The Coaching Carousel

There will be 11 teams next year with new head coaches. At least. That will be the most in NFL History. Two Super Bowl Winning Coaches were Fired. Two Coaches with Rings Retired and seven other coaching positions were vacated.

 Mike Nolan was fired on October 20th by the 49ers. He had a little over 3 seasons as the Head Coach there and won less than 1/3 of his games. DC and Hall-of-Fame Linebacker Mike Singletary was given the interim job. Singletary led the 49ers to a winning record in the second half of the season. Singletary was given a four year contract after the season.

Nolan has already gotten a new job, as the defensive coordinator of the Denver Broncos. I think there is actually a decent chance that he gets another shot at being the top guy for somebody if he does a good job there. He was respected for the effort he put in in the bay and he has a high-profile position now.

I think Singletary gets one year to turn the 49ers all the way around. That may not be fair, but with several Hall-of-Fame caliber coaches with ties to the 49ers being available next year Singletary might have to do something special to keep his job.

St. Louis was another team that made a change mid-season. Scott Linehan took over a team that was really not that bad and turned them into something much worse, winning just 11 games in over two years. He was replaced by Jim Haslett who went just 2-10 as interim coach, but did have the support of the team. St. Louis decided, however, to go with former Giants DC Steve Spagnuolo who had been a hot candidate for a job all season long.

Linehan has signed on to be the new Offensive Coordinator in Detroit. He acquires some talent, though he certainly had that in St. Louis, and a Pro Bowl QB.

Spagnuolo takes over a team with a lot of question marks. The defensive ones are obvious and they are the ones that he will focus on first. Spagnuolo is great at creating schemes to pressure the QB and was brought in to make Chris Long worthy of his top 5 draft pick. On offense, Bulger is aging, Holt is leaving and Jackson is unhealthy. I look for Spags to push for a QB with their first pick.

The least surprising coaching dismissal of the off-season was certainly Rod Marinelli. After leading the Lions to the first 0-16 season in NFL History there was little hope of keeping his job. Marinelli was replaced by Jim Schwartz, who spent the last seven years with Tennessee and was the Defensive Coordinator of the second best defense in the league this year.

Marinelli actually gained respect throughout the league for the way he kept the Lions fighting no matter how bad things got. And they got bad. Immediately after his dismissal he became a candidate for a number of jobs in the league and settled in as the defensive line coach in Chicago.

Schwartz has perhaps the easiest job in the league this year. Win a game and you’ve improved, win 4 or 5 and you’re up for Coach of the Year. People in Detroit are hoping that Schwartz has the stroke to bring Albert Haynesworth with him. While that is unlikely his time in Tennessee suggests he should make Detroit a much more stable place to play and perhaps along with OC Scott Linehan turn around the eternally struggling Lions.

Romeo Crennell won 24 games in four seasons in Cleveland. This year was the toughest for Romeo because there were actually expectations for the Browns this year. He was replaced by another Belichek disciple in former Jets coach Eric Mangini.

Crennel is unlikely to receive another opportunity as a Head Coach. Things never really got turned around in Clevleland and this season certainly made last year’s 10-6 record look like a fluke. There was some possibility he could end up the DC in Cleveland, though the more likely scenarios are that he ends up back in New England or takes a year off and gets a DC position next year.

A somewhat surprising hiring, given that most considered his stint in New York to be a disappointment and he is viewed as a younger, whiter Romeo Crennel my many. The real question is what did the Browns see to convince them he was the right man for their job? Another question is who does Mangini make the starting QB? The office will certainly want Quinn, who will likely get the job, but the comparisons of Quinn to Pennington are undeniable and Mangini did not like Chad.

Mangini, of course, leaves the Jets. I’m not sure if he left them better or worse than when he got there. The firing seemed premature and was a little bit of a knee jerk reaction to the New York media. The new big guy in New York is a Big Guy. Rex Ryan, the former Ravens DC and son of Buddy Ryan.

Two years after being dubbed the Mangenius, Eric was Man-Gone. Obviously Mangini was tied to the Brett Favre experiment and dubbed at least partially responsible for it’s failure. Mangini landed on his feet much quicker than most.

Ryan has been a hot prospect for a Head Coach job for a couple of years after working his way up through the Ravens Defensive Coaching System. He finally gets his shot in the Big Apple. He is a cordial and likable interview which will go a long way in New York. He will have to make a decision on Brett Favre sooner than later whether he wants to admit it or not. This team was not far off, though they are aging in some key areas. He inherits a very good offensive line, a good young defense and Thomas Jones at HB, which are all positives.

After five years in New York and two years in Kansas City, Herman Edwards finally ran out of excuses. His quarterback was always hurt, his team was always young and they never signed the right Free Agents. All of that may be true, but so is his 54-74 record as a head coach. And yet, it took seven years for somebody to fire him. It may take just as long to replace him as the Chiefs can not seem to get over the fact that Mike Shanahan has no interest in coaching there right now. They have now began targeting Bill Cowher, apparently confused as to their current standing within the league. More likely options are Cardinals OC Todd Haley, Dolphins DC Paul Pasquireli and Chan Gailey.

Big Herm may well get another chance at a head coaching gig. He is a respectable guy with a lot of experience so his name is bound to come up. Personally, I’d like to see him get Gene Upshaw’s job. I think he would be a great guy to work with young players and help them understand their responsibilities to the game.

I’d go with Todd Haley. The Chiefs have some pieces in place on both sides of the ball and a good young coach is the perfect fit for them right now.

The Oakland Raiders will hire another head coach this offseason. Their sixth in a decade.  Lane Kiffin was unsurprisingly fired after going 5-15 in twenty games and replaced by Tom Cable who won 4 of 12 the rest of the way. Al Davis is now trying to find somebody to take the job. The usual suspects don’t apply here because none of them will work for Davis. It will also be hard to get a hot coordinator to take on this as their first coaching job.

Kiffin looks to go the Pete Carroll route. Though not entirely successful in the NFL he was able to use that experience to shoot himself into a high profile and highly sought after college job, as the new Head Coach of the University of Tennessee.

My pick to be the new Raider coach is Jim Fassel. He wants a job just bad enough to take this one. Al Saunders is another guy who could take this job.

Future Hall of Famer Mike Holmgren announced his intentions to step down from the position before this season and have Special Teams Coordinator Jim Mora Jr. take his post. He could not have imagined his final season would go the way it did, and it was a shame. In ten seasons Holmgren won five division titles and an NFC Title with Seattle. Mora Jr. is the former head Coach of the Atlanta Falcons.

Holmgren led two teams, Seattle and Green Bay, to the Super Bowl, winning Super Bowl XXXI with the Packers. He already has a street named after him in Green Bay and could well get the same treatment in Seattle if they ever run out of dead rock stars. Holmgren will likely take a year or two off, depending on how long it takes for the job in San Francisco to open up.

Mora Jr. gets another chance at Head Coach after spending three years in Atlanta and accumulating a winning record. If Mora has matured any and can keep from saying stupid things in interviews he could be a good head coach. He takes over a team with a closing window and aging players. The draft will be very important for Seattle this year.

On January 12th Tony Dungy retired after more than three decades in the NFL as a player, assistant and head coach. He spent 13 seasons as a Head Coach, seven in Indianapolis. Dungy won more than 75% of his games coached in Indianapolis and led the Colts to a victory in Super Bowl XLI. He will be replaced by Colts QB Coach Jim Caldwell.

Tony Dungy may just be the guy who can actually walk away from the game. He is already an ordained minister and would like to focus time on pastoral activities. After the suicide of his son a couple of years ago, he has put a renewed emphasis on his family life as well. I could easily see Dungy being able to stay out of the limelight, but hope that he eventually finds a way to work with the league. The NFL can always use a guy like Tony Dungy.

Jim Caldwell has no NFL Coaching or Coordinating experience. He spent eight years as the Head Coach of Wake Forest, but went just 26-63. You have to wonder if he got this job more because of his relationships with Dungy and Manning and less because of actual credentials. That said, he inherits a team managed by Peyton Manning so that side of the ball should be fine. Losing DC Ron Meeks is a big deal. Indianapolis has all of it’s cap tied up in four or five players so the defense is made up largely of guys that nobody else wants. While they’re never a top 5 defense, Meeks always made them good enough.

Jon Gruden was the most successful coach in Tampa history, winning 57 games in seven years and Super Bowl XXXVII. A collapse in which Tampa Bay lost it’s last four games and missed the playoffs cost him his job however. Tampa Bay promoted Raheem Morris to the head coaching job. Some think this was a reactionary move to keep Morris from taking a job elsewhere.

Gruden will likely get a head coaching job somewhere soon. The question is whether that will be in the NFL or College. He won’t take the Oakland job this season and does not appear to be a candidate in KC. Next year will bring more possibilities, but he will be in contention with other Super Bowl winning coaches for all of those jobs. My prediction is that in 2010, Jon Gruden is the Head Coach of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

Morris was a candidate for several jobs in the off-season before being promoted by the Bucs. He was their secondary coach this year and helped them to the number one pass-defense ranking. The Bucs see him as being in the Mike Tomlin vain, and he is already popular amongst the team.

Certainly, the most surprising coaching change comes from the Mile High City, where Mike Shanahan was let go after 14 years, 146 wins and two Super Bowl rings with the Broncos. While this change came much more amicably than the one he had in Oakland it was still jarring none the less. Josh McDaniels will look to fill his very big shoes. McDaniels had been a defensive and offensive assistant for the Patriots, including being their offensive coordinator this year.

Shanahan was the greatest coach in franchise history. If he had stayed just that he may well still be there today. Mike Shanahan was not a great GM. He was downright bad at picking defensive players. D.J. Williams and Elvis Dumervil are the only ones he’s drafted in the last five years that have made any real impact. Still, the X’s and O’s of the Mastermind will be dearly missed and hard to replace. I look for Shanahan to be the Head Coach of the Dallas Cowboys in 2010, if not sooner.

He’s very similar to Shanahan in some ways. He’s an offensive guy who comes to Denver from a dynasty-like team. He’s got a lot of offensive parts already in place, though who will be the running back is up for debate. He runs a much different offense than Shanny, with less bells and whistles and more straight-forward approach. On defense he and Nolan will run a 3-4, a drastic change for Denver, but one that would seem to benefit their current personnel. He will be expected to win very soon.

Looking Back at Week 14

San Diego Chargers 34                                

Oakland Raiders 7

Chargers: The Chargers keep hopes of a playoff berth alive with this win. All it took was a win over the Raiders for every talking head to jump back on the bandwagon again. The Raiders were able to make plays downfield and take advantage of Raiders mistakes. Their linebackers played very well. The Chargers have won 11 in a row in December. The last team to beat them? The Broncos.

