Top 20 NFL Rookies

[CoachChaz]

By: Greg Davis | Updated 11/14

We’re ten weeks through the NFL season and there have been many surprising developments, including several on the rookie front. As is typical, some have exceeded expectations, others have failed to play to expectations, and still others have lost significant time due to injury. Whether they have exceeded or met expectations, let’s look at the top 20 impact rookies to this point in the season:

20. Jonathan Stewart, RB, Carolina
DeAngelo Williams has been the focal point of the rushing attack for Carolina, but Stewart has managed to get his hands on a share of the carries. The Panthers have used Stewart on occasion each week, giving him the chance to use his powerful style to catch teams off guard after seeing his counterpart in Williams. Stewart’s 77 yards on the ground in week two was his highest total of his season so far and he has 383 yards on the ground and five scores through week ten. Eventually, Stewart should be a starter in league because of the talent he possesses and he the physical potential to be one of the better backs in the league should he stay healthy.

19. Darren McFadden, RB, Oakland
Being the most highly touted running back of his draft class is a lot of pressure to live up to, but McFadden has the skills necessary to be successful at this level and he has shown flashes of it. In his first professional game against Denver, he rushed for 46 yards on nine carries and added a reception for 11 yards, but his offense in Oakland struggled mightily, a fact that has hindered him at times throughout the season. An injury to Justin Fargas in week two helped McFadden to his best effort to date. The former Razorback rushed for 164 yards on 21 carries while adding a touchdown. He has missed the past two games because of a toe injury and will look to add to his 434 total yards soon.

18. Chris Long, DE, St. Louis
The entire St. Louis team has struggled and while Long wasn’t very productive right away, he has shown glimpses of being a great talent. He got his first career sack in week two and had a pair of sacks in week eight against New England. Long now has four sacks and 31 total tackles. Long could find things tough for awhile yet, but he has the drive and talent to do some special things once the right pieces are in place around him.

17. Ryan Clady, OL, Denver
Clady has played well to open his career, starting for Denver at left tackle. Broncos’ quarterback Jay Cutler has had what seems like forever to stand in the pocket and look downfield for receivers at times. Clady has also paid dividends in the rushing game, as the team’s backs have found decent running holes. The lack of health in the backfield hasn’t helped the rushing game, but Clady has done his job well for whichever back has had the ball. Denver’s offense has sputtered at times in recent weeks, but Clady and the rest will look to improve. The tackle seems primed to be an anchor on the offensive line for a long time to come and Denver is more than happy to have a stalwart at a critical position.

16. Aqib Talib, CB, Tampa Bay
The third corner taken in the draft, Talib made a single tackle and was beaten in coverage for a touchdown against New Orleans to open his stay in the league. However, Talib has shown improvement since that first game and came away with his first career interception in week two. Through week ten, he has made three interceptions and has six passes defended to his credit, and while he may still be working on his coverage at this level, there is hope that he will develop into one of the better players at his position in time.

15. Felix Jones, RB, Dallas
With Marion Barber ahead of him on the depth chart, Jones has had limited opportunities on offense. He has carried the ball just 30 times during the five games that he has touched the ball. He also has a pair of receptions. The impressive thing is that Jones has managed to rack up 266 yards on the ground, averaging a cool 8.9 yards per carry. He has also found the endzone three times, including a 60-yard sprint against Green Bay in his third professional game. He has a fourth touchdown on a kick return and is averaging more than 27 yards per return, which is fifth best in the NFL heading into week ten. Injury hasn’t helped his cause, but he has shown that he may eventually be a quality number one.

14. Antoine Cason, CB, San Diego
Cason isn’t technically a starter yet, but he sees plenty of time on the field for the Chargers. Cason was a shutdown corner in college and the Chargers are looking for the same given time. He has made 40 total tackles and came away with his first career interception in week two against division-rival Denver. Cason has all the tools to become a Pro Bowl player, and although it is a down year for the San Diego defense, he should benefit from the talent around him more and more as the unit gets healthy over time.

