To add to this, we don't know what we have at the QB position. New system, new coach. Fitzpatrick could turn out to be formidable in the right situation with the right mentoring. Perhaps, it's Savage that emerges as the guy. My point being is that we don't know yet. A lot of unknowns. What we do know is that we have 3 backs, one which needs to return to elite form. 2 very good to great receivers. 2 tight ends that can produce on the field and an offensive line that should be improved due to injured players returning and drafting a potential stud in Xavier. The defense has a chance to be great and downright scary. It has been proven that you don't need a sexy name at the QB position to win in this league.
That hasn't been proven in a long time...really not since Brad Johnson in 2003 playing with an historically good defense...and the game is different today. QB's winning Super Bowls now are playmakers; not just game managers. They take advantage of a league where corners get hit with flags for breathing wrong on WR's. More times than not, the MVP of the Super Bowl is the QB of the winning team. The last 4 Super Bowl MVP's were Flacco, Manning, Rodgers and Brees. All of those guys were exceptional playmakers for their teams in the playoffs and in the Super Bowl they played in.
Wilson is more of a game manager than anything else. Yes, he's good...but the Seahawks don't win bc of him. They win with a ridiculous defense and The Beast. Wilson is perfect for that offense bc he doesn't make mistakes.
Defense wins championships. Peyton has one title. Brady won 3 with an elite defense. All the elite offenses the Pats have had since then have resulted in zero titles. Big Ben was a game manager at best in his first SB win. Trent Dilfer is Trent Dilfer. Russell Wilson hasn't set the league on fire. Wilson was an unknown. We don't know what we do or don't have yet.
The Giants also got themselves into positions to win the two titles bc their defensive line played lights out come playoff time. They barely limped into the playoffs, but the defense got hot at the perfect time. Eli is not an elite qb and never will be...but he has two rings. When you have an elite qb, you increase your chances of making the playoffs over 16 games...but to win a Super Bowl, you need defense first.
The Seahawks won the Superbowl with Russell Wilson, who was less accurate and threw interceptions at a higher rate than Matt Schaub in 2010, 11 and 12. The key is having a QB that is over 60% passing and under 2.5 interception rate.
You might need a sexy QB to win a Superbowl, but you don't need one to have a winning season. No one is (realistically) expecting us to make a Superbowl run a year after losing 14 games in a row to end the season. The QB question doesn't necessarily have to be resolved THIS offseason.
^Good points justtx and rez. Let's not forget our own team. Scrubby TJ Yates had a chance to tie the game late against the Ravens who eventually made the SB. That was after Jacoby gift-wrapped the Ravens with a TD.
Right. I have no trouble imaging this team going 10-6 this year, making the playoffs, maybe winning a 1st round game maybe not, but being competitive. I think this team can be a competitive playoff team, but they have to figure out QB to win a title. I don't think Fitzpatrick can be good enough to be a QB on a SB team because his turnover rate is just too high, even if you expect him to get a little better here. Can Savage be that guy? I don't know.
That is false pimpn Eli Manning was a game manger with a elite defense. Joe Flacco is another game manager who had an elite defense. Wilson was a game manager with an elite defense. Yes Breezy and Rodgers had elite offenses but go back and see how they won their superbowls. Takeaways pimp by their defenses. Especially N.O.
Insert BoB picture. He will work with Fitzpatrick and will instill into his mind what he should already know. Punting the ball is okay when you have a good defense. Make smart throws, make smart decisions, call smart plays. Something that Kubiak didn't do (see Seattle game last season). We freakin basically beat the champs last season with multiple injuries. If Fitzpatrick doesn't get it, he'll be benched.
Eli Manning isn't a very good "game manager." Eli Manning career interception rate: 3.4 Ryan Fitzpatrick career interception rate: 3.6 In his Superbowl years: 2011: 2.7 2007: 3.8 Ryan Fitzpatrick last two years: 2013: 3.4 2012: 3.2 Matt Schaub: 2010: 2.1 2011: 2.1 2012: 2.2
Being loyal on the sideline while collecting checks does nothing for the team. And a guy who gets busted for an illegal substance is not a guy who is more classy than Dre. I believe you are rambling by making that statement.
Elite QBs drag mediocre teams to division titles year after year. Elite defenses are impossible to keep together. You can lock up an elite QB, you can't lock up 11 guys. This is why the elite QB remains the Holy Grail of the NFL.
I believe he can do whatever tf he wants to be honest. He's been a stand up professional from the time he's been here till the time he leaves. We all know he's making millions just like every other athlete, no reason to hate on that. But he has been a generous player for the most part both with the community and the organization, when he was taking reconstructed deals at percentages less than what the top receiver in the league made at the time (Fitzgerald) we weren't complaining. I don't want him to leave the team but we are rebuilding and he deserves better for his career. He already took a hit to his wins and stats by playing with 2 inept QBs his entire career, we should grant him the luxury of 2 years trying to get some type of playoff success.
Donny neither one of those QB's were elite. They did not have the brass of a Rodgers, Brady, Breezy or P. Manning.