Raiders: The Raiders fall to 2-7 under interim head coach Tom Cable, all but assuring he will not be back with the team next year. The Raiders were able to score wins over the Jets and Broncos, both of which might be ploayoff teams, but were never able to build any consistency.

Chicago Bears 23

Jacksonville Jaguars 10

Bears: The Bears got good QB play from Kyle Orton and big plays from Greg Olsen and Devin Hester. That combined with the fact that Matt Forte had his sixth straight 100+ yard game from scrimmage offer a glimpse of what the Bears wish their offense could be every week. The D and Special Teams are not as dominant as they once were, but they still make big plays and create points. The Bears remain just one out of first and still have a great shot at the division title.

Jaguars: Jacksonville suffers it’s fourth consecutive loss and things are getting worse. I think Jack Del Rio is safe because of all of the offensive line injuries, but their will have to be some changes made in the off-season to get this once promising franchise back on the right page.

Minnesota Vikings 20

Detroit Lions 16

Vikings: The Vikings were certainly lucky to maintain the Williams Wall this week as they came very close to doing the impossible, losing to the Lions. On offense, the team actually got better when Gus Frerotte went down and Travaris Jackson came in. The much-maligned Jackson went 8-10 and threw a touchdown. He was also very good at handing the ball off to Adrian Peterson, who finished with 105 rushing yards.

Lions: Time is running out for Detroit. They’re down to three games to avoid history and none of them look winnable. On one hand I love Marinelli going for it on fourth down for the entire first half as they had nothing to lose. On the other hand, why run it right at the Williams’ both times? Daunte Culpepper got hurt at the end of the game and now the Lions may have to try to get that win with Dan Orlovsky at QB.

Houston Texans 24

Green Bay Packers 21

Texans: At some point, if the Texans are ever going to be competitive they are going to have to get more consistent. They won their third in a row but still look to finish the season under .500. They look going into next season as they have terrific playmakers on both sides of the ball. But, we thought that this year didn’t we?

Packers: Green Bay can not figure out a way to win close games. They are 0-5 in games decided by four points or less. Thus is probably the biggest difference between last year’s Packers and this year’s version. Unlucky? Inexperienced? Hard to say, but whatever it is the Packers will have to figure out a way to fix it in the off-season as it looks over this year.

Indianapolis Colts 35

Cincinnati Bengals 3

Colts: There is no hotter team in the league right now than the Colts. They have won six straight and are playing well on both sides of the ball. They still haven’t even hit their stride. What’s going to happen if they ever get it going full tilt? They could be the most dangerous team in the playoffs.

Bengals: Cincinnati is a really bad team. They are 0-7 on the road and are unsure whether to play Ryan Fitzpatrick or Jordan Palmer at QB. That is not a decision you want to make. Is Carson Palmer getting healthy really all it’s going to take?

New Orleans Saints 29

Atlanta Falcons 25

Saints: New Orleans maintains a little hope, moving to 7-6. Drew Brees completed his first fourth quarter comeback as a Saint, of course it was only from one point down. New Orleans actually plays okay defense and they have a ton of offensive weapons. Which makes you wonder, is Sean Payton any good? Well, he can be. Though if the Saints had failed on their fourth-down attempt in the red-zone late in the game I think most would answer in the negative.

Falcons: I don’t think you would take much negative out of this game when it comes to the Falcons. Unfortunately, it might have really hurt their playoff chances. Because it was a divisional loss they went fromthe sixth-seed to out of the playoffs. The future is still bright however, as the defense is improving and on offense they can both run and throw.

Philadelphia Eagles 20

New York Giants 14

Eagles: What do the Eagles look like when Brian Westbrook gets almost 40 touches? Like a team that can beat the Conference’s best in their own house. Too bad it took so long for Andy Reid to figure it all out. The Eagles are still mathematically alive in the playoffs, but as has been their trend the past couple of years they digged a deep hole that will be hard to get out of.

Giants: New York lost in the Meadowlands for the first time this season and looked terrible in doing so. For the entire week leading up to the game, every talking head told us that the Giants were too mature and well-led to be distracted by the Plax Situation. So of course right afterwards the same “experts” told us that was why they lost. I don’t know if that’s the case or not, but they better shake off whatever it was because their year is not going to get any easier.

Tennessee Titans 28

Cleveland Browns 9

Titans: Tennessee clinched the AFC South for the first time in six years and did it in typical Titan-fashion. Businesslike. Chris Johnson ran for 136 yards and LenDale White ran for 99. The Titans defense was also terrific giving up just 185 yards of offense. They’re not sexy and nobody will pick them, but they are the clear favorite to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl.

Browns: Cleveland has lost five of their last six games and have not scored a TD in six weeks. Rumors swirled right after the game that Romeo Crennel would be fired at the end of the year and the Browns would attempt to get Marty Schottenheimer back. Also, look for Bernie Kosar to be the new backup, Earnest Byner to replace Jamal Lewis and Webster Slaughter to catch way more balls next year than Braylon Edwards.

Miami Dolphins 16

Buffalo Bills 3

Dolphins: The Dolphins have won six out of seven and this one was just as ugly as most of them. But a win is a win and eight wins is seven more than they had last year. Chad Pennington may be the biggest reason for the turnaround as his efficiency fits a “Parcells” offense perfectly. He has thrown for more yards this season than Brett Favre. Miami is a serious playoff contender with a great defense and an offense that doesn’t beat itself.

Bills: J.P. Losman did not provide the spark that the Bills were hoping for. I don’t know what happened to this team’s offense, but Trent Edwards went from MVP Candidate to being very unsure whether he’ll be the starting QB next season.

San Francisco 49ers 24

New York Jets 14

49ers: This game should be enough to earn Mike Singletary a permanent position. They not only beat a pretty good Jets team, they dominated them. If they have their coach and Shaun Hill is as good as he’s looked in limited action we can all go into next year pretending they’re going to be better again.

Jets: IF the Jets make the playoffs, they better hope they don’t have to head west to say Denver. They’ve been horrible out west, losing to San Diego, Oakland and now the Niners. Don’t count the Jets out though. They do still have a hall of fame QB, a sometimes solid defense and a good run game. What they are missing is something intangible. It’s up to Coach Mangini to figure that out.

New England Patriots 24

Seattle Seahawks 21

Patriots: The game was a microcosm for the New England Season. They weren’t great, but in the end they figured it out and came out on top. They also lost a couple more key players in Vince Wilfork and Tedy Bruschi. The Patriots may have to win their last three in order to make the playoffs. They are all winnable games, but with their injuries it’s easy to imagine them slipping as they almost did here.

Seahawks: Seattle has lost six straight and five in a row at home. Not how they wanted to send Mike Holmgren out of Seattle. They have already lost more games than they ever did in the Holmgren Era and will struggle to win another this year.

Arizona Cardinals 34

St. Louis Rams 10

Cardinals: Arizona wins a division title for the first time in 33 years and will make their first playoff appearance in a decade. They will host their first playoff game in 61 years.  They certainly have the offense to contend once they get there and if their defense can contribute 14 points as it did here they could be very dangerous.

Rams: St. Louis will not have Jim Haslett back next year. Torry Holt has already said he’s not interested in playing there next year.  Marc Bulger figures to be expendable. Who else will be gone? Ladies and Gentlemen, Meet the Mid-West Raiders. Super Bowl to joke in less than a decade.

Pittsburgh Steelers 20

Dallas Cowboys 13

Steelers: How good is the Steelers defense? They haven’t given up 300 yards of offense all year, the 88 yards Tashard Choice had on Sunday was the most they’ve given up on the ground all year, they’ve given up 50 points in their last four games and they are beating good teams with no offense at all. They had 3 sacks and forced 4 turnovers. I don’t know if they can win in the playoffs without an offense, but they’ll get there.

Cowboys: They had it. Romo had a big win in December. They had a game won in freezing temperatures. They were going to live up to the hype. Then reality punched them in the face and returned a third Tony Romo pick for a game-winning touchdown. Jerry Jones may or may not question Marion Barber’s toughness, but I question the toughness of the whole team.

Denver Broncos 24

Kansas City Chiefs 17

Broncos: I saw in the most recent Power Rankings that the Broncos were ranked behind Dallas, the Jets, Atlanta and Tampa Bay. This is a team that is going to shock people in the playoffs. When Cutler is on I really don’t believe there is a defense in the league that can stop him. He made passes on Sunday that were incredible and only he could make. Yeah, he threw a pick-six, but that’s what you get with a gunslinger. We’ll get a stronger sense of just how good the Broncos can be this Sunday against Carolina, but their upside is extraordinary. They will of course have to go forward with their sixth different starting Half-Back this week.

Chiefs: The Chiefs didn’t play bad, they’re just not talented enough to win. Herman Edwars is likely safe for the next two years at least, but when are they going to get better.

Baltimore Ravens 24

Washington Redskins 10

Ravens: They looked a lot like the Ravens of old. Stifling defense, an okay run game and not much out of the QB. I thought Flacco played poorly, but the defense and Ed Reed in particular certainly were able to hide him. The Ravens have the Steelers and Cowboys in the next two weeks and have to win at least one to stay in the hunt.

Redskins: Anybody still want to argue with me about the Redskins being a bit of a farce? They are unable to make plays downfield and Jason Campbell is very inconsistent. Teams began putting eight in the box on them about a month into the season and we’ve seen the impact of that on Portis and the team as a whole.

Carolina Panthers 38

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 23

Panthers: Probably the most impressive win of the week. Did anybody think Carolina would put up over 200 yards rushing on the Bucs? As long as they can move the ball like that on the ground they are going to dominate. Some flaws were also exposed. Jake Delhomme has taken a big step back in the past month and is making horrible decisions. His only success in the passing game comes from chucking up prayer balls to Steve Smith. They are also vulnerable on pass defense as evidenced by Antonio Bryant’s success.

Buccaneers: I think some of the age was showing on Tampa in this game, especially on defense. They are often called a young team and maybe that’s true as a whole, but they are aged at some key spots. QB, RB, WR, DL, LB, CB…they’re all pretty old. They looked much slower than Carolina in this game.

Week 14 Preview

I will not be adding fantasy notes anymore as your season is in the last weeks and your team is pretty much set. I will be slightly changing the format of the previews as well.

Oakland Raiders (3-9) @ San Diego Chargers (4-8)

Announcers: Bob Papa and Cris Collinsworth

Storylines: A rivalry game on Prime Time. The Chargers are running out of last chances and a loss here would go a long way to taking them officially out of the playoff picture. The Raiders look to avenge a 28-18 loss to the Chargers earlier this year, in which they blew a 15 point lead.

How the Raiders Will Win: The Raiders need to run the ball at least 35 times on Thursday in order to win. They should take a page from the Giants on how to use a three-tiered run attack. Fargas gets the bulk, Michael Bush in short yardage, McFadden on pass plays and late in the game when the defense is prone to give up big plays.

