Combine Leaves More Questions Than Answers

I painfully watched a number of hours of the NFL Network's coverage of the NFL combine looking for some new information on the quarterbacks available.  I try not to put too much stock in the combine, but it does give you a chance to analyze the players and see a few things that you might not have known.

There has been increasing talk of a quarterback, most likely Sam Bradford or Jimmy Clausen, possibly being selected with the first overall pick by the Rams.  I have to tell you... I just don't get it.

I Go Away For A Week and...

My family and I spent a wonderful few days in West Palm Beach, Florida.  I decided to take a break from The QB Club and enjoy my time away.

What happened since?

QB Needs

As we approach the NFL Draft, it's time to take a look at each team and see which ones may have a need at the QB position.  One thing to keep in mind is the continuous discussion over trades and free agents who may fill such needs.

In particular, on everyone's mind is what the Philadelphia Eagles will do with the trio of Donovan McNabb, Kevin Kolb and Michael Vick.  Player movement may cause these situations to change but for now, here is where I see each of the NFL QB situations:

Welcome to the QB Club - NFL Version

The 2009-10 season is over and it's time to announce the members of this year's QB Club.  The Club consists of my top 15 ranked QB's in both College Football and the NFL for the past season.  In this version I'll tackle the NFL.  The rankings are based on my own perception of each quarterback's actual performance this past season and not their technical ability, reputation, or potential.

What is this... UFL?

We've had our bouts with alternative football at times - the USFL, the XFL, and the World League.  The Arena Football League closed up shop in 2009, but may make a return in 2010.  There is also the Canadian Football League that seems to stick around year after year somehow.

I wrote an article a few weeks back about how the NCAA gives its players a raw deal and that if schools were smart they would think about privatizing their football programs.  Well, maybe instead of waiting for the slow, plodding, NCAA bureaucracy to change, we need another option altogether -  someone to fill in the gap between college football and NFL football who can take advantage of all the fallacies in the game today.

By Not Admitting They Need a QB, Bills are Admitting They Need a QB

I saw this article from a Twitter post by @ProFootballTalk about how the Bills may stay with Trent Edwards as their starting QB in 2010.  Can we take the Bills at their word?  Let's think of the reasons why they might leak such information.

Kiper and McShay Downgrading Clausen

And so it begins. 

In their most recent mocks, both pay-per-read ESPN Insider NFL Draft experts Mel Kiper and Todd McShay downgraded Notre Dame QB Jimmy Clausen.  I am starting to think they really do read The QB Club.

2010 NFL Draft QB Rankings Update

When it comes to draft classes, 2010 is not shaping up to be one of the more memorable ones.  There is no prize pony in the bunch, rather a bunch of question marks.  Some of the top names have experienced injuries and some haven't performed up to expectations.  Some seem talented, but there are questions of character.  A few top names like Locker, Keenum and Mallett stayed in school. 

What will this year's QB Class look like?  Here are my current rankings.

One More Colts Comment

"Our offensive line, by our standards, did not have a good game," Polian told NFL.com. "They were outplayed by the Saints' defensive line."

Now, I don't claim to be a genius.  But Peyton Manning was not sacked at all in the Super Bowl and the Colts' running backs averaged 5.2 yards per carry.  Joseph Addai averaged 5.9 yards per carry himself.

Did Peyton Manning Choke?

The Interception.  What the hell happened?  The fact that I don't have to say much more than that and you already know what I'm talking about means that it was probably something pretty important.

As the guy who labeled him The Greatest Statistical QB of All-Time in Non-Pressure Situations just a few months ago, you would expect me to jump on the "Peyton is a choker" bandwagon immediately.  But I resisted the tempation to go too far without delving into the situation a little deeper.  I get criticized for "hating" Manning, but I don't hate him.  I just think he is sometimes wildly overrated.  Let's face it, he was probably as worthy of the NFL MVP as Barack Obama was worthy of a Nobel Peace Prize.  But to just call him a choker without looking into it further seemed unfair.

Peyton Has BREATHER PLAYS?

At some point in the first half on a third and five, Peyton Manning took a 3-step drop and fired a quick slant towards Pierre Garcon.  Garcon sat between two defenders while Manning led him a little bit and the pass glanced off Garcon's hand and harmless out of bounds.  The Colts were forced to kick a field goal.

Phil Simms launched into an explanation of how Peyton Manning calls that "a breather play" - apparently one where Manning can relax and recoup his energy.  As Simms further explained, often these are 3-step drops where he gets rid of the ball quickly.

