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In The Numbers: Vince Young Is Rex Grossman
Published: October 29, 2009
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Vince Young is going to be back under center to start the Titan’s game on Nov. 1st. This move has been long awaited by Titan’s fans. Young has been considered a winner, despite his inconsistencies he enters the game Sunday with an 18 -11 record as a starter. That is not a bad winning percentage by such a young quarterback.
At the same time, Young was benched for legitimate reasons as a combination of on field play and off field drama led to him riding the pine. Was his treatment fair?
This got me thinking, isn’t winning good enough? What else do you need? How often has a QB been benched so early in their career despite such a favorable winning percentage? Are there other examples?
The first comparable example I could think of was Rex Grossman. Like Young, Grossman was a young QB with a winning record that found himself on the bench. Rex Grossman and the Bears went to the Superbowl in his only full season as a starter, yet he was benched the following season.
Vince Young and Rex Grossman are two young QB’s with winning records that found themselves sitting and watching from the sidelines, but the similarities don’t end there.
Beyond the circumstance, statistically their numbers are almost identical. Obviously Young is a different style of QB, so that should be factored in therefore I chose to use scrimmage yards (rushing plus passing) and total TDs (rushing and passing) for the comparison.
Take a look at their career numbers:
|
Category |
V.Young |
R. Grossman |
|
Start |
29 |
31 |
|
Win/Loss Record |
18 – 11 – 0 |
19 – 12 – 0 |
|
Completion % |
56.9 |
54.2 |
|
Total Yards |
5943 |
6244 |
|
Total TD’s |
32 |
36 |
|
Interceptions |
33 |
35 |
|
Fumbles |
25 |
19 |
|
QB Rating |
67.8 |
70.2 |
Those numbers are startlingly similar and that isn’t good news for Vince Young for Titan fans. Based on the numbers they are pretty much the same QB. Yet, somehow Vince Young still has a fan base and Rex Grossman does not.
Not only was Grossman banished from Chicago, but people in Houston were disheartened knowing Grossman would be the primary backup to oft-injured Matt Shaub. It has gotten to that level with him. I hope Vince Young fairs better, but I think the fan will have him on a short leash. Will he end up in exile like Rex Grossman?
I have my fingers crossed for Vince, but I will not be holding my breath. Hopefully he can prove he is what everyone hoped he would be and carry on his own winning tradition.
Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com
How Flippin Good Is Johnnie Lee Higgins! We Will Soon Find Out.
Published: June 18, 2009
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I recently wrote an article about third year wide receivers that were set to breakout as fantasy options.
Raider nation spoke up, loud and clear, and Johnnie Lee Higgins took a large portion of the votes. I figured it was time to look a little deeper.
What will propel Johnnie Lee Higgins in his break out season? I will look at some of the offseason changes and how they affect Higgins’ chances of success.
Experience
Higgins is moving into his third year in the NFL. The third year is supposed to be a big one for wide receivers. The game is said to start slowing down and everything becomes easier. History has shown if a receiver is going to break out, it will often be in the third year.
Things should slow down for him this year. He was the team’s leading wide out last year and I expect him to improve across the board as a result.
Experience will do nothing but help Higgins become more successful.
Complimentary Pass Catchers
This looks like a tricky one to me. Up until the draft, I was thinking good things about the Oakland passing game. I figured Michael Crabtree would really help Higgins. Crabtree could be the possession guy, while Higgins would be the speed guy. Come draft day, that all changed.
The Raiders picked Heyward-Bey. He is another speed guy. So, how with this affect Higgins?
I don’t think it will.
Fortunately for Higgins, the Oakland receiving corps really lacks depth and even if Heyward-Bey pushes for a starting role, I think Higgins will beat him out. Plus based on wheat I’ve seen in the past, it wouldn’t be out of the question for the Raiders to start two speed guys.
Another thing that makes that idea so much easier is Zach Miller. Last year, Miller developed into one of the best receiving tight ends in the league. Having a consistent possession guy like that in the middle could allow Oakland to put two speed guys on the outside.
Despite only starting three games last year, Higgins led the team in catches. If he can indeed land himself a starting role, Higgins’ numbers will increase drastically.
The Quarterback Situation
The Oakland quarterback situation is probably the most influential on Higgins’ success. So, how is the Oakland quarterback situation compared to last year? It has to be better. Sorry to say, it can’t get much worse. Russell should be better, he has to take strides at this point, and if he doesn’t there will be a very capable Jeff Garcia waiting in the wings.
It doesn’t matter if it’s an improved Russell or if it’s Jeff Garcia, Oakland’s quarterback play will be better. This too will help Higgins.
Summary
We will have to pay a lot of attention during camp, but I think Higgins has a good chance to find himself a starting spot. If he does, he will once again lead all Oakland wideouts in yardage, but his numbers will greatly increase. Assuming he starts…
Expect 800 plus yards and three or four touchdowns.
Will Johnnie Lee Higgins once again lead the Raiders in yards? Will he play second fiddle to Heyward-Bey, or will he be coming off the bench? You’ve heard my thoughts, what do you think?
To view my initial article on wide receiver candidates for a break out third year:
Devin Hester and The Perfect Storm… The Ultimate Breakout Candidate!
Published: June 18, 2009
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Sometimes everything comes together just right. The planets align and you know something big is going to happen. I believe that is the case with Devin Hester this year. Here’s why.
Stability at the Quarterback Position
The acquisition of Jay Cutler will be huge for Hester’s development. We all know Cutler is a durable pro bowl caliber quarterback with a rocket arm. We have all heard that, but what I haven’t heard discussed is the deep ball.
Cutler throws an amazing deep ball, even in extreme conditions. His deep ball gets there quickly and is very accurate. I remember seeing multiple instances last year of Hester running deep and Orton missing him by a solid four or five yards.
In at least two or three of these plays, Hester was deeper than the safeties, and we all know at this point he is as good as gone. The increased threat of the deep ball make his numbers sure to rise.
Jay Cutler and his deep ball are one major part of this perfect storm.
Guaranteed Playing Time
Through Hester’s first couple years at wide out he wasn’t a starter. As a matter of fact, he didn’t start a game in 2007 and he only started eight games last year. To this point, Hester has been used largely in situational offense.
This year Hester is being treated like the teams No. 1 guy. This will obviously add pressure and mean he will be covered by better DB’s, but it will also mean he will be on the field for a lot more pays. Even if the team adds a Marshall or a Burress, Hester will be on the field for almost every snap.
Has Hester developed enough to handle the No. 1 spot? That has yet to be seen, but his speed and ability to change direction make him a threat against anyone in any secondary. This also leads me into the third part of the perfect storm.
Third Year is the Breakout Year
Devin Hester is going into his fourth NFL season, but remember: This is only his third year playing wide out. It is a tough position to learn, this is especially true for someone who didn’t play it in college.
The third year is widely considered a break out year for receivers. It has been said by a lot of receivers that it takes until the third year before everything clicks. Hester will be coming into his third year.
Hester has now had three years and two full off season to hone his skills. He should have the experience to make a difference if you combine this with the role of a full time starter as well as a pro bowl quarterback and you have the recipe for a perfect storm.
Summary
I expect a big breakout year by Hester. I don’t think a 1000 yard season is out of the question and at minimum, even if there is another big receiver signed, he should be able to fill the role that Berrian used to play.
Count on Hester gaining at least 900 yards and four touchdowns.
If you are interested in some other breakout candidates, I did up a wide receivers going into their third year (including sleepers) here:
