NFC

Seattle Seahawks @

Atlanta Falcons:

Seattle is playing very well but the Falcons were best in the league during the regular season. They have a passing attack ranked 6^th during the regular season and although their running attack has looked anemic at times (they ranked 29^th), a rested Michael Turner is a dangerous man. Look for the Falcons to host the title game.

Green Bay Packers @

San Francisco 49ers:

San Francisco has looked good, and then they’ve looked bad. Green Bay is much the same. Both these teams have the talent, but which team(s) will show up? They each have a good, a bad, and an ugly. If both teams show up with their A-game, look for the best game of the playoffs. But Kaepernick is wet and one mistake is all it may come down to. Look for Rogers & Co. to pull off the upset and make the championship game in Atlanta.

AFC

Baltimore Ravens @

Denver Broncos:

Baltimore took care of the wild card round but Denver was best in the league in the regular season. Baltimore seems to never roll on all cylinders. They are a very good team, and won their division, but faltered at the end of the season and still haven’t put their volatile and multi-talented passing game on the level it should be. Look for Manning to tear apart this Baltimore defense like he does all defenses and host the AFC championship game.

Houston Texans @

New England Patriots:

Foxborough is a tough place to visit in the playoffs. Houston will have it’s hands full. The last time they visited there was only a month ago when they got spanked by the Pats by 28 points. But, any given Sunday. Houston has very little holes, but they are finicky. They’re only losses this season have been when no one played well, on either side of the ball. They were all blowouts . But they had a lot more wins (than just about everyone in the league for that matter) when they just played a regular. Their average game is as good if not better than any team in the league and when they play well they can blow you out. But Belichick and Brady always fight tooth-and-nail and they would rather die than lose at home. Look for the Pats to visit Denver for the title game.

There will be no NHL games in 2012 but fans hope the NHL and NHLPA can come to an agreement and salvage the season which would start in 2013

The NHL has gone through four strikes (or lockouts) in the past three decades, and for a league that’s trying to bridge the gap between them and the top three sports in North America, this is doing them no good. So who’s to blame?

In 1992 there was a strike that postponed 30 games. In 1994-95 there was a lockout that cancelled games and shortened the regular season to 48 games per team with no inter- conference games. In 2004-05 there was a lockout that ended all potential games. No NHL season was recorded. And now we are at yet another lockout and fans continue to get frustrated. And the NHL is hungry for more fans! What may be more disgusting than anything is that hockey has continued to generate a bigger and bigger fan base every year for the past decade and yet the NHL kills this trend by demanding more money from the players.

So here’s the skinny:

Without getting into the minutia of everything the NHL and the NHLPA are arguing about, it’s pretty simple: The NHL and its owners are saying that they are not making enough money and that they need to take a bigger chunk of the revenue if they want to keep their teams out of bankruptcy. The NHLPA then counters with “We are not going to simply let you pick a percentage that you like and then give us the rest.”

There are other factors involved, like player pensions, but as much as people like to talk about how important they are, the biggest issue is owners vs. players take of revenue. And this just happened less than a decade ago when the players were getting about 75% of total revenue and then agreed to a new deal (so they wouldn’t have to sit out another season) and took 57% instead! Now the owners are back at it saying they need even more.

In almost every strike or lockout, no matter the sport, I tend to stay very neutral as the problem usually is that there is greed on both sides and both sides need to make concessions and come to an understanding. This, however, is different.

Firstly – the NHL is not nearly as financially desperate as they would like you to think. Just like with any multi-billion dollar industry, you can pick real numbers and show them in certain ways and make your business look any way you want it to. Yes, some teams are not making as much as they would like, but even the lowest estimated team’s worth is $130 million (St. Louis Blues), and you can’t actually lose money as an owner – it’s called revenue and loss distribution which is in every major sport, including the NHL. And this brings me to my next point.

Secondly – the problem with the NHL is not player vs. owner revenue take, it’s the NHL’s structure and their reluctance to change it. There is plenty of money to go around. Unfortunately, the NHL owners won’t accept this fact and have the lowest percentage of shared revenue of any major sport. Sports leagues are a community of teams and owners all reliant on the fan base that the league as a whole creates. Everyone understands this, even the NHL. Every new fan, for just one team, helps out the league as a whole and even other teams. And this is why the NFL shares 60% of its revenue and the NBA shares almost 50% of theirs. And what about the NHL? Try 4.5%.

