Is Drew Bledsoe "Good Enough"

[StanleySpadowski]

I think most of us would love to have a young QB who was ready to take over that is not the case. Bledsoe can help this team win, he is not going to carry this team and but if we can fix our line and be able to have a consistant running game it will help Bledsoe and the passing game. I watch the 2 QB in this SB their teams finished 3rd (sea) and 5th (pitt) in rushing in the NFL yet finished 12th (sea) and 24th (pitt) in passing offense.

Yardage statistics are something of a red herring. I showed a while ago how Hasselback's numbers decreased substantially in the second half of games because the team often had the lead and rode Alexander and clock.

 

[DipChit]

How about this phrase, Just think where would Dallas be with a budding star at QB???"

Hmmm.. maybe out playing some golf with the Giants players this weekend?

 

[Doomsday101]

Yardage statistics are something of a red herring. I showed a while ago how Hasselback's numbers decreased substantially in the second half of games because the team often had the lead and rode Alexander and clock.

It is always a red herring when someone does not agree. Fact is team have to respect the run you don't put up 1,800 yards by running ever now and then so don't hand me this crud about how Alexander only ran the ball to kill the clock that is BS. Pitt also forces defense to respect their run and when you get down to it they don't ask Rothlisbuger to put the ball up as often as most QB's around the league.

 

[Doomsday101]

Alexander rushing for the season by quarters:
1st qrt 98 carries
2nd qrt 96 carries
3rd qrt 85 carries
4th qrt 84 carries

This notion that Seattle does not run the ball except in the second half after already having the lead is pure BS!!!

 

[joseephuss]

Alexander rushing for the season by quarters:
1st qrt 98 carries
2nd qrt 96 carries
3rd qrt 85 carries
4th qrt 84 carries

This notion that Seattle does not run the ball except in the second half after already having the lead is pure BS!!!

Hasselback seems to pass the ball less as the game goes on as well:

1st qrt 117 attempts
2nd qrt 139 attempts
3rd qrt 98 attempts
4th qrt 88 attempts

 

[dfense]

As with most impatient spoiled Cowboy fans, you cannot see the forst threw the trees. Everybody has hung the Cowboys success or failure on the QB. What are you basing the "dinosaur" comment on? Because he's in his 30's? Bledsoe has proven he's unflappable and tough. He jumps up from every hit unhurt. He can make every throw required of an NFL QB. He should have been in the Pro Bowl this year over a guy like Vick. (I will never understand that pick) You can argue Vick can run for a first down or TD, but the reality is, even with the best running game in the NFL and his legs, he couldn't win. Bledsoe had a below average running game and a suspect line at best. He couldn't step up in the pocket at times because Al Johnson has real problems with NT's, Pettiti was a total rookie and Tucker couldn't make another team. Yet he threw about twice as many TD's as Vick.

And with those line problems, Bledsoe threw like the 2nd most yards in a season as a Cowboy? Imagine if Flozell didn't go down. Did you even watch Bledsoe in the San Diego, San Fran, Kansas City and Denver games? He repeatedly brought the team back from 14 and 10 point deficits.

I'll take the dinosaur and fix some other issues like LB FS C T first.

 

[joseephuss]

As with most impatient spoiled Cowboy fans, you cannot see the forst threw the trees. Everybody has hung the Cowboys success or failure on the QB. What are you basing the "dinosaur" comment on? Because he's in his 30's? Bledsoe has proven he's unflappable and tough. He jumps up from every hit unhurt. He can make every throw required of an NFL QB. He should have been in the Pro Bowl this year over a guy like Vick. (I will never understand that pick) You can argue Vick can run for a first down or TD, but the reality is, even with the best running game in the NFL and his legs, he couldn't win. Bledsoe had a below average running game and a suspect line at best. He couldn't step up in the pocket at times because Al Johnson has real problems with NT's, Pettiti was a total rookie and Tucker couldn't make another team. Yet he threw about twice as many TD's as Vick.

And with those line problems, Bledsoe threw like the 2nd most yards in a season as a Cowboy? Imagine if Flozell didn't go down. Did you even watch Bledsoe in the San Diego, San Fran, Kansas City and Denver games? He repeatedly brought the team back from 14 and 10 point deficits.

