, who will put together a new coaching staff and offensive coordinator next year to feature his talents.

In this post, Ive listed a lot of names. Some are reaches, while some are guys who will wear gold sport coats when they are done with their careers. But anyway you look at it, fans watching the NFL over the next decade will be treated to an NFL that is QB driven, and sure to raise a level of excitement unseen since the Decade of decadence.

Like Pat Benatar said; "Hit me with your best shot". That, and Hell is for game managers.

Winning with Seneca Wallace Part 3: Punchline

John Morgan — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:37:48 -0000

More photos » by John Russell - AP

I'm free! Free me!

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Seattle adds an offensive tackle and transforms its offensive line. It adds a superstar rusher and pairs him with Julius Jones and Justin Forsett in a three-headed hell dog of a rush attack. Cerberus if you will. It takes all pressure off Seneca Wallace. It attempts to make him a franchise quarterback by reducing the standards for franchise quarterback to almost nothing. The Seneca Plan is executed and aided by impeccable scouting and tremendous dumb luck. The Seahawks add a return ace and cybernetic punter. Its defense clicks and coalesces into a rampaging monster. The Seneca Hawks are built and ready to storm the NFL.

They back their way into the playoffs and get blown out in the Wild Card round. When they can't get ahead early, they lose. When injuries run in and weaken the defense or rushing attack, they lose. When Seneca's unruly style meets his 30 year old body, they lose Seneca and slip out of contention. They become the Bears, the Titans, the Vikings or the Jaguars; they tease, they lose, they don't lose enough to rebuild and the franchise is mired in boring mediocrity.

Seattle cannot afford the Seneca Wallace Plan. It's as flawed as the thinking that landed them Brian Russell. This is a quarterback's league and that fact becomes more entrenched each passing season. Seattle has a talent on the out and it needs a talent on the in. Tim Ruskell has backed himself into an unenviable position. He has pressed his quarterback resources to exhaustion and failed to restock.

The Seneca Wallace bluff revealed, what can Seattle do? Free agency is thin. Seattle could sign Jason Campbell or Kellen Clemens and attempt to develop a young, but not yet prime quarterback prospect. It could patch with a reclamation project like Daunte Culpepper or David Carr. I can hear your heart beating with anticipation. It could draft a talent and hope he develops quickly. Or Seattle could attempt to do what Mike Holmgren did and trade for a promising looking quarterback talent stuck behind an entrenched veteran. Vetting that list is a lengthy process, but before we cannibalize too much of the offseason, let's brainstorm names to target.

Erik Ainge: Ainge was suspended for steroid use and that put a black mark on an already fringe prospect. I've always liked Ainge from a pure prospect standpoint. He was a four-year starter on a rather miserable Vols team that improved steadily from his freshman season. Ainge is 6'6" and a pure pocket passer. He was once considered a very good college prospect after shredding the PNW at Glencoe. Ainge is heavy with intangible red flags, but those flags may have little substance.

Brady Quinn: Quinn is a sack machine and well on his way to full bust status. His raw passing stats don't look bad, but he still has the sheen of quarterback prospect and that could make him expensive. There's little reason to think he'll shake the sacks that have plagued him for his entire career. Seattle could acquire him but they'll pay too much for a prospect never as good as many, including myself, thought he was.

Kevin Kolb: Kolb would have been a fine and dandy addition until he knuckle-slapped Kansas City and put himself into Matt Schaub country. Houston exchanged two second-round picks for Schaub and moved down two places in the first round. That is a lot to give for an unproven prospect, but it has worked for the Texans as Schaub has proven capable of top-ten production. Schaub has a slightly better scouting profile than Kolb, but never attained Kolb's regular season heights before being traded. It might take up to or even including one of Seattle's first round picks to swing a deal with Philadelphia, but it might just be worth it.

Brian Brohm: Brohm has faded as fast as any elite quarterback prospect in recent memory. He isn't controversial or speculated over. Brohm is buried. He was compared to Drew Brees by NFL Draft Scout and looked like Brees in college, completing a high percentage of throws and carrying a Louisville offense almost bereft of pro talent. The best receiver he played with was Harry Douglas, now a Falcon. The only other notable pro talent is Michael Bush and Bush missed most of Brohm's career.

