APFive of this afternoon’s 12 NFL games feature rookie quarterbacks, and because we’re all conditioned to pay such close attention to rookie quarterbacks (and because the first afternoon of the NFL season is so much fun), we’re probably all going to overreact to what we see from Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III, Ryan Tannehill, Brandon Weeden and Russell Wilson.
But we shouldn’t overreact.
As a Washington Post story about Griffin’s debut for the Redskins points out, the people who overreact to the start of a quarterback’s rookie season often learn that they were wrong. In 1998, No. 1 overall pick Peyton Manning’s Colts started 0-2 while No. 2 overall pick Ryan Leaf’s Chargers started 2-0, and there were actually people using those two games as some kind of proof that Leaf was the better pick.
There have been Hall of Fame quarterbacks like Troy Aikman and Terry Bradshaw who stunk up the joint as rookies, and there have been eventual busts like Vince Young and Rick Mirer who got off to good starts as rookies. As tempting as it is, we shouldn’t draw any big conclusions from what we see on the field today.
Of course, every now and then the overreactions are justified. Last year, Panthers quarterback Cam Newton threw for 422 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another score in his rookie debut. If any of the rookie quarterbacks on the field put up those kinds of numbers, commence the overreacting.
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Well the Dallas Cowboys started out 1 – 0 and the media has already crowned Tony Romo.
There is ZERO doubt that Robert Griffin is starting his path to the Pro football Hall of Fame in Canton. It starts with a big win in New Orleans today.
Terry Bradshaw stunk for the first 7/8 years of his career.
This is an out, so all the naysayers can jump on the Blaine Train!!!
Yet you guys over reacted. You all wanted to put russel wilson in the hall of fame for his preseason play and say that the cardinals will have the first overall pick based on skelton’s play or what ever reason you give the cards no chance
…..except Blaine Gabbert, right????
Cam is still to young to talk abou with any of those qbs. Your point on him is moot because he still could become a bust or still be great. It’s only been one season
Are you talking to yourself? You are the one who will write an article after every interception or incomplete pass. Who are you kidding? The media creates the panic and overreaction.
Tannehill for President !!!
Ya no pressure. Big Ben only went 15-1 his rookie season! He set the bar so high that there are no excuses for these rookies. Yes he played with a good defense. But he played awesome and continues to do so. Only andrew luck wil be good out of all these rookie Qb’s
Imagine if your team was starting a rookie quarterback, who only started a handful of games in college; and that rookie quarterback is THE LEAST of your problems.
Welcome to fan-dom in Miami. We are so going to suck this year. As Usghe.
But come on out to the first game when we commemorate a team from 40 years ago with a free hat!!! A bunch of Dolphins over the age of 65 will be there to accept your applause.
The Dolphins under the age of 30? Don’t pay too close attention to them.
“There is ZERO doubt that Robert Griffin is starting his path to the Pro football Hall of Fame in Canton. It starts with a big win in New Orleans today.”
I like satire….
When Russell Wilson does push ups he isn’t lifting his body up……he’s actually pushing the earth down
Russell Wilson has a grizzly bear rug in his room….it isn’t actually dead.. its just scared to move
Walking back the God like ability of RGIII. The Saints were gonna do that for him, along with the New Orleans Saints fan base, he ain’t gonna like his reception party.
@dalucks
Exactly! Most of these Rookies are on bad Teams, hence the readon they were drafted early. Give them a break. Andto the 2 Dudes witing about Gabbert… He is mot a Rookie!!!
Good luck to all these guys, but let’s not put them into Canton yet!
commence the overreacting? redskins fans have been doing that since April!
“There have been Hall of Fame quarterbacks like Troy Aikman and Terry Bradshaw who stunk up the joint as rookies, and there have been eventual busts like Vince Young and Rick Mirer who got off to good starts as rookies.”
So why doesn’t Blaine Gabbert get the same treatment from PFT? Is it because his name doesn’t rhyme with “Bobert” or “Shmandrew”?
The public want facts to the story, not opinions from the news media.
jpb12 says: Sep 9, 2012 9:25 AM
“Well the Dallas Cowboys started out 1 – 0 and the media has already crowned Tony Romo.”
They’re not crowning him anything, they’re just not criticizing him this week. Not sure why you’re upset, it was pretty much a typical Romo game. Don’t worry, they’ll go back to heaping unwarranted criticism on him at some point this season I’m sure.
Like how you guys concluded Kellen Moore was a bust after one quarter?