Eric Mangini says he will let the Browns quarterback process play out, that it’s better to make sure he makes the right decision rather than a forced one on a deadline.
He’s right about that.
But it also makes me worry that instead of having one quarterback emerging, the decision might be made by default. As in … well neither of these guys has emerged all training camp so we’d best go with him.
That’s not ideal either.
So if he wants to win the job Derek Anderson really needs to do something Saturday night. Because after throwing two passes in two series in the preseason opener, his standing isn’t exactly firm.
This entire competition thing is kind of quirky anyway. These guys throw countless passes in practice, then we all judge them on the two or 10 they throw in a practice game with makeshift lines against guys who won't be in the league. It's kind of crazy. But it's the way it is in the NFL. A guy can work all offseason, through every training camp practice, and his future comes down to eight plays in the third quarter of a meaningless preseason game.
Alas … we digress.
Brady Quinn hasn’t exactly lit it up, but he’s the first-round draft pick and most everyone this side of Mangini believes the job right now is his to lose.
Right now it would seem that it would take four Quinn interceptions or a torn labrum (or as Butch Davis once said, a “torn labia in the shoulder”) for Anderson to win the job.
Unless Anderson looks like the Anderson of 2007.
He could, of course.
He did it for one game last season, against the Giants. He might have done it against Baltimore, but Braylon Edwards dropped a pass that change the fortunes of a team.
So it’s in there.
Why haven’t the Browns committed to Quinn yet? Well something Chris Mortensen said was revealing.
Mortensen’s visits usually go like this. He’ll chat on the record with a coach and a few players, use their quotes. Then the coach and/or players will talk to him off the record. That’s when they’ll spill what they want to get across.
You can see it in stories. The tidbits that come out. Usually it’s fed from the team.
Now … Mortensen is an excellent reporter. Excellent. He would never regurgitate something for the sake of it. He only reports what he believes to be true, or believes the team believes to be true (believe that sentence?).
So when Mortensen talked about the quarterback competition he talked about how gifted Anderson is physically. Big, strong arm, etc. This melds completely with everything I heard about the new coaching staff – and how they were more impressed with Anderson on film than Quinn.
People fall in love with his physical stature and gifts, and when they watch the 2007 film they go more (lady) ga-ga.
So they gave him a chance to win the job.
Problem is it hasn’t happened yet.
It’s up to Anderson to get something done Saturday night. If he doesn’t, it might be too late.
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
mark sanchez would have beat both those guys out.
I'm sorry…..Mangini's failure on this issue has caused me to lose ALL respect for his ability to lead this team. Any friggin moron knows that this is Brady's year, not Derek's. D.A. is a .500 (at BEST) QB, and he'll be hard-pressed to ever start again in the NFL. That is, any team that wants to WIN.
Rutigliano was just on the radio, and said that D.A. has had over 900 regular season snaps, compared to about 90 for B.Q. You do the math. That's 10 times as many, for a team that has not made the playoffs, will not make the playoffs, finished 4-16 last year (counting pre-season), and scored zero points in our first exib game.
Is Mangini stupid…or just that stubborn? I really hoped the era of secrecy and stupidity was over when he was hired, but it's worse than ever. I can't stand him, as much as I despised Belichick. I can now fully understand why Belichick hates this guy's guts and always will.
Have to agree with Jonah…sorry but this is a no brainer, even from a guy that has to live with the CFL on his sports network…Thanks for ESPN…but this is one of the QB battles that shouldn't be…Go Browns.
DA did not do bad in 2007, and he would not have did so bad in 2008 if he did not lose his confidence with all the drops. He can definitely toss it harder than this BQ. BQ is just a local favorite, but from an outsiders view DA is clearly more talented. DA had a clear TD on the right sideline to Cribbs when his leg got hit at the Preseason Opener (guaranteed). I don't think BQ has the balls to throw it like that. He plays too conservative and acts like he's scared to release something long range if he spots it. If the OL tackles (esp CENTER and RT) didn't have the struggles it did last year, and the WRs can catch at least 97%, I would definitely choose D to the mothafkn A.
D.A. is the clear choice. As Reptile said, and I have been saying. D.A. was the victim of receivers dropping passes. That eventually leads to some self doubt and second guessing. The receivers need to man up, take blame and atone. No QB could survive what happened last year. Chud's play calling from the side had a lot to do with it as well.
All the hype over B.Q. is only because he's from Ohio. He's NOT Bernie, get over it! The idea of a Ohio QB coming in with a "S" on his chest and saving the day is for dreamers. Quinn isn't your comic book super hero. I like his attitude and spirit, however, he isn't your savior. He was drafted because of Romeo's friendship with Charlie @ N.D. and as a "popularity thing". Friendship and business do not mix – big mistake. The roster should never be a popularity contest either and if Mangini is doing things right, it won't be. I'm not a Mangini fan however, he's the coach and I'll reserve passing judgement for the right time.
As an analyst by trade, I have analized both QBs and I decided Anderson was the right guy three years ago, but the past regime chose Fry. Anderson was the right choice then and he is now. To be fair, I thought Cleveland should have signed Todd Boeckman from OSU (he's a native Michiganer). He is a very accurate passer and has the right size. He just needs the right grooming. At a last glance, he's still a free agent.
if you all werent such notre dame haters you would see brady singlehandidly won most of there games for an awefully untalented and embarassingly slow football team if it werent for him there struggles would have started even earlier. d.a is at best a second string qb in the league, he had a great 2007 but if you look at the teams he did good against most average second team qb in the league would have done the same trust me our only hope is that manginni is not as big an idiot as romeo was and plays brady from day 1
Todd boeckman is from ohio. u clearly do not know what u are talkin about
Gunnyg, what are you doing here, on a small town blog? If YOU analyzed both QB's and decided Anderson has the "IT" factor and Boeckman belongs on an NFL roster with the proper grooming (I don't know what a shave and a haircut will do for him but so be it), by god you should take those skills of yours to an NFL front office and get yourself a job!
The things you could do for amateurish no-talent NFL wannabees. Get out their and make a name for yourself as an analyzing genius.
ah pat, thanks for bringing back that wonderful quote from Butch…the guy was the master of spin…hell, look, he made a shoulder problem seem sexy. as for the qb's, neither appears to be a great choice; but honestly, haven't we had enough experience now to know that waiting to decide accomplishes nothing? be it a butchie "gut feeling" or a romeo "coin-flip," I don't think we could do worse if we just settled and named a QB now, versus waiting and seeing that neither QB can distinguish himself and settle on one later. as Rush (the band, not fatty limbaugh) says, "If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice." Our choice is another season of futility.
If DA has another horrible performance like he did vs. the Packers, against the Lions, then it will be Quinn's job.
http://dawgscooper.blogspot.com
Dawg Scooper: An Unofficial Cleveland Browns News Source