How the Chargers Will Win: The Chargers need to ride the arm of Philip Rivers and get the ball into the hands of Gates and LT. The wide receivers have had nice seasons, but Nnamdi and Chris Johnson have played well as a unit. Rivers will have opportunities to use his two most reliable targets and could get some big plays out of them.

Pick: Raiders. The Chargers barely got by the Raiders earlier this season, a deceiving 10 point spread, and have only gotten worse as the season went on. They give up too many sacks and the big plays will be hard to come by against the Raiders. San Diego wins this game if they find some heart, but I haven’t seen that yet this year.

Jacksonville Jaguars (4-8) @ Chicago Bears (6-6)

Announcers: Greg Gumbel and Dan Dierdorf

Storylines: Not much from a Jacksonville standpoint as they begin a month of playing for no apparent reason. Guys are clearly playing for their jobs and possibly Coach Del Rio’s. The Bears are only a game out of first and the suspensions coming down for Kevin and Pat Williams have to make them more confident than they were a few days ago.

How the Jaguars Will Win: Jacksonville needs to get the ball into Fred Taylor’s hands early in this one. In the previous couple of games the Jags have fallen behind early and abandoned the run game much earlier than they would like. Even if they do get done by a score or even two in this game they need to allow Taylor to punish the Bears early and hopefully open some holes for MJD.

How the Bears Will Win: The Bears will win if Kyle Orton can shake off his poor play from last week and keep his thoughts moving forward. They should also be able to have success throwing the ball to Matt Forte out of the backfield. Receiving backs have been something that has hurt the Jaguars this season.

Pick: Bears. Orton has always played well at Soldier Field and the Jaguars don’t seem to have their head in the game any longer. Jacksonville will also line up without Rashean Mathis, which could open up big plays for Devin Hester.

Minnesota Vikings (7-5) @ Detroit Lions (0-12)

Announcers: Sam Rosen and Tim Ryan

Storylines: The Vikings have a one game lead in the North and will have both of the Williams’ this week in a must win game, as the Vikings have no cushion. It’s a must win game in another way for the Lions who attempt to avoid becoming the first winless team in nearly three decades. Daunte Culpepper starts against his former team for only the second time.

How the Vikings Will Win: Minnesota will feed Adrian Peterson the ball All Day. It is as no-brain a game plan as their is in the league this week. Chester Taylor could contribute 50-75 rushing yards as well. The Lions give up almost 180 rushing yards per game.

How the Lions Will Win: It would have been easier if their was not an injunction handed down to stay the suspension of the Williams Wall. The Lions need to pull out every trick in the world to get this division win at home and give their fans something to cheer about this year. Don’t Punt, unless you have to. Don’t kick Field Goals and use every trick you know.

Pick: Vikings. I was ready to pick Detroit when it looked like they might be able to run the ball. I don’t see it now. As long as Gus Frerotte doesn’t turn the ball over three times (which he shouldn’t as he should only be asked to throw it about 10-15 times) I don’t see how the Lions win.

Cincinnati Bengals (1-10-1) @ Indianapolis Colts (8-4)

Announcers: Ian Eagle and Solomon Wilcots

Storylines: The Colts nearly slipped last week against the Browns, something which they can not afford to do. Their road into the playoffs is not a difficult one as long as they get the easy ones done.

Howthe Bengals Will Win: Silly though it may sound against Peyton Manning, the Bengals should put 8 in the box and take away the Colt Run Game. Look at how bad the Colts looked early in the season before Joseph Addai got healthy. Peyton is going to get his, don’t let Addai add to the hurt.

How the Colts Will Win: As long as Manning rebounds from a sorry week against the Browns it shouldn’t be hard to beat the one-win Bengals.

Pick: Colts. I almost went the other way here, and if Palmer were coming back I would. The Colts are decimated on defense and their offense is still not really clicking, but the Bengals just don’t have the talent to take advantage of either of those facts.

Philadelphia Eagles (6-5-1) @ New York Giants (11-1)

Announcers: Kenny Albert and Daryl Johnston

Storylines: The Giants attempt to continue to overcome the off-field issues and clinch the NFC East, much earlier than anybody could have expected. They can actually clinch a first-round bye with a win this week. The Eagles try to get back into the hunt by going on the kind of late season run they had last year.

How the Eagles Will Win: If Donovan McNabb continues to be positively motivated by his short-term benching a couple of weeks ago and takes his act on the road then the Eagles could very easily win this game.

How the Giants Will Win: First of all by keeping their heads in the game, which shouldn’t be a problem with Tom Coughlin as their head coach. They also need to dominate the line of scrimmage. The Eagles have a very good defensive line, but they play overly aggressive at times which if exploited properly could open up some big runs.

Pick: Giants. The Giants have plenty of receivers to cover for Plax, as I’ve said all season, and their run game will have success against Philadelphia. The Eagles beat a Cardinal team who struggles to run the ball and has an average defense. They are not so fortunate this week.

Cleveland Browns (4-8) @ Tennessee Titans (11-1)

Announcers: Don Criqui and Dan Fouts

Storylines: The Titans can clinch the AFC South for the first time since 2002 by beating a Cleveland team starting their third string QB.

How the Browns Will Win: Well, if Ken Dorsey shocks the world and lights up the field they got a chance.

How the Titans Will Win: They get Kyle Vanden Bosch back this week so look for the Titans to simply dominate the line of scrimmage with a four man rush and pressure Ken Dorsey into turning the ball over a half dozen times or so.

Pick: Titans. Yeah.

Atlanta Falcons (8-4) @ New Orleans Saints (6-6)

Announcers: Dick Stockton, Brian Baldinger and Brian Billick

Storylines: The Falcons have won back to back games to become a strong Wild-Card candidate. A third straight win will have people talking division. The Saints are desperate and a loss here eliminates them from playoff contention.

How the Falcons Will Win: This game could become a shoot-out which puts the onus on Matt Ryan. He needs to be able to find his receivers downfield and come up with big plays against a Saints team that will likely play without their two best pass rushers.

How the Saints Will Win: They need Reggie Bush to put in the kind of performance that he was drafted for. He was lackluster last week and that hurt the entire offense, he needs to create plays in order to beat a better Atlanta Team.

Pick: Falcons. The suspensions of Will Smith and Charles Grant are the clincher here. The Falcons were already going to be able to run. Now the door is open for Ryan to connect on big pass plays to a very talented group of receivers especially Roddy White and the emerging Harry Douglas.

Houston Texans (5-7) @ Green Bay Packers (5-7)

Announcers: GUS JOHNSON!!! and Steve Tasker

Storylines: Who would have thought in September that these two teams would have the same record in December? The Packers face a must-win situation at home against a Houston Team that isn’t playing for much but still appear to be playing hard.

How the Texans Will Win: Steve Slaton needs to go over 1,000 yards. Not in the game, though that would be incredible. 96 rushing yards will get him over the plateau and give the Texans their best chance to win.

How the Packers Will Win: The Packers need to treat this game like a playoff Sunday in Lambeau. They need to establish a run game and put pressure on the QB. Two things that they have not always done well this season.

Pick: Packers. Aaron Rodgers has been great at Lambeau and asking a Houston team to travel to Wisconsin in December is asking a lot.

Miami Dolphins (7-5) @ Buffalo Bills (6-6)

Announcers: Kevin Harlan and Rich Gannon

Storylines: Playoff Football between two AFC East Rivals. It doesn’t get much better than that for a fan who came up in the late 80’s and early 90’s. Except that the damn game is being played in Canada. A Dolphin Win puts them right in the thick of things for the wild-card and maybe even division. A Bills loss eliminates them from the conversation.

How the Dolphins Will Win: Chad Pennington needs to get the ball out of his hands early and into the hands of his playmakers. Ronnie Brown, Ted Ginn and Daevon Bess are all capable of turning quick hits into big plays and the Bills defense has been prone to giving up some big plays in the past two months.

How the Bills Will Win: Screen Passes to Marshawn Lynch and Fred Jackson. Miami likes to get after the QB and they play a very aggressive form of defense. You don’t have to be a football genius to know that screens are the counter to that.

Pick: Dolphins. I don’t care what they say, the Bills lose the home-field advantage by travelling north of the border. Their are probably as many Dolphins fans in Canada as Bills. Buffalo is really struggling to consistently move the football, so look for Miami to win another hard-fought game.

New York Jets (8-4) @ San Francisco 49ers (4-8)

Announcers: Jim Nantz and Phil Simms. Look for no further evidence of how far up Brett Favre’s ass the NFL and it’s partners are than the fact that CBS top Broadcast duo is doing this game instead of Buffalo vs. Miami.

Storylines: The Jets look to shake off not only the loss to Denver last week, but their poor performances against San Diego and Oakland the last two times they had to head west. The 49ers have players playing for jobs next year, not the least of which is Shaun Hill who for the second straight season has played well when his number was called.

How the Jets Will Win: The 49ers have the 28th ranked pass defense in the league, which bodes well for Brett who is 7-0 against them in his career in the regular season. Look for them to avoid the gadget plays and produce a quick and efficient pass attack against the Niners.

How the 49ers Will Win: Hill is 4-1 as a starter on a team that has been horrible otherwise. If he protects the football and makes some plays the Niners actually have a really good chance to win this game.

Pick: Jets. I think New York does enough to get it done, though I think it might be a lot closer than some may expect.

New England Patriots (7-5) @ Seattle Seahawks (2-10)

Announcers: Dick Enberg and Randy Cross

Storylines: The Patriots and all of their fans (looking at you Goodell) are salivating as their last four games look winnable and they expect to have a fairly easy road into the playoffs. The Seahawks and their crowd hope to spoil that party.

How the Patriots Will Win: The Patriots try to overcome the coast-to-coast troubles as well and their best plan to travel is by ground. They need to focus the run attack on Sammy Morris who is their most consistent runner. The Hawks don’t do much well, but they can attack the passer. The Patriots need to run to set up the pass this week.

How the Seahawks Will Win: Hasselbeck needs to protect the football and get it out of his hand quickly. The Patriots linebackers are not built to cover in the 10-15 yard range which should leave some things open over the middle.

Pick: Patriots. Possible upset alert here. In the end, I just think the Patriots are still too good to lose this game. I think they probably do win out and could still very easily win the East.

St. Louis Rams (2-10) @ Arizona Cardinals (7-5)

Announcers: Matt Vasgersian and JC Pearson

Storylines: The Cardinals can clinch the division with a win, of course that’s been the case for a couple of week and they haven’t pulled it off yet. They get their best chance this week against the Rams.

How the Rams Will Win: They need to get Steven Jackson 27-30 touches and hope for the best. He has been beat up all year, but still gives them their best chance to win.

