This is Part 2 of the Hungry Dog Blog's Quarterback Power Rankings. This time we'll focus on the average to below average quarterbacks and questionable guys. For Part one click here. http://hungrydogblog.blogspot.com/2012/08/2012-quarterback-power-rankings-part.html
Average Quarterbacks: These guys are solid starters right now. Guys on this list could lead a good team to the playoffs but likely wouldn't be good enough to get over the humps. This doesn't mean that they'll be average forever. There are a couple guys on here I could see becoming very good quarterbacks some day.
Joe Flacco: Joe catches a lot of Flacco (hehe) for not getting a star studded Ravens defense to a Super Bowl yet. He's often mentioned among some of the worst quarterbacks in the league. But he's also the only quarterback in NFL history to appear in the playoffs in each of his first four seasons and has won games in each of those playoffs. This is something anything less than an average quaterback wouldn't have been able to do. Yet he proved that he is nothing more than average either last season in puttin up the stat line of 312-542 57.6% 3610 yards, 20 tds 12 ints. He IS capable of leading the Ravens to a Super Bowl; he was a Lee Evans drop and a Billy Cundiff miss away from doing it last year. But it's going to have to be mostly due to the outstanding play of the Raven's D and Ray Rice. Joe Cool should really just change his nickname to Average Joe.
Andy Dalton: Dalton pulled off the now somewhat common feat of leading a team to the playoffs his rookie year in 2011. He did so in throwing 3300 yards, 20 touchdowns, and only13 interceptions; all around solid numbers for a rookie. But average numbers in today's NFL. Also it must be considered that the Bengals fell ass backwards into the playoffs at 9-7 after losing five of their last seven, not beating one winning team all season, and promptly got man-handled by the T.J Yates led Texans. The Bengals will have to do better than that in the coming years if Dalton is to prove that he is more than average. He can start by avoiding the all too common sophomore slump.
Carson Palmer: Ah Carson Palmer. The interception machine who the Raiders mortgaged their future to acquire. Palmer used to be really good....in 2006. Now he's just a guy who can win you some games but probably lose you more with his questionable decision making. I don't think he'll be terrible in 2012 but I also don't think he'll be worth the first and second round pick he was acquired for. Don't expect to see Mr. Palmer play into January this year.
Matt Cassel: Cassel is becoming somewhat of an enigma. He was very good in running an incredibly talented Patriots offense in 2008. He was so good, in fact, that the Chiefs traded for him in hopes that he would be the quarterback of the future. He rewarded their faith with an abysmal 2009 and a 69 passer rating. This all changed in 2010 when he threw for 27 touchdowns and only7 interceptions while leading the Chiefs to a division title. But he was again shaky in 2011 before suffering a season ending injury. It's a bit strange to put Cassel as average when he's never actually had an average season. But I think he's an average quarterback and it's only a matter of time until he proves that.
Ryan Fitzpatrick: Fitz has started red hot in each of the last two season only to eventually cool down in both. Last year he led the Bills to a 5-2 start before crashing and burning into a 1-8 finish. After the season news came out that Fitz had been playing with broken ribs for the entire nine game slide. People sort of nodded their heads and went "oh that's why he sucked, he'll be fine next year." These people forgot two important pieces of information. 1. His ribs weren't the only problem last year, he exhibited poor decision making skills. You're always going to be hurt in the NFL, you have to learn to adjust to it. 2. This is the second year in a row he's been hurt. He's undersized and scrambles a bit, he will get hurt again. This problem just doesn't disappear. On the flip side; when Fitz is on he's one of the best in the business. Him and coach Chan Gailey have a great realationship which is a must for an offensive minded coach. The Bills have high expectations this year. Like I said above, average quarterbacks can lead their teams to the playoffs AND not everyone on this list will be average forever. All it takes is one year for people's perception of you to change. Just ask the next guy on this list.
Alex Smith: Before 2011, Smith would have appeared on the "what the hell is he still doing in the NFL?" portion of this list. But the right coach and the right system can change everything. I would have ignored the fact that he was indeed an average quarterback in 2009 and 2010 and just brushed him off. But a year and an NFC Championship game appearance later, he has become impossible to just brush off. Smith was as careful with the ball as anyone last year as he threw only five picks the entire season. This is sure to change in 2012. He has a few new pieces to play with at receiver and Frank Gore's not getting any younger so I'd expect to see them air it out a little more. Expect to see Smith's touchdown and yards totals to rise in 2012 along with his interception total. You can't go 13-3 with five interceptions every year and you can't hide a quarterback's flaws forever. 2012 will tell us a lot about former Number One overall pick Alex Smith.
Tarvaris Jackson: No Jackson will likely not be a started at any point this year but he's impossible to ignore as an average quarterback. For years people viewed him as a terrible quarterback who was holding the Vikings back. People scoffed at the Seahawks acquiring him lasy offseason. Grantland.com made him their number one pick in the "bad quarterback league." 2011 changed all that. Tarvaris went out and proved all the haters wrong on the field by being completely average. It was like every one touchdown, 200 yard game he was puffing his chest and saying "look how average I am everyone!" He ensured no one will ever call him terrible again.
Question Marks: Guys appearing in this section are hard to rate for one of many reason. They may be a rookie or someone who hasn't recieved much playing time yet, they may have been an enigma thus far, or perhaps they're an all time great coming off a major injury.
