Young QB

[obie_wan]

You've got to be kidding right, while Pittsburgh's offense was based on the run, the fact remains though with all the steelers injuries on line and at RB in 2004, ben shouldered a helluva lot more than what you are thinking....give the kid his due as he more than avoided the sophmore jinx with another fine season again this year!!!

584063[/snapback]

 

Bills would be in a lot better shape if Teflon Tom had used that package of picks to move up for Big Ben instead of moving up for Losman.

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

That offence was set up for a new QB to come in and learn as he played.  He was not asked to throw 24-30 times a game.  I think the offence should get most of the credit there.

583901[/snapback]

 

That's not entirely accurate. Ben R was no different than any other good QB in the league--he had a good line and a good running game. He made big plays last year (and this year) and when he did throw 25+ times a game, he often did very well. I hate how people love to sell him short; if you saw one game of his last year, you'd know he was a playmaker that made big plays for his team, not some Trent Dilfer-manager type.

[VABills]

Ben was not pegged to start his first year. Only with the injury to Maddox was he able to show what he had. The fact is Pittsburgh didn't design the offense for Ben, but he sure did well with it.

 

Banks, Bledsoe, Bulger, Marino, Kelly, Culpepper, Garcia, Leftwich, The Mannings, Mcnabb, Palmer, Favre, Plummer all played significant time in their first or second years, and played at or above average. Sure there are planty of others that took longer to develop such as Testeverde, Dilfer, etc.... But they typically did it much later and with a different team.

[tennesseeboy]

Hell...I can name two Buffalo Bills qb's that performed well in their first year...Dennis Shaw (never performed all that well after), and Darryl LaMonica. I think Joe Ferguson wasn't bad his first year, but I may be wrong. Of course the gold standard must be Dan Marino.

[Nervous Guy]

actually no, he rode the pine in his first season.

584136[/snapback]

just like JP.

[stuckincincy]

Greg Cook, B'gals:

 

 

"Gregory Lynn "Greg" Cook (born November 20, 1946 in Dayton, Ohio) is a retired American football player. His position was quarterback. He played collegiately at the University of Cincinnati, once throwing for 554 yards in one game.

 

As a rookie in 1969 he led the American Football League's Cincinnati Bengals to wins over the eventual Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs and the playoff-bound Oakland Raiders. He set a rookie record for yards per pass attempt (9.411) that still stands. His single season mark of 17.5 yards per completion hasn't been approached since.

 

Cook injured his shoulder training camp prior to the 1970 NFL season, which eventually ended his career. He played just one regular season game after his injury, in 1973."

[RJ (not THAT RJ)]

Greg Cook, B'gals:

"Gregory Lynn "Greg" Cook (born November 20, 1946 in Dayton, Ohio) is a retired American football player. His position was quarterback. He played collegiately at the University of Cincinnati, once throwing for 554 yards in one game.

 

As a rookie in 1969 he led the American Football League's Cincinnati Bengals to wins over the eventual Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs and the playoff-bound Oakland Raiders. He set a rookie record for yards per pass attempt (9.411) that still stands. His single season mark of 17.5 yards per completion hasn't been approached since.

 

Cook injured his shoulder training camp prior to the 1970 NFL season, which eventually ended his career. He played just one regular season game after his injury, in 1973."

584365[/snapback]

 

 

Nice piece of history. Greg Cook stands as the poster child for how terrible a rotator cuff injury used to be (and still can be).

[In space no one can hear]

My point is there are way more great QBs that started slow and developed into superstars(Kelly,Elway,Young,Manning,Favre).  I think everyone is jumping the gun on JP.

583916[/snapback]

 

 

Wow !! I have never thought of that point before....and I'm sure most posters here haven't either. Thank you!

[stuckincincy]

Nice piece of history. Greg Cook stands as the poster child for how terrible a rotator cuff injury used to be (and still can be).

584398[/snapback]

 

Still in Buffalo at that time, I can't say I have any recollection of seeing him play. But living here in Cincy now, an article shows up from time to time. His UC and AFL numbers were remarkable.

 

IIRC that's Pennington's problem. I know some don't think a lot of him, but of course it lessens the sport when good players leave the game prematurely.

[RJ (not THAT RJ)]

Still in Buffalo at that time, I can't say I have any recollection of seeing him play. But living here in Cincy now, an article shows up from time to time. His UC and AFL numbers were remarkable.

 

IIRC that's Pennington's problem. I know some don't think a lot of him, but of course it lessens the sport when good players leave the game prematurely.

584412[/snapback]

 

 

That is an excellent point. It is a shame when talented players have their careers cut short by injury, which is what looks like is happening to Pennington. Shoulders and knees have cut short too many careers in the past in many sports; Gale Sayers, Bobby Orr, Ross Grimsley. I am afraid that Pennington is going to be added to that list, and maybe Carson Palmer, though in that latter case he can take advantage of much better surgical techniques.