Jaw's 2014 QB Rankings: Bradford #24

[Prime Time]

Jaworski ranked Bradford at #22 before last season began. LINK

 

[PrometheusFaulk]

I don't think we've seen that demonstrated, nor do I believe your first sentence proves your second.

If you were to take stock of, say the last 15 Super Bowl champions, I would make the argument that a more vital factor of what made a majority of them different was some phase of their defense was elite as opposed to featuring an elite quarterback.

The last two Giants teams that won for instance, what made them different than say, the Packers teams that did not win those years was not an advantage at quarterback but an advantage with their pass rush. Eli may have played well, and that play was essential to their success, but I dunno how you could justify that he was "the most important player on their team."

Ditto with Rothlisberger on the Steelers teams that won.

Flacco had a great run a couple of years back, but defense and special teams made a significant contribution to wins against Denver and New England, to say nothing of the play of Bryant McKinnie at LT.

To say nothing of the reigning champion. I'm not sure how you could say a quarterback who has less passing attempts than anyone else in the league is, "the most important player on his team."

Rodgers, Brees, Brady and Peyton are all champions, true. But not during years when they weren't playing with elite players in other phases of the game or featured some other weak link (witness Brady's offensive line both years against the Giants).

 

[Boffo97]

Because he's 33rd.

After Johnny Hekker.

 

[Selassie I]

Anybody else ever look at Jaws and think... His head appears to be twice as big as it should be. ? Dude must have had to get custom made helmets for that giant melon.

 

[RamBill]

Bradford 24th in Jaworski's QB rankings
By Nate Latsch

http://stl.scout.com/2/1421268.html

ST. LOUIS — ESPN’s Ron Jaworski rated the Rams’ Sam Bradford as the 24th-best starting quarterback going into the 2014 season.
“Bradford remains a talented passer with excellent arm strength,” Jaworski said during ESPN’s SportsCenter segment. “He can make every throw with velocity, tough and accuracy.”

“Bradford is primarily a pocket quarterback,” Jaworski continued. “When he’s well-protected and comfortable in the pocket, he can be a high-level passer. He has shown flashes of that in his four-year career.”

The No. 1 pick in the 2010 NFL Draft out of the University of Oklahoma, Bradford put up good numbers in his seven starts in 2013 before suffering a season-ending knee injury. He completed 60.7 percent of his passes, with 14 touchdowns and four interceptions, and a passer rating of 90.9.

“Bradford’s struggles have often resulted from his unrefined feel for pocket movement,” Jaworski said. “There are times he seems anchored in the pocket, unable to move and reset.

“Third down has also been a problem for Bradford. In 2013, in his seven starts before an ACL tear ended his season, he completed less than 50 percent of his passes. He must improve on that critical down to become a more consistent quarterback.”

Bradford completed 68 percent of his passes on first down in 2013, then 62.4 percent on second down and 49.3 percent on third down. In his four-year career Bradford has completed 51.9 percent of his passes on third down.

No. 23 on Jaws’ list was Ryan Tannehill of the Miami Dolphins.

 

[DCH]

Valid criticisms. Hopefully he faces fewer third-and-long situations than he did early last year... that whole early-season offensive strategy combined with Richardson's inability to generate a handful of positive yards when met at the line didn't help set Sam and the offense up for achievable third-down situations.

 

[PrometheusFaulk]

The five greatest seasons from
QBs from a statistical prospective, IMO could safely be argued were as follows:

Peyton Manning last year.
Drew Brees in 2011.
Tom Brady in 2007.
Peyton Manning in 2004.
Dan Marino in 1984.

I could see some debate, but I would think if you were to poll every football fan in the country there would be a consensus that these five seasons would at least be in the top ten. And none of them won a championship.

Simple question, if quarterbacks truly were the most important position on the field, how is it that out of five (and quite possibly the five) of the best seasons quarterbacks have ever had in the history of the league, none of their teams won the thing at the end?

If they are more important, then in the end, why does it not matter?

