|
The QB throwdown: a pu-pu platter of pigskin
Cold, Hard Football Facts for November 4, 2009
By Jeremy Gottlieb
Cold, Hard Football Facts wok and woller
Quarterback is the most important position in professional sports, just like mealtime is the most important time of day here at the Cold, Hard Football Facts cardboard-box world headquarters.
Often, the two worlds intertwine: You usually know which quarterbacks were the best in a given week when you see the number of fat slobs wearing their favorite QB's jerseys as they jockey for position in the super-buffet line at the local Peking Garden.
But enough about us.
The best quarterbacks each week usually win and the worst quarterbacks usually lose. These are those quarterbacks from Week 8, from the delectable fried won-tons of victory piled high on our plate to the lonely unloved steamed bean curd of defeat at the far end of the buffet table.
Feasting on success
BrettFavre, Minnesota: It had to be this way, didn't it? In a game that was all about BrettFavre, BrettFavre had the greatest game of any quarterback ever in the history of mankind, throwing four BrettFavre TDs against no picks, while completing 17 of 28 for 244 yards and a 128.6 BrettFavrer rating. Oh yeah, BrettFavre won 38-26 in his return to Lambeau Field. BrettFavre. BrettFavre. BrettFavre.
Tony Romo, Dallas: Jessica Simpson's Tony Romo voodoo doll wasn't working over Halloween weekend. The Dallas signal caller rolled up 256 yards and three touchdowns in an easy 38-17 win over Seattle, giving him eight scores and no INTs in his last three games. That's like 21 games without an INT in gunslinger years.
Donovan McNabb, Philadelphia: McNabb had about as easy a day as a QB can have against the reeling Giants. He completed 74 percent of his passes, racked up an awesome 10.4 YPA and threw three TDs in Philly's 40-17 blowout win, its third straight victory over the G-Men. McNabb is feeling a rare bit of love from the Philly unfaithful – at least for one week.
Josh Brown, St. Louis: O.K., he's a kicker, not a quarterback. But in the bony, under-nourished body of the Rams offense (77 points in eight games) is there really a difference? Brown threw the only touchdown pass of the day by either club in St. Louis's 17-10 win over the Lions, ending his team's 17-game losing streak. He single-handedly outscored the Lions, accounting or 11 points, and has thrown just as many touchdown passes in the past three games as Marc Bulger (one).
Starving for success
Eli Manning, N.Y. Giants: The little Manning's last three games have not gone well: 49 percent completions, three TDs, six picks, 6.0 YPA and three losses. Foot injury or not, those performances won't cut anywhere this side of Oakland, let alone on a supposed Super Bowl contender.
JaMarcus Russell, Oakland: In another lousy loss for the Raiders, their 13th straight against AFC West rival San Diego, Russell turned the ball over only twice, passed for more than 100 yards (109) and raised his season completion percentage to 48.4. In other words, it was one of his best days as a pro. Way to go, JaMarcus!
Ryan Fitzpatrick, Buffalo: On the same weekend that Harvard beat up Dartmoth, Fitzpatrick hardly looked like the player who once carved up the Ivy League on the banks of the River Charles. He put up a putrid 41.4 passer rating, tossed up two picks and barfed up a halftime lead in a 31-10 home loss to the Texans.
Derek Anderson, Cleveland: The number 10.5 looks nice when it's the score the Russian judge gives the 84-pound gymnast, but not when it's an NFL passer rating. Anderson's 10.5 performance against the Bears was just slightly worse than his aggregate 36.2 rating for the season. Perhaps Anderson's failure to complete even 10 passes for the third time in four weeks is what got Cleveland GM George Kokinis the gate. Personally? We'd be thrilled to be booted out of Cleveland. The Chinese food there sucks.
|