Brohm sits on Green Bay's practice squad. Seattle could acquire Brohm simply by signing him to their 53 man roster. He could displace Mike Gibson, Mansfield Wrotto, rarely used and practice squad eligible Cameron Morrah or even Mike Teel. I try not to stump for everything I believe, but this one confounds me. Unless Brohm hides razor blades in Halloween apples, no team with a quarterback need should think twice about adding him and figuring out his potential for themselves.

And that is about it. Seattle could inquire about Jim Sorgi, but Sorgi is already 28. Quarterback is the most essential single position perhaps in all of sport. A great one like Peyton Manning can make his team a perennial contender. Teams that lack a quarterback must conceive farfetched plans that lead from failure to postponed failure. This need is overdue and my tenuous faith in Tim Ruskell is tested each offseason he ignores it. It is time Seattle becomes aggressive about finding the successor to Matt Hasselbeck, because no one wants to see the Seneca Wallace Plan enacted.

Rumblings Draft Scouting: Quarterbacks with a Pro Tweak

Brian Galliford — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:47:38 -0000

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In light of recent discussions we've been having around these parts - namely, the future of the Buffalo Bills' quarterback position - we thought it'd be an opportune week to provide a slight tweak to our regular Thursday scouting piece. Rather than simply talking about the week in college football, talking up (or talking down) prospects, or ranking players at positions as we've done in the past, we thought this week would be ideal to apply this type of post to the Bills.

Yesterday, we discussed the fact that Trent Edwards probably won't be realizing his full potential as a pro quarterback in a Bills uniform. It also isn't a lock that the Bills will look to the 2010 NFL Draft for a replacement should it come to that. With that in mind, we took a look not only at the top collegiate quarterbacks playing right now, but the list of current pro quarterbacks scheduled to hit free agency in 2010, as well.

The result of that effort is this post - a look at our top ten quarterback prospects for the Bills to peruse through should they be seeking a new starting quarterback this coming March. Please note that, in true 'beauty lies in the eye of the bolder' fashion, we're not actually campaigning for the Bills to go out and get any of these players. Not yet, anyway. This is merely a ranking of quarterbacks that might be available next spring - and for those who might not, we'll discuss those options briefly as well. It's all after the jump.

1. Jake Locker, Washington Huskies (JR)
As each day passes, Locker creeps closer to becoming the consensus top quarterback prospect in the nation. At the very least, he's viewed by NFL personnel men league-wide as the quarterback with the best mix of skills available as it presently stands. Locker's stats aren't great, but numbers never tell the whole story, anyway. He's only 21 years old, so he's got some maturing to do - and truth be told, he'd be best served by finishing out his career at UW. Given the Sam Bradford Factor, however, that's looking less likely to happen by the day.

Locker's got an NFL body, an NFL arm, and plenty of hard-to-spot qualities such as leadership, pocket awareness, creativity and a short learning curve. Those last traits are why he's so high on scouts' boards right now. It would be risky for an NFL team without an established offensive line and a patient front office and fan base to install him as an immediate starter, but there's little question that as far as college quarterbacks go, Locker is the closest thing to a sure bet that you can currently find. (Which obviously doesn't make him a sure bet at all, but that's beside the point.) Unfortunately, in order to acquire him, a team would probably need the No. 1 overall pick.

2. Jimmy Clausen, Notre Dame Fighting Irish (JR)
We like Clausen for a few reasons. First and foremost, he's having a terrific junior season, and he's putting up big numbers and playing clutch football against some really solid opponents. We also like the fact that he's overcome some seriously ridiculous expectations as a highly-touted recruit and is performing well in his third year under Charlie Weis. If you play clutch football in the face of high expectations at a big-time school, you're going to impress a lot of people - and Clausen has definitely done that this year. People will nit-pick his Philip Rivers-like throwing motion, but forget about that - Clausen is a legitimate NFL talent with a bright future.

