ShareThisBy JEFF LEGWOLD
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
To sit or not to sit.
That continues to be the question. Nobody knows that more than Philip Rivers.
Rivers started an NCAA record 51 games with North Carolina State, he was the MVP of five bowl games _ four postseason bowls with the Wolfpack to go with the Senior Bowl _ he had 18 300- yard games in college, seven 400-yard games, his father was a high school coach and Rivers was throwing a regulation football in first grade.
It would seem if anybody was ready to step out of the draft and start behind center as a rookie in the NFL it was Rivers. But Rivers, who will face the Broncos on Sunday night, waited two full seasons behind Drew Brees before San Diego Chargers coach Marty Schottenheimer made him a starter in this, his third NFL season, after Brees left in free agency.
"I'm glad we were afforded that opportunity," Schottenheimer said.
Rivers, however, like any red- blooded Sunday hero in the making, would have liked to have been afforded that opportunity to play a little sooner, but Brees went 21-11 as a starter and went to the Pro Bowl as Rivers waited.
Still, the respite seems to have served Rivers well. He is the AFC's second-leading passer with a 100.4 rating, behind Peyton Manning's 104.5. The fact Manning is revered by almost as many coaches as sponsors means that puts Rivers in some fast company.
Rivers has held form as well. He never threw more than 10 interceptions in any of his four seasons as the Wolfpack's starter and has tossed just three interceptions this season for the Chargers. All of that after attempting just 30 passes in those first two seasons in San Diego.
He was said to be the Chargers' question mark in a season when Schottenheimer likely has to go deep into the postseason to maintain the office he has used since 2002.
Yet San Diego is 7-2 and leads the league in scoring with Rivers in the lineup.
"His ability to stay in the moment, to not get involved in things that have gone past," Schottenheimer said. "I've always believed the most important quality you can have in any player, but most particularly the quarterback, is a guy that realizes the only play that's important is the next play. And he understands that philosophy."
"The quarterback is astounding to me. . . . You hate to use comparisons, I do, but he reminds me, I'm telling you, of Manning. . . . To me, right now, he's probably the second-best quarterback in this league."
So toss in Carson Palmer, who waited a full season on the sideline before starting with the Bengals in his second season, and Steve McNair, who waited until his third year to be a starter on his way to a co-MVP award in his ninth, and the argument for waiting for a legitimate quarterback prospect to percolate is fairly compelling.
Palmer led the league in touchdown passes last season with 32 and is tied for third in touchdown passes this year at 15.
McNair has been to a Super Bowl and been named to three Pro Bowls.
The play-now contingent does have Manning in its favor, he of the pile of 4,000-yard seasons _ six of his past seven _ and the record 49 touchdowns in 2004. But Manning, with his ability to digest information and recall what he has seen in a game, is a once-in-a-football-generation Powerball win.
His brother, Eli, entered the lineup roughly halfway through his rookie season with the Giants and he completed 48.2 and 52.8 percent of his passes in his first two seasons. Even in this, his third, with a team that considers itself in the hunt for a Super Bowl spot, he has thrown 11 interceptions in nine games, or one more than Denver's Jake Plummer, who takes more criticism for mistakes than any passer in the league.
David Carr was the Houston Texans starter from the moment the team made him its first draft pick. No passer has been sacked more during the previous four seasons _ Carr already has three years where he was sacked at least 49 times _ and former Broncos offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak still is trying to fix the damage left behind in Carr's game.
Look at this year's quarterback class. While Jay Cutler, like Rivers, has said "you always want to play," this season might be the career Brussels sprouts he has to choke down for his own good.
Folks were tossing confetti on Matt Leinart after his first start in Arizona earlier this year, but the fact remains he plays for a 1-8 team, has completed just 51.8 percent of his passes, thrown seven interceptions and is the league's third-lowest rated passer at 63.1.
And this was a Heisman Trophy winner, a stand-up pocket passer said to have been groomed in a pro-style offense and simply ready made for the NFL.
Right behind Leinart on the ground floor of the league's passer ratings is the other rookie tossed into this year's fray, the Tennessee Titans' Vince Young. Young, who was put in the lineup after the 2-7 Titans decided they were going nowhere with Billy Volek or Kerry Collins, has completed just 46.9 percent of his passes, thrown eight interceptions and has a 54.8 passer rating.
So apparently the waiting isn't the hardest part after all.
Pile it on:
Nine games into their careers, New Orleans Saints rookies Reggie Bush and Marques Colston are closing in on an NFL record for the most combined receptions by teammates in their rookie seasons.