How the Cardinals Will Win: They need to balance their offense better. Tim Hightower had just 7 carries last week. He needs to be more around 22 which he got against the Rams in Week 7 and went for 109 yards.

Pick: Cardinals. Arizona finally clinches their first division title in my lifetime.

Kansas City Chiefs (2-10) @ Denver Broncos (7-5)

Announcers: Bill Macatee and Steve Beurlein

Storylines: The Broncos try to snap a three-game home losing streak and avenge an embarrassing loss to the Chiefs earlier this year. If the Raiders pull off the upset on Thursday, the Broncos could also be in line to clinch the division with a win.

How the Chiefs Will Win: Larry Johnson had 198 rushing yards in the week 4 win over Denver and Tony Gonzales had a touchdown. The Chiefs will have to go with their two old warriors to pull out the upset in Mile High.

How the Broncos Will Win: Jay Cutler obviously needs to play better than he did in September, but the key is showing a continued dedication to running the ball. Peyton Hillis had his first 100 yard game last week and while he’s not a home run threat, giving him 18-24 carries a game keeps the Chiefs honest and opens up the bootleg for Cutler.

Pick: Broncos. Call me a sucker, but I”m buying into Denver again. Not as a Super Bowl Contender, but at least as a team that can beat the Chiefs at home.

Dallas Cowboys (8-4) @ Pittsburgh Steelers (10-2)

Announcers: Joe Buck and Troy Aikman

Storylines: A possible Super Bowl Preview and a match-up between two of the most celebrated franchises in the history of the league.

How the Cowboys Will Win: DeMarcus Ware needs to be in Ben’s face all day. The Steelers still have problems on their O-line and Dallas at times has been very good at pressuring the QB. Maybe they can even make him throw a pick to the returning Pac Man Jones.

How the Steelers Will Win: Steelers Football. They need to pound the ball using either Parker or Moore and pick up the tough yards on third and short or goal to go situations.

Pick: Cowboys. I don’t love the Cowboys, but I think PIttsburgh is due for a slight letdown. I think Roethlisberger does make some mistakes in this game and the Cowboys do just enough to take advantage of their opportunities.

Washington Redskins (7-5) @ Baltimore Ravens (8-4)

Announcers: Al Michaels and John Madden

Storylines: A playoff caliber game as the Redskins need to win here to stay in the hunt and the Ravens can not afford to lose a home game with their tough schedule down the stretch if they hope to get in.

How the Redskins Will Win: The Redskins need to find a way to create points in this one. The best way may be through special teams, which is Baltimore’s weakest unit.

How the Ravens Will Win: The Ravens also need to be creative on both sides of the ball. They need to find ways to get into Jason Campbell’s head and continue to find ways into the end zone.

Pick: Ravens. With Clinton Portis nursing so many injuries I don’t see the Redskins hanging in there too long. Their offense is nearly non-existant since Portis starting slowing down.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-3) @ Carolina Panthers (9-3)

Announcers: Mike Tirico and Ron Jaworski

Storylines: Game of the Week. For First place in the NFC South.

How the Bucs Will Win: They need to establish their own one-two punch which they started last week. Cadillac and Warrick Dunn compliment each other well and Atlanta had great success against Carolina by spelling their backs at the right time.

How the Panthers Will Win: Jake Delhomme needs to play better. He needs to protect the football and make more plays. The run game might struggle against a very good TB defense, which means Delhomme will have to lead them to victory.

Pick: Panthers. I think this will be a heck of a game. In the end I just think Carolina has the more potential for an explosive play to put the game away.

Week 13 Preview

MIami Dolphins (6-5) @ St. Louis Rams (2-9)

Announcers: GUS JOHNSON!! and Steve Tasker

Storylines: The Dolphins look to stay alive in the AFC Playoff Race against the Rams.

Key to the Game: The Rams have been outscored 123-13 in the past four games and look to have quit. It should be fairly obvious early in this game if they have any pride left.

Fantasy Note: Rookie Davone Bess would be a good pickup to replace Greg Camarillo, he had 5 catches for 87 yards last week.

Pick: Rams. The Dolphins secondary was exposed somewhat last week and I look for the Rams to show some pride at home this week. Look for Bulger to hit Donnie Avery on a couple of deep balls and pull off a tight upset over the suddenly reeling Dolphins.

San Francisco 49ers (3-8) @ Buffalo Bills (6-5)

Announcers: Ron Pitts and Tony Boselli

Storylines: After a hot start, the Bills look to save a season that looked to be sinking a couple of weeks ago. The 49ers need to win in order to keep Arizona from clinching the NFC West.

Key to the Game: The 49ers convert just 33% of their third downs on the season. They will need to improve dramatically on that in order to stay in this game.

Fantasy Note: Trent Edwards was responsible for four touchdowns last week and will take on the 29th ranked 49er pass defense this week.

PIck: Bills. Buffalo should be able to dominate in all three facets of the game this week. They will be able to throw and run the ball. They are very good against the pass and they have one of the best special teams in the league. San Francisco is also a west coast team heading east which has not been good this year.

Indianapolis Colts (7-4) @ Cleveland Browns (4-7)

Announcers: Dick Enberg and Randy Cross

Storylines: The Colts look for their fifth straight win as they begin to jockey for playoff positioning. The Browns are forced to turn back to Derek Anderson who may be playing for a starting job elsewhere in 2009.

Key to the Game: Both teams have a positive turnover ratio, but the Browns have been prone to mistakes in their recent losses. Derek Anderson will have to do a good job of protecting the ball to keep Manning off the field and the defense will need to force misakes. The winning formula is the same as Cleveland’s upset of the Giants.

Fantasy Note: Joseph Addai is averaging nearly 5 yards per carry the last couple of weeks. He seems to be healthy and the Colts are dedicated to giving him plenty of touches.

Pick: Colts. All of the Colts stars are on fire right now, from Manning to Addai to Freeney. The Browns meanwhile seem lost, with inconsistent play at quarterback, wide receivers dropping balls and a resistant to letting Jamal Lewis carry the load.

Carolina Panthers (8-3) @ Green Bay Packers (5-6)

Announcers: Sam Rosen and Tim Ryan

Storylines: The Packers face a must win situation at home. A loss would put them two games off in the playoff race. The Panthers face their second straight tough road situation. They lost last week in Atlanta and now must travel to Lambeau.

Key to the Game: In the Packers five wins they average 24 carries per game. In their six losses, they average just 16. Michael Turner had a field day against Carolina last week and Green Bay will have to show a similar dedication to the run.

Fantasy Note: DeAngelo Williams has had 100 yards and a touchdown in four consecutive games, making him one of the most valuable backs in fantasy football.

Pick: Packers. The one thing consistent about Green Bay this year is their inconsistency. But that goes both ways. They have been very good at bouncing back from disappointment and they are aided by the fact that this game is at home.

Baltimore Ravens (7-4) @ Cincinnati Bengals (1-9-1)

Announcers: Ian Eagle and Solomon Wilcots

Storylines: The Bengals have no shot at accomplishing anything this year. Except possibly helping to spoil the Ravens season. This is nearly a must win for Baltimore as their schedule is tough down the stretch and their are at least 5 teams fighting for the two wild card spots.

Key to the Game: The Ravens are 6-1 when Joe Flacco does not turn the ball over. 1-3 when he does. He needs to not look past a Cincinnati defense which actually pretty good at intercepting the ball.

Fantasy Note: Ray Rice is a strong start this week as he is Baltimore’s best receiver out of the backfield, and the Bengals linebackers are very suspect in coverage.

Pick: Ravens. The Bengals can not run the ball which puts too much of the game on Ryan Fitzpatrick’s shoulders and he will be throwing the ball into a secondary full of playmakers.

New Orleans Saints (6-5) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-3)

Announcers: Dick Stockton, Brian Baldinger and Brian Billick

Storylines: A huge game in the NFC South. The Bucs begin a stretch of three straight games against their division that will go a long way towards deciding their fate on the season. The Saints really need this win in order to get back into contention in the South.

Key to the Game: With rookie Clifton Smith becoming a force for TB and Reggie Bush returning to the Saints, the return game could go a long way towards deciding this game.

Fantasy Note: Lance Moore and Antonio Bryant should both be starters for your playoff run.

Pick: Buccaneers. Jeff Garcia has something to prove in this game. He was benched by Jon Gruden after a poor performance against the Saints in week 1. He gets a chance to redeem himself this week and also get TB that much closer to winning the division for a second straight season.

New York Giants (10-1) @ Washington Redskins (7-4)

Announcers: Kenny Albert and Daryl Johnston

Storylines: The Redskins try to avoid being swept by the Giants on the season, while simultaneously putting themselves in a very good playoff position. The Giants focus may be on staying healthy for the playoffs.

Key to the Game: The Redskins offense has been inconsistent this season and never looked worse than they did in week one. This game may be the best test of Jim Zorn’s coaching acumen that he has faced to this point. He will need to win the chess game this time around.

Fantasy Note: Brandon Jacobs has 246 rushing yards in his past two games against the Redskins.

Pick: Redskins. I have a feeling that the Giants may play this game a little too conservatively. They have some nagging injuries and the recent gunshot wound to Plaxico Burress. They may not want to get into the physical war they faced in week 1 against the Skins.

Atlanta Falcons (7-4) @ San Diego Chargers (4-7)

Announcers: Matt Vasgersian and JC Pearson

Storylines: In one game we could see the culmination of one of the most surprising turnarounds in NFL History, coinciding with one of the most disappointing season in history. Also, Michael Turner returns to San Diego to show the Chargers what they’re missing. Turner has 300 more rushing yards than LT and 8 more touchdowns.

Key to the Game: The Chargers are in the middle of the three game homestand that was supposed to get them back into contention. They lost the first game to Indianapolis. Philip Rivers is 18-3 at home as a starter and will need to play big this week.

Fantasy Note: Turner is a stronger start than LT, but you’ll probably start either. Roddy White is the strongest of the receivers as he has five 100 yard games in his last 9 played.

Pick: Chargers. Just hard to imagine the Chargers losing at home again. Look for LT to be more of a focal point receiving than rushing. The Chargers have to know that their season rides on this game.

Pittsburgh Steelers (8-3) @ New England Patriots (7-4)

Announcers: Greg Gumbel and Dan Dierdorf

Storylines: The Patriots are gaining confidence offensively and are starting to believe that they still have a shot at the ring. The Steelers tough defense hopes to take that gleam out of Matt Cassel’s eyes.

Key to the Game: This game, like most really, comes down to the lines. Ben can’t spend the game on his back and Cassel can’t be reduced to simply throwing the check down passes and ignoring Randy Moss.

