Monday, December 20, 2010

Rookie QBs Everywhere! How did they do?


On Sunday, four rookie quarterbacks started in the NFL, including the Browns’ very own Colt McCoy.  I thought it would be interesting to see how they each did.  Some have gotten (much) more attention than others, and some are being looked at as a possible savior of their franchise.


Sam Bradford, St. Louis Rams.  Not great.  40.9 rating, 21-43 for 181 yards (4.2 yard average, his lowest of the year), zero touchdowns, and two INTs in a loss to their cross-state rivals, the Kansas City Chiefs.  Year to date rating 76.0, 17 TDs, 14 INTs, Bradford is considered the favorite for Rookie of the Year, and the Rams are pretty happy with their first pick.

Tim Tebow, Denver Broncos (University of Florida).  You may have heard of this guy too.  Had some good marks, and made some mistakes, going 9-17 for 141 yards, 1 TD and no INTs, for a passer rating of 100.5.  Reports were that his well-documented mechanics issues definitely were apparent at some points during the game.  But his legs paid off, as he ran for a 40-yard touchdown as well.  Tebow’s season-to-date rating is 120.0, but the sample size overall is minuscule, he only had one pass (completed for a touchdown) prior to yesterday’s start.  Still, Broncos lost 39-23 to the Raiders.  

 Jimmy Clausen, Carolina Panthers (University of Notre Dame).  The Golden Domer went 13-19 for 141 yards, a touchdown and no interceptions, for a rating of 107.6 in what must have been a real barnburner, a 19-12 victory over the Arizona Cardinals.  This broke the seven game losing streak for Carolina., and was Clausen’s first career win as well.  Clausen has a year-to-date passer rating of 59.1, with 2 TDs and 7 INTs.  Not golden at all, but he’s not been handed a bunch of talent to work with, either.

Colt McCoy, Browns (University of Texas).  Solid, but not a spectacular game for the Browns everyone in Cleveland saw.  19-25 for 243 yards, his longest average-yardage-game of the year with 9.7.  Still, Browns couldn’t do much all day long and lost to the Bengals.  Year to date rating 93.0, 5 TDs, 3 INTs.  While McCoy has become a fan favorite for the Browns, the inability to move the ball with regularity did not go away when Jake Delhomme was benched.   Giving McCoy some weapons to work with is a key task for the Browns’ front office this off-season.

John Skelton, Arizona Cardinals (Fordham U.).  In his second start, he went 17-33 for 196 yards, no touchdowns and an interception, for a paltry 57.1 rating in the loss to Clausen and the Panthers. Year to date, in just over two games of play since taking over for the angry Derek Anderson, Skelton is sporting 56.2 rating, with only the one interception from Sunday, and is still looking for his first touchdown.

(Note:  Titans’ rookie QB Rusty Smith missed Sunday’s game with an injury, so Kerry started and led the Titans to a win over the Texans.  If you have been in a coma for the last 20 years, yes it’s the same Kerry Collins, and the Titans used to be the Oilers in Houston.  And the Texans are now the football team in Houston.)