Can we finally start telling the truth about some of the most overhyped quarterbacks in the league? Was this past weekend not a serious indictment on some of the players that the media had all but deified at some point this year?
Everybody is quick to defend Eli Manning, as if criticizing him is somehow out of bounds. Troy Aikman on Pardon the Interruption actually said the media scrutiny is a bit unfair, being that he is the quarterback for the New York Giants.
Excuse me — didn't Eli demand a trade there, away from San Diego? Isn't this the exact environment he asked to be placed into?
On Sunday, he did what he has done a lot of lately, which is have a really bad game. True, there were a lot of drops, the whole team did play poorly, but this is the same thing we hear every week. When is it time right to realize that Eli Manning isn't very good? I wouldn't call him overrated, because that means at some point he must have been rated, and as far as I know, the only Manning to be rated at all in the past five years is Peyton. What that has to do with Eli, I don't know.
Ron Jaworski has said that Eli is never going to be a terribly accurate passer. Not an accurate passer? How does this guy get a job in the NFL? And incidentally, a lot of broadcasters are fond of saying National Football League, as if we're somehow confusing it with the CFL. "If you want to be successful in the National Football League, you have to run the football" ... blah, blah, blah.
Also, no need to say football, you can just call it a ball — no baseball announcers say, "He threw that baseball 98 miles an hour." You don't hear basketball announcers going, "That basketball is loose on the floor!" And Joe Torre doesn't begin his press conferences with "That's a good baseball team over there." Is it contractually obligated for coaches to say football team? Can't they just say team?
Eli's biggest play was thanks to a cornerback falling down, and even then, the pass was underthrown. But at least he got the Giants in the end zone once. Michael Vick was able to muster a field goal drive in 60 minutes against Carolina. At least he went over 1,000 yards rushing. The Atlanta Falcons are the best rushing team in the league, except when you actually need to get yards.
Michael Vick cannot throw. Everyone by now has seen his fourth-down incompletion in the waning moments of their loss last week, but what shows how little he has progressed over the past five years is his incompletion on the play right before his final attempt.
On third down, with a receiver open on the right sideline, Vick overthrew is target by at least 10 yards. It sure is nice when we see highlights of his spectacular run to beat the Vikings, but if he is the highest paid quarterback in the league, he should be able to make a simple out throw when the game is on the line.
I wonder if the Tony Romo love affair has started to dwindle. I don't think he's nearly as bad as Manning or Vick, but he isn't great. He's okay, maybe even good, but the way fans were fawning over him, you would have thought he's the next Aikman. That's not really a slight on him, just on the media blitz that has surrounded him. Romo is fine, but he's not a superstar.
And I don't know how Philip Rivers made it to the Pro Bowl. Someone must be joking — there isn't one person who would take Rivers over Tom Brady. In fact, the top seeds in each conference have major problems at quarterback. Rex Grossman will lose a game for the Bears, where as Rivers won't be allowed to once Marty ball kicks in this playoff season.
If the Rams make it to the playoffs, Marc Bulger will be the best quarterback no one is talking about in the NFC — and right now, they have the same record as the Giants.
The Giants played their last home game with Tiki Barber — did anyone care about this? Or for that matter, Brett Favre's annual "could it be his last season?" tour? The Packers haven't been relevant since they gave up a 4th-and-26 to the Eagles three years ago. Can we stop giving Favre an on-air parade before every game?
In case you're wondering, my top playoff quarterbacks:
Tom Brady
Peyton Manning
Steve McNair
Matt Hasselbeck
Drew Brees
Who are yours? Discuss in the comments.
December 30, 2006
Loren:
If you look at Tom Brady’s and Philip Rivers numbers they are very similar. The difference is that Rivers has guided his team to the best record in the league. Therefore, Rivers gets the nod over Tom Brady.
January 3, 2007
Sean:
Drew Brees by far!!! hasselbeck has a piece of piddle division & all star recievers, yet mucked it up! Manning is a God stats wise but needs a decent team to win it with. Bradys building up a rookie offence and it shows stats/performance wise yet still got a good record. McNair’s walked into a well oiled machine that needed a leader. But Brees has gone into a completely new team, full of rookies or walking injuries, a new head coach and has gelled it all together. He’s been let off Martys leash and proved how good he is. Mr MVP! LT has the stats and records (so does brees) but a MVP is a leader as well, he leads the huddle and calls new plays when it al goes wrong.