Fantasy Note: I don’t think any offensive player is a strong start this week, but if I had to pick somebody I’d take Santonio Holmes who I think could come up with some big plays against an undersized New England Secondary.

Pick: Patriots. I don’t think the Steelers offensive line can match up with the 3-4 defense of the Patriots. They could struggle in both running the ball and protecting the passer.

Kansas City Chiefs (1-10) @ Oakland Raiders (3-8)

Announcers: Bill Macatee and Steve Beurlein

Storylines: The Chiefs have dominated the Raiders in recent years, but did lose earlier this season at home. They look to finish a game this season and get their first win on the road.

Key to the Game: If the Raiders can hold Larry Johnson to 22 yards again then this game will be fairly easy for Oakland.

Fantasy Note: Oakland Running Backs are a good start.

Pick: Raiders. Oakland ran for 300 yards in the first game against KC and are healthier this time. Kansas City has not gotten any better against the run and don’t figure to suddenly have a breakout game on the road.

Denver Broncos (6-5) @ New York Jets (8-3)

Announcers: Kevin Harlan and Rich Gannon

Storylines: The Broncos look to bounce back from their worst loss of the season to gain their biggest win of the season. The Jets look to stay strong in the AFC Playoff Race and get an important home victory.

Key to the Game: The Broncos have the 29th ranked pass defense in the league and will have to face a hot Brett Favre this week. On the bright side, they will have future Hall-of-Famer Champ Bailey back in the lineup.

Fantasy Note: Leon Washington has 4 touchdowns in the past two games and is the type of scat back who excels against Denver’s 27th ranked run defense.

Pick: Jets. Did you read where I said 29th pass defense and 27th run defense?

Chicago Bears (6-5) @ Minnesota Vikings (6-5)

Announcers: Al MIchaels and John Madden

Storylines: A Prime Time match-up for first place in the NFC North. The Bears beat the Vikings 48-41 in week 7.

Key to the Game: The Bears lost CB Nathan Vasher for the season, hurting an already spotty secondary.

Fantasy Note: Bernard Berrian had 81 yards and a touchdown against his former team earlier in the year. This week he won’t have to face Vasher.

Pick: Vikings. Adrian Peterson has had good games against Chicago in the past and is superb at home. The Vikings are not likely to give up 48 points again, and should score enough to win this one.

Jacksonville Jaguars (4-7) @ Houston Texans (4-7)

Announcers: Mike Tirico and Ron Jaworski

Storylines: Coaches fight for their job.

Key to the Game: Both teams turn the ball over too often. The turnover battle will be as important in this game as any.

Fantasy Note: Kevin Walter has 14.2 yards per catch this season and if Rashean Mathis does a nice job on Andre Johnson, it should be open well for Walter.

Pick: Texans. Give them the edge at home in a game that doesn’t matter much.

Top 50 Quarterbacks of the Past 25 Years: Number 3

Joe Montana- San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs

Joe Montana was the third round pick of the San Francisco 49ers in 1979. After backing up Steve DeBerg for a season and a half, he became the starting QB midway through the 1980 season. Montana was just 2-5 that year as a starter, but led the league in completion percentage and threw 15 touchdowns to just nine picks. The 1981 season saw Joe Montana make his first Pro Bowl and turn the team around from 6-10 to 13-3. He again led the league in completion percentage, threw for 3500 yards and 19 touchdowns. After delivering the pass to Dwight Clarks “catch” in the NFC Title Game vs. Dallas, Joe Montana led the 49ers to their first Super Bowl, against the Cincinnati Bengals. Montana was named the MVP of San Fran’s win, despite throwing for just 157 yards.

The 49ers failed to make the playoffs in the strike-shortened 1982 season, but Montana did manage to set a then NFL Record by throwing for 300 yards in 5 consecutive games. The 49ers went just 3-6 though and failed to make the playoffs. The 1983 season was Joe’s most prolific to that point as he threw for over 3,900 yards and 26 TD’s. He also led the Niners back to the NFC Championship Game, where the 49ers fell to the Washington Redskins.

In 1984 San Francisco became the first NFL Team to win 15 regular season games. Joe Montana threw for 3600 yards and 28 touchdowns. The 49ers breezed through the playoffs en route to winning their second Super Bowl Title. They outscored their three opponents 82-26. In the Super Bowl Montana threw for 331 yards and three touchdowns, earning his second Super Bowl MVP Trophy. After the game, Bill Walsh called Joe Montana “the greatest quarterback of all time”, after just 5 years starting in the league.

In 1985, Montana threw 27 touchdowns, but the team sputtered along to a 9-6 record with him as a starter and were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. 1986 would see Joe hindered by a severe back injury that cost him half of a season. He would struggle through the other half. It was the only year in his career where he threw more interceptions than touchdowns. Montana bounced back in 1987, winning 10 of his 11 starts and throwing 31 touchdowns in that span. After a loss vs. Minnesota in the playoffs, a serious QB Competition ensued between Montana and Steve Young. Montana eventually won out and started the majority of the games in 1988. It was a subpar year by Joe’s standards, completing less than 60% of his passes and throwing just 18 touchdowns. However, the 49ers did win the Super Bowl for a third time with Montana at the helm as they got by the Cincinnati Bengals once again.

In 1989 Montana had perhaps his best season as a pro. He completed 70% of his passes and threw 26 TD’s to just 8 interceptions. He was named the NFL’s MVP. The 49ers made their way through the playoffs and eventually dismantled the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXIV 55-10. Montana threw 26 more touchdowns in 1990 and led the 49ers back to the NFC Title Game. Not only did the Niners lose the game, but Montana suffered a horrible leg injury that would cost him nearly two years of his career. Montana lost his starting job because of the injury and would make just one appearance in the 1991 and 1992 seasons combined.

In April of 1993 Joe was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs. Though his stay there would be considered a success because the team made the playoffs both years, Montana was clearly not the same QB. He threw just 29 TD’s in the two seasons. Montana finished his career with 273 TD passes and 117 wins. Both very impressive numbers. He made his name in the postseason where he holds just about every passing record. He was a one time MVP, an eight time pro-bowler and a 4 time Super Bowl Champion. He led 35 4th quarter comebacks. He is the greatest passer in the history of the West Coast Offense.

So why not Number 1? The first and most obvious reason is that in 13 seasons, Joe Montana only played a full season twice. The second is that I do believe that more than any QB in history he was a product of a system. He was an average College QB who probably would have never started for another team (sound a bit like Brady?) but was lucky to land on a team with one of the greatest offensive coaches of all time? How good was the system? His backup made the Hall of Fame also. He had the greatest WR of all time. Give Elway, Marino or even Warren Moon, Jerry Rice and see what their numbers look like. I actually think it’s impossible to rank a guy like Montana. I have no idea how good he actually was. He never played on a bad team. He never went through a tough time and persevered. I guess you could argue he made it that way, but again the Niners kept on winning with Young and even Garcia. All while they had Jerry Rice. Montana and Elway are the two most often compared QB’s. If Elway starts for the Niners, do you think they don’t win 4 Super Bowls? If Montana starts for the 80’s Broncos, do you think they go to 3? To me, it’s not even close.

That said, Montana perfected the system and deserves all of the accolades he’s received over his career.

Top 50 Quarterbacks of the Past 25 Years: Number 4

Peyton Manning- Indianapolis Colts

Peyton Manning was the first overall pick in the 1998 draft and has started every game since. The Colts were very bad in 1998, going 3-13, but the signs that they had their quarterback did not take long to come. Peyton Manning set 5 NFL rookie records, including most touchdowns thrown (26). Peyton was named the QB of the NFL All-Rookie Team. The records continued to come in 1999 when Manning led the best turnaround in NFL History. The Colts went 13-3, improving by 10 wins, and got home-field advantage in the playoffs. Manning lost his first playoff game to the Tennessee Titans and did not play well, completing just 44% of his passes. Manning had his first of a record eight 4,000 yard seasons and threw 26 touchdowns.

In 2000 Manning made his second straight Pro-Bowl and led the league in both yards (4,413) and Touchdowns (33). The Colts went 10-6 and visited Miami in the first round of the playoffs. Manning threw his first playoff touchdown, but again fell short, this time in overtime. Manning threw for 4,100 yards and 26 touchdowns in 2001, but the Colts finished 6-10 and Manning threw 23 interceptions. Much of that can be chalked up to the introduction of the no-huddle offense and their adjustments to it. In 2003, Manning threw for 4,100 yards and 27 touchdowns en route to his third Pro Bowl and the NFL MVP Award. He also had the third perfect quarterback rating of his career and won his first two playoff games. Against the Denver Broncos in the wildcard round, Manning threw for 377 yards and 5 touchdowns and another perfect QB rating. He also was excellent against the Chiefs in the Divisional Round Shoot-Out. Manning struggled quite a bit against New England in the AFC Title Game and despite his performances in the previous two games was labeled as unable to win the “big one”.

Manning won the MVP Award again in 2004. He broke the NFL Single Season Records for passing touchdowns (49) and passer rating (121.1). The Colts won 12 games and the AFC South. Manning once again destroyed Denver in the opening round throwing for 458 yards and four touchdowns. However, he also once again bombed against New England. Manning lost for the seventh straight time in Foxboro and while most agreed he could someday win the Big Game, most agreed it would never be at the expense of the New England Patriots.

Peyton led the Colts to wins in their first 13 games in 2005. He threw for less than 4,000 yards for the first time in years (3,754) but a lot of that was due to the fact that he played sparingly in the final two games of the season. Manning led the league with a 104.1 Quarterback Rating and threw 28 touchdowns. Though heavily favored against Pittsburgh in the playoffs the Colts lost on a last second field goal miss by Mike Vanderjagt. Manning did make his fifth Pro Bowl.

The Colts won their first 9 in 2006. They finished 12-4 and were the third seed in the AFC Playoffs. Peyton threw for 4,400 yards and 31 touchdowns and led the league in passer rating for the third consecutive season. After defeating the Chiefs and Ravens in the first two rounds, Manning and the Colts prepared to host their rivals the Patriots in the AFC Championship Game. After falling behind 21-3, Manning led the biggest comeback in championship game history to win 38-34, after an 80 yard game-winning drive. The Colts defeated the Chicago Bears 29-17 in Super Bowl XLI. Manning was named the game’s MVP throwing for 247 and a touchdown.

Manning made his eighth Pro Bowl in 2007 throwing for over 4,000 yards and 31 touchdowns. The Colts once again earned a first-round bye in the playoffs, but played disappointingly against the San Diego Chargers in loss.