3. Chad Pennington, Miami Dolphins (UFA)
First off - the shoulder. Despite early reports that his third shoulder injury could jeopardize his career, Pennington's season-ending surgery actually revealed minimal damage to the rotator cuff that he's had repaired twice previously in his career. As it stands right now, Pennington is expected to be cleared to resume throwing this winter. If he decides to continue playing - and if he's healthy, why wouldn't he? - he'll be an unrestricted free agent, as he signed a two-year deal with Miami back in August of 2008. Pennington obviously has limitations to his game, but if a new coach doesn't want to install a rookie and wants to win right away, Pennington absolutely still has the leadership and game management skills to get the job done, even at age 34 (in June of 2010). If Buffalo is looking for a veteran stopgap to provide some influence for a young guy - even Trent Edwards! - Pennington is a perfect fit.

4. Sam Bradford, Oklahoma Sooners (JR)
Yes, his shoulder injury is a concern, but it's not a major one. He did, after all, return to the Oklahoma lineup briefly, and even upon exiting once again, it was revealed that the injury had not worsened. That's the good news. Bradford has clearly enjoyed an illustrious and highly productive career at Oklahoma, but entering his junior campaign, many scouts wondered aloud if he'd be able to thrive behind a re-tooled Sooners offensive line. The obvious answer to that question is 'no.' Bradford also needs to learn to play under center, but no one questions his accuracy and strong decision-making. He's got the tools to be an excellent pro quarterback, but right now, the questions surrounding Bradford are slightly bigger than those surrounding Locker and Clausen.

5. Ryan Mallett, Arkansas Razorbacks (SO)
Yes, he's only a sophomore. No, he's not anywhere near being ready to take over an NFL franchise - heck, he hasn't even turned Arkansas into a serious contender in the SEC yet. Yes, he would be extremely intelligent to stay in school, particularly considering the fact that if he waits even a single year, he has No. 1 pick potential. But in terms of college quarterbacks, no single prospects oozes as much jaw-dropping potential as the 6'7", 238-pound sophomore with the strongest arm in the nation. He has tremendous strides that need to be achieved in areas such as leadership, poise (especially on the road), and accuracy. But you can bet large sums of dinero that NFL scouts have noticed this kid's raw talent. He has first-round potential this year, and if he stays in school to learn for one more year (or two) under Bobby Petrino, he might just be considered the "next great thing" at the position in 2011 or 2012.

6. Jason Campbell, Washington Redskins (UFA)
The Redskins are a mess, and very little of it is Campbell's fault. The guy has absolutely no support from his organization - they recruited Brett Favre and Mark Sanchez heavily, after all, even with Campbell still on the roster - and his coaches have gone through more coordinators than even Buffalo has. Through it all, he's managed to put up at least respectable career numbers (60.7% completions, 8,723 yards, 43 TD, 40 INT, 81.2 QB rating). He'll only turn 28 this December. He's got an immense amount of untapped potential. Time is running short on some potentially lucky team's ability to tap into that potential, but a change of scenery could do the embattled Campbell a world of good.

7. Christian Ponder, Florida State Seminoles (JR)
No college quarterback has made greater gains this season than Ponder, a junior enjoying a fantastic season at Florida State. He's not the ideal prospect - though he's a great athlete with a good arm, he lacks prototypical NFL size - but even considering that fact, Ponder has legitimate 2010 NFL Draft prospects given how excellent he's been this season. You'll find more talented players and you'll find guys with better intangibles, but Ponder gets the job done. It'll be interesting to see how his '09 season concludes - if he keeps up his red-hot streak, he could solidify himself as a first-round pick next April.

8. Kyle Orton, Denver Broncos (UFA)
Orton has established himself as the ultimate game manager in the NFL. He's got massive limitations and will never put up big numbers, but he's still found a way to start his career with a 27-13 record. He's listed as a free agent at the moment, but considering Denver's season, if they keep winning, there's only a minimal chance that he'd hit the open market. Josh McDaniels likes him, and if Denver isn't in a position to bring in a quarterback more to McDaniels' liking, they definitely won't let Orton walk.

