NFL quarterbacks under the microscope
By LARRY JOSEPHSON
Playing quarterback in the NFL not only comes with the responsibility of handling the ball on every snap (unless running the wildcat) but the QB is the first position bettors look to when gauging how a team is going to do in the upcoming season.
Here are five quarterbacks under the microscope this offseason:
Carson Palmer (Cincinnati Bengals)
Even in good times the Bengals are a tinderbox and last year there weren’t many good times. Beset with the usual drunk driving arrests and assorted suspensions, Cincinnati’s season was already percolating in the Porta John by early October when Palmer was lost for the season with an elbow injury.
Palmer is back, and whether the offense can regain some traction depends on his right arm as much as whether No. 1 receiver Chad Ochocinco is serious about making nice with the QB. No. 1 draft pick Andre Smith, who comes to the NFL with issues of his own (naturally he winds up in Cincinnati), replaces retiring OT Willie Anderson at right tackle.
Headline writers at the Cincinnati Inquirer no doubt have cheered the departure of T.J. Houshmandzadeh and the arrival of Laveranues Coles. Palmer is facing a tight window – if the Bengals start slow in the midst of a easy early-season schedule, things could deteriorate quickly. The default with this team is not attractive.
JaMarcus Russell (Oakland Raiders)
Al Davis thought he was drafting the next Jim Plunkett when he snagged Russell first overall a few years back. He may have wound up with Rohan Davey instead. Russell starts his second full season for Oakland, which hopes to take advantage of general disarray in the AFC West and make a run at a wild card spot.
Oakland is crossing its fingers that Russell can build on the season-ending game in which he went 14-for-21 with two TD passes in a victory which knocked Tampa Bay out of the playoffs. The top two priorities are hanging on to the ball (16 career fumbles lost) and improving his completion percentage. His career percentage is only 53.9, and it drops every period, bottoming out at 51 percent in the fourth quarters.
As if things aren’t bad enough, the Raiders brought in Jeff Garcia to put some heat on Russell in training camp. Russell will be the starter to open the season, but another sluggish start (Oakland opens with Kansas City, San Diego and Denver) could result in some panic buttons being pushed before the leaves even start to turn.
Tom Brady (New England Patriots)
Let’s see. Where we were when we were so rudely interrupted? Reports out of Foxboro say that Brady’s knee is holding up nicely and at last check Wes Welker and Randy Moss were still around. Tack on Greg Lewis and long-ball threat Joey Galloway and the Patriots offense should be better than the Matt Cassel-fueled group that ranked No. 5 in points scored, even if it doesn’t match the record-setting 2007 New England team.
Cassel was sacked more than any other QB last year (47), but Brady’s ability to move subtly in the pocket and his unequalled decision making will cut that number at least in half. It’s not an understatement to say that Brady’s return will help mask some of the Pats’ defensive deficiencies, create running room for newcomer Fred Taylor and completely remake the terrain in the AFC.
Jason Campbell (Washington Redskins)
So the Redskins take Jason Campbell to the prom, then awkwardly saunter over to the punch bowl and hit on Jay Cutler. Rebuffed, they return to Campbell. Jim Zorn says now that Campbell is his guy, despite the dalliance with Cutler and despite the team’s 2-6 second-half collapse last year that included unexplainable losses to the Bengals and 49ers.
The Skins offense will once again be built around the running of Clinton Portis. The question is whether Zorn trusts Campbell to throw anything more than short and intermediate-range passes. Keeping Campbell on a short leash enabled him to finish third in the league with only six interceptions, but Washington had only three pass plays of more than 40 yards all season.
Defenses wised up late in the season and the Skins scored only 100 points total over the final eight games. Even though Tony Romo, Donovan McNabb and Eli Manning are sometimes overrated, Campbell is clearly No. 4 in a good NFC East division.
Tarvaris Jackson / Sage Rosenfels / Brett Favre (Minnesota Vikings)
Good God, what are these people thinking? The more they talk about Brett Favre, the more you have to wonder if the players should be testing management for drug use. Do the Vikings really want Adrian Peterson to run the ball six times for 45 yards drive after drive only to have Favre throw an interception in the end zone?
Someone should send the Vikings a copy of the final standings for 2008. These guys won the division. Yes, losing at home to the Eagles in the playoffs was tough to swallow, and Asante Samuel’s pick-6 on Jackson was devastating. But the Eagles were peaking at the time, and no Viking QB was on the field when Brian Westbrook ran 71 yards through the defense to seal the game. If Jackson or Rosenfels doesn’t float their boat, there are better options than Favre.