A Guilty Pleasure

As a football fan, I am very loyal to my team.  But when the playoffs come along, I am usually forced to take sides when the Jets aren't playing - which over my lifetime has been often.  I have been alive for 34 Super Bowls now and have not been able to enjoy one that featured my team. 

In many of those 34 Super Bowls I took the side of the underdog.  This year was no different.

Manning's Legacy On The Line

In 24 hours we will know a lot more about Peyton Manning's legacy.  Earlier in this season, I labeled him the Greatest Statistical QB of All-Time in Non-Pressure Situations.  After tomorrow that label will either stick for a while longer, or be obliterated altogether.

The Truth About Tebow

I wanted to like the chances of Tim Tebow going pro and becoming a successful quarterback.  But after some deep thought and a look at him at The Senior Bowl, I just cannot in good conscience predict success for one of the most accomplished college football QB’s of all-time.

It starts with the throwing motion – you know, the one that everyone keeps talking about.  He brings the ball too long and his delivery is way too long to be successful in the NFL.

Back Online

I sucked it up and bought a new laptop today after the last one blew up while I was putting the final touches on my latest QB Rankings for the upcoming draft.  I had about 4 articles in the works - almost all of them were complete and on the hard drive of my dead computer.  I will be bringing that computer in to see if the hard drive is salvageable.  If not, I'll be back at square one... which isn't so bad since nobody reads me anyway.

The College Football Solution

Recently I wrote about the travesty of college football and the awful deal that players get when they commit to a big-time college football school. In the end, I posed a challenge - to find a way to fix the system.

The answer is simple, yet complicated. College football should be removed from the university's control and privatized.

Keenum Staying in School; Combine Invites Revealed

As we expected, Houston's Case Keenum has decided to return for his senior season.  Somewhere, Timmy Chang is cringing - his records are in severe jeopardy.

The Sporting News announced those seniors that have been invited to the NFL Combine this year. Here are the quarterbacks that have been invited (please note, underclassmen invitees will be added later):

College Football - A Great Deal for Every Player

It has been a slow transition, but one I have definitely noticed over the years. College football is not the same game that I knew growing up as a kid. Maybe I was naive back then, but I think the change has been noticeable enough.

College football used to be more about the fun and the rivalry and the school pride. And while those properties still exist in name, it seems more of the game has become about the coaches, the recruiting process, and of course, the money.

It's more of a business these days. Ticket prices are up, many more games are on TV --- the revenue is piling in and everyone seems to be benefiting more and more... except the players.

Did Colt McCoy Even Try?

I wanted to mention this after the game, but I waited for it to sink in for a few days.

A few days have passed and I still feel the same way. My feeling is that, on the biggest day of his life when his team needed him the most, Colt McCoy let everybody down.

Snead to Enter Draft, Mallet to Stay In School

Ole Miss QB Jevan Snead will be entering the 2010 NFL Draft.  Despite being a top prospect entering this season, Snead's junior season was somewhat disappointing and probably saw his draft stock drop.  Snead's QB Rating dropped over 20 points from last year - to 124.8 from 145.5.  He threw for less yards, less TD's, and his interceptions jumped from 13 to 20.

His performance hardly seems to state his case that he's ready for the NFL.  Perhaps he had made up his mind before the season had even begun.

The Book of Eli

The Giants weren’t expecting to be sitting home watching the playoffs this year. Yet that’s exactly where they find themselves. Out of the gate this team looked like potential Super Bowl favorites as they started the season 5-0. The schedule turned unkind as they would drop the next 4 games – all to playoff-bound teams. They would swap wins and losses over the next five and sat at 8-6 with two games remaining.

Then it really went to hell.

QB Rating... Yet Another Look

In our recent discussion of the calculation of QB Rating, we noted the differences between how QB Rating is calculated in the NCAA and the NFL. Though the calculations are different, one would hope if not expect that these calculations would be a fair comparison from one QB to another.

Not so.

Under Armour HS All-Star Game

On a lazy Saturday I made a list of the things I needed to accomplish – go to the bank, go food shopping, go to Game Stop and spend the gift card I got for Christmas…

But when I looked outside I noticed about a foot of new-fallen snow. Clicking on the TV I noticed the Under Armour High School All-Star Game was on in just a few hours. Suddenly, my chores took a backseat. Time to watch some football. I was thrilled… my wife less so.

Wrongful Legends - Brought to You By The NFL

I remember growing up and reading the history of Super Bowls and how they helped create legends like Bart Starr, Roger Staubach and Terry Bradshaw. I was living in a time when a guy named Joe Montana was carving his own niche in Super Bowl history. It always seemed to me like the legend of the player was enhanced by their performance in the Super Bowl.

These days, it's different.