Sports

Column: Ryan, Flacco buck trend for rookie quarterbacks

By Mike Brusko

Posted on Sept. 17, 2009, at 1:14 a.m.

If there is one thing I can attest to when it comes to athletics, it is the tremendous, inherent pressure that comes with playing the quarterback position. Unless you’ve played the position, you will never truly understand the magnitude or amount of complexities that come with the responsibility. Still, even the layman can see there is no individual in the sports world who is placed under the spotlight more than a quarterback. That is because he touches the ball on every single play and has more effect on the outcome of the game than anyone else on the field.

I know what it’s like to play quarterback at the Division I level and how difficult it is to transition from the high school game. With that experience, I can almost imagine what it must be like for a rookie quarterback making his debut in the NFL. Some of you are probably reading this assuming the transition is very similar to the transition you went through in adjusting to the workload your college courses offer. I wouldn’t be fulfilling my journalistic duties if I allowed you to believe that. It’s more like being thrown into shark-infested waters with a bloody nose.

What I’m trying to say is that last year, Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco — who led their teams to the playoffs — gave most football fans the wrong impression of how much success a rookie quarterback will usually have in the NFL. Mark Sanchez and Matthew Stafford started their first games as rookies this past weekend and had moderate success. Sanchez certainly was the more impressive of the two by completing 18 of 31 passes with one touchdown and one interception. More importantly, he led his team to a win in their season opener. Stafford didn’t fare as well — he went 16-for-37 with zero touchdowns and three interceptions. In order to provide a little bit of perspective, allow me to show you the statistics of the three most prominent quarterbacks in the game today from their rookie seasons:

Tom Brady (New England Patriots) didn’t start a single game in his first year and completed a whopping one pass for six yards. Need I say more?

Drew Brees (then San Diego Chargers, currently the New Orleans Saints) matched Brady in starts with zero but was able to complete 15 of 27 passes and actually threw a touchdown. Doesn’t quite compare to the six he threw in their season opener on Sunday, does it?

Peyton Manning (Indianapolis Colts) was the only one of the three who earned himself a job as the starter and actually set the record for touchdown passes in a season by a rookie with 26. Unfortunately, most people fail to remember he also threw 28 interceptions and led his team to a less-than-mediocre 3-13 record.

The point of this column is not to downplay anything these three have accomplished in their careers or to bash them for their lack of success in year one. As a matter of fact, it is completely the opposite. My goal is to make sure that you, as the average football fan, remember two things: It is virtually impossible for rookies like Sanchez and Stafford to resemble the likes of the current Brady, Brees and Manning in their debut seasons. and whatever level of production they do have this year is not indicative of their careers to come. Be patient, Jets and Lions fans.

Mike Brusko is a quarterback for the Black Bears.

Campus Currents: Football