13. Tim Hightower, RB, Arizona
Hightower was expected to take touches away from veteran back Edgerrin James, but Hightower is now not only taking touches away, but also starting in James’ place. Hightower had scored six touchdowns through week eight and had played well when given the ball. His first actual start came in week nine against St. Louis; the former Richmond Spider amassed 109 yards on 22 carries and found pay dirt once in the Cardinals victory. Hightower struggled to find running room in week ten, but he will be Arizona’s featured back the rest of the way.

12. Kevin Smith, RB, Detroit
Smith opened his rookie season with a decent performance for a team that struggled to stay in a game with Atlanta. Forced to pass to keep up, a habit that has held, the team only handed him the ball 16 times; he gained 48 yards but was able to score a touchdown. He followed that up by rushing for four yards a touch but only had ten carries because the Lions were again forced to pass to keep up with the opponent. Simply put, he has struggled to put up numbers due to a lack of touches. Rudi Johnson has also taken carries away from him, but the team may have finally realized that Smith provides their best option. He was handed the ball a season-high 23 times and turned it into 96 yards and a touchdown to go with his 27 yards receiving. For the season, he now has 401 rushing yards, 189 receiving yards, and five touchdowns. Smith certainly has talent and should be the featured back the rest of the way.

11. Jeremy Zuttah, G, Tampa Bay
A third round selection out of Rutgers, Zuttah is receiving a good deal of praise from his coaching staff because of his effectiveness at both guard positions on the offensive line. He has played both spots and proven to be valuable at each. When called upon to play left guard because of an emergency situation, he moved from his original right guard spot and made the transition seamlessly. Zuttah has become one of the better rookie offensive lineman without the fanfare that some of the others are receiving.

[CoachChaz]

10. Joe Flacco, QB, Baltimore
The Ravens had to battle injuries and uncertainty at the quarterback position, so that when the season got underway, Flacco was pressed into action. His numbers haven’t been overwhelming, but they have been fairly stable and have provided consistency for a team that relies more on their defense to get the job done. Flacco is mainly called upon to not make major mistakes and to protect the ball. He has thrown only seven picks to seven touchdowns, a ratio that might not be great by any means, but the relatively low number of turnovers is what the team is looking for. Flacco is still a few years away from shining, but for now he is doing a good job of keeping his team in games. He’ll face a tougher defensive schedule the rest of the way, though.

9. Steve Slaton, RB, Houston
While Slaton hasn’t received more than 18 carries in a game this season, he has made the most of his chances on an offense that has sputtered at times and gotten behind often, forcing the team to pass more. His week ten effort against Baltimore was his lowest output of the season, but he has earned more than 700 total yards and has six total touchdowns. In week three against a strong Tennessee defense, Slaton had 116 yards on the ground for his best rushing total of his young career. Slaton looked worn down some in his last game, so the Texans might try to ease up on him the rest of the way.

8. Curtis Lofton, LB, Atlanta
Lofton may still have room to improve on his coverage skills, but he continues to grow into a solid linebacker. In week eight he forced a fumble on his lone sack to date. He has posted 53 total tackles, showing he tracks the ball well and giving him a very respectable total. There weren’t the same extreme expectations of the linebacker as the likes of Mayo and Keith Rivers, but Atlanta has entrusted him with the starting role in the middle and he has come through.

7. DeSean Jackson, WR, Philadelphia
Jackson may have just a single receiving touchdown, but he has been a significant contributor in the Eagles offensive attack. Only Eddie Royal has more receiving yards among rookies, and Jackson a pair of 100-plus yard efforts. With Kevin Curtis out because of injury to open the season, many tapered their expectations of the Eagles’ offense and even of Jackson as well. In week one, the Cal product excelled with Donovan McNabb finding him six times for 106 yards. Jackson also proved effective on special teams by returning punts for a total of 97 yards. In a week two primetime effort against Dallas, Jackson made another six catches for 110. Since, the receiving totals haven’t been quite as high, but he has become a good option for McNabb and also continues to contribute on special teams with a punt return score to his credit.

6. Jake Long, OT, Miami
The Dolphins took Long first overall thinking that he would be their starting left tackle for seasons to come. In his first test, he committed a couple of penalties and was beaten on a couple of occasions as well, but otherwise he had a decent game. His second game was by no means special, but he played about as solidly as can be expected considering how poorly the team as a whole has played. Since, Long has shown improvement just about every week and is playing very well. He has the potential to be even better, too, giving Miami a reason to be excited about what is to come. The Dolphins have to be pumped about their 5-4 record and Long is part of the reason for the turnaround.

