01-07-2016, 05:32 PM
(01-07-2016, 05:14 PM)Ravage Wrote: Blake was a journeyman at that point? Really? You must put a ton of stock into those two years he spent on the Jets to begin his career. 1992-2001: 3 teams total (2 yrs with NYJ, 6 years in CIN, 2 years in NO. 2002-2005 4 teams in 4 years (02 BAL, 03 ARI, 04 PHI, 05 CHI) it wasn't until AFTER he left New Orleans that you could start to describe him as a journeyman.
Bledsoe was coming off 2 straight weak and losing seasons huh? I never realized that 8-8 was a losing season, they finished in last, sure, and it wasn't a winning record, but it wasn't a losing record either. In addition his stats in 1999: 6th in yds (3985), 8th in YPA (7.4), admittedly 3rd in INT's (behind Favre and Jake Plummer) 8-8 record. Not great, but I fail to see how that falls into the 'pretty weak' category.
I didn't like using the Maddox/Roethilisberger example either, as it was inevitable Ben would take over, that one I'll concede. That being said...
The hindsight-aided criticisms of the examples, however, are irrelevant, as there have been zero denials that all three of those swaps happened. The rationale for WHY they happened is also irrelevant in this context. The statement was 'you always go with history' (or the 'known commodity') That is not the case, and that was my point. The three QB's I listed that were replaced were 'known commodities', the players that replaced them were not.
You don't have to look any farther back in time than last week. If teams 'always' went with history/known commodity then Brock Osweiler wouldn't of started over Manning last week, but he did.
Subsequently, to pretend that Dalton wasn't entering a 'make or break' year before the season started is revisionist history at best. Other than Cutler, I don't think there was a legitimate QB last off-season (and I use Cutler and legitimate together begrudgingly) who's impending fate was more debated than Andy Dalton's. So the 'no-brainer' argument, while true now, wasn't true just 5 short months ago when the season started.
In no circumstance whatsoever do I think McCarron should replace Dalton. But to pretend that it isn't a possibility, albeit a small possibility, would be ignorant.
Regardless of all the other BS, there's no denying that Dalton is better than Blake, Bledsoe and Tommy Maddox. Bledsoe was 22nd in passer rating 1999 and 19th in 2000. Yes, that's weak. As for Osweiler replacing Manning, Manning was dead last in passer rating this year. He was terrible. Dalton was the opposite of terrible.
And again, both Brady and Brooks outperformed Bledsoe and Blake, respectively. McCarron did not outperform Dalton. Of course, I fully expect you to keep ignoring that.
The training, nutrition, medicine, fitness, playbooks and rules evolve. The athlete does not.
