Pre-Season – Week 1 – What the QB’s Did? | August 12, 2012 by ash

It’s that time of year again, for many in this part of the world it’s a realisation that the summer months (well, apparent summer months) are beginning to draw to a close and Autumn isn’t that far off the horizon, scary huh?

However, for US sport fanatics it signals the unofficial beginning to a new NFL year with the 1st week of pre-season games getting underway. February seems a long time ago, Sunday evenings have been a bit slow for too many months and everyone has clearly been missing Carlson’s jokes at 1am on a Monday morning.

There are many questions to be answered over the next few weeks before the real deal starts up again. Though it’s that same yearly battle, we are all wanting football back and when pre-season comes we love to make immediate judgement.

Already we are getting ‘reporters’ calling out rookie QB’s for not looking like NFL standard QB’s. Take away the fact it’s the first time they’ve ever played a top-level game (albeit pre-season) and they are throwing to what can only be described as a core of inept line-men & receivers, as oppose to superstars that help out starters each and every week.

On the other hand a few are getting carried away already after one impressive performance which spanned a couple of quarters in the first week of pre-season, not exactly going to win you MVP anytime soon.

So with all of the mentioned above taken into consideration, these are some initial observations I have noticed with the QB’s from the games so far:

Peyton can still throw!

Lets just start here, honestly, even with 2 top pick Rookie QB’s coming out to show what they can do in pre-season the biggest initial drive by a starting QB would always be Peyton for the Broncos this year. Well, shock horror but Peyton Manning is capable of still throwing a football and judging on that performance will win games for Denver.

Is he 100%? No, will he get up after a big blind-sided sack? Way too early to tell.

The Browns believe in Weeden

Weeden came out first against the Lions, an indication of what’s to come in Cleveland this year. It’s fair to say he didn’t have the easiest night, but what QB in his first ever NFL game would when the Lions DL are on the other side of the ball?

Initially it started well, Weeden showing off his arm strength to hit Benjamin but that was the only real positive for him. He later fumbled and then threw an errand pass that got picked off. Browns fans shouldn’t be too upset just yet though, he surely is an improvement on McCoy.

RG3 looks well worth that #2 pick

Finally, we got to see how RG3 would fit in at Washington, and to say it was impressive would be an understatement. Making great reads within the drive and seemingly finding his new ‘A’ guy in Pierre Garcon throughout, eventually the two combining again for a TD.

It certainly quietened some of the sceptics who claimed he was all about scrambling and just a knee-jerk reaction from the success last year of Cam in Carolina.

Gabbert may become a decent NFL QB

He was and arguably still is the butt of every QB joke going around. We all remember the ‘performances’ of Gabbert last year, particularly in Atlanta when he simply looked like a rabbit caught in the headlights, time and time again. Well he looked completely different on his first drive of the year, instigating a 13-play, 89-yard drive ending in a TD and looked composed throughout.

Then it happened again, a case of Gabbert getting caught indecisive in the pocket and once again seeming having little awareness of ball security, resulting in a fumble. It would be harsh to slate Blaine too much on this occasion, decision making aside, he still has a completely new offense to learn for a start. If I were a Jags fan I’d be more optimistic for the coming season after seeing what Gabbert can do at times with the ball, he just needs to be consistent.

Seahawks have a QB battle

Honestly, I’m a little biased in this as I still believe the Seahawks made a mistake in giving up big bucks for an unproven QB on the basis of what he did against an awful secondary and arguably the best set of receivers going. Though the big surprise was just how well Russell Wilson played as oppose to how ordinary Flynn was. Wilson initially got things under way with a 5 play, 73-yard TD drive. The most impressive play coming from Wilson’s avoidance of the rush and extending the play on 3rd down resulting in a completion to Martin.

I think Flynn will still start for the Seahawks in the opening weeks of the regular season but I’m still very hesitant on saying he will be the Franchise QB.