So, there is little doubt now that this is the age of the quarterback in the NFL. All the announcers are talking about it like it is news, which is akin to your mother “discovering” new rock music. Once she has heard of a band and it is played on her radio station then the novelty of it is over and surely half the globe already knows about it.
Statistically, this is hard to deny. Twenty-one quarterbacks average more than 200 passing yards a game, 10 average more than 250 yards a game, and two average more than 300 yards a game.
Old school football fans may look to the New York Giants, the Tennessee Titans, and the Carolina Panthers as hope for the running game since their two back systems worked last season. This season only the Giants look like a playoff team according to the NFL standings. The Titans and Panthers game plans have been torn to shreds thanks to two suddenly very porous defenses. Two feature back systems do not score points in a hurry. They are only going to put a band aid on a mortal wound, extending their time of possession so the final score will not be as bad as it could be.
Yes, the age of the quarterback is here, but at the same time a new generation of quarterbacks is slowly taking over the position. So I took a look at who is decimating defenses according to the quarterback rating.
To no surprise, the New Orleans Saints Drew Brees and the Indianapolis Colts Peyton Manning are leading the pack with ratings near 120. Little brother Eli Manning is third with a rating of 104.1. After these three names things get weird.
Fourth in the list is the Houston Texans Matt Schaub. Yes, Matt Schaub has a quarterback rating of 101.9. He is followed by the Baltimore Ravens Joe Flacco. Then the list includes the Atlanta Falcons Matt Ryan, the Green Bay Packers Aaron Rodgers, and an aging Brett Favre in Minnesota. The top ten is rounded out by the Washington Redskins Jason Campbell and the Denver Broncos Kyle Orton.
What? How are Schaub, Campbell, and Orton in the top tier of NFL quarterbacks. I thought by now Campbell would be playing football in Europe. I have seen him play and he has a rocket arm and the refined touch of a bazooka.
This may be the age of the quarterback, but does this not mean the quarterback has to be good? That the quarterback has to have the ability to strike with deep 50-yard bombs and slice through defenders to find the tight end on third down for the first down? That they inspire confidence in the men and fans around them?
I know it has only been three games, but should not the statistical boost of Brandon Stokley’s lucky 87-yard “catch” be erased and the game manager known as Orton be sent down the list to the bottom tier. Then again, the Denver Broncos are 3-0 (against pretty awful teams), so once they start to lose (starting this week) Orton should begin that downward, wobbly spiral from Week 4 on.
I expected players like the Dallas Cowboys Tony Romo, the Pittsburgh Steelers Ben Roethlisberger, or the Chicago Bears Jay Cutler up that high. In the age of the quarterbacks I have to assume that players like those with the ability to change the game with an aerial assault and the ability to engineer game-winning 2-minute drives have to end up in that top tier of this confusing statistical category. Players from bad teams need to fall. Luckily it is just three weeks into the season and those players should fall from grace, otherwise it is time to come up with a new way to rank and define the quarterback position.