5. Jerod Mayo, LB, New England
Even though there was a good deal of melancholy in New England after week one, there is also a sense of excitement about Mayo and the way the team has held together after the loss of quarterback Tom Brady. Mayo showed enough in training camp to earn the starting left inside linebacker and had six solo tackles to his credit against Kansas City to open his career. To follow it up, he made seven solo tackles against the Jets and didn’t miss a down. Mayo has continued to find success week in and week out, and has recorded double-digit tackle totals twice. His 65 total tackles through week ten puts him easily atop the chart for all rookies. Mayo will be very good for a very long time to come.

4. Eddie Royal, WR, Denver Broncos
Royal leads all rookie receivers in yards. He burst onto the scene in week one, with the absence of Brandon Marshall against Oakland. He beat cornerback DeAngelo Hall with regularity, totaling nine receptions for a whopping 146 yards and a touchdown. He has had nine receptions in three games through week ten, and posted 104 yards against Kansas City in week four. In his most recent outing, he racked up 164 yards on just six catches, taking one pass for a 93-yard score. Royal gives quarterback Jay Cutler another reliable option in the passing game and is also using his abilities to help on special teams, returning kicks and punts.

3. Matt Forte, RB, Chicago
The Bears are a different team running the ball this season as compared to last season and Forte has more than secured his role as a starting tailback. Not only did Chicago beat Indianapolis to open the year, they are seeing glimpses of a quality running back for the first time since Thomas Jones’ departure. Forte totaled 141 yards in game one, including 123 yards rushing the ball and scored a 50-yard touchdown. He posted his highest rushing total so far in week nine against Detroit with 126 yards on 22 carries. Forte has seven total touchdowns and only Chris Johnson has more rushing yards for a rookie. The Bears feel they have found their long-term answer in the backfield.

2. Chris Johnson, RB, Tennessee
The thought that Johnson would be a big part of the offense has become a reality as the Titans handed him the ball 15 times and watched him run for 93 yards in his first outing and have kept giving him the ball ever since. He has rushed the ball at least 14 times in each game and caught two or more passes in each game. His best output came in week seven in Kansas City, as he turned his 18 carries into 168 yards on the ground. His seven total touchdowns and over 900 total yards of offense have the Titans beaming and he also leads all rookie backs in rushing yards. Tennessee appears to have found a back that could be one of the league’s most dynamic for a long time to come.

1. Matt Ryan, QB, Atlanta
Ryan was asked to step in right away and acclimate to the NFL level, and so far he has been able to do so really well considering the situation. The Falcons are 6-3 and fighting for a division title. A lot of it has to do with the rookie playing smart and being calm under pressure. In week six against Chicago, he dropped back and fired a strike to Michael Jenkins that set up the game-winning field goal when things looked bleak. Ryan has 11 touchdown passes to only five interceptions, has passed for more than 1,600 yards to this point, and has a passer rating of 89.9 through week ten. The future appears brighter and brighter each time he takes the field and shows that he is ready to lead Atlanta forward. The Falcons have to be excited about what they have seen from their new quarterback.

[Nick]

Wow, suprised Clady is not higher. :rolleyes:

[NameUsedBefore]

Ryan Clady is ROTY as far as I'm concerned.

[DenBronx]

Wow, suprised Clady is not higher. :rolleyes:

im suprised jake long is ahead of him. has clady even allowed a sack yet?

looking back im sure royal would have been drafted in the top 15. he was a steal in the 2nd! shanny whiffed year after year on picking wr's but now has 2 top 15 wr's in the league through the draft. both are young and are only going to get better. i think royal has all the confidence in the world in himself but conducts himself as a proffessional on and off the field. this kid is no slot guy, in fact would it be hard to say he could not be a #1 on some nfl teams? he already has 56 rec, 4 td's with 659 yards and still has 6 games left.

[Nick]

im suprised jake long is ahead of him.

has clady even allowed a sack yet?

Think 1

[CoachChaz]

How the hell do you give an OL the OROY award? Seriously

[NameUsedBefore]

How the hell do you give an OL the OROY award? Seriously

Same way you do for any other player; you hand it to them. Or mail it, I'm actually not sure how the system works.