9. Tarvaris Jackson, Minnesota Vikings (UFA)
He was drafted too early in 2006, and though that isn't an indictment of him as a player, it helps explain some of the expectations he's failed to meet in Minnesota. Jackson has, however, proven himself capable of playing at high levels, as he guided the Vikings to a playoff appearance in 2008 while throwing 9 TD to just 2 INT as a part-time starter. He's only marginally accurate and still has massive inconsistency issues to work through, but he's a phenomenal athlete that can hurt you with his legs, and his arm is pristine. With Brett Favre only in the first of a two-year deal and Sage Rosenfels in tow, it's not inconceivable that the Vikings let Jackson walk. He'll be 27 next April.

10. Jevan Snead, Mississippi Rebels (JR)
Snead makes this list based on his NFL measurables and rocket arm alone, because to say that he's been crushed by massive pre-season expectations this year is an understatement. Snead is having an awful junior year at Ole Miss. The hype was well-founded - Snead threw 26 touchdowns and 13 picks as a redshirt sophomore in the SEC - but he's shown highly questionable decision-making skills in a junior campaign that has seen him throw another 13 picks already (to 15 touchdowns) while completing just 51.5% of his passes. He'd be insane to enter the 2010 NFL Draft, and he probably won't. But if he does, teams will absolutely look at him as early as the second round based on his talent level alone.

In addition, these players and/or quarterback situations are worth closely monitoring. As it stands right now, none of these players will be available via the Draft or free agency next off-season, but the chance exists that one or all will be released or traded.

Donovan McNabb and Kevin Kolb, Philadelphia Eagles. McNabb seems as if he's constantly on the cusp of being moved, and Kolb put up gaudy statistics in brief appearances earlier this season while McNabb was injured. Andy Reid's a bold guy. If he decides to stick with McNabb for the remainder of the latter's career, Kolb is tasty trade bait; it works in reverse if Reid decides it's Kolb time in Philly.

Kerry Collins and Vince Young, Tennessee Titans. It's not likely that Young leaves Tennessee any time soon considering owner Bud Adams' affinity for him, but if Young continues to play well during the remainder of the '09 season, Collins - a wily veteran who wasn't at all pleased by the decision to bench him in favor of Young - might be on his way out of town. He, too, would make a nice veteran stopgap for a younger player, but as of right now, he's under contract for 2010.

Kurt Warner and Matt Leinart, Arizona Cardinals. Warner signed a two-year deal this past off-season and is likely to wrap up his career in Arizona at the conclusion of the 2010 season. If he decides to retire a year early, Leinart takes over the reigns. But Leinart isn't a player that Ken Whisenhunt acquired, and if Warner sticks around beyond '09 and Whisenhunt sees a young guy he likes better, Leinart could be on the move.

Marc Bulger, St. Louis Rams. He's been terrible in St. Louis for a few seasons now, but he can't accept all of the blame for that, given the Rams' inability to get players to protect him. It'll be really hard for the Rams to part ways for him, considering his cap hits from 2010 through 2013 equal $46 million, but if he does leave St. Louis, he, too, has the look of a passable stopgap option.

Brady Quinn, Cleveland Browns. Cleveland is a mess, and even though Eric Mangini didn't fall in love with Quinn immediately, it's unlikely a new regime will. He does have some talent, but some personality quirks have turned some heads over the past couple of years as well. Still, in the way of young signal-callers with some untapped potential, Quinn is at least worth discussing, isn't he?

That's the list, folks. It's up to you to formulate opinions (or just share the ones you've already formulated) on whether or not any of these names are more desirable than Trent Edwards'.

Desean Jackson named NFC player of the week

JasonB — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 18:01:07 -0000

More photos » by Manuel Balce Ceneta - AP

about 1 month ago: Chased by Washington Redskins safety Chris Horton, Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson (10) scores a touchdown during the second quarter of the NFL football game against the Washington Redskins, Monday, Oct. 26, 2009 in Landover, Md. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

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BobQ noted that Desean was named player of the week yesterday, but the NFL put out a press release today detailing just how impressive Jackson has been this season.