I'll take the dinosaur and fix some other issues like LB FS C T first.

No one is saying not to fix those other issues. I think we all agree those definitly need to be fixed. It is just wondeing what happens when they are fixed. The goal is the Superbowl. Can Bledsoe be they guy when everything else is fixed? Not just next season, but how about 2 seasons from now or 5 seasons from now.

And 34 is old for a football player, especially a QB. Sure there are a guys that have played at that age, but it is not the norm. It is a concern even if it is just a minor one.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

No one is saying not to fix those other issues. I think we all agree those definitly need to be fixed. It is just wondeing what happens when they are fixed. The goal is the Superbowl. Can Bledsoe be they guy when everything else is fixed? Not just next season, but how about 2 seasons from now or 5 seasons from now.

And 34 is old for a football player, especially a QB. Sure there are a guys that have played at that age, but it is not the norm. It is a concern even if it is just a minor one.

It should be a major concern. Instead of the QB position being fixed for 10 years we're just going to have to address it pretty darn soon.

 

[Doomsday101]

It should be a major concern. Instead of the QB position being fixed for 10 years we're just going to have to address it pretty darn soon.

I agree. Regardless if you like Bledsoe or not it does not change the fact that he is up there in age and Dallas can't wait until he retires to know what they are going to do to find his replacement. I would hope his replacement is already on the team but that is far from a sure thing at this point.

 

[kartr]

I don't think there is any way to say for sure 1 way or the other because the fact is Bledsoe did not have the line of the Steelers or Seahawks and did not have the running game either of those teams have. I don't think too many people felt Dilfer would get a ring well he got one and others like Theisman did as well. I do think Dallas needs to look ahead when Bledsoe hangs them up so that we are not in the same situation we were in when Aikman retired but I do think with some improvements along the line that Bledsoe and the offense can have a lot more success than we had this past season.

Bledsoe makes the same poor decisions that inexperienced qb's make after 13 years. If he hasn't gotten it by now, he aint going to get it. Both Rothlesberger and Hasselbeck have decent mobility and use it to bolster their passing skills, Bledsoe has no mobility and is a poor decision maker under fire to boot.

 

[kartr]

Gimme a break.

Bledsoe is a dinasaur. Why are we hinging our success on a never-was???

This is like saying Danny White was our best option in 1989.

Ask this Question: would the Seahawks and Steelers gotten to the Super Bowl with Drew Bledsoe at QB??? I think NOT!!!

Not bashing Drew, but reality is black and white. It's also a hard teacher. We can color it as much as we want, but Drew is NOT our answer nor our savior.

Drew's stats mirrors Vinny's. Does that mean Vinny can bring us to the promised land as well???

You hit that one out of the park.

 

[kartr]

If Trent Dilfer is good enough to win a Superbowl as a starting QB then Drew Bledsoe is.

Now...you have to hope your defense is as good as that Ravens D was as well.

Dilfer didn't throw critical int's and had decent mobility when he went to the superbowl.

 

[Doomsday101]

Bledsoe makes the same poor decisions that inexperienced qb's make after 13 years. If he hasn't gotten it by now, he aint going to get it. Both Rothlesberger and Hasselbeck have decent mobility and use it to bolster their passing skills, Bledsoe has no mobility and is a poor decision maker under fire to boot.

Get a clue, every QB who plays the game will make poor reads and throw ill timed ints. Bledsoe is also rated as 1 of the top come from behind QB's in the game.

 

[kartr]

Bledsoe is MORE than good enough to win a championship in Dallas.

IF Parcells and Jones will spend the money and solidify our O-line then our offense will be GREAT!

We need to load up the guns because this is a 2 year window with Parcells and Bledsoe to get the championship.

I bet you that they will both retire after the 2007 season so they have 2 seasons to win the big one!

Bledsoe hasn't gotten a team into the playoffs in 8 years with 3 teams, how's he going to get you to the super bowl, if he can't get you to the playoffs.

 

[kartr]

It's still my belief that if it wasn't for Desmon Howard, Bledsoe has a ring as a starter.