[broncofaninfla]

Clady should be top 3. As much as I LOVE Royal, Clady is playing even better.

[CoachChaz]

It's just too impossible to gauge the statistics of any lineman...especially enough to warrant telling them they were the best offensive rookie in the NFL.

[NameUsedBefore]

It's just too impossible to gauge the statistics of any lineman...especially enough to warrant telling them they were the best offensive rookie in the NFL.

I know; he wont get it. But the dude has been eating defenders right up and there's no "Adrian Peterson"-esque player around that really stands above the crowd.

[CoachChaz]

I know; he wont get it. But the dude has been eating defenders right up and there's no "Adrian Peterson"-esque player around that really stands above the crowd.

No, but there is a reason they are called "skill" positions.

[NameUsedBefore]

No, but there is a reason they are called "skill" positions.

To appease the masses? Karl Marx would vote Clady for ROTY.

[jrelway]

clady is playing lights out and is the reason jays still healthy. as much as we pass, cutler should have a limp by now.

[LRtagger]

This list is retarded. Matt Ryan #1?

6. Jake Long, OT, Miami
In his first test, he committed a couple of penalties and was beaten on a couple of occasions as well, but otherwise he had a decent game. His second game was by no means special


Wow, is he serious? And then he ranks him at #6. HA

I would have Forte and Johnson tied for #1, Royal at #3 and Ryan at #4. Jake Long would not even be in my top 10.

[Italianmobstr7]

Think 1

No. 0. He has NOT allowed a sack. Not to Derrick Burgess, not to Tamba Hali, not to Joey Porter, and not to John Abraham. Not to anyone. Clady is much better than 17th. He's even played better than Jake Long.

[weazel]

Clady's not getting any respect. this list is pathetic

[topscribe]

The difference is, Jake Long plays east of the Mississippi. Ryan Clady plays west of it.

Matt Ryan plays east of the Mississippi. Eddie Royal plays west of it.

That is an absolute moron list, especially in Clady's case. :eviltongue:

-----

[BroncoWave]

My top 5 would be Forte, Johnson, Royal, Clady, and Ryan in that order. Ryan being #1 on that list is absurd.

[Hobe]

Clady one of only four offensive tackles (That left and right, rookie or vet,) that has started every game for their team this year that has less then one sack. All four are credited with 1/2 sack. No reasonable way to rank Long over Clady. This guy must be a fish lover to put Long at #6. He is an Offensive Lineman!

I would have put Eddie ahead of Forte, but that a mote point.

Unless he falls apart in the last six games Matt Ryan has the ROTY.

Coach - who is Greg Davis and who does he write for?

[Broncospsycho77]

My top 5 would be Forte, Johnson, Royal, Clady, and Ryan in that order. Ryan being #1 on that list is absurd.

Reppin' the Tulane kid, of course :lol:

I'd have Johnson, Flacco/Ryan, Forte, Clady, and then Flacco/Ryan.

[Skinny]

I guess i'm looking at the big picture when regarding Matt Ryans success so far this season. I'm looking and what Matt Ryan, as well as the Falcons, have accomplished since being just 4-12 last season. A large part of that is because of Matt Ryans play. Sure Micheal Turners name also comes instantly to mind, but we're talking about the most important position on a football team, the QB.

Keep in mind this was a team, no, a franchise, that was in total disarray at the end of last season. Never mind the 30 QBs they went through last year trying to find one to replace Micheal Vick. They had problems from the players backlashing the coaches and the owner, to their HC bailing ship and leaving the team a note on the door 13 games into last season.

Right now, Atlanta's 6-4 and still in the hunt for a wild-card birth.

Somebody give that kid a cigar. :bandit:

[BroncoWave]

Reppin' the Tulane kid, of course :lol:

I'd have Johnson, Flacco/Ryan, Forte, Clady, and then Flacco/Ryan.

I figured someone would catch that! :D

But seriously, I think Forte has been just as good if not better than any other rookie this year. I honestly think the race is wide open though. There's no clear-cut frontrunner at this point IMO.

[silkamilkamonico]

Where's the link to this fool's page? Surely there is a comments section.