Manning owns sole possession or a share of 38 NFL Passing Records. He owns sole possession or a share of 61 Colts Franchise Records. He is on pace to be the most prolific passer in the history of the league. Nobody has ever run the no-huddle offense better. Manning has thrown for almost 44,000 yards and has thrown 321 touchdowns. His career record is 105-55. Manning is a two-time NFL MVP and a one-time Super Bowl MVP. He will be a first-ballot Hall Of Famer and the BEST Quarterback of his Era. The Brady vs. Manning argument is in many ways a ridiculous one. Who is a better quarterback Terry Bradshaw or Dan Marino? Bob Griese or Warren Moon? Troy Aikman or Brett Favre? It is not all about rings. Peyton Manning is a better quarterback. He is not better than the three above him though, but we’ll save those arguments for later.

Top 50 Quarterbacks of the Past 25 Years: Number 10

Warren Moon- Oilers, Vikings, Chiefs and Seahawks

Warren Moon was a black high school quarterback at a time when it was still a “bad” thing to be. Most colleges wanted to turn him into a safety or a tight end and Moon only got one scholarship offer to play QB, at University of Washington. In 1978 he paid the Huskies back by leading them to a shocking Rose Bowl victory over the heavily favored Michigan Wolverines. Though he proved many colleges wrong, he still had a hard time convincing NFL scouts and Warren Moon actually went undrafted in 1978. Several teams told him that he would be drafted if he switched to tight end, but they were weary of drafting a black quarterback from a public image standpoint. Moon declined the switch and went instead to the CFL. Moon led the Edmonton Eskimoes to five consecutive Grey Cup victories from 1978-82. He was the MVP of the game twice and the MVP of the Canadian Football League in 1983. In six seasons in the CFL Moon threw for over 20,000 yards and 144 touchdowns.

Following the 1983 NFL season Moon announced his intentions to enter the league. There was a bidding war unlike anything the NFL had seen before, as this was pre-Free Agency. Moon ended up signing with the Houston Oilers. Moon’s first three seasons in the NFL were a difficult mix of an inexperienced team and Moon’s own need to make adjustments to the new type of field. The NFL field is shorter and more narrow than a Canadian field. In 1987 Moon began to come on strong throwing for 2800 yards and 21 touchdowns in the 12 games he started in the strike-shortened season. He also led the Oilers to a playoff win over the Seattle Seahawks, in his first post-season game, throwing for 237 yards and a touchdown in the game.

In 1988 Moon made his first of eight consecutive Pro Bowls throwing for 2300 yards and 17 touchdowns in 11 games. He also took the Oilers to Cleveland and beat the heavily favored Browns in the Wild-Card round of the playoffs. Moon struggled in the game but ultimately led the game-winning drive. Moon became the highest paid player in the league in 1989 and once again made the Pro Bowl. Moon threw for 3600 yards and 23 touchdowns, the Oilers made the playoffs for the third straight year, but this year failed to win a game falling three points shy of Pittsburgh. In 1990 Moon led the league in completions, yards and touchdowns and tied the NFL record with nine 300 yard games. Moon threw for 4,700 yards and 33 touchdowns to only 13 interceptions. The Oilers once again lost in the first week of the playoffs, being blown out by Cincinnati.

In 1991 Moon set the NFL record with 404 completions and once again led the league in yards becoming only the third man to throw for over 4,000 yards in consecutive seasons. The Oilers finally won the division and hosted a playoff game, beating the Jets in the first weekend. In the divisional round they had an eight point lead in Denver, before Elway brought the Broncos back for the win. It would not be the last heartbreaking playoff loss Moon would experience. In 1992, Moon would play just 11 games due to injury. He still made the playoffs by throwing 18 touchdowns in those eleven games. In the Wild-Card Round the Oilers built a 35-3 lead on the Bills. However, Frank Reich led the Bills to five unanswered touchdowns for the biggest comeback in playoff history. Moon, who at this point and gotten the “can’t win the big one” label, threw for 377 yards and 4 touchdowns, so it’s kind of hard to pin it on him.

Moon and the Oilers would again win the division title in 1993 and would again lose in the first round of the playoffs. Moon had over 3,500 yards passing in the season, despite missing two games. Following the season, the Oilers announced their attention to move away from the run and shoot offense that Moon had been so successful in and in fact away from Moon himself. Moon was traded to the Minnesota Vikings. In his first season as a Viking, 1994, Moon had his third 4,000 + yard season, but threw more interceptions than touchdowns. Moon was once again eliminated in the first round of the playoffs as his 52 pass attempts yielded just 7 points against the division rival Bears. In 1995 Moon had remarkable stats 4200/33/14, but the Vikings missed the playoffs. Moon made his eighth Pro Bowl that year and was a runner-up in the MVP Voting. In 1996 Moon broke his collarbone in week 8 of the season, a year in which quite frankly, he was struggling. The Vikings offered Moon a back-up role for 1997 which he turned down and was granted a release.

Moon signed with the Seattle Seahawks prior to the 1997 season. Moon would once again go to the Pro Bowl, becoming the first Quarterback to make the Pro Bowl with three different teams. He threw for nearly 3,700 yards and 25 touchdowns. 1998 saw Moon struggle with injuries and a noticable loss of arm strength. Moon was released following the season. He spent the final two years of his career as a back-up in Kansas City where he would start only one game in two years. Moon retired following the 2000 season.

In his football career, both NFL and CFL, Moon threw for over 70,000 yards and 435 touchdowns. His NFL stats are, of course, impressive enough on their own as he is just shy of the 50k mark and finished with 291 touchdowns. He was voted to the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 2001 and in 2006 became the first man to be in both that Hall and the NFL Hall of Fame. Moon is also the only African-American Quarterback currently enshrined in Canton.

Top 50 Quarterbacks of the Past 25 Years: 20-16

20.

Vinny Testaverde- Jets, Buccaneers, Browns, Ravens, Panthers, Cowboys and Patriots

After a Heisman Trophy winning career with the Miami Hurricanes Vinny Testaverde was the number one overall pick in the 1987 NFL draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Vinny was a prototypical quarterback with size, strength and the ability to make every pass. He was unfortunate to end up on a terrible team. Vinny did not help himself by often giving the ball to the other team. In 1988, his first year as a starter Vinny threw 35 interceptions. He would throw more interceptions than touchdowns in each of his five seasons as a starter for Tampa Bay. Many fans chalked this up to Vinny being color-blind, it may be more due to the fact that he couldn’t get away with the same things in the pros as he did at the U.

In 1993 Vinny signed to be Bernie Kosar’s back-up with the Cleveland Browns. Late in the season Vinny got a chance to start and showed that he was capable of better than he had shown to that point, throwing 14 touchdowns in just six games and better yet, only 9 interceptions. Okay 9 is a lot in six games, but it was better. In 1994 Testaverde was named the starter and would remain so for the last two seasons in Cleveland. Testaverde continued to throw interceptions, yet was never benched. It was because of his ability to bounce back from his self-administered adversity and at times play spectacularly.

When the Brown moved to Baltimore, they took Vinny with them. In 1996, his and every body else’s first as a Raven, Vinny made his first Pro-Bowl at the age of 33. He threw for over 4,000 yards and 33 touchdowns. In 1997 the Ravens and Vinny struggled though he did for only the third time in his eleven year career manage to throw more touchdowns than interceptions.

In 1998 Bill Parcells signed Vinny to be the quarterback of the New York Jets. He had his best season as a pro. Vinny completed over 60% of his passes for the first time in his career. His stats were good enough for the Pro-Bowl, 3,200/29/7, and the Vinny that everybody thought was coming in 1987 finally arrived, just a little late. Vinny took the Jets to the AFC Title Game in 1998 and had a half-time lead on the heavily favored Broncos, before Elway and Denver were able to pull away in the second half. Unfortunately, Vinny wasn’t able to follow up his stellar 1998 season as he tore his ACL in the first game of the 1999 season. At 36 many assumed this meant the end fo Vinny Testaverde’s career. In fact though, he was back as the starting quarterback of the Jets in 2000.

Vinny threw for over 3,700 yards in 2000 but interceptions once again became a problem as he threw 25 of them. The highlight of the 2000 season for the Jets of course, was the Monday Night game against Miami. Trailing 30-7 going into the fourt quarter, Vinny threw four touchdowns in the final quarter to bring the Jets back and score an impossible 40-37 victory. It is perhaps, Vinny’s signature game. In 2001 Vinny led the Jets back to the playoffs, behind a far more controlled passing game. They lost in the first round to the Raiders. Vinny would serve as the back-up for New York for the next two years and at 40 everybody assumed Vinny would retire after a very nice career.

Bill Parcells once again had different ideas. He signed Vinny to be the starting quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys. At 41 Vinny started 15 games in 2004. He threw for over 3,500 yards but once again led the league in interceptions. Over the next three seasons, Vinny would be brought out of semi-retirement more often than a professional wrestler by the Jets, Panthers and Patriots. At 44, he started 6 games for the Panthers in 2007. Vinny officially retired in January of 2008 after a 21 year career in the NFL. I have no idea how Vinny made it this high, yet I didn’t feel I could put him any lower. Despite all of the interceptions there was always a place for Vinny Testaverde in the NFL. That is how highly he was thought of as not only a player but a locker room presence. Vinny finished his career with 46,000 passing yards and 275 touchdowns. One more year Vinny. With the right team, you could hit two milestones.

19.

Trent Green- Chiefs, Rams, Redskins and Dolphins

Trent Green was drafted in the eight round of the 1993 draft by the San Diego Chargers. After sitting on the bench for a year, Green left the NFL for the Canadian Football League, but did not fare much better there. Green was out of the NFL for a total of four years before signing mid-season with the Washington Redskins in 1997. In 1998 he was named the starter. Green had a fantastic “rookie” season, 3400/25/11, and the Redskins had designs on making him their starting quarterback. However, because the Redskins waited until the end of the season to offer Green a contract, he turned it down to pursue the free agent market.

Green signed with the St. Louis Rams and was slated to be their starting quarterback. Green suffered a year-ending knee injury in the preseason and watched on as Kurt Warner took the team to the Super Bowl and won. In 2000 Green again started the season as a back-up but would see significant starting time in mid-season as Kurt Warner was out with a broken hand. Green showed that given the same weapons he was more than capable of leading the “greatest show on turf”. Green started five games and played in eight. In that limited playing time Green threw for over 2000 yards. He also had 16 touchdowns to only 5 interceptions. Thanks to his great showing Green was a valuable commodity for the Rams in the off-season as several teams approached them about trades. Green rejoined the man who had brought him to St. Louis, Dick Vermeil, in Kansas City.

