Read Babe Ruthless’ argument and Loyal Homer’s argument about which NFL backup quarterback SHOULD be starting for their team right now.
One game does not a season make!
Desperation can make people do funny things. While many fans from Cleveland are complaining about the embarrassing manner in which the Browns lost to the Detroit Lions last Sunday, there are just as many folks who cannot seem to stop talking about Brady Quinn’s performance. Many fans around the city of Cleveland are allowing the pleasant memory of a single, solid performance by Quinn to overshadow the HORRIBLE performances by Quinn and fellow Browns quarterback Derek Anderson from the first eight games of the season. With the same delusional hope that every Browns fan feels during the preseason – that “this is FINALLY the year that it will all turn around…” – many of the Cleveland faithful appear ready to hand over the Browns’ offense, the keys to the city, and their first-born children to Brady Quinn.
I hate to be the rain cloud on this fools parade on the banks of Lake Erie, but the excitement will be short-lived.
I will give Quinn the credit deserved for that one game against the Lions. His performance of 304 passing yards, four touchdowns, and no interceptions was impressive, there is no doubt about it. That does not mean, however, that all of the Browns’ problems have been solved. In the interest of “keeping it real” I feel obliged to remind everyone that this performance, albeit impressive, did come against the worst passing defense in the league. The Detroit Lions have given up more passing yardage than any other team in the league, the Lions are tied for the fewest interceptions in the league, and Detroit has allowed the most points. I will say it again – Quinn’s result from last Sunday were impressive, but it MUST be taken with a grain of salt.
In reality, the Cleveland Browns are no better off after Quinn’s performance than before it. The team has some SERIOUS offensive issues that have yet to be addressed. The Browns traded away the two best pass-catchers on the team – Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow, Jr. – this season and the right side of the offensive line is about as effective at protection as a bullet-proof vest made out of toilet paper. The current receiving corps is comprised of one pseudo-established receiver (Chansi Stuckey) two rookies (Mohamed Massaquoi and Brian Robiskie), a kick returner (Josh Cribbs), and a part-time defensive back (Mike Furrey). For the running game the Browns are relying on Jamal Lewis, who announced three weeks ago that he will be retiring at the end of this season.
I know that it is tempting to view Quinn’s performance from last Sunday and argue it as proof that Quinn should be starting, but I want to propose another option – why not give current third string quarterback Brett Ratliff a try?
Derek Anderson has proven that he cannot successfully lead the Cleveland Browns offense any more. This season, Anderson has a passer rating of 36.2 and has thrown only two touchdowns against nine interceptions on the year. Quinn’s results (including his inflated stats from the game last weekend against the worst defense in the NFL) are not much better. Thanks to the charity game in Detroit, Quinn’s quarterback rating has SKYROCKETED to 70.4, and he was able to draw his touchdown total even with his interception total at five apiece. Before he had stepped onto Ford Field, he had thrown only one touchdown against five interceptions on the season.
Although Ratliff has not taken a professional snap yet, his performance at college in Utah was very impressive. During his final season with the Utes Ratliff passed for 2,796 yards, 23 touchdowns, and only nine interceptions. He successfully led Utah to an eight-win season in 2006, a season capped off by a victory in the Armed Forces Bowl.
I am not saying that Ratliff will be any better than Quinn or Anderson. It is obvious, though, that Browns head coach Eric Mangini has been reluctant to rely on Quinn. This is proven by the fact that Mangini benched Quinn after only three games and allowed Anderson to consistently fail for the next FIVE games before going back to Quinn, only because it would have likely cost Mangini his job if he had stuck with Anderson any longer. The team is clearly not in playoff contention; and, with the lack of any truly reliable personnel around the quarterback position, it is safe to assume that Quinn (despite one week of success) will likely continue to struggle throughout the rest of the season. With nothing to lose and everything to gain, why not at least give Ratliff a shot?! Let’s be honest, with the poor pass-blocking ability of the right side of the Browns’ offensive line, Ratliff will be playing by the end of the year anyway due to the inevitable injuries that will come as a result of the repeated hits absorbed by whomever takes the snaps in Cleveland.
After Quinn’s performance last Sunday I understand that it would be foolish not to start him against the Cincinnati Bengals this weekend. WHEN Quinn begins to struggle again or WHEN he gets hurt (whichever comes first), Mangini should look to Brett Ratliff, not Derek Anderson, as the next quarterback for the Cleveland Browns.