Players Team Year Combined receptions
Anquan Boldin, Bryant Johnson Arizona Cardinals 2003 136
Bill Groman, Charley Hennigan Houston Oilers 1960 116
Andre Johnson, Domanick Davis Houston Texans 2003 113
Kevin Johnson, Darrin Chiaverini Cleveland Browns 1999 110
Marques Colston, Reggie Bush New Orleans Saints 2006 107** Through Nine Games
TEAM-BY-TEAM CAPSULES
Week 11
AFC
BALTIMORE running back Jamal Lewis said this week that defenses are ready more than ever for him in short-yardage situations. Lewis said it looks more like a goal-line defense when teams line up against Baltimore's offense when things get tight. Lewis also has not shown the explosiveness through the hole he has had in previous seasons.
BUFFALO continues to have to adjust things in the offensive front. This week's move came when Chris Villarrial was placed on injured reserve because of an ankle injury. It likely puts Duke Preston, a second-year guard out of Illinois, in the lineup. With Preston at right guard and Terrance Pennington already playing at right tackle, the two would have four career starts combined.
CINCINNATI coach Marvin Lewis, in the wake of the Bengals' cave-in against the Chargers this past weekend, said he wouldn't be calling the plays on defense and that there would only be slight changes in the lineup. Lewis seems to have lost the franchise's hard-earned momentum as well with his failing defense. They have lost five of the past six games, eight of the past 12.
CLEVELAND hasn't helped itself much offensively coming out of the gate. They have just one first-quarter touchdown - a 1-yard run by former Broncos running back Reuben Droughns against Atlanta this past Sunday. And for a team that already sent offensive coordinator Maurice Carthon on his way, that has been a sore spot.
DENVER defensive end Elvis Dumervil is starting to see more double teams with his improved play on the outside. This past weekend the Raiders used a running back to help the tackle quite a bit against the rookie. And, at least in part, the added attention to Dumervil allowed Kenard Lang to win his matchup for two sacks and a forced fumble.
HOUSTON put three players on injured reserve this week in tackle Zach Wiegert, defensive tackle Travis Johnson and cornerback Lewis Sanders. That doesn't include defensive end Antwan Peek, who will miss some time with a sprained knee, and defensive end Mario Williams, who has a sore heel.
INDIANAPOLIS coach Tony Dungy has certainly made things happen against his former NFC associates. Since becoming the Colts coach in 2002, Dungy's team is 14-4 against NFC teams, including wins in 12 of the past 14 meetings. To keep the streak going, they'll need a little more against Dallas from their 32nd-ranked run defense.
JACKSONVILLE could look back to how things went against the Houston Texans should they miss the playoffs this season. The Jaguars lost twice this year, including this past week, to the Texans, who have beaten just one other opponent. The Jaguars also sent quarterback Byron Leftwich to see Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, Ala., to get a second opinion on Leftwich's injured ankle.
KANSAS CITY hasn't played without tight end Tony Gonzalez in the lineup since the 1999 season opener. But Gonzalez won't play Sunday because of a sprained shoulder and is considered a question mark for the Thanksgiving night game against the Broncos. He has 23 catches for 401 yards over the past four games.
MIAMI quarterback Joey Harrington, who tossed seven interceptions in his first three starts, has now directed consecutive wins over Chicago and Kansas City. He also has gotten rid of the ball more quickly than Daunte Culpepper with the Dolphins having surrendered five sacks in the past four games compared to 21 sacks in the four games Culpepper started.
NEW ENGLAND coach Bill Belichick finally might be facing the grumbling many in the league believed was on the way if the Patriots ever hit some rough spots. Defensive end Richard Seymour already has publicly asked why he didn't play more this past week, and linebacker Mike Vrabel wondered why the offense didn't run more in the middle of the field. Those two had been Belichick's toe-the-line guys previously.
NEW YORK coach Eric Mangini certainly got to enjoy the fruits of his labors this week, at least if he cared to listen to what his players were saying. Players who had groused at the intense training camp Mangini ran this summer are suddenly talking publicly about how smart they believe Mangini is and how well prepared the team is at a surprising 5-4.
OAKLAND wide receiver Randy Moss, who was being honored this week by having a trophy named after him for the top return specialist in Division I-A football, also used the event to say he would drop fewer passes if he were happier with his situation with the Raiders. He has caught two or fewer passes in eight of his 25 games in Oakland, including his one-reception performance against the Broncos.
PITTSBURGH's secondary is suddenly wobbly. Both safety Troy Polamalu (concussion) and cornerback Deshea Townsend (ankle) were limited this week. Polamalu is a concern, however, given he had some concussion history during his career at USC, when he publicly admitted to having at least four before he got to the NFL. It's easier for players to suffer concussions if they have suffered a serious one previously.