I don't harbor much ill will to other peoples opinions, but Clady at #17 is an outrage.

[JKcatch724]

Forte looks good, but that's not hard considering he's succeeding Benson. He is a beast on my fantasy team though.

Clady I say is ahead of Long as far as O-linemen, and I think we all know who got the best receiver in the draft.

I say top to bottom, homer or not, we ended up with the best draft class in the league SO FAR.

[omac]

Good topic, but I agree, the list is messed up. To rate Long that high and Clady that low, when Clady's played as close to perfect as a veteran can play, and it took Long some time to adjust; also, rating Kevin Smith, McFadden, and Tim Hightower higher than Stewart is way off, even though Stewart splits carries.

LT - Ryan Clady > Jake Long. Not even close. Clady's faced some of the best pass rushers and kept them at bay, sometimes not even allowing any hurries.

RB - Chris Johnson > Matt Forte > Jonathan Stewart > Steve Slaton > Felix Jones > Darren McFadden > Kevin Smith > Tim Hightower. McFadden's been a dissappointment with his injury; Johnson and Forte are the offense for their teams; though Stewart splits caries, he's the toughness that sets the tone for their offense.

I'd be okay with Clady or a RB taking the ROY award, but not the QBs.

QB Matt Ryan > Joe Flacco. QB is the most important possition, and though these rookies are playing great, their games are extremely managed and limited so as to not get exposed. Their record has a lot to do with their ground game and defense. For the most part, they are asked not to carry the team; just don't do something stupid, and make a few key throws. Their recent games show what happens when the QBs had to step out of their usual box.

WR Eddie Royal > DeSean Jackson. Both great receivers and return guys.

Haven't seen enough of the rest to comment ...
(Chris Long, Aqib Talib, Antoine Cason, Curtis Lofton, Jerod Mayo, Jeremy Zuttah)

[omac]

Forte looks good, but that's not hard considering he's succeeding Benson. He is a beast on my fantasy team though.

Clady I say is ahead of Long as far as O-linemen, and I think we all know who got the best receiver in the draft.

I say top to bottom, homer or not, we ended up with the best draft class in the league SO FAR.

With the recent invaluable contributions of Hillis and Larsen, it's tough to argue that. :cheers:

[JKcatch724]

Where's the link to this fool's page? Surely there is a comments section.

I don't harbor much ill will to other peoples opinions, but Clady at #17 is an outrage.

For sure. I thought Clady would be good but damn, he's playing lights out. IMO the mark of a great lineman is when you don't hear their names mentioned much on broadcasts. Because most of the time it's for penalties or giving up a sack. All they can talk about is how beastly he is.

[lex]

This guy's a boob. He totally gravitates toward the sexy picks and then when he ranks the tackles, he makes it obvious he pays very little attention to what he's commenting on.

[slim]

I can't believe he has a special teams player at number 4.

Jamal Charles is much more deserving of that spot.

[lex]

I can't believe he has a special teams player at number 4.

We should have taken Jamal Charles with that pick.


LOL. In case you havent noticed a number of people have been complaining about the lack of a running game and calling for a RB with a high pick. Just thought Id point this out to you. Besides, Royal is a nice player but theres no way he should be above Clady.

[Lonestar]

once again we are pissing and moaning about stuff we never have any control on..

Who gives a crap as long as they are major players for us..

They get huge honors and they demand bigger contracts..

Would you rather have Rod or TO, Eddie Mac or Boldin..

I'd rather have the consistent player without the mental baggage..

Again if we were east of the Mississippi then I'd be concerned about them not getting props being from DEN get used to it..

"Never ever worry about something beyond your control" -Dale Carnegie

[slim]

LOL. In case you havent noticed a number of people have been complaining about the lack of a running game and calling for a RB with a high pick. Just thought Id point this out to you. Besides, Royal is a nice player but theres no way he should be above Clady.

Was this before or after we were forced to start a rookie FB at RB?

I still can't believe we drafted a punt returner in the second round. Shanny is really stoopid.

[lex]

Was this before or after we were forced to start a rookie FB at RB?

I still can't believe we drafted a punt returner in the second round. Shanny is really stoopid.

Again, people are currently crying for a RB with a high pick. Just thought Id let you know that.