Their argument for this is that hockey is much more regional than any other major sport and so relies on local media and local fans more than any other sport. And while this is true, it’s only true to an extent. There still should be much more revenue sharing. And it’s also a myopic stance to take when the NHL has continued to express how much they want to grow and develop a larger fan base. If you are not sharing revenue and you are leaving teams to fend for themselves in their region then you are cutting off the lifeline that will feed a larger, more major sport.

The system that the NHL has in place right now ensures that the rich will get richer and the poor will need to relocate out of Phoenix and St. Louis and search for better regions and a better fan base. Teams like the Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Rangers, Montreal Canadiens, and Chicago Blackhawks are making the majority of the money in the NHL and the last thing they want is for this terrible system to be uncovered and have to share more revenue. But this system can’t work because other teams aren’t making enough. So what should we do? – I know, let’s just say the players are making too much and pass the finances onto their salaries. What a crock.

It is so sad that this great game has to have owners and a commissioner (Gary Bettman) who are this greedy and this undermining to the health of the league. Playoff hockey may be the most exciting sport to watch (and a great comfort when there is no more NFL to watch) and people were finally coming to see this. Not only were more fans watching the NHL last year than any other year, but one of their biggest markets, Los Angeles, wins the Stanley Cup. What a great sign for the next year! L.A. has the population and demographics to up the NHL’s fan base as a whole – even if it’s just casual fans gaining an appreciation for the game. But, alas, we are left with what looks like no hockey season and a bitter sports void after the NFL Super Bowl.

The last point to be made is that almost every player in the NHL has had to play in other lesser leagues (quite a few have gone over to Russia’s KHL which is already trying to compete with the NHL) while the lockout continues; and a few less fortunate players (blue-collar players whose names aren’t easily recognizable) have had to simply get regular jobs just to make ends meet. Does anyone think for a minute that any owner is having trouble making ends meet? Of course not. And yet they try and argue that they can’t make it unless they get a bigger chunk of the NHL profit.

The problem is not the NHL players. It’s the NHL and its atrocious revenue sharing.

The Denver Broncos have this division all locked up. They are looking very good with the 2^nd overall record in the AFC and a dominating win over Baltimore in week 15. This is the weakest division in football, however, and not everyone is a believer. But the Broncos have won nine in a row and Peyton Manning is a co-front runner (with Adrian Peterson) for league MVP.

Denver finishes off the season at home, hosting Cleveland week 16 and then Kansas City week 17 — both very winnable games, giving them a real shot at finishing with a 13-3 record and a 1^st round bye. The #1 seed is a possibility, although not a probability, as Houston owns any tie-breaker and would have to lose out. They own their own destiny, though, as winning out will ensure them the #2 seed.

The Broncos look good. Very good. Manning is in complete control of that offense and their defense is more than capable of keeping them in games. Look for them to go deep into the playoffs, even to the AFC Championship Game.

AFC EAST

The New England Patriots have this division all locked up and are vying (along with Denver, Houston, Baltimore and Indy) for a 1^st round bye. They currently have the 3^rd best overall record in the AFC, but are coming off a wild loss at home to San Francisco after a dominating win over Houston week 14.

The Pats are at Jacksonville week 16 and then host Miami week 17, and both games are probable wins, giving them a 12-4 record. This would probably give them the #2 or #3 seed … possibly the #1:

If Denver loses one of their next two (though that doesn’t seem likely) and/or Houston loses both of their next two (they don’t have the easiest final games), the Patriots hold head-to-head wins against both teams and would win any 12-4 tie-breaker(s). Predictably, the Pats can get no lower than the #3 seed.

The Patriots look great … and then they look human. They have some good wins, and then some terrible losses. But Belichick has them playing their best at the right time and we all know how comfortable this team is in the playoffs. Even though any of the top teams in the AFC can come with the best game on any given Sunday, look for the Pats to make the AFC Championship Game in Denver.