SAN DIEGO is 1-5 against the Broncos over the past three seasons, and the Chargers have not won in Denver since 1999. And while the Chargers, who lead the league in scoring at the moment, have piled on the points over the past two seasons, they have averaged just 13 points a game in the past six against the Broncos.
TENNESSEE defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth returned to the team this week and is expected to play Sunday. He's a little heavier, about 335 pounds, after his five-game suspension for kicking Dallas center Andre Gurode in the face. That's up from the 325 or so he weighed in training camp. He also had to agree to continue anger-management counseling before he could return to the team.
NFC:
ARIZONA rookie quarterback Matt Leinart has discovered just how tough it is to learn on the job behind center. After hearing the compliments in his first two starts, completing more than 60 percent of his passes, he is below 50 percent over his past three starts and has tossed five interceptions - to go with just one touchdown - in those three games.
ATLANTA certainly put a dent in its playoff aspirations with consecutive losses to Detroit and Cleveland. And some in the city are watching just how owner Arthur Blank might react to a playoff miss after speaking repeatedly of a "sense of urgency" for the team to have some impact in the postseason this year.
CAROLINA wide receiver Steve Smith puts up the numbers against most everybody in the league, but especially the Buccaneers. With his eight receptions for 149 yards receiving Monday - he played through the flu in the game - it was his fourth consecutive 100-yard game against Tampa Bay.
CHICAGO coach Lovie Smith has geared his defense around a defensive front that can get to the quarterback without blitzing much, if at all. All but one of the team's 23 sacks so far this season have come from defensive linemen, led by Mark Anderson's 7.5 to go with Tommie Harris and Alex Brown, each with five.
DALLAS' first-round draft pick, Bobby Carpenter, who has been only a bit player in the Cowboys' defense this season, may now be forced into the lineup because of a season-ending injury to defensive end Greg Ellis, who tore his left Achilles tendon. However, Carpenter will have to leap-frog a couple veterans to get some playing time.
DETROIT coach Rod Marinelli continues to support quarterback Jon Kitna despite the Lions' dismal performances in close games. Six of the team's seven losses have been by seven or fewer points. Kitna has 11 interceptions this season and has fumbled six times.
GREEN BAY has won three of the past four games to push itself to 4-5. And in the NFC, that puts the Packers on the fringe of the postseason debate with a string of games coming up that includes Minnesota, New England, Seattle and the New York Jets. All four of those teams are above .500.
MINNESOTA's defense has helped spur the teams' recovery from last year's mess, but opponents are starting to challenge the Vikings secondary some with Tom Brady and Brett Favre having thrown for 372 and 347 yards, respectively, in recent weeks. Both offenses use some spread formations with an empty backfield.
NEW ORLEANS' offense should get a little boost this week when wide receiver Joe Horn returns to the lineup. Horn has missed two games with a groin injury. Horn said this week he could have played this past Sunday against the Steelers, but it was coach Sean Payton who held him out.
NEW YORK will have a difficult time adjusting to the loss of left tackle Luke Petitgout, who suffered a fractured leg this past weekend. They tried 15th-year veteran Bob Whitfield against the Bears and Whitfield could not hold the edge against Alex Brown, who had two sacks and forced two fumbles.
PHILADELPHIA's defense has come to the team's rescue of late. Jim Johnson's group has surrendered just one touchdown in the past three games. Johnson has been critical of the team's tackling at times, and some offenses are still finding a little too much room to run against the Eagles' front.
ST. LOUIS traded out kickoff returners this week, releasing J.R. Reed and signing Willie Ponder, who led the league with the Giants in 2004. Ponder had spent some time with Seattle this season as well. Coach Scott Linehan is looking to shake things up on all fronts, having lost four in a row.
SAN FRANCISCO coach Mike Nolan has been very public in his praise for quarterback Alex Smith of late. Smith has rebounded nicely this season and has played under control for the most part and forced far fewer throws than last season, according to several personnel executives around the league.
SEATTLE has gotten its money's worth from linebacker Julian Peterson. He plays both linebacker positions on early downs and defensive end on passing downs, when the Seahawks go to the nickel or dime. But he leads the team with eight sacks and is second in tackles as well with 58.
TAMPA BAY defensive end Simeon Rice has missed plenty of time with a sore shoulder this year, but Dewayne White continues to drive up his free agency price in Rice's absence. White is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent at season's end. White had four tackles and recovered a fumble against Carolina on Monday night.
WASHINGTON, with running back Clinton Portis set to miss the remainder of the season (finger surgery), is expected to rotate Ladell Betts and T.J. Duckett, with Duckett expected to get plenty of work on the inside runs.
