Russel

[joseephuss]

At this point, I don't think there is any question. Leaf had maturity issues when he came out, as I recall, but he had as much talent as anybody who ever played the position when he was drafted. His problem was an injury that pretty much ended his career.

Russel, well, he looks as if he may never be able to play the position at this point.

That injury did not occur until after he wore out his welcome in San Diego.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

That injury did not occur until after he wore out his welcome in San Diego.

No, Leaf had a series of injuries while in San Diego. They were not good at the time and as I recall, Leaf suffered a shoulder injury in his 1st year that put him on the IR his entire 2nd season. Leaf complained of an injured wrist in that same season but was not considered serious by San Diego. In 2000, he injured his wrist seriously in the 4th game of that season and that was the injury that pretty much ended his career. Essentially, his wrist would pop out of socket on any given attempt. After that season, Leaf was released from San Diego. Leaf was as talented as they come when you just looked at the physical aspects of his game. Russell, not so much. Leaf was prolific as a starter at Washington State. Russell was just OK at LSU IMO. Russell, to me, was a product of the talent around him. Leaf was the reason Washington State was succesful IMO.

Leaf was special physically. He could make any throw. He just wasn't very mature and he had serious character flaws. Russell, to me, was a product of Potential. The NFL looked at this guy and saw what if. I never thought he was a very good passer. JMO.

 

[JonJon]

JaMarcus Russell is not a scramble first QB. He wasn't in college is isn't now. He finished his three years at LSU with 79 rushing yards. He had negative rushing yards his first two seasons and 142 rushing yards his last season in college. In college I thought he played a lot like Ben Roethlisberger. They both scrambled to buy time and then chunk it down field with their big arms, but rarely run down field. Big Ben has been able to do that successfully at the NFL while JaMarcus has not.

Exactly. He is more like Jared Lorenzen than Michael Vick.

But I agree, he is a terrible QB. I just hope he doesn't get benched before we play them on Thanksgiving.

 

[JonJon]

All you need to know about J. Russell:

Stat of the Day: JaMarcus Russell is Not Good

I know every time I bring up QB rating people feel the need to mention that it's an antiquated statistic. I get it. There are probably better means of identifying who the best and worst QBs in the league, but the QB rating still works quite well.

If we're looking at all of the QBs in the league, who would be your top 10 in 2009? Would it look like this?

Peyton Manning
Aaron Rodgers
Drew Brees
Matt Schaub
Ben Roethlisberger
Brett Favre
Kyle Orton
Tom Brady
Philip Rivers
Tony Romo
That's your top 10 NFL QBs in 2009 ranked by their QB Rating. It's not identical to my list of the best 2009 QBs (I'd probably have Rodgers down a couple of spots), but it's damn close. That's why I continue to at least respect the QB Rating stat as a means to judge a QB's performance.

Here where it gets amazing. There are 32 teams in the NFL and therefore 32 starting QBs. Due to injuries and changes in the position for some teams, 35 QBs have averaged at least 14 passes per game. Can you guess where JaMarcus Russell ranks amongst those 35 signal-callers? 34th. That means there are at least two QBs in the league who are or were considered backups that have played better.

Now here's the kicker. The only QB that is still getting a chance to play the position with a lower QB Rating is Derek Anderson, who is probably only playing because the Browns don't want to give Brady Quinn a $11 million bonus. He is considered a starter, and Quinn does not have enough snaps to be ranked. That means there are three QBs that are or were considered backups with higher QB ratings than Russell. Can you name them all? (Answer at the end of the post)

 

[Hoofbite]

Russell isn't Ryan Leaf or Cade McNown bad but he is Akili Smith or Andre Ware bad.

They all sucked. Is there really that much a difference between sucking and sucking?

 

[Aikbach]

They all sucked. Is there really that much a difference between sucking and sucking?

Well you can suck as a human being as McNown and Leaf did or you can just not be cut out for the pro game and be the product of college systems like Ware and Smith were.

 

[Hoofbite]

Well you can suck as a human being as McNown and Leaf did or you can just not be cut out for the pro game and be the product of college systems like Ware and Smith were.

I see. Thought we were just talking about the pro game. Didn't know we were going life lessons here.