Jackson had a 67-yard touchdown run and a 57-yard TD reception in the Eagles’ 27-17 win over Washington.
He is only the second player in team history to have a 50+ yard touchdown run and reception in the same game, joining BOSH PRITCHARD, who accomplished the feat in 1949.
Over the past 20 years, only two other players have recorded a 50+ yard receiving and rushing touchdown in a game (CHRIS JOHNSON & CLINTON PORTIS).
Jackson has scored five touchdowns (three receiving, one punt-return, one rushing) this season and all have been for at least 50 yards. He is only the fifth player in NFL history to record a receiving, rushing and punt-return touchdown in each of his first two seasons.
He has scored a 60+ yard touchdown in four of the first six games of the season, only the fourth player in NFL history to accomplish that feat.
In his second season from California, this is Jackson’s second career Player of the Week Award and first on offense. He was named the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week on Kickoff Weekend.
Jackson joins running back BRIAN WESTBROOK as the only Eagles to win weekly awards for both offense and special teams.

This is the 3rd time this season an Eagle has been named player of the week. The first was also Desean Jackson and second was Kevin Kolb. Will Witherspoon was nominated for the award this week but lost out to Adrian Wilson of the Cardinals.

Stat of the Day: JaMarcus Russell is Not Good

John (obviousman) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 21:00:29 -0000

More photos » by Tony Avelar - AP

about 1 month ago: Oakland Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell sits on the bench in the closing minutes of Oakland's 38-0 loss to the New York Jets in an NFL football game in Oakland, Calif., Sunday, Oct. 25, 2009. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)

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I know every time I bring up QB rating people feel the need to mention that it's an antiquated statistic. I get it. There are probably better means of identifying who the best and worst QBs in the league are, but the QB rating still works quite well.

If we're looking at all of the QBs in the league, who would be your top 10 in 2009? Would it look like this?

That's your top 10 NFL QBs in 2009 ranked by their QB Rating. It's not identical to my list of the best 2009 QBs (I'd probably have Rodgers down a couple of spots), but it's damn close. That's why I continue to at least respect the QB Rating stat as a means to judge a QB's performance.

Here where it gets amazing. There are 32 teams in the NFL and therefore 32 starting QBs. Due to injuries and changes in the position for some teams, 35 QBs have averaged at least 14 passes per game. Can you guess where JaMarcus Russell ranks amongst those 35 signal-callers? 34th. That means there are at least two QBs in the league who are or were considered backups that have played better.

Now here's the kicker. The only QB that is still getting a chance to play the position with a lower QB Rating is Derek Anderson, who is probably only playing because the Browns don't want to give Brady Quinn a $11 million bonus. He is considered a starter, and Quinn does not have enough snaps to be ranked. That means there are three QBs that are or were considered backups with higher QB ratings than Russell. Can you name them all? (Answer at the end of the post)

		Passing									Rushing					Sacks
	G	Rating	Comp	Att	Pct	Yds	Y/G	Y/A	TD	INT	Rush	Yds	Y/G	Avg	TD	Sack	YdsL
2009 - JaMarcus Russell	7	47.2	74	160	46.3	891	127.3	5.6	2	8	15	38	5.4	2.5	0	18	101

Those numbers are astonishing low. How low? So low that even 2008 JaMarcus Russell would laugh at them....

