Thursday, February 01, 2007
The Very Fickle Experts
FresnoBee.com: National Football League Coverage: "Manning went out of his way Tuesday to defend his counterpart.
'If you're a quarterback who's taken a team to a Super Bowl, you've done a good job,' he said.
But that won't change the opinion of critics who've already made up their mind about Grossman and agree with the tabloid headline that called him 'Da Worst' quarterback to take a team to the Super Bowl.
Sorry, but that distinction probably belongs to David Woodley, who started for the 1983 Miami Dolphins against Washington and gave way the next season to Dan Marino. Or to journeyman Trent Dilfer, who actually won a Super Bowl in 2001 for Baltimore. Or even to Jeff Hostetler, who took over for the Giants in 1990 when Phil Simms was hurt and led the team to a win over Buffalo.
Grossman possesses the most important thing - the confidence of a coach who has declined to bench him even after horrible games.
So when Smith was asked why he has stayed with his quarterback, he shot back at the questioner:
'Probably the same reason your boss has stuck with you when you've made mistakes. He has faith in you. I have faith in Rex.' "
I realize that Rex has had bad games and this Super Bowl could be one of them. I don't think it will be. I had Rex in some of his best and worst games on my fantasy teams. He came back from those games. He has performed well. Not great, no, but well. I think he will be just fine on Sunday. In fact, I pick them to win, and by four or more.
Remember what the same experts were saying after his streak of four or five 100+ passer rating games? He was a genius! A few bad games? Bench him. This was the first year I picked on Inside the NFL's Beat the Hosts. I think I was only beat by one host one time. I did some tying, but I wasn't beat but once in week four to the end of the regular season. I performed poorly during the play-offs, but the experts shouldn't have been that bad during the regular season. And considering that they were, I do not intend to assume the ending without seeing how Rex, Urlacher, and Berrian, among others, perform. I won't be disappointed to see Manning win, but he hasn't won yet.
'If you're a quarterback who's taken a team to a Super Bowl, you've done a good job,' he said.
But that won't change the opinion of critics who've already made up their mind about Grossman and agree with the tabloid headline that called him 'Da Worst' quarterback to take a team to the Super Bowl.
Sorry, but that distinction probably belongs to David Woodley, who started for the 1983 Miami Dolphins against Washington and gave way the next season to Dan Marino. Or to journeyman Trent Dilfer, who actually won a Super Bowl in 2001 for Baltimore. Or even to Jeff Hostetler, who took over for the Giants in 1990 when Phil Simms was hurt and led the team to a win over Buffalo.
Grossman possesses the most important thing - the confidence of a coach who has declined to bench him even after horrible games.
So when Smith was asked why he has stayed with his quarterback, he shot back at the questioner:
'Probably the same reason your boss has stuck with you when you've made mistakes. He has faith in you. I have faith in Rex.' "
I realize that Rex has had bad games and this Super Bowl could be one of them. I don't think it will be. I had Rex in some of his best and worst games on my fantasy teams. He came back from those games. He has performed well. Not great, no, but well. I think he will be just fine on Sunday. In fact, I pick them to win, and by four or more.
Remember what the same experts were saying after his streak of four or five 100+ passer rating games? He was a genius! A few bad games? Bench him. This was the first year I picked on Inside the NFL's Beat the Hosts. I think I was only beat by one host one time. I did some tying, but I wasn't beat but once in week four to the end of the regular season. I performed poorly during the play-offs, but the experts shouldn't have been that bad during the regular season. And considering that they were, I do not intend to assume the ending without seeing how Rex, Urlacher, and Berrian, among others, perform. I won't be disappointed to see Manning win, but he hasn't won yet.
