Some quarterback numbers just for fun, and no one has more fun than WNBC-TV's Sue Simmons Ok, DKnyj, you asked for the numbers comparison between Kellen Clemens? first eight games and some other standout quarterbacks, the premise being none really shined early. Note: For simplicity, these are the respective quarterback?s first eight games, not necessarily first eight starts because some started but for whatever reason didn?t finish games or did not start but played most of a given game. Enjoy. Also, this is not an endorsement of one candidate, not that Eric Mangini, Mike Tannenbaum, or you for that matter, are perched on seat edges waiting for me to weigh in. I will, but I?ll wait until passes actually get thrown in minicamp, training camp and in the exhibition games. Besides, any such knee-jerk response from here before the competition even begins might bring a stern Sue Simmons-like rhetorical beatdown. I, for one, am glad I'm not on camera at all times. Cut Simmons a break. Anyway, those stats: comp-att-yards-TD-INT Clemens ? 117?224?1,414?4?9 Aikman ? 109?213?1,388?8?13 P.Manning ? 161?292?1,873?11?16 E.Manning ? 95?197?1,043?6?9 Bradshaw ? 65?158?972?3?15 On a related note - kind of - media availability for this week?s OTA is Thursday. Besides keeping tabs on Clemens/Pennington, I?ll be interested in who is opposite Darrelle Revis at corner and what alignments we?ll see at linebacker, among other things. Chris Baker is not there, but that was expected. There are other stories as of now to write from the voluntary offseason program. On Thursday I do expect to see a somewhat chastened Erik Ainge, who probably had to watch the Simmons clip on loop after being a bit too forthcoming for the Jets liking in regard to disclosing injury info. Ah, rookies. [And keep in mind, this was a minor surgery on the broken pinky on his throwing hand Ainge played with all of last season]. Finally, the world?s most famous team video guy, Matt Walsh, met with Roger Goodell this morning. Bob Glauber, our NFL columnist, is covering the story for Newsday and will have updates on Goodell?s press conference. Bill Belichick got off easier than he should have, and his explanation of ?misinterpreting? the taping rule was as laughable and dishonest as Roger Clemens? ?he misremembers? line about Andy Pettitte, but it?s time ? barring any new evidence ? for this story to end.
So to further refine the numbers (if they are indeed accurate), -------------- Comp.%----- Yds/Catch------ TD%/Attempt----- Pick%/Attempt KC ------------- 52% -------- 12 -------------- 1.7% --------------- 4% Aikman ---------51% ------- 12.7----- --- --- 3.75%-------- ----- 6.1% P.Manning------55%-------- 11.6 ------ ----- 3.7% --------- -----5.4% E. Manning-----48% -------- 11----- ---------3% ----- ----------- 4.5% Bradshaw ------41% -------- 15 ----- --------1.8% --------------- 9.4% You can pick your stat and hope for the best but this is not predictive. Can KC be as good as the other four, who knows ?
Most of the quarterbacks you are comparing were #1 overall picks with better upside than Clemons to begin with. To look at this point a little further I compiled a list of current starting Quarterbacks, displaying their first season with a minimum of 200 attempts, and the restriction of this season being in the first two years they were in the league. Player G CMP ATT PCT YDS AVG TD LNG INT RAT Tom Brady 15 264 413 63.9 2843 6.9 18 91 12 86.5 Ben Roethlisberger 14 196 295 66.4 2621 8.9 17 58 11 98.1 Donovan McNabb 12 106 216 49.1 948 4.4 8 63 7 60.1 Drew Brees 16 320 526 60.8 3284 6.2 17 52 16 76.9 Jay Cutler 16 297 467 63.6 3497 7.5 20 68 14 88.1 Jason Campbell 7 110 207 53.1 1297 6.3 10 66 6 76.5 Joey Harrington 14 215 429 50.1 2294 5.3 12 64 16 59.9 Kyle Boller 16 258 464 55.6 2559 5.5 13 57 11 70.9 Eli Manning 16 294 557 52.8 3762 6.8 24 78 17 75.9 Vince Young 15 184 357 51.5 2199 6.2 12 53 13 66.7 Tarvaris Jackson 12 171 294 58.2 1911 6.5 9 71 12 70.8 Trent Edwards 10 151 269 56.1 1630 6.1 7 70 8 70.4 Brodie Croyle 9 127 224 56.7 1227 5.5 6 35 6 69.9 Kellen Clemens 10 130 250 52.0 1529 6.1 5 56 10 60.9 Now I do not think these stats really mean anything, but then again 90% of what is said in the offseason doesn't either.