AFC NORTH

The Baltimore Ravens are the only AFC division leader that hasn’t clinched their division. They are a game up on Cincinnati and two games up on Pittsburgh and are not playing their best football — at the wrong time. Going into the playoffs, they are not the team to beat. But that doesn’t mean they can’t bring it. With a healthy defense, and a healthy dose of Ray Rice, this team has the talent, and the coaching, to beat any team in the AFC if they can manage to put it all together.

The Ravens have a tough end to the year hosting the Giants week 16 and then traveling to Cincinnati to finish off the season. They hold their own destiny and can lock up a 1^st round home game by winning out. They look like a 10-6 team that will miss out on a title game.

The Cincinnati Bengals have a shot at taking the division, but it’s not likely as Baltimore owns any tie-breaker. Still, they own their own playoff fate, as winning out will ensure a berth (and erase Pittsburgh’s). They are a young team that will win a lot of games in the near future and probably some titles. Dalton to Green will become a combo that will break some records someday. This year, however, look for them to be an early playoff exit.

The Pittsburgh Steelers will need to win and/or need help to make the playoffs. They are very banged-up and getting a little long in the tooth (which may be why they keep getting banged-up). But even without the injuries they are not the team they once were and it seems we are watching the last gasps of Big Ben and this championship Steelers team. Look for them to be an early playoff exit if they make it.

AFC SOUTH

The Houston Texans have this division all wrapped up and can claim the #1 seed by winning either of their final two games (against Minnesota week 16 and at Indy week 17). They have looked extremely good all year but took a humiliating loss to New England in Foxborough week 14; so not everyone is a believer anymore, even though they have the best record in the league and only have to win one of their next two to lock-up the #1 seed.

The Texans are a very solid team. Most of the season they have shown they have very little holes. They have a brilliant passing game, one of the best rushers in the league, and a solid defense. With a 1^st round bye and home-field throughout the playoffs, look for the Texans to be a contender but just miss out on the AFC title game.

The Indianapolis Colts are the surprise of the AFC. Everyone picked them to be one of the worst teams in the NFL and here they are with the 5^th Seed all but wrapped up. They should be able to take care of Kansas City in Arrowhead week 16 but they might have trouble with Houston at home. In any case they will make the playoffs and would be a Cinderella story if they make it far. Look for them to be an early exit, although everyone loves to root for teams like this.

NFC WEST

The San Francisco 49ers don’t have the easiest final two games (at Seattle and then hosting Arizona) but they are a game and a half up on Seattle and only need one win to lock-up the division; and they should be able to take care of Arizona at home. Seattle hasn’t lost at home all year but if there is a team to do it it’s the 49ers and how they’re playing right now coming off a great win in Foxborough. A loss, however, would make the Arizona game critical instead of a formality. Still, they hold the #2 Seed and a 1^st round bye in their own hands.

The 49ers are looking really good at the right time. Kaepernick is a gamer, Frank Gore is a beast, and their defense has the talent and ability to dominate games. They have had a few bad games however (notably two against St. Louis) and have trouble defensively at times so look for them to come up a few points shy of the title game as their rookie QB makes some mistakes.

The Seattle Seahawks may be the most exciting team in the NFC. Russell Wilson is not just multi-faceted, he’s all-faceted, and they have a shut-down defense when it plays well. Still, their defense doesn’t always play well and they’re going to have to win on the road if they want to go deep in the playoffs as winning the division is a long-shot. Still, the #5 Seed looks like a lock (they are home for the final two games against San Francisco week 16 and then St. Louis week 17) and would mean a trip to the NFC East winner which is an ideal situation as none of those teams would even have a better record than the Hawks. Look for Seattle to be a 1^st round spoiler but exit shy of the title game.

NFC EAST

The Washington Redskins are by far the most surprising division leader in the NFL. They hold tie-breakers (for the moment) against Dallas and New York and can take the division by winning-out. They go to Philadelphia week 16 and then host Dallas week 17 –- a game that may be for the division.

This division is a joke. The only team playing better than expected is the Redskins who everyone picked to be one of the worst teams in the NFC. Although Washington has beaten some very good teams, they are a few years away from their dynasty and won’t be able to match up against the NFC’s elite in the playoffs. Look for them to be an early exit if they make it. But watch out for this team in the next few years as they have all the signs of being a dominant force in the NFC in the near future.