And to completely discredit him as a never was isn't nessecarily true either. In the Pats 1st SB he beat Pittsburgh in the AFC Championship game.

You've got to be kidding! Did you even see that game? The Pats offense scored 10 points in that game against the Steelers 17. Troy Brown's punt return for a td and the Pats special teams blocked what would have been the winning field goal for Pittsburgh and returned it for a td.

Here are the real numbers:

Pats special teams scored 14 points, while the Pats offense scored 10 points.
Pittsburgh's offense with Kordell Stewart no less scored 17 points with Jerome Bettis playing poorly due to injury. In fact, Stewart had 250 yards passing in that game, which was more yards passing than Brady/Bledsoe had combined. Give me a break!

 

[kartr]

Teams will blitz Bledsoe and expose the Cowboys just like the Steelers exposed Manning and his so-called improved offensive line.

Manning is about as bad in the pocket as Bledsoe.

Unless Bledsoe has absolute protection in the pocket, he won't take us anywhere except home for the playoffs.

And with our 2006 schedule, that's exactly where we'll be this time next year, at home and then everybody will be suggesting that we trade all of our 2007 and 2008 draft picks to get 'Tom Brady Quinn'.

 

[kartr]

I try and ask myself these 10 questions about all the FA's/Vets...

1) is he a proven winner? +/-
2) How long has he been in the league/is he over 30? +/-
3) is he known for clutch plays? +/-
4) does he make his teammates better? +/-
5) How much of the game plan is or will be reliant on him (not enough/just right/too much)?
6) Does he take blame or pass it to others (leadership/responsibility)? +/-
7) is he known for working hard? +/-
8) is he injury prone or had lots of surgeries? +/-
9) is he well liked by his teammates? +/-
10) is he a smart (make good decisions)? +/-

I find it is a good check list to use in determining a players worth...

so if you will allow me to use it to look at Bledsoe...

1) No -
2) 14 years/yes 34 -
3) No -
4) No -
5) too much -
6) No -
7) No -
8) No +
9) don't know ?
10) No -

so out of those 10 questions I get 8 minuses, 1 plus and 1 unsure...

so too answer your question...No, I don't believe he will be good enough

Good analysis. The bottom line is that Bledsoe minus's are much greater than his positives and that's awful for a 13 year veteran. We should just bite the bullet and draft Omar Jacobs in the 2nd round this year as our qb of the future and Bruce Gradkowski as his backup. Both of these qb's will be better options in the future than anything we have now. We can't make the playoffs with Bledsoe because nobody else has in the last 8 years, including us. Both of these qb's have strong arms, are accurate,good decision-makers and run sub 4.60 in the forty. Since we aren't going to make the playoffs again, we might as well try to develop these guys and trade Bledsoe for a draft pick and throw the rest of our current qbs away. This will be the fastest way to get better. We could probably bring in McNair to mentor these guys and win a few games for us now.

 

[kartr]

While the biggest problem is the O-line, the running game also needs to step it up next year. For a team that is meant to run the ball and not let teams score on them they didn't really set the world on fire this year doing that.

With better protection and a running game that put's fear in people Bledsoe's faults will not be shown up so much. A play action that has defenders freeze is vital.

I was totally against Drew coming to Dallas but he did change my opinion of him. I don't think he is going to lead us to a Superbowl but he can get us close.

Bill will be gone most likely after this season then we can look to the future but at the moment Drew looks like out best shot, what other QB's are out there that can give us that experience ,good arm & toughness ( toughness being very important ).