Andrew Luck: He's a question mark for one reason and one reason only, being a rookie. Luck has a future as bright as anyone's on this list but I just can't properly place someone who's never played in the NFL.
Robert Griffin III: He's here for the same reasons as Luck and a few others. Griffin isn't Cam Newton. He doesn't have the running back like ability and he's noticeably smaller. Overall he has a lot of time to earn his way on to a better spot on this list and all the ability to do it.
Brandon Weeden: Weeden comes with all the question marks of a rookie quarterback and then some. What do you make of a quarterback who's 29 years old as a rookie? Is he going to be able to improve and adjust as much as a normal rookie? I guess it doesn't help where he was drafted. Cleveland isn't exactly a mecca for quarterbacks.
Peyton Manning: Last year or any year of his career I would have written some gushy column on how amazing Peyton was, how he was the best ever, and how lucky we are to see him play. I still feel that way, i'm just uncertain about 2012. He's had four surgeries in the last three years and doctors say this is about as serious of an injury as there is. I have faith that Peyton will return to his old form in 2012 but I see why most don't. He does have to prove himself all over again in the beginning of this season. Is he going to be Joe Montana with the Chiefs or nearly every other quarterback with a different team in the twilight of their career?
Josh Freeman: This time last year Freeman was coming off a 25 touchdown 6 interception season in which he nearly led the upstart Bucs to the playoffs. Then it all came crashing down in 2011.He three 22 interceptions as his passer rating dropped 21 points and the Bucs dropped to 4-12. Now no one knows what to make of Freeman. Was that just a minor slip up early after achieving sucess so soon? Was 2010 just a fluke and is Freeman just bad? What is there to expect in 2012? Joshy has a lot of answering to do on the field this year.
Matt Flynn: Let me give you a scenario and you tell me what you think. A star quarterback is unable to start one game for his (playoff caliber) team so they have to go with that back up just for one game. The backup shines as the team wins but never gets to showcase their talent again once the starter comes back. That offseason he becomes a free agent. Sooooo do you sign him? Yes? Interesting because what I just described was the Rob Johnson situation before the 1998 season. We all know how that turned out for the Bills ( if you don't, it was fucking terrible). I'm not saying that Matt Flynn is certainly going to flop in Seattle, I'm just saying he's no sure thing. 2012 will show us if it was a good investment or not.
Sam Bradford: After finishing 2010 with the rookie of the year award, Sam Bradford had a nightmarish season in 2011. He was either ineffective or injured nearly every week of the season and only threw as many touchdowns as the afforementioned one game starter Matt Flynn. But the Rams now have Jeff Fisher at the helm and things will likely be differnt for Bradford in 2012. We'll find out whether he's a draft bust or if 2011 was just a sophomore slump.
Jake Locker: It might be hard to remember now but at one point not too long ago, Locker figured to be the first overall pick in the NFL draft. He was still drafted in the first round, to Tennessee without much fanfare because they already had a starter. But you don't get taken in the first half of the first round without talent or for no reason. He will be a started for this team at some point, likely this year. 2012 will be the first glimpse of what we'll see from Locker as an NFL quarterback.
Matt Moore/David Garrard/Ryan Tannehill: It now appears that Garrard is hurt and likely won't play. The general consensus seems to be that Matt Moore will start the season and eventually Tannehill will take over. But what if Matt Moore keeps up his pace from last year and leads the Dolphins to early victories? How do they sit him then? What if they sneak into the playoffs? Then what was the point of taking Tannehill?
Mark Sanchez/Tim Tebow: Ah the moment you've all been waiting for. I bet you probably think I'm going to crap on both of these guys and talk about how the Jets are screwed. Nope. Sanchez did have a pretty rough year last year and really hasn't shown himself to be worthy of a top ten pick yet. A New York quarterback who had a rough first few years after being drafted high? Sound familiar? Yeah Eli Manning heard much of the same criticism before the 07 season. I'm not saying Sanchez will be that good, i'm saying give him one more year in a new system. Maybe a new offensive coordinator is all he needed. As for Tebow...he has a nose for the endzone in the red zone, he could be the rich man's Brad Smith. That is not a bad signing. The most important question for 2012 is how Sanchez handles all this madness. He could either go the way of Eli Manning or they way of dozens of others who have disappointed in the spotlight of New York.
Oooooh that's uh.....rough.: Yeah ....good luck with these guys.
Jon Skelton/Kevin Kolb: While both of these guys have looked awful, they have very different effects on the Cardinals. Although Skelton has worse numbers, the Cardinals just better respond to him for some reason. Therefore he should be the starter. Even if he appears to thwart their chances in every game he starts. Who knows? They could have the non-religious Tim Tebow on their hands.
Blaine Gabbert: Advice for NFL G.Ms: Gabbert is a cautionary tale of why you don't draft guys who weren't good in college just because Mel Kiper says so(listening Miami?). I don't know why guys who no one's ever heard of pop up a month before the draft and are suddenly talked into being a top pick. Gabbert flopped in his rookie year to the point where it barely looks like he knows how to play football. By the way congratulations on your new team Los Angeles.
Caleb Hanie: Why's he on this list, he's not going to start this year right? How could he after that horrible showing in Chicago last year? He single handedly destroyed any chance Chicago had at making the playoffs in 2011. Well at least he's not the most qualified back-up behind a 36 year starter who just had four neck surgeries. Oh wait....
Stay Hungry My Friends.
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