His 47.2 QB Rating is the lowest of his career. His previous lowest QB Rating was 55.9, during his rookie campaign.
The 46.3% completion rate doesn't even come close to JaMarcus' previous lowest completion rate (53.8%).
His career TD/INT ratio before this season was 5/4, far better than the 1/4 he's producing in 2009.
Although Oakland's line was supposedly improved since last season, Russell is on pace to be sacked 41 times in 2009. That's significantly more than the 31 times he was sacked in 2008.
5% of his passes in 2009 have been intercepted. That's more than double last season, where only 2.2% of his passes were picked off.
1.3% of his passes in 2009 have been touchdowns. Not only is that less than half of his second worst season (2007 - 3.0%), but if you take away the Louis Murphy touchdown against the Chargers (where nobody covered him) that percentage goes down to 0.6%.
In 2008, JaMarcus used his nimble feet and big body to gain 7.5 yards per carry as a runner. In 2009, he's gaining just 2.5 YPC.
In 2008, Russell proved to have a difficult time fumbling the ball, losing the pigskin 12 times in 15 games. In 2009, he's on pace to fumble it 11.5 times over 16 games. That's an improvement!

Trivia Answer: Technically there are five "backup" QBs with higher QB ratings than Russell. Kevin Kolb (88.9) filled in for McNabb and Seneca Wallace (82.6) filled in for Matt Hasselbeck. Both played significantly better than JaMarcus Russell. Now here's where it just gets silly.....

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers benched Byron Leftwich after he posted a 71.2 QB Rating in the first few games of the season. His replacement, Josh Johnson, was replaced after a handful of games after posting a 50.9 QB Rating. Josh Freeman, who hasn't thrown enough passes to be ranked, played for about a quarter against the Patriots and still managed a 60.4 QB Rating. All three QB Ratings are higher than Russell's.

New Orleans Saints @ Miami Dolphins: Defending the Wildcat

saints-nation — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 11:00:21 -0000

by Bill Feig - AP

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The Dolphins' use of the wildcat has been well documented. By now we've seen all the stats, we know the dangerous players in the scheme - Ronnie Brown, Ricky Williams, and to a lesser extent, Pat White - and we know the Dolphins plan to use it a lot. Coming into this game against the Dolphins in Miami, how the Saints defend the wildcat will determine the outcome.

Saints vs Dolphins coverage

The only real exposure the Saints have had to the wildcat this season was facing the Eagles in week 2. The Eagles employed the wildcat early and often in an effort to provide some relief for backup quarterback and spot starter Kevin Kolb. Unfortunately for the Eagles, the Saints got out to a big lead in the second half, which forced the Eagles to abandon the heavy run and clock draining formation. That said, the Saints did not do a great job of stopping it when it was used. Fast forward to Sunday, the Saints will face off against a team that executes the wildcat better than anyone in the league. As evidenced by their last game (Monday Night week 5 hosting the Jets), the Fins rely on the wildcat heavily and aren't afraid to commit to it almost entirely with the game on the line. Simply put: it's what they do best and of all the teams they've played so far this season, only the Ravens have had any success in stopping it. While the Saints defense is vastly improved, I don't think comparisons to the Ravens have been earned quite yet.

What makes this such an interesting matchup is that the Dolphins' key to winning this game is controlling the clock and pounding the football on the ground. This would, in turn, keep the Saints' potent offense off the field and minimize their chances to score. It turns out the Dolphins are number one in the NFL running the football, but the Saints' run defense isn't shabby either, ranking fifth.

So how do the Saints stop the wildcat? To me, the two key players for the Saints are Roman Harper and Jonathan Vilma. Those two players are the Saints' most athletic playmakers in the box and their tackling ability in this game will prove instrumental. It looks like Scott Fujita will be absent from this one, so you can expect the Dophins to go right at Troy Evans. Harper's ability to play up in the box and make an impact as well as Vilma's lateral movement and sideline to sideline pursuit will be crucial in helping out Evans. While Remi Ayodele has played decent football and has recently been anointed as the starter at defensive tackle alongside Sedrick Ellis, expect the Dolphins to attack him as well. It's clear that Evans and Ayodele are the weaknesses in the Saints' defense, and the positions they play are ideal for the Dolphins' wildcat to attack. That's not to say Sedrick Ellis, Scott Shanle, Charles Grant, Will Smith etc. won't need to play very sound defense, respecting their assignment within the defensive scheme, but to me Harper and Vilma are the two players that have the power to shut down the Dolphins' offense, or allow it to run wild.

How do you guys think Vilma and Harper will perform, respectively?