The Dallas Cowboys hold their own destiny. Win-out and you’re in. The Cowboys @ Redskins week 17 finale looks like it will be for the division. But the Cowboys keep proving how terrible they really can play. Look for them to miss the playoffs.

The New York Giants also share a lead in this division but they need help from Washington and Dallas. Look for them to miss the playoffs.

NFC NORTH

The Green Bay Packers look poised to make another deep playoff run. They have bounced back from a slow start to take this division over convincingly and are in position to possibly take over the #2 seed from San Francisco if they can win out. But it will take a win in Minnesota the final week to do it, after Tennessee comes to Lambeau week 16. They look like a #3 seed lock and will host a first round playoff game.

The Packers are showing that Rodgers & co. have what it takes to be elite in the NFC. Even though their running game has looked anemic at times, and their defense not so strong, Rogers keeps proving that he can simply score more points than you –- a formula that teams like the Colts and Rams have used in the past to win Super Bowls. They are playing good at the right time and should go deep into the playoffs even without a 1^st round bye. Look for them to be in the AFC title game.

Minnesota is vying for a playoff spot and is one of a myriad of NFC teams on the cusp of taking the last spot (as Seattle looks poised to take the #5 seed). But they have a tough road ahead as they travel to Houston week 16 and then host Green Bay in the final week. They would have to win at least one of these games (and get help) if they want to get in. But with Adrian Peterson in the backfield, anything’s possible.

The Chicago Bears have completely come apart after an unbelievable start to the season. They played over half the season with the best record in the NFC until losing five of their last six games. Still, they have a good shot at a wild card (Green Bay has beaten them twice so they have no shot at the division) because of their easy final schedule: at Arizona and at Detroit. If they can win out they have a shot.

NFC SOUTH

The Atlanta Falcons have this division all wrapped up. They own the best record in the NFL (along with Houston) and can control the #1 seed with either a win at Detroit week 16 or a win at home against Tampa Bay week 17. The only scenario where they wouldn’t take the #1 seed into the playoffs is if they lose out and either San Francisco or Green Bay wins out (as Green Bay would own the tie-breaker).

The Falcons have played well all year although their two losses have come against two teams already out of the playoffs (New Orleans week 10 and Carolina week 14). They are also 24^th in the league in stopping the run and 28^th overall in rushing. Michael Turner and that Atlanta running game does not look like it did a few years ago and they mainly win games through their potent passing game. Matt Ryan and that receiving core is a lethal combination for opponents and this will not stop during the playoffs. Look for the Falcons to host the NFC Championship game against Green Bay in a high-scoring, shoot-em-up score-fest.

It seems to be a two-horse race coming down to the home-stretch in the 2012 NFL season with Peyton Manning and Adrian Peterson running neck and reconstructed neck. Some have put a few more names in the mix like Tom Brady, and even Andrew Luck and RGIII – but that’s ridiculous. The Rookie of the year award will be another close one but I think RGIII’s got it in the bag, barring a complete melt down in the last few games.

So who deserves the MVP – Peyton Manning or Adrian Peterson? Both. So who would you pick if you had a vote? …And so the debate begins.

Everyone agrees with at least one thing: They both deserve it. But who will get it? There are some, like Stephen A. Smith, who stalwartly picks Adrian Peterson and often brings up the injury he came back from (a torn ACL). But that is the wrong argument for Peterson. Manning’s neck surgeries were just as hard to come back from if not harder. The argument for Adrian Peterson is that he is having one of the greatest years any running back has ever had in the history of the NFL. Peyton Manning is having an unbelievable season, but not necessarily one of the greatest any QB has ever had. Adrian Peterson has a chance to break one of the most coveted rushing records of all time: The all-time single season rushing yards; and beat one of the great icons of the position of all time in Eric Dickerson. Adrian Peterson should win the award based on this – or so the argument should go. A very valid argument.

