Archives for October 8, 2018

Some Great Quarterbacks Like Matt Ryan Are Suffering From an Alarming Trend

The strange start to the 2018 season is turning into a test to see how much top quarterbacks can fix troubled teams.

NFC quarterbacks have really been challenged. Only five NFC teams have winning records. The Atlanta Falcons are in a deep hole with their 1-4 start. A top seven-or-eight quarterback can usually count on being on at least a nine-win team. Rarely does a top-level quarterback have a losing season.

Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Andrew Luck (when he’s healthy), Russell Wilson and Ben Roethlisberger have never endured a losing season. But in certain seasons, even the great quarterbacks can’t overcome teams with two main problems _ bad defenses and the lack of a running game.

I went back to 2008 to study the top quarterbacks. The only top quarterbacks who couldn’t get their teams to .500 or better were Matt Ryan, Drew Brees and Cam Newton. Peyton Manning once told me that it’s hard for quarterback playing on teams that give up 27 or more points a game.

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Monday Morning Md Week 5: Jaylon Smith’s Inspiring Comeback

Jaylon Smith has come a long way and kudos are due. The Cowboys linebacker has overcome long odds with a peroneal nerve palsy to shine on Sunday Night Football even though his team eventually lost to their in-state rival Texans in overtime.

It has taken over two years of hard work on Smith’s part. His rookie year was essentially a medical redshirt year as his nerve was stretched due to a multi-ligament knee injury. His second year was subpar, especially when playing in space. In his third year now, he has improved enough to get rid of his ankle foot orthosis that helped to lift up his foot drop. And his team is being rewarded for sticking with him.

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Monday Night Football Preview: Drew Brees is still X Factor

The Redskins get an extra week to prepare for one of the elite and well-structured offenses in the NFL as they travel to an extremely electric environment. Drew Brees is set to become the NFL’s all time leading passer at home on Monday Night. That is a pretty amazing set up and is highly unlikely to disappoint. Not only that, but Mark Ingram returns from suspension. Washington’s pass defense is quite good at all levels, but this is a really tough chore for the Redskins defense and Alvin Kamara and Michael Thomas haven’t even been mentioned yet. Guessing Ingram’s immediate role isn’t easy, but he is a very good ball carrier and the Saints should become a little more run happy with him back in the mix. This is especially true when considering the opponent, as Washington’s defense has really struggled in the run game.

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