Green’s Chiefs career did not get off to the start that Kansas City fans had hoped. Green threw for nearly 3,800 yards, but the Chiefs went 6-10 and Green led the league in interceptions. Things would start to go better the next year. The Chiefs improved to .500 and Green had the best touchdown per pass rate in the league, throwing a TD every 20 passes. Green had 3600 yards and improved his touchdowns (26) while minimizing his interceptions (13). In 2003 Green would make his first Pro-Bowl and lead the Chiefs to the best record in the AFC. Green passed 4,000 yards for the first of three straight seasons and again had twice as many touchdowns (24) as interceptions (12). A porous defense cost them their first playoff game. In 2004 Green would have career highs with 4,600 passing yards and 27 touchdowns. In 2005 he would again pass the 4,000 mark and again make the Pro-Bowl.

In 2006, the injuries started to pile up. In the three seasons since Green would start 8 games for the Chiefs, 5 for the Dolphins and 1 for the Rams. His teams are 4-10 in those starts. Green has been labeled as being injury prone recently. The truth is Green started every game for five straight seasons in Kansas City and did not start missing games until he was nearly 37 years old. Green was unfortunate in that he was not “discovered” until much later than many football players. His time in Kansas City showed what he was capable of and many teams missed the boat by not bringing him in much sooner in his career.

18.

Rich Gannon- Vikings, Raiders, Chiefs and Redskins

Rich Gannon was taken by the New England Patriots in the fourth round of the 1987 draft. The goal was to turn him into a safety, but Gannon was not receptive of the idea. Gannon was traded before opening day to the Minnesota Vikings. Gannon sat on the bench for three years before being given his opportunity prior to the 1990 season. Gannon started the year rough, but ended strong and finished with 16 TD passes and was named the starter again the next year. In 1991 Gannon had trouble staying healthy. When on the field though he was very productive and showed the pinpoint accuracy that would define his later career. In 11 games he threw for over 2000 yards and had twice as many TD’s (12) as interceptions (6). In 1992 Gannon got the Vikings off to an 8-4 start, but had more interceptions than TD’s. He was benched in favor of Sean Salisbury and released following the season. Gannon signed a 1-year contract with the Washington Redskins. He would start just four games in Washington and struggled terribly.

Gannon took 1994 off to deal with family issues and returned to the league in 1995 as the back-up quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs. Gannon would remain in that role seeing limited action until late in the 1997 season. Gannon finally got another opportunity to start and made the most of it. He went 5-1 in six starts and completed 56% of his passes. Gannon was officially named the starter for the 1998 season. Injuries again hampered the production of the 33 year old quarterback. He went 5-5 in his starts and had unremarkable stats, 2300/10/6. This looked like the end for Gannon.

Young coach Jon Gruden saw in Rich Gannon the ability to excel in the West Coast offense and made him the starting quarterback of the Oakland Raiders. In his first season in Oakland Rich Gannon made his first Pro-Bowl. Gannon threw for over 3,800 yards and 24 TD’s. At 34, it appeared Rich Gannon had finally found a home in the NFL. In 2000 Gannon took the Raiders to the AFC Championship Game, where they lost a defensive struggle, surprise, to the Baltimore Ravens. Gannon was once again stellar, making the Pro-Bowl and being named an All-Pro. Gannon threw for 3450 yards and 28 TD’s in 2000. In 2001, Gannon and the Raiders returned to the playoffs, this time losing to Tom Brady and the Patriots in the divisional round, in the controversial “tuck rule” game. Gannon was again a Pro-Bowler and now among the elite quarterbacks in the league. He threw for over 3,800 yards and had 27 TD’s to 9 interceptions. In 2002 Gannon was named MVP of the National Football League after throwing for 4,689 yards in the season. Gannon also threw 26 TD’s and led the league in completions and attempts. Gannon also led the Raiders back to the Super Bowl for the first time in almost two decades. He played against former coach Jon Gruden and did not fare well. Gruden knew everything that was coming and it led to Gannon throwing five interceptions, three returned for touchdowns.

Gannon would remain the starter in Oakland for two more seasons, but due to concussions and other injuries neither he nor the Raiders would see that kind of success again. It took Gannon a long time and a curvy road to reach elite Quarterback status, but once he got there he had as good a four year run as anybody on this list.

17.

Mark Brunell- Jaguars and Redskins

Mark Brunell was drafted in the fifth round by the Green Bay Packers in 1994. He, of course, spent a year sitting behind Brett Favre on the depth chart. Prior to the ’95 draft Brunell was traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars. He started 10 games in his first season and though the Jaguars and though the Jags were not very good Brunell showed signs of things to come. He threw for over 2,200 yards and had 15 TD’s to 7 Ints. He also showed fantastic mobility behind a bad offensive line rushing for over 480 yards and 4 scores. The following year Brunell would make his first Pro-Bowl and take the Jacksonville Jaguars all the way to the AFC Championship Game, in their second year in the league. Brunell threw for 4,300 yards and 19 TD’s in that his first full season as a starter and won two playoff games on the road. In 1997 the Jaguars were once again in the playoffs and Brunell was once again a Pro-Bowler. Brunell’s stats were good, 3300/18/7, but more important was his tremendous leadership. The Jaguars were unlucky to run into a Denver team that remembered them and lost in the opening round 42-17.

In 1998 the Jags began to turn to the power running game that they still utilize to this day, yet Brunell was still able to throw 20 TD Passes. He also won another playoff game, beating the Patriots, before losing in New York. In 1999 Brunell would return to the Pro Bowl and lead the league in interception percentage, throwing just one for every fifty pass attempts. The Jaguars would return to the AFC Championship Game after beating Miami 62-7 in the divisional round. They would fall short to the Titans.

Brunell would start three more seasons for the Jaguars. He would go over 3,600 yards in 2000 and have 17 TD’s to only 7 picks in 2002, but the Jaguars did not return to the playoffs. Brunell was off to a great start in 2003, completing 65% of his passes and not yet throwing a pick, but the Jags were 0-3 and the General Manager insisted Brunell be benched in favor of Byron Leftwich. At the end of 2003 after a remarkable 8 seasons in which Mark Brunell took an expansion team and made them consistent winners, he was traded by the Jaguars to the Washington Redskins.

In 2004, his first as a Redskin, Brunell struggled with a hamstring injury and learning a new offense. He would start nine games and throw for only 1100 yards and 7 TD’s. But Joe Gibbs showed faith in him and he was once again the starter for the 2005 season. This time Brunell excelled, 3000/23/10, and led the Redskins to the playoffs and a win over the Buccaneers. In 2006 Brunell again played well, starting nine games and completing 63% of his passes, he also had twice as many touchdowns as interceptions. In week 3 he broke the NFL record for most consecutive passes completed. But the Redskins started off 3-6 and Brunell was benched to make room for Jason Campbell. In 2008 he is the back-up in New Orleans.

Mark Brunell was a mobile left-handed quarterback who was the undeniable force behind the greatest expansion team in NFL History. He is a consummate professional and a terrific leader. He is one of the most mobile quarterbacks in the history of the league and will one day be a head coach.

16.

Steve McNair- Titans and Ravens

Steve McNair was the 3rd overall pick in the 1995 draft by the Houston Oilers. He was 4-2 in spot duty the first two seasons of his career and when the team became the Titans in Tennessee McNair was named the starting quarterback and became the face of the franchise. In ’97, McNair’s first season as a starter, he struggled throwing the ball. He completed just 52% of his passes and could not get the ball downfield consistently. He did show his running skill as he ran for 674 yards and added 8 rushing touchdowns to the 14 he threw. In 1998 McNair showed signs of being a better passer, 3200/15/10 and continued to run the ball, amassing over 550 yards. In 1999 injuries hampered “Air” McNair somewhat as he started just 11 games. In those games, however, he was able to produce 20 total touchdowns. The Titans also went to the Super Bowl that year. McNair was responsible for 3 touchdowns in their AFC Title win over Jacksonville. He also played well in the Big Game, throwing for 234 yards. Two more yards and they would have sent it to overtime.

In 2000 McNair made his first Pro Bowl and led the Titans to the best record in the AFC. McNair ran for 400 yards and threw 15 TD Passes. The Titans were upset in the divisional round by the Baltimore Ravens. In 2001 McNair became more of a pure passer. His pass stats were the best of his career to that point, 3350/21/12, and he still managed to run for more than 400 yards and five touchdowns. He topped those numbers in 2002 by throwing for 3300 yards and 22 TD’s. In 2003 McNair won the NFL MVP Award. He had terrific passing numbers, 3200/24/7, and added four rushing touchdowns. After avenging the Ravens loss, by this time winning in Baltimore, Tennessee was once again beaten by the eventual champs, this time the Patriots.

After an injury riddled 2004 season McNair bounced back to make his third Pro-Bowl in 2005. Though the numbers weren’t spectacular, 3100/16/11, a few injuries to quarterbacks opened the door for McNair to play in Hawaii. That would be his final year in Tennessee as he was released in the off-season, rather unceremoniously for a quarterback who had done so much for a franchise. In 2006 McNair signed with the Baltimore Ravens and led them to a 13-3 record. McNair threw for 3000 yards and 16 touchdowns and became the first quarterback in four years to play all sixteen games in Baltimore. McNair would struggle through six games with the Ravens in 2007 and retire at the end of the year.

Steve McNair was one of the most versatile quarterbacks in the history of the league. While the numbers were never gawdy, he was a gutsy guy and somebody who his team loved to win for. He finished his career with a 92-64 record and very nearly won a Super Bowl.

Top 50 Quarterbacks of the Past 25 Years: 45-41

45.

Steve DeBerg- 49ers, Broncos, Buccaneers, Chiefs and Falcons

DeBerg was the first quarterback to play in Bill Walsh’s true west coast offense. In 1979, his second year starting in the league, he set the NFL records for pass attempts and completions. But Walsh did not see DeBerg as the quarterback for the team and instead turned to Joe Montana. Showing why people call Bill Walsh a genius. Being replaced by quarterbacks who will rank higher than him on this list would become a trend during DeBerg’s career.

DeBerg left San Francisco and became the back-up quarterback for the Denver Broncos. He was brought in with the intent to be the starter down the line. He started the last five games in 1982 and the first five in ’83. He had the Broncos off to a 4-1 start but Dan Reeves decided it was time to turn to rookie QB John Elway. His success as a backup in Denver opened the door for him to seek a starting job in the league and he found one in Tampa Bay.

DeBerg’s two seasons in Tampa were up and down as both years he threw 19 TD’s and 18 Interceptions. He was once again replaced by a young phenom, this time in the person of Vinny Testeverde. DeBerg left Tampa and finally got his chance for a long term job in Kansas City where he was the starter for four seasons. DeBerg enjoyed his greatest success in 1990 when he threw 23 TD’s and only 4 interceptions. DeBerg’s career as a starting QB ended after the 1991 season when he was ironically once again replaced by Joe Montana. DeBerg spent a couple of more years as a backup in both Tampa and Miami, but never enjoyed more than spot starter status. In 1998 his former coach Dan Reeves brought him out of retirement to be the backup QB on the Atlanta Falcons. DeBerg became the oldest player ever to be on a Super Bowl roster at the end of that season.