There are others, of course, who argue for Peyton Manning who came back from multiple neck surgeries and had to learn (and/or implement) a new system with new players and new coaches on a new team. And yet he has led, as the Great Field Commander does so well, the Denver Broncos to one of the best records in the AFC and a real shot at going deep in the playoffs. In his first year there.

And the significance of his presence on the field can’t be underestimated. The team would simply stink (probably) if he couldn’t play. He leads that offense like a machine and keeps them on the field and eats up the clock and wears out the defense. To his team, he is more important than Adrian Peterson is to his. But Peterson is on a record-setting season.

So it’s running back coming back from a torn ACL to lead the league in rushing vs. quarterback coming back from a broken neck to lead a new team to one of the best records in the AFC…

To me it’s a wash. They both deserve it. And that is why I pick Peyton Manning as my 2012 MVP.

The positions with the most MVP wins are the quarterback and running back positions, in that order. There is a reason why we tend to lean to quarterbacks when giving out awards: the quarterback position is the most important position on any team sport anywhere. And so for that reason only, because they both deserve the award, I’ll pick the quarterback in a tight race. And I hate co-MPs. Make a pick.

So what made Payton Manning choose the Denver Broncos over all the other suitors for his next (and, I’m sure he hopes, final) team he plays for? Why not Tennessee who gave him a blank check and lifetime contract promise (and where his wife is from and where he owns a house)? Or what about Arizona who actually has a pretty solid defense as well as maybe the best wide receiver in the league in Larry Fitzgerald? Or how about the San Francisco 49ers who everyone thought was a shoe-in for Manning? Not only does San Francisco already have a playoff team without Manning, they have one of the best defenses in the entire league, one of the best running backs in the game – a QBs best friend – and a young and talented core of receivers like Michael Crabtree and tight end Vernon Davis. The answers are simple:

Tennessee was out of the question because Manning doesn’t want to stay in the same division as the Colts and have to play them twice a year. Can you imagine if things don’t click right away and Manning gets beat by his old team and rookie quarterback who replaced him … twice? Forget about it. And San Francisco was a no-go because Payton doesn’t want to play in the same conference as his brother Eli. Meeting his brother in the Super Bowl is ok. Having to go through him to get there sucks. It was the same with Venus and Serena Williams (back when they were dominating the tennis scene). They often said they hated playing each other unless it was the finals because at least then one of them was going to be champ.

The reason Peyton Manning chose the Denver Broncos was 1: Process of elimination (to an extent); 2: John Elway (who is as good a guy, and straight forward a guy as can be); and 3: The guarantees he received behind closed doors (regarding what they would be willing to do, money-wise, to make the team better and assure him the best possible chance of building a winner).

Peyton is closing in on the final chapter of his career and you know that he wants another ring. I can only imagine what kind of discussions went on between him and the Broncos organization about what he wanted to ensure him a chance at another Super Bowl. Manning said as much in his press conference: “This isn’t something where I’m just building a foundation to do something in two years or three years. This is a now situation. We’re going to do whatever we can to win right now. That’s all I’m thinking about.”

But the question remains if Peyton can do it. He’s got three things going against him: 1) His surgically repaired neck that kept him out of football for the entire 2011-12 season. Will he be able to take hits or will that severe of an injury prove to be just too much to play football with? 2) His age. He is 35 and physically (his neck notwithstanding) not what he was five and 10 years ago. And 3) Can he come back after almost 2 years out of football at his age? I think John Elway is speaking the truth when he said, “My goal is to make Peyton Manning the best quarterback that’s ever played the game. And he’s got that ability, with the football that he’s got left.

The Ravens set the tempo early as Ray Rice ran for 36 yards with their first play from scrimmage and two plays later Joe Flacco found Anquan Boldin in the endzone. The Ravens’ defense forced the Steelers to punt on their first possession and that was about how the day went for both teams: The Ravens continued to move the ball and score touchdowns while the Steelers just couldn’t seem to get anything going. In the end, Baltimore scored a franchise high 35 points against their arch-rivals and the Steelers only managed one touchdown.

The Steelers committed 7 turnovers (off of which the Ravens scored 21 points) and Roethlisberger was sacked, knocked down, and hurried all game long. Baltimore’s blitz schemes were executed and timed perfectly all game long. You’ve got to give it up to Chuck Pagano for coming up with a defensive strategy that worked perfectly against a talented Steeler offense.

