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A PERSPECTIVE ON EARLY SEASON QB INJURIES

A PERSPECTIVE ON EARLY SEASON QB INJURIES
By Danny Zyskind for Football Reporters Online

As soon as it was confirmed that Tom Brady was done for the year there was an apparent comparison to the Vinny Testaverde injury in 1999. Not to compare Testaverde to Brady but each team was favored to win their conference and each lost their QB for the season in the first half of the first game.

There is a distinct difference between the two scenarios. The Jets came into the 1999 season looking for their first super bowl in thirty years, coming off a tough loss to Denver the previous year in the AFC championship game. Elway chose to forego a potential three-peat and retired leaving the Jets as the AFC favorites. The season shattered with the Testaverde injury and no proven backup on the roster. By the time Parcells made the move to Ray Lucas it was too late to get into the playoffs. In essence the Testaverde injury ended the short Parcells era and pushed the franchise back into a struggling state.

For the Patriots this is another challenge to a team that has dominated the league for the last seven years. During this run they have already banked four super bowl appearances and three wins. Not to say they wanted this to happen but the coach and the veteran players on this team (Seymour, Vrabel, Bruschi, Harrison, Faulk, Light, etc.) have to be intrigued by the prospect of winning without Brady. Regardless of this season’s outcome the Patriots are still in the middle of their run with no end in sight.

The Vince Young injury created an opportunity for the Titans. The Titans made the playoffs last year in spite of Vince Young not because of him, with Young’s struggles continuing in the first game of this year. After an exceptional rookie year the league has caught up to Young, proving again that for a QB in the NFL your legs can only take you so far. There is no question that before the injury the Titans were going to have to consider pulling Young for Collins at some point this year if the struggles continued. It didn’t take long for Coach Fisher to say that Collins is his QB as long as they are winning Without speculating on Young’s emotional state and whether or not that is what prompted Fisher’s comments it is clear that they’re patience was running thin with Young.

The Chiefs need to move on from the Brodie Croyle experiment. Even if Croyle can play at this level he is too injury prone to rely on. The Chiefs should pick in the top five and Matthew Stafford should be the only guy on their first round draft board.

Alex Smith’s injury ended any hopes of him living up to his draft status with the 49ers. Starting another unproven quarterback there was a hope that Smith would have one more crack at being the guy. Now Smith’s season is over, he’ll likely be cut in the offseason and will probably be lumped with the high pick QB busts (Couch, Leaf, Akili Smith, Shuler, Mirer).

Kyle Boller going down with an injury just pushed forward the inevitable of Joe Flacco starting. Even if healthy, Troy Smith was only going to be a short stop-gap for the Ravens. The Ravens are again trying to figure out a position they never seem to have success with.

Eagles WR Jackson Learns the Hard Way

Eagles WR Jackson Learns the Hard Way

September 16, 2008

By Slavica Milosevska for Football Reporters Online

Philadelphia Eagles rookie wide receiver DeSean Jackson made what was probably one of the “most stupidest” moves in the NFL against the Dallas Cowboys last night, however it was not the move that ultimately cost them the game 41-37.

In the second quarter, Jackson would have scored a touchdown after a completion by Donovan McNabb but arrogantly threw the ball back before actually crossing the goal line as if he just made points. The play was challenged by the Cowboys, and it was ruled a dead ball. The Eagles retained possession starting from the 2-yard line from which Brian Westbrook subsequently scored.

“I felt when I caught the ball, it was a deep pass and thought I was in the end zone,” stated Jackson. “But I learned from that and just keep going. The biggest thing was Westbrook got in there and scored for us. It wasn’t like it was a turnover or anything like that, but definitely, I learned from it. It was just one of those things, I was overexcited, just young and trying to have fun is the biggest thing. I’m kind of mad at myself because I could have had a touchdown, but I just kept playing.”

Despite Jackson's poor decision, he is the second player in NFL history to record more than 100 receiving yards in this very first two games. Don Looney accomplished this 68 years ago and was also an Eagle. Jackson has six catches for 110 yards under his belt.
 

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