DeBerg deserves his spot on this list for throwing for 35,000 yards and 196 TD’s in the NFL. He is so low because he had more interceptions than TD’s and was never a consistent winner in the NFL. Certainly DeBerg’s greatest claim to fame may be that he was the man who handed jobs over to both Joe Montana and John Elway.

44.

Jim Harbaugh- Bears, Colts, Ravens and Chargers

Highly touted coming out of Michigan Jim Harbaugh was the first round pick of the Chicago Bears and the chosen replacement for oft injured Jim McMahon. Harbaugh didn’t start a game in his rookie season and only played sparingly in the next two. In 1990 the Bears parted ways with McMahon and Harbaugh was named the starting quarterback. Harbaugh would remain the starter in Chicago for the next four seasons. In an offense completely centered around the run and with no true threat at wide receiver, Harbaugh never topped 15 TD passes or 3,200 yards as a Bear.

In 1994 Harbaugh signed with the Indianapolis Colts. After missing much of the ’94 season with injury Harbaugh bounced back big in 1995 having the best year of his career. Harbaugh had a passer rating of over 100 that year and was voted to the Pro Bowl. Harbaugh also won NFL Comeback Player of the Year honors and was the runner-up to the MVP. Perhaps more importantly Harbaugh led the Colts to the AFC Championship Game. Harbaugh had two more good years with the Colts and during his four years there averaged just one interception in every fifty passes thrown. In 1997 Harbaugh threw ten touchdowns and only four interceptions, but the team was horrible and that almost always comes back to the coach and the quarterback. Both were replaced. Harbaugh by number one pick Peyton Manning. Harbaugh was traded to the former home of the Colts Baltimore to play for the Ravens.

Harbaugh was okay in Baltimore but did not supply the consistency they were looking for in the quarterback position. Of course, they still  haven’t found that. Harbaugh went to San Diego in 1999 and improved the struggling Chargers to an 8-8 football team. Nevertheless, the Chargers decided to go with Ryan Leaf in the 2000 season, though Harbaugh far outplayed him in his limited starts. In 2001 Harbaugh would be on the rosters of both the Lions and Panthers, but saw no playing time.

Harbaugh makes the list based almost entirely on one season. But one great season is more than the guys behind him had. At this point, Harbaugh’s greatest claim to fame is probably leading Stanford to a win over USC last year. At one time though, he was one of the league’s most accurate trigger-men.

43.

Aaron Brooks- Saints and Raiders

Aaron Brooks was the fourth round pick of the Green Bay Packers in 1999. He was traded to the Saints in 2000. In week 11 of that season he came into the game to replace an injured Jeff Blake. Brooks played well enough over the next five games to win the starting job for the next 5 seasons. Brooks helped the Saints sew up a playoff appearance just one year after going 3-13. Not only that but in the wild card round he would throw four touchdowns en route to upsetting the defending Super Bowl Champion Rams.

In 2001 though the Saints struggled Aaron Brooks threw for 3800 yards and a franchise record, at the time, 26 TD’s. In 2002 he would top himself by throwing 27 TD’s. Despite his great play that season Saints fans would berate him late in the season and ask for him to be replaced. Another example of the woes of an entire team being placed on one man’s shoulders. In ’03 Brooks would have maybe his best season throwing 24 TD’s and only 8 interceptions. Again though, the Saints missed the playoffs and pressure was growing on Brooks. In his six years as a starter for the Saints only Tom Brady would lead more 4th quarter comebacks. Still, in 2005 Aaron Brooks was benched near the end of the season.

After one very poor year in the Abyss that is the Raiders, Aaron Brooks career would inexplicably come to an end. Despite five extremely productive years in New Orleans Aaron Brooks was not given another chance after his stint in Oakland. Despite workouts in Pittsburgh and Green Bay Aaron Brooks was never offered another job in the league. With the elevated number of sub-par QB’s in the league, Brooks who averaged over 3000 yards and 20 TD’s in his six years as a Saint was forced to retire due to lack of interest. I know it ended bad but we should try to remember how good Aaron Brooks really was.

42.

Steve Beuerlein- Panthers, Cardinals, Cowboys, Broncos, Raiders and Jaguars

Beuerlein was a fourth round pick of the Raiders in 1987 and would be their part time starter in both ’88 and ’89. During that time he posted a winning record, yet the Raiders would never turn to him to be their franchise Quarterback, instead letting him leave in 1991 to join the Dallas Cowboys. Beuerlein saw starting duty for an injured Troy Aikman in 1991 and was a perfect 4-0 during his starting stretch and played a major role in the Cowboys return to the playoffs. He also started against the Bears in the playoffs and threw his only career playoff TD pass en route to a win.

In 1993 Beuerlein wold leave Dallas to take a starting job in Phoenix. Beurlein would struggle in his first shot as a starter throwing more interceptions than TD’s during his two year stint with the Cards. In 1995 the Jacksonville Jaguars would take Beuerlein with their first pick in the expansion draft. Beuerlein was brought in only to groom Mark Brunell to be the long term starter and he did that, and then was released at the end of the season. He signed with the Carolina Panthers. After two years as a very productive back up for the Panthers Steve Beuerlein was named the starting quarterback prior to the 1998 season. Beuerlein played very well completing 63% of his passes. In 1999 at 34 years old, Beuerlein would have the best year of his career. He threw for almost 4500 yards and 36 TD’s. He would make his only Pro Bowl that year. His numbers dipped dramatically the next year and Beuerlein was released at the end of the season. Beuerlein finished his career as a back up for the Denver Broncos.

Beuerlein’s story is one of perseverance. It took him 10 years to become the guy, but when given that chance he made the most of it. He is still the record holder in most categories for the Panthers and had great back-up stints for the Cowboys and Raiders.

41.

Doug Flutie- Patriots, Bills and Chargers

After a stellar career at Boston College Doug Flutie won the Heisman Trophy. Still he was undrafted due to his 5’9″ height. Flutie seized an opportunity presented to him by Donald Trump and the USFL. He played two seasons for the New Jersey Generals. When the USFL folded in 1986 Flutie went to play for the Chicago Bears. Flutie would start just one  game for the Bears and was traded to the New England Patriots during the 1987 season. Flutie would win the starting job in New England, however injuries would mar the two years he spent there. With a lack of opportunities pending in the NFL Flutie went north of the border and began a career in the CFL.

During 8 years playing for the BC Lions and Toronto Argonauts Flutie threw for over 40,000 yards and 270 TD’s. He also won the Grey Cup on three occasions and was the league MVP three times. In 2006 Doug Flutie was named the greatest Canadian Football Player of all-time by TSN.

In 1998 Doug Flutie returned to the NFL and became the starting quarterback of the Buffalo Bills. Flutie led the Bills to the playoffs that year and was named to the Pro Bowl. Flutie would lead Buffalo back to the playoffs the final season, but owner Ralph Wilson insisted that young Rob Johnson replace Flutie for the playoff game. Which they lost. In 2000 Rob Johnson was given the starting job and went 4-7 as a starter. In contrast Flutie was 4-1 in relief of an injured Johnson late in the season. Still the franchise was determined to make things work with Johnson, so instead of having a QB controversy going in to the 2001 season, the Bills released Doug Flutie.

Flutie signed with a bad Chargers team after the ’01 season. He was very productive at times but struggled much of the season behind a really bad offensive line. The next year Doug Flutie became Drew Brees’ back-up. In 2003 he replaced a struggling Brees late in the season. He played well and was in fact named AFC player of the week after he ran for two TD’s. In 2004 Doug Flutie signed with the New England Patriots and ended his career as Tom Brady’s back-up.

Doug Flutie is not on this list because of any numbers. Rather he makes the list for defying the odds time and again and being one of the most popular players in the history of the league. It was hard not to like Flutie even if he was playing opposite your team. He was the purveyor of Flutie Magic, from the Hail Mary on.

What’s Really Going On With Lane Kiffin

By Garrett Barnes

A couple days ago I wrote an article on Lane Kiffin and how he is ready to be fired at any moment. When he beat the Chiefs he basically just delayed the inevitable. People would think most Raider haters would be happy about how Al Davis is running the Raiders into the ground. He is running it into the ground so badly I can’t stand it.

No team, not even the Raiders should deserve Al Davis as an owner. He is the worst owner in NFL history and does not deserve to own an NFL team. It is dissapointing to see any franchise suffer under Al Davis. He absolutely disgusts me.

But my personal feelings set aside I think that there is maybe something else stirring that we are not seeing right now. First of all I think that Lane Kiffin has completely lost control of the team and that would be my only reason that I could see him being fired for. But that is not all his fault. His coaches do not report to him, they report to Al Davis. Lane Kiffin is simply a puppet.

Reporting to Al Davis is a bad thing because then not only does the coach know nothing but Al Davis can’t be there every second of the day. I don’t want the guy pulling the strings for a team sitting in an owners box. If he is going to coach then I want him out on the field every day. Not attached to some life support system in a bed.

Also the relationship between Kiffin and Davis seems to be slipping even more after Kiffins recent comments on Rob Ryan the Defensive Coordinator who may I add has been gunning for the Head Coaching job for years now. Kiffin said and I quote “I’m not going to really get into if I was the defensive coordinator what I would do because that doesn’t really matter,” Kiffin said. “I’m the head coach. I oversee everything and I control what I can control. Do I have the exact belief we do on defense? No, but it’s hard to have the exact belief that we do. So, it is what it is.”

In simple terms: Rob Ryan is @%$@# who reports to Al Davis giving Kiffin no control over the defensive side of the ball.

“Rob and the owner are always in communication,” Kiffin said. “For the most part, I let Rob do his thing over there. He has a belief in certain things and he has a conversation with the owner about that. So, that wasn’t the way the game plan ended up the other night.” This makes Davis angry because it is revealing too much info about the franchise and it makes him look bad.

Now, here are the facts Black Holes. Lane Kiffin will be fired. It is a matter of when. It will likely happen this week if you guys lose. Since you suck… It is likely we will be seeing the last of Kiffin for a little while. He is fine for the rest of the week according to Adam Schefter.

Two years ago though Davis called Schefter a “false rumor monger” when he said Art Shell would be fired in the next week. It would be one thing if he was not fired but as you make guess he was within the time period that Schefter guessed too. So I would trust Schefter for now. Al Davis just hates him because he is right and used to cover the Broncos.

So to sum it all up, the walls are closing in on Lane Kiffin and the hate between him and Davis is growing. You want to know what I would like to see though… I want when he is fired for him to write a book on his experience with Al Davis and how much of a monster he is. That is something that I would buy. I think even Raiders fans might. But all that beside, I will cover this more as new info unfolds.