13.
Tony Romo, Dallas Cowboys
Romo’s
failures in the fourth quarter have been widely documented, but what goes under
the radar has been the constant letdowns of the Cowboys defense. Season after
season, the Cowboys defense is comprised of star talent, yet is unable to stop
opposing offenses from marching down the field with ease. Romo’s late game turnovers are unacceptable, but to blame him
for the Cowboys mediocrity in recent years is just not fair. Romo threw for a
career-best 4,903 yards (3rd most in NFL) last season and the year
before he posted an incredible TD-INT rate with 31 touchdowns on just 10
interceptions. Alas, Romo needs to do better in clutch situations in order to
be considered of the league’s best QB’s.
14.
Matt Schaub, Houston Texans
Schaub
is about to enter the most important season of his career. Anything short of reaching
the AFC Championship Game would be deemed a failure for the Texans, after
losing in the AFC Divisional round in each of the past two seasons. Schaub is a
perfect fit in Houston's offensive scheme because of his ability to succeed in the play-action
(110 QBR in these types of plays last year). Schaub’s success rate in the
play-action is crucial for an offense that centers on running back Arian Foster. The Texans are a
Super-Bowl contender, but the million dollar question is can Schaub lead his
club to the promise land?
15.
Philip Rivers, San Diego Chargers
The
amount of criticism towards Rivers’ play last season baffles me. First off,
Rivers tossed 26 touchdowns on 15 interceptions and registered the 11th
best passer rating with a mark of 88.6. (better than Joe Flacco, Eli Manning
and Cam Newton to name a few).
Rivers was able to achieve these feats with the 27th ranked rushing
attack, an abysmal offensive line, a banged-up Antonio Gates and with the top receiver on the team being Malcom Floyd. The Chargers woes as a team last season were not indicative
of the quarterback play of Rivers. Life will be easier on Rivers with the
selections of tackle D.J. Fluker and
wide receiver Keenan Allen from this
past year’s draft. In order for Rivers to return to his once dominant form
(Check out his incredible statistics from seasons 2008-2010), he must become a
better decision maker, be a tad more patient in the pocket and hope that the
front office reloads the offense with new targets for him to throw to.
16.
Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions
With
Stafford entering his fifth season in the league, it is way too early to write
him off as the signal-caller of the future for the Lions franchise, especially given his proven incredulous arm
strength. Stafford is one of the league’s best quarterbacks at throwing the
deep ball (yes, WR Calvin Johnson
drastically helps Stafford’s cause), but struggles when he is not lined up out
of the shotgun. Stafford mechanics must be refined and he must cut down on his
off-balanced throws. The Lions would be wise to trim down the pass attempts of
Stafford, who has tossed the most passes in the league the past two years by
far. If the Lions can establish a running game, Stafford could be poised for
success—if he sharpens his footwork and accuracy in his throws.
17.
Jay Cutler, Chicago Bears
Cutler had a down
season in 2012, but the hope is that the offensive minded new head coach, Marc Trestman, will hone the precision
of Cutler’s erratic passes. Cutler is one of the strongest slingers in the
game, but often times he tries to fit the ball in too tight of situations. There is
upside with Cutler, who brought the Bears to the NFC Championship in 2010. However, the clock is ticking on the
former first round pick to take his talents to the next level, particularly
with how much this franchise has invested in him financially.
18.
Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers
After
a record-breaking rookie season, Newton entered his second year in the NFL with
a cocky and self-assured attitude that grew on the ire not only of analysts, but
also of his fellow Panther teammates. Newton was able to mature, though, last
season when the losses started to pile up. He finished the season in grand
fashion, throwing nine touchdowns with just two interceptions in his final five
games, leading the Panthers to four late-season wins. Newton's upside is
undeniable as he is one of the most dynamic QB’s in the league with his
capacity to beat a defense via the rushing attack and through the air. There should be some anxiety for Carolina fans this season, though, with Panthers GM Dave Gettleman putting unneeded pressure on Newton by asserting that the third-year QB needs to lead the
team to more wins this season. Gettleman is putting unfair expectations on
Newton and the Panthers, who appear a step behind the other three teams in the
ferocious NFC South division.
No comments:
Post a Comment