Here are one writer’s Week 11 thoughts on NFL quarterbacks while wondering how the Kansas City Chiefs’ backup shares an almost identical name as Keanu Reeves’ character in The Replacements.
If the Texans Super Bowl chances fell in a forest, would anyone hear them?
On Nov. 13, the Houston Texans won their fourth game in a row, waxing Tampa Bay 37-9 to improve to 7-3. They also found out that quarterback Matt Schaub suffered a Lisfranc injury in the second quarter, likely ending his season and perhaps Houston’s Super Bowl aspirations. Surprisingly, Schaub’s impending trip to IR was just a side note during most national talk shows on Monday. Would an injury to Ben Roethlisberger or Philip Rivers be met with the same apathy? The Texans were legitimate title contenders, boasting the league’s top-ranked defense and second best running game. Coming off their bye week, it’ll be interesting to see if opposing defenses stack the box against Arian Foster and Ben Tate without the threat of Schaub throwing over the top to Andre Johnson (once he returns from injury), Jacoby Jones and Owen Daniels.
The 2011 Buffalo Bills are looking an awful lot like the 2008 Buffalo Bills.
Forgive me if you’ve heard this before: The Buffalo Bills raced out to a 5-2 record, signed a key team member to a lucrative extension and promptly fell apart. Three years ago, owner Ralph Wilson and team president Russ Brandon awarded Dick Jauron with a three-year extension, albeit behind closed doors, following a hot start, then dropped seven of their next eight. Three weeks ago, the Buffalo braintrust extended quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick’s deal by six years and $59 million ($24 million guaranteed). At the time, the Harvard grad was in the midst of a seven-game stretch where he passed for 14 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Since Fitzpatrick signed on the dotted line, the Bills have lost three in a row while Fitz has thrown the same amount of picks but with only two touchdowns. Buffalo finished 7-9 in 2008 and Jauron was unceremoniously shown the door halfway through the following season. Hopefully for Fitzpatrick (and Bills fans), history won’t continue to repeat itself.
Matt Moore may be who the Panthers thought he was.
Trending in the opposite direction of the Bills’ Fitzpatrick is Matt Moore of the arch-rival Miami Dolphins. It wasn’t long ago that Moore was being groomed behind Jake Delhomme as Carolina’s quarterback of the future. Moore started the Panthers’ final five games of 2009, posting a 4-1 record and a sparkling 98.5 rating. Despite his success, Carolina drafted Notre Dame’s Jimmy Clausen in the second round of the following April’s draft, essentially starting the countdown on Moore’s departure. Two games into the 2010 season, Moore had been replaced, although he certainly didn’t help his cause by throwing four interceptions. Moore’s Carolina quarterbacking coffin was nailed shut when Cam Newton was made the big man on Panthers campus. Miami signed Moore this offseason to back up incumbent starter Chad Henne. Since Henne was lost for the season with a shoulder injury, Moore has stepped up in a big way, directing the ‘Fins to a 3-3 record after an 0-4 start, eliminating any chances that Miami had to take can’t-miss quarterback prospect Andrew Luck in next year’s draft. That’s good for Moore’s job security.
Aaron Rodgers, Alex Smith on collision course.
Admittedly, the draft that brought us Alex Smith and Aaron Rodgers isn’t going to be confused with the quarterback classes of 1983 (John Elway, Jim Kelly, Dan Marino) and 2004 (Eli Manning, Rivers, Roethlisberger). However, in terms of the present season, the prizes of 2005 appear destined to decide who will represent the NFC in February. The Packers, at 10-0, have barely been tested and Rodgers is waging a right-armed assault on the league’s record books. Meanwhile, on the left coast, Smith is exorcising the ghosts of seasons past by playing remarkably efficient football under new coach Jim Harbaugh and has the 49ers on the verge of clinching the NFC West by Thanksgiving weekend. Stay tuned.
Tim Tebow is bringing magic back to the Mile High City.
Color me confused as to why most of America seems to want Tim Tebow to fail. He has an unorthodox throwing motion, runs as much as he passes and to describe him as inaccurate would border on complimentary. So what? Tebow is 4-1 as a starter and has Denver in the thick of the AFC West race, something that was unfathomable a month ago. For some reason, a man of faith, always positive, who clearly elevates the play of his teammates has received more public backlash than any single player in a league often lacking of blemish-free role models.
Note to author….. Listing Eli Manning as a member of the 2004 draft class makes it sound like you are trying to say that it wasn’t a good draft class. He is the most over-rated player in the history of the word over-rated. Next time go with Matt Schaub.
GREAT POINTS ! ! !