NY Giants @ New Orleans Saints: Front Four Matchups are the Key

saints-nation — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 11:15:23 -0000

Make no mistake about it, the game on Sunday is the toughest test the Saints will experience at this point in the young season (Giants vs Saints coverage). Throwing out the two undefeated records for a second, this is the most complete team the Saints have faced by a significant margin. The Giants represent both the best offense and the best defense the Saints have seen, hands down. The most important matchup of Sunday's game, in my opinion, is the Saints' ability to get pressure with their front four and the Saints' ability to block the Giants' front four.

Saints front four:

With Eli Manning's ability, the Saints would be taking a big risk if they blitzed as much as they have early in the season. While they've had success doing so in their first four games, the first four quarterbacks they've faced lack the experience, quick decision making skills and accuracy of an Eli Manning. While Charles Grant and Will Smith have looked healthy and inspired of late, getting to the quarterback without the luxury of blitz help will be of utmost importance for them. I anticipate Gregg Williams asking his four man front to create more pressure this week on their own. If you look at game tape against Matt Stafford and Kevin Kolb especially, there were plays where the Saints blitzed and left their coverage on an island against receivers, potentially exposing themselves to huge pass gains. Luckily on most of those plays the accuracy of the passes thrown were way off, largely due to the amount of pressure the defense was bringing. Granted, that was a comfortable risk to take given the opposition. The difference is Eli Manning will make those throws more consistently, and can make the Saints pay for taking such risks. The duty lies on Smith, Grant, Bobby McCray, Sedrick Ellis, Anthony Hargrove and company to show they can get in Eli's face. The Giants have given up just three sacks in five games coming into New Orleans, while the Saints have generated ten sacks in four games (eight by the front four).

Saints blocking the Giant's front four:

The Giants have generated fourteen sacks in just five games, eleven of which were made by a member of their front four. Their ability to create pressure without blitzing is flat out scary, led by the devastating bookend combination of Justin Tuck and Osi Umenyiora. Take a look at how quarterbacks have done against them so far this season:

Jason Campbell: 19-26, 211yds, 1 TD, 1 INT, 2 fumbles - sacked 3 times

Tony Romo: 13-29, 127yds, 1 TD, 3 INTs, - sacked 0 times

Byron Leftwich: 7-16, 22yds, O TDs, 1 INT - sacked 0 times

Matt Cassel: 15-32, 127yds, 2 TDs, 0 INT, 3 fumbles - sacked 5 times

JaMarcus Russell: 8-13, 100 yards, 0 TDs, 0 INTs, 3 fumbles - sacked 6 times

Those performances aren't just bad, they're flat out embarassing. As evidence by Romo and Leftwich's numbers, even when these quarterbacks are getting the ball out quick enough, they're still performing terribly. Granted none of these guys are Drew Brees, but it is worth noting how badly they've all played. The Saints' offensive line has given up four sacks in four games, but this game they'll have a replacement left tackle going up against the NFL's finest. Whether that's Jermon Bushrod or Zach Strief, they better be ready to play the game of their life and Brees better be ready to get the ball out in a hurry.

The matchups in these areas are about as tough as it gets. When the Saints are on defense, the home crowd's influence will need to be the x factor that can help them. When the Saints are on offense, I believe the key ingredients to success are threefold: the performance of the Saints at left tackle, Reggie Bush and Jeremy Shockey. Bush and Shockey will both offer Brees the most dangerous short passing checkdown options. When Brees wants to get rid of the ball in a hurry, these two players will be available and targeted often. Expect both of these guys to get many opportunities as Brees won't always have the time to attack the perimeter. We'll see if they can deliver when called upon. Sidenote: Bush and Shockey are killer fantasy plays this week, ESPECIALLY in leagues where you get points for receptions.

So it all boils down to getting pressure with our front four, and limiting their front four's pressure. Sounds simple but much easier said than done. So what are your thoughts? Do you guys think Smith and Grant have turned a corner and can have big games this weekend when the Saints need them the most? Do you think Strief/Bushrod/Stinchcomb can realistically slow down Tuck/Umenyiora?

