1) When they beat Miami, Miami was on the playoff path. They were 4-3 at the time. 2) They beat the Vikings early in the season and Vikings were 1-0. vikings are 6-6 now. They're an average team with elite playmakers in Peterson/Parvin. They nearly just beat the Packers on the road last week. 3) Lions are a bad team. But they are an elite offensive team and they were at home. A young team shouldn't beat a home team putting up 33 points. Like I said, their schedule isn't the toughest, but it's not like they're rolling over cupcakes here.
That works both ways, though - RG3 has the same number of TDs in 200 fewer passes. Luck has thrown 180 more passes, but only completed 50 of them. RG3 has the fewest interceptions in the league - tied only with Big Ben who's played several fewer games. It's amazing that RG3 has a very real chance to lead the league in QB Rating and Luck has a very real chance to the league in passing yards. Both have a chance to put up great stats and lead their teams to the playoffs. For those with a sense of NFL history, what was considered the best rookie season ever before this year?
You simply won't have the Colts winning with Luck throwing 15-20 times a game. The Redskins can afford RG3 to do so. Luck is a rookie so forcing him to throw that many obviously will lead to more mistakes. But the Colts msut have him do so b/c their running game is so unpredictable. He has thrown at least 3-4 INTs in the red zone simply b/c he doesn't have a good running game, by forcing throws b/c he wants TDs. But yes, these 2 rookies are phenomenal. All I want to see is huge leaps the next 2 years.
You are right. Its not the toughest. Its actually the second easiest schedule in the league after Atlanta and tied with Cincy who is 7-5 even though they kinda suck.
This is not the BCS. "They were ranked X at the time" does not apply here. The Colts have played one of the weakest schedules in the NFL. Therefore, relatively speaking, it's cupcakey. Especially compared to the Redskins.
They'll be in the playoffs so you don't have to worry. That's when the real schedule starts anyways. People seem to forget that. How rare do you see a team that won 2 games to potentially winning 10 games. Amazing.
Would that be Cam? • Most passing yards by a rookie in a game (432), September 18, 2011 vs. Green Bay Packers • Most passing yards by a rookie in a season (4,051) • First rookie in NFL history to pass for more than 400 yards in back to back games, September 11, 2011 vs. Arizona Cardinals and September 18, 2011 vs. Green Bay Packers • First rookie in NFL history to throw for 10 touchdowns and run for 10 touchdowns in a season. • Fourth rookie quarterback to throw for 3,000 yards in a season. • Third most pass TDs (21) in a rookie season. • Most total touchdowns by a rookie NFL player: 35 (21 pass, 14 rush) • Most rushing yards by a rookie quarterback: 706 • Most rushing touchdowns by a rookie quarterback: 14 • Along with Andy Dalton, the two make the first pair of rookie QB's to make the Pro Bowl http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/ten-best-rookie-quarterback-seasons-nfl-history-220329360.html
No one is saying they shouldn't, or blaming Luck. We're saying Griffin is possibly a better QB because of what the Redskins have done against the harder schedule that was handed them. About as rare as an all-time-great QB suddenly missing an entire season.
http://espn.go.com/blog/nflnation/post/_/id/56896/2012-nfl-strength-of-schedule This is the ranking of strength of schedule PRIOR to the season. It's hard to predict how teams do as the season goes along. Indy was expected to have the 14th toughest schedule. Washington #24. Not Luck's fault his opponents under-achieve that year.
Again, no one is blaming Luck for anything. What they are doing is pointing out what reality is and how each has done against that reality. It was hard to predict who would have the tougher schedule before the season - but it's not difficult to see who has had the tougher schedule NOW.
And the fact that he has to throw 500+ times vs such opponents tell you how bad his team is. Like I said, the workload for Luck is unprecedented for a rookie. You're seeing a rookie having Drew Brees-like workload out there.
Once again, they're both great. As someone who is a secondary Redskins fan and has watched every Redskins game this year (sometimes during Texans commercials), I am of the belief (along with many others in the DMV) that the Skins would be at best 1-10 if they still had Rex or Beck and not RGIII.
It's the NFL. Teams rise from crap to mediocre and from mediocre to great from one year to the next. They had a crap QB situation. Probably the worst hence the worst record. Washington was playing with no name receivers after Garcon got injured and a late round RB for a good portion of the year. An aging Santana Moss has seen his snaps reduced this season.
So you can simply replace that crap QB situation with a rookie and a bunch of more rookies (from the draft) and become a 10-win team? It's not that easy. You replaced those wide receivers with Alfred Morris, the 4th most productive running back in the entire league. Alfred Morris himself nearly as much rushing yards as the ENTIRE Colts team.
How does it show that? The Colts were terrible last year and yet Curtis Painter wasn't throwing this much. Maybe he throws this much because the Colts want to get him as many reps as possible.