1 Peyton Manning IND 3747 453 305 28 10 80 104.1
2 Carson Palmer CIN 3836 509 345 32 12 70 101.1
3 Ben Roethlisberger PIT 2385 268 168 17 9 85 98.6
4 Matt Hasselbeck SEA 3459 449 294 24 9 56 98.2
5 Marc Bulger STL 2297 287 192 14 9 57 94.4
6 Tom Brady NE 4110 530 334 26 14 71 92.3
7 Jake Plummer DEN 3366 456 277 18 7 72 90.2
8 Trent Green KC 4014 507 317 17 10 60 90.1
9 Byron Leftwich JAC 2123 302 175 15 5 45 89.3
10 Drew Brees SD 3576 500 323 24 15 54 89.2
11 Brad Johnson MIN 1885 294 184 12 4 80 88.9
12 Jake Delhomme CAR 3421 435 262 24 16 80 88.1
13 Mark Brunell WAS 3050 454 262 23 10 78 85.9
14 Kurt Warner ARI 2713 375 242 11 9 63 85.8
15 Kelly Holcomb BUF 1509 230 155 10 8 65 85.6
16 Donovan McNabb PHI 2507 357 211 16 9 91 85.0
17 Drew Bledsoe DAL 3639 499 300 23 17 71 83.7
18 Steve McNair TEN 3161 476 292 16 11 57 82.4
19 Chris Simms TB 2035 313 191 10 7 78 81.4
20 Kerry Collins OAK 3759 565 302 20 12 79 77.3
21 David Carr HOU 2488 423 256 14 11 53 77.2
22 Trent Dilfer CLE 2321 333 199 11 12 80 76.9
23 Eli Manning NYG 3762 557 294 24 17 78 75.9
24 Josh McCown ARI 1836 270 163 9 11 49 74.9
25 Michael Vick ATL 2412 387 214 15 13 58 73.1
26 Brooks Bollinger NYJ 1558 266 150 7 6 60 72.9
27 Joey Harrington DET 2021 330 188 12 12 86 72.0
28 Gus Frerotte MIA 2996 494 257 18 13 60 71.9
29 Kyle Boller BAL 1799 293 171 11 12 47 71.8
30 Anthony Wright BAL 1582 266 164 6 9 48 71.7


His passer rating is near the middle of the field, while not being good it is still not the worst. With protection that should improve. He does miss open passes a couple of times a game but with a year under his belt with this team that should improve.

If the Cowboys have a good as off season as the last then the whole team will be better and any glaring hole's will (with luck) be sown up.

I think he gives us the best chance at the moment and if next year or the year after that we start to groom a franchise QB Drew will be a good teacher and a valuable back up.

Take a good look at that list, Steve McNair is just below Drew and he is on an absolutely terrible team. Looks like McNair will be available in free agency. If McNair can put up similar numbers to Drew on a vastly inferior team, imagine what he could do on this team.

 

[kartr]

Hasselback seems to pass the ball less as the game goes on as well:

1st qrt 117 attempts
2nd qrt 139 attempts
3rd qrt 98 attempts
4th qrt 88 attempts

Looks to me that both sets of numbers show that the key is run the football consistently in all 4 quarters and throw less as the game wears on. Hmmm, I wonder when Peyton Manning will figure this out. This formula seems to be close to what we were doing in 2003 when we made the playoffs last.

 

[kartr]

As with most impatient spoiled Cowboy fans, you cannot see the forst threw the trees. Everybody has hung the Cowboys success or failure on the QB. What are you basing the "dinosaur" comment on? Because he's in his 30's? Bledsoe has proven he's unflappable and tough. He jumps up from every hit unhurt. He can make every throw required of an NFL QB. He should have been in the Pro Bowl this year over a guy like Vick. (I will never understand that pick) You can argue Vick can run for a first down or TD, but the reality is, even with the best running game in the NFL and his legs, he couldn't win. Bledsoe had a below average running game and a suspect line at best. He couldn't step up in the pocket at times because Al Johnson has real problems with NT's, Pettiti was a total rookie and Tucker couldn't make another team. Yet he threw about twice as many TD's as Vick.

And with those line problems, Bledsoe threw like the 2nd most yards in a season as a Cowboy? Imagine if Flozell didn't go down. Did you even watch Bledsoe in the San Diego, San Fran, Kansas City and Denver games? He repeatedly brought the team back from 14 and 10 point deficits.

I'll take the dinosaur and fix some other issues like LB FS C T first.

What your missing is this, those teams you mentioned about the comebacks, all finished in the bottom ten against the pass, 3 of which didn't make the playoffs. So if all you want is for us to compete against the teams with poor defenses, then you don't want us to get to the playoffs.