THE TAKE

It’s hard not to make comparisons when talking about these teams. They play similar styled smash-mouth football, a 3-4 defense, and a run-first offense even though both teams have a quarterback capable of putting up 300 yards a game and receivers talented enough to pick apart any defense. In these games, with the teams knowing each other so well, a lot of credit has to go to the coaches of the winning team.

Baltimore Ravens:

Baltimore looked great. Their offensive line looked amazing against one of the best run-stop defenses in the league (Rice’s 107 yards was the first 100-yard runner the Steelers had allowed since Rice did it back in ’09). Everyone knows their defense is as strong as they come in the league, but if that O-line can move guys off the line and create lanes like they did all game long AND give Flacco that much time in the pocket, watch out for this team in the playoffs.

The weapons Baltimore has are among the best in the league on both sides of the ball. From Haloti Ngata on the line and Ray Lewis and Terrell Suggs behind him, I don’t see any team having a 100-yard rusher against them all season (not to mention they have one of the best tackling secondaries in the league spearheaded by Ed Reed). The pickup of Anquan Boldin was one of the best in the offseason. He played for so long under the spotlight of Larry Fitzgerald in Arizona that people forget just how talented, and tough, this guy is. Flacco too, in my mind, is underrated. With all the talk about Rogers and Brady and Manning and Brees, Flacco continues to put the ball right on the numbers when he has to. He’s got a great arm, good mobility for a pocket quarterback, and some of the best decision-making skills in the league. I predict him and Boldin to put up some big numbers this year.

The Baltimore running game looked good against the Steelers which means it will probably look fantastic against any other team. Ray Rice is a beast who feeds on the big boys in the box. He runs hard, has good moves, and always seems to be falling forward at the end of plays (an overlooked quality that points not only to the extra yards, but to the players toughness and desire). And Ricky Williams looked good as the number two option.

The only question I might have is some of the decisions of their coach, John Harbaugh. He decided to fake an extra point FG and run it in for two when his team is up by 20 pts in the 3^rd quarter, which worked out perfectly, except now you probably can’t do it again. I would have saved the trick play for a more opportune time, maybe later in the season, in Pittsburgh. And his decision to go for a 4^th and one in the same quarter instead of kicking an easy field goal was ridiculous. Even if they would have converted it, it was the wrong decision. You don’t give your archrivals a chance to gain any type of momentum. You put more points on the board and put your defense back onto the field after your offense puts up points, not after it fails to convert. But this is very menial criticism of a team that played amazing against a tough division foe.

All in all the Baltimore Ravens have what it takes to get into the playoffs with a high seed and maybe go all the way. Look for them to be in the AFC championship game.

Pittsburgh Steelers:

Hines Ward got into 8^th place in the records book with his 955^th all-time reception, jumping ahead of Randy Moss and behind Isaac Bruce, who has 1,024. And that was about the only good thing that came out of this game for the Steelers.

To be quite honest though I don’t think the Steelers have that much to worry about. This just seemed to be one of those bad games for them that happens every now and then. They actually drove the ball decently at times (Roethlisberger had 280 yards passing) but were decimated by turnovers. They are still the Steelers though, with a solid defense and high-quality offense. If there was one thing that killed them this game, it was the old tendencies of Ben Roethlisberger coming out to haunt him again.

A guy who always likes to make things happen, even when he should just throw the ball away, Big Ben has always been criticized for hanging onto the ball too long, running and taking contact when he should protect himself better, and throwing the ball up for grabs instead of taking a sack. And boy did he prove his critics right in this game. This game would have been much closer if not for the attempted heroics of one Ben Roethlisberger. Not only did he cause his team turnovers, he put his defense on the field way too long. If your offense isn’t taking care of the ball, your defense is getting tired, guaranteed. Some blame does need to go to their offensive line. They weren’t great, but when you couple the fact that they were playing one of the best defenses in the league with the fact that Roethlisberger held onto the ball long enough to do laps around the stadium, something’s gonna give.

All in all the Steelers are still the Steelers and there is no way they won’t make the playoffs this year especially since you know at least one wild card will come out of the AFC North.