Saints Inching Closer to National Spotlight

saints-nation — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 18:35:24 -0000

More photos » by Michael Perez - AP

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Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to formally introduce a new member of the Canal Street Chronicles team, saints-nation. He is the creator, writer and editor of his own fan blog Saints Nation. SN has been providing consistent, quality Saints content on his own site for a few months now and will continue to do so. He will also be lending his talents and original content here for all of us to enjoy.

I am hoping this will offer yet another perspective for you, the reader, and to also lighten the load for myself. SN will be contributing a couple of posts a week including his player grades following every game this season and hopefully a preview each weekend of the upcoming game. In addition, I have given him the freedom to write posts about current topics in Who Dat Nation whenever they inspire him. Today, SN is getting his feet wet with a quick little introduction to the week ahead. Please welcome him to the family and share your thoughts/concerns/questions/advicein the comment section.

Posing as the NFL's best kept secret may not last much longer for the 4-0 Saints if they can find a way to beat the 5-0 Giants this week and move to 5-0 themselves. Looking sharp in all three phases through four games and being the model of consistency hasn't been enough for the Saints to get talked about nationally. Sure, Brees gets his props nationwide, but beyond that it's been a quiet 4-0 for the Saints, made even quieter by the bye week. Even Darren Sharper's five interceptions in four games (including two run back for touchdowns) has hardly been talked about by the media outside of New Orleans. If you circulate the forums, the average NFL fan still labels the Saints as a potent passing offense coupled with a horrendous defense and mediocre running game. The rumblings of "look at the quarterbacks they've faced" is still a constant jab (examples: Matt Stafford, Kevin Kolb, Trent Edwards, Mark Sanchez). This can all end now.

This Sunday is a big game for a lot of reasons, none bigger than the possible tiebreaking scenario this game could have on the NFC playoff picture as the Giants are clear front runners for home field advantage. As a Saints fan, I like that they're free of the national media distractions for the most part. If the Saints win this game, that will undoubtedly change. Ultimately that's what would come with the territory of going 5-0 and beating the "New York Football Giants". I say so be it, because while media and audience recognition have zero to do with the standings, it would be nice to get that respect. If the Saints beat the Giants, you can't say they didn't face a good defense, you can't say they didn't face a good QB, and you can't say "they got lucky" because of the 4 preceding games as a track record. It won't be easy, though, because I happen to think this Giants team is better than the one that won the Superbowl. If the Saints lose, they'll just fall back into obscurity. Let the chips fall where they may.

New threats emerge as Eagles offense evolves

JasonB — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 22:30:14 -0000

So far this season, the Eagles' offense has seemingly found a new weapon to step up and have a big game every week. Today, it was rookie WR Jeremy Maclin's turn. In just his second career start Maclin hauled in 6 passes for 147 yards and 2 TDs. Maclin became the first Eagle rookie ever to have two 40-plus-yard receiving TDs in the same game. He had success both over the middle and down the field showing great speed and a good ability to adjust to the ball while it's in the air. Maclin's breakout performance is just another in a line of players staking their claim as the Eagles' top threat.

In this young season TE Brent Celek has posted a pair of 100+ yard games. Kevin Kolb has had two 300+ yard passing performances. Desean Jackson has had three TDs of 60+ yards in three straight games to start the year. McNabb has thrown for 5 TDs and just one pick in basically a game and a half. In his first career start RB LeSean McCoy ran for 84 yards on 20 carries and a TD. Jason Avant had a 7 catch, 79 yard, 1 TD game against the Saints.

Every week it seems like a new guy steps up as a playmaker for this offense. That speaks to the depth of this team now as well as it's bright future.

Interestingly enough, there's one obvious name missing from that list of guys who've had big games so far this year... Brian Westbrook. #36 scored his first TD of the year today in what was an otherwise ineffective game from him. While injuries have played a part in his slow start, Westbrook hasn't been anywhere near his old self so far this year. The good thing is, it appears the days of the Eagles needing a healthy and productive Westbrook to be successful are over.