interesting timing, I did this for fun a few days ago and got the same results. The only thing I found different is that most of these guys played in their rookie seasons, and didn't sit for a year. Those who did had much better results. Still- I think that Clemens may be able to be like them if given opportunity. I think he has the skills in him, they just need to be there every down, not just in those 4th qtr flashes we saw last year.
Clemens played for a lousy team behind a bad offensive line last year. Ben Roethlisberger, who I happen to think is a great QB, wouldn't have done all that much better behind the Jet's offensive line with Coles hurting the way he was and Justin McCareins and Brad Smith getting a lot of playing time. People who make a lot out of Clemens play last season fall into one of three categories: they're fairly young and have not actually watched enough NFL football to know what matters, they just don't understand football despite being a long-term fan, or they really like Chad Pennington and would not be happy if that was anybody else back there not succeeding at the moment. I have no clue if Clemens can be a good NFL QB, and really neither does anybody else at the moment. He just has not had the opportunity to succeed placed in front of him yet. If the Jet's offensive line and receivers stay healthy we'll have a much better idea of what his chances are by mid-season this year. If they don't we'll be on the merry-go-round at QB until that happens.
I don't really agree. What bothered me about Clemens was his tendency to aim the ball and force it. I wasn't thrilled with him throwing the ball into the ground, and I thought that he had happy feet in the pocket even when he wasn't being pressured. I've got a lot of questions about his accuracy. I'm hoping it improves, because that's something that typically can't be taught. I agree that he has to get some sort of incomplete based on the state of the offense, but to say that there's nothing to criticize about the guy is absurd. -X-
Wrong. His footwork was bad last year and he seems a little shell-shocked at times. There is no conspiracy against KC starting by anyone on the board. They look at his play and judge for themselves. I perfer KC with the QBs on the roster myself.
I don't know how KC is gonna end up in our offense... Last year, he couldn't show much, 4th quarter drives aside, with that O-line. Now that we have a fairly solid offensive line under the tutelage of one of the best coaches in that category, that should help Kellen have more time in the pocket and help the running game immensely. Remember, a team that runs effectively can still be successful with even a mediocre QB. But then again, that is only if the defensive line, offensive line, and wide recievers can stay healthy (knock on wood).
With that line we have no clue at all as to what Clemens onfield demeanor is. Throwing the ball into the ground is what kept the INT's down, and I will guarantee you that the CS made that job one for him after Chad had been destroyed by late INT's leading to losses. Aiming the ball is what happens when you are throwing based on a clock in your head that is set a half-second faster than it should be, which is where the Jet's clock was last year on pass protection. It'd be nice to be able to lead receivers into their patterns but if their patterns aren't designed to deal with a 1.5 second clock then you just aim the ball at where you hope they will be and let it go or take the sack if it looks too dicey. Now throw in the fact that his receivers (all of them including Cotchery) had the dropsies when dealing with a ball with some velocity on it (and BTW Clemens does NOT have a rocket arm, he has a normal NFL caliber arm, the Jets receivers just weren't used to catching a normal fastball and so they dropped a bunch of them) and it's a miracle that Clemens put together any kind of performance at all out there. With that personnel around him he should have been vying for Terry Bradshaw-land and a sub 50 rating.
Where do you come up with this?? Its actually quite impressive on the scale of lunacy. When Clemens threw a ball into the dirt. 4/5 times it was to an open receiver. Did you watch the games? Then you would agree with my point. That has to do with footwork and point of release- just like a pitcher in baseball. Yes, there is a mental side to it as well, but the previous stated is the bigger reason.
Wow I am suprised with the NYJs departing LI I thought that the Newsdays interest in them would slacken but it seems to have not so good job to them