But watch out for Baltimore. They may very well be the best team in the AFC.

Almost every year there is hype about some quarterback that is supposed to be the next big thing. And every couple years after that there is the big disappointment of him not living up to his standards. It seems that the bigger the hype, the more ensured, and larger, the disappointment. From Ryan Leaf in 1998, to JaMarcus Russell in 2007, to the current debacle of Tim Tebow, what seems to be the problem with the supposed premier quarterback these days?

The problem is two-fold: Too much hype and publicity, and too early of a start.

Too much hype and publicity almost ensures a quarterback will fail, and this is why: Because it is impossible to succeed in the NFL. No one goes through a season without losing! And when a young man, fresh out of college, gets risen to the level of a king, anything short of perfection seems like a failure. Look at Vince Young. The media and fans look to quarterbacks as saviors, and when they don’t produce (which is usually anything short of a Super Bowl) the psychological impact can be devastating.

Starting a quarterback right out of college is the biggest mistake teams make, and they make it all the time, and they show no indication of stopping. Great idea! Let’s throw David Carr straight into the worst offense in the league and completely shoot down his confidence and stamina for the rest of his career. Let’s throw Vince Young in the game before he’s had a chance to really sit back and take in the NFL game. Let’s put Alex Smith in right away and watch him fail. And let’s draft Terrelle Pryor and make sure people know he will be a difference maker this season (Oakland Raiders).

Now you’ve got people like Merrill Hodge explaining (in no polite manner) how guys like Tebow and Pryor are going to be a bust. And he’s right, they are. But he’s wrong about the reasons why. It’s not because of Tebow’s accuracy or throwing motion, or Pryor’s instinct or pocket presence. It’s because they’re not being given an opportunity to sit on the sidelines and learn the friggin game before being thrown out there like a rabbit to a pack of wolves!

Look at the best quarterbacks in the game right now:

TOM BRADY: Selected #199 with a compensatory pick in the 6th round and went right into the back-up role.

AARON ROGERS: Selected #24 and played backup QB for Three seasons.

BEN ROETHLISBERGER: Selected #11 overall but and stepped right into the 3rd String Quarterback role behind Tommy Maddox and Charlie Batch.

TONY ROMO: Attended 2003 combine but went undrafted. Sat as backup QB in Dallas for 3 seasons before finally starting in 2006.

What do all these QBs have in common? They had the luxury of learning the NFL game from the sidelines. It is CRUCIAL, IMPERATIVE to let a quarterback do this with few exceptions (Peyton Manning being one of them – although it may be added that with the offensive line he had, he might as well have been learning on the field). Don’t start rookie quarterbacks! In fact, make it mandatory they sit for at least 2 seasons. At least that would be my mantra if I called the shots for an NFL team.

Look at Steve Young. Everyone knew he was ready to start in the NFL long before they
ran Joe Montana out of town. Would he have been the same quarterback had he not had the opportunity to sit there and soak in that Montana offense, the nuances of the position, and the NFL game as a whole? Who was Brett Favre before he stepped in for an injured Don Makowski? A virtual nobody. He signed a truly modest 3-year, 1.4 million dollar contract that Jerry Glanville thought was even too high and reportedly said “It would take a plane crash for me to put that guy in a game.” After over a season of sitting and learning, Favre finally took the ropes and the rest is history.

These guys all have two things in common: They had very little, or no pressure on them, and, more important in my eyes, they were allowed time (minimum 1 season) to learn the game from the sidelines. And what do you get sitting on the sidelines? – NFL knowledge, overall comfort, vision, and, perhaps most important, desire.

So Pryor and Tebow will never succeed because they will never be given the chance. They were doomed when they hit the front page of the papers. And that’s all there is to it. Both have the physical talent to be premier quarterbacks in the NFL but the proceedings of a “next-big-thing-quarterback” has messed them all up. Ryan Leaf was twice the prototypical quarterback as Steve Young, but it’s 90% mental in this league. You take Tebow or Pryor and sit them for 2 to 3 seasons and make them students of the game – make them hungry for it – they would be just fine. That I can guarantee you. What a shame we’ll never really know.