 

[RamWoodie]

Valid criticisms. Hopefully he faces fewer third-and-long situations than he did early last year... that whole early-season offensive strategy combined with Richardson's inability to generate a handful of positive yards when met at the line didn't help set Sam and the offense up for achievable third-down situations.

The validity lacks when it come to the point of the youth of the WRs. This is always a problem with me, because when you look at QBs the talent around them has to match also.

When you say a QB can "make every throw in the book"...the next page should look at the talent around him.

That said...I'm looking for Sam to be much better this year...the first year I feel comfortable with the help around.

 

[Rams and Gators]

Jaws, is he the one who proclaimed that CrapOnDick was the greatest QB ever after his rookie half season?

 

[BigRamFan]

Jaws, is he the one who proclaimed that CrapOnDick was the greatest QB ever after his rookie half season?

Yes, and they should have permanently taken his microphone away from him immediately after uttering that nonsense.

 

[SierraRam]

You got my vote for the name for our DL!

I wish it were mine, but it's not. It was my favorite moniker from the 'Name the DL' thread - I think it actually might be Phx's.

 

[Barrison]

I wish it were mine, but it's not. It was my favorite moniker from the 'Name the DL' thread - I think it actually might be Phx's.

Definitely fitting!

 

[blue4]

Looking at the last 10-20 years or SB winners, I don't see how anyone can say that you need a elite QB to win. Or even a Pro Bowler. Teams that control the line of scrimmage win.

 

[CGI_Ram]

Looking at the last 10-20 years or SB winners, I don't see how anyone can say that you need a elite QB to win. Or even a Pro Bowler. Teams that control the line of scrimmage win.

Hard to argue with that.

But, the QB needs to minimize mistakes; which Bradford has always excelled.

 

[moklerman]

As far as one single position goes, it's hard to see how any other position is more important than QB on a football team. Now, is a good QB more valuable than an entire good defense? No. But what single position would you take over a good QB?

 

[LACHAMP46]

As far as one single position goes, it's hard to see how any other position is more important than QB on a football team. Now, is a good QB more valuable than an entire good defense? No. But what single position would you take over a good QB?

LT type OLB, Quinn/Reggie White DE....but thats just me....maybe Mashall, Eric Dickerson, AP at running back...maybe

 

[CGI_Ram]

As far as one single position goes, it's hard to see how any other position is more important than QB on a football team. Now, is a good QB more valuable than an entire good defense? No. But what single position would you take over a good QB?

I wouldn't rate any other position as equal or more important than the QB.

 

[moklerman]

Looking at the last 10-20 years or SB winners, I don't see how anyone can say that you need a elite QB to win. Or even a Pro Bowler. Teams that control the line of scrimmage win.

1994 - Steve Young
1995 - Troy Aikman
1996 - Brett Favre
1997 - John Elway
1998 - John Elway
1999 - Kurt Warner
2000 - Trent Dilfer
2001 - Tom Brady
2002 - Brad Johnson
2003 - Tom Brady
2004 - Tom Brady
2005 - Ben Roethlisberger
2006 - Peyton Manning
2007 - Eli Manning
2008 - Ben Roethlisberger
2009 - Drew Brees
2010 - Aaron Rodgers
2011 - Eli Manning
2012 - Joe Flacco
2013 - Russell Wilson

Out of the last 20 years, I see 3-5 guys who weren't obviously pro-bowl caliber and Eli's a debatable example. So, Dilfer and Brad Johnson rode their way to a title but everyone else had a pro-bowl/HOF level QB that either helped them get to and/or win the big game.

 

[moklerman]

LT type OLB, Quinn/Reggie White DE....but thats just me....maybe Mashall, Eric Dickerson, AP at running back...maybe

Not to say those positions don't have value but look at Ogden in Baltimore. Sure, they won it all because of their defense but they spent years trying to find a suitable QB. Or Jones in Seattle. They had Hasslebeck who was alright but they also spent a long while trying to find the right guy at QB while they had elite LT play. If one has to make a choice, I think it has to be QB over LT.