[broncohead]

Was this before or after we were forced to start a rookie FB at RB?

I still can't believe we drafted a punt returner in the second round. Shanny is really stoopid.

Is this sarcasm? I can't tell.

[omac]

If a QB or RB win the ROTY award, he'd be the best rookie in his position, but not the best in his position; they'd lose out to AD or Portis or Brees. Clady as a rookie is making a case for being the best in his position in the whole NFL, probowl veterans included. :rockon:

[gobroncsnv]

No, but there is a reason they are called "skill" positions.

But the best teams have better lines... Skill positions make plays because of people like Clady giving them time... Teams that want to sell jerseys try to line up the best skill players... Ask the Lions how that is working out for them. Teams that want to win games build their lines first, and the skill positions look all that much better because of it.

[Ziggy]

Long will get more credit than Clady for 2 reasons:


1. He was the first pick in the draft.
2. He plays on the east coast.

We know what we have in Clady here in Denver. The rest of the country will figure it out in a year or 2.

Stats for the season:

Jake Long-
2.5 sacks allowed
2 holding penalties

Ryan Clady-
0.5 sacks allowed
1 holding penalty

Keep in mind that Denver has attemped 60 more passes than Miami also.

[Lonestar]

Long will get more credit than Clady for 2 reasons:


1. He was the first pick in the draft.
2. He plays on the east coast.

We know what we have in Clady here in Denver. The rest of the country will figure it out in a year or 2.

Stats for the season:

Jake Long-
2.5 sacks allowed
2 holding penalties

Ryan Clady-
0.5 sacks allowed
1 holding penalty

Keep in mind that Denver has attemped 60 more passes than Miami also.

Outstanding post..

But Zig they will continue to piss and moan for the injustice of it all..

We should have 7-8 players in the HOF but we have TWO. And one of them was more for his time in MIN than in DEN..

FOLKS get used to it..

[BeefStew25]

Jrwiz, I don't worry about it because I can't control it.

[Lonestar]

Jrwiz, I don't worry about it because I can't control it.


touch`e

[Tned]

Wow, suprised Clady is not higher. :rolleyes:

Rookie LT that has given up no sacks, and I can't remember if he has had any penalties called on him.. Maybe one or two early in the year, but not many at all.

Combine that with Jay often dropping back to pass 40 to 50 times a game, with little to no running game, and it is amazing he isn't higher on the list.

[topscribe]

Rookie LT that has given up no sacks, and I can't remember if he has had any penalties called on him.. Maybe one or two early in the year, but not many at all.

Combine that with Jay often dropping back to pass 40 to 50 times a game, with little to no running game, and it is amazing he isn't higher on the list.

As Ziggy revealed in Post #38, Clady has ½ sack, but that is bogus because
he was not responsible for the guy who got through. That was one of the
plays where I was watching him specifically, and he had a wall formed on
another guy. The TE over there was actually who got beat.

Clady apparently had one holding call, but I don't remember his getting any,
so I missed that one.

-----

[WARHORSE]

This list is retarded. Matt Ryan #1?

6. Jake Long, OT, Miami
In his first test, he committed a couple of penalties and was beaten on a couple of occasions as well, but otherwise he had a decent game. His second game was by no means special


Wow, is he serious? And then he ranks him at #6. HA

I would have Forte and Johnson tied for #1, Royal at #3 and Ryan at #4. Jake Long would not even be in my top 10.


Ryan is definitely number one. He has singlehandedly brought that team out of chaos and ashes. He is playing like a veteran QB, and without him, that team would be going O-fer. The impact of a capable QB, team leader is unreplaceable.

After that, I agree Forte and Johnson are reasonable at the top. Royal as well should be considered. I think Royal at 3 and Clady at 4 is very plausible.

Jake Long? Not in my top ten either.

These are my top 5-6.


Ryan
Forte
Royal
Clady
Johnson
Mayo

Also, if Royal continues to dominate in the return game, and can take one or two to the house before the year is out.........he definitely will become OROY and possible ROY.

[Lonestar]

time for a few of you to don your cheerleader outfits and petition the NFL for PMS status..

the less our players are recognized the farther under the radar we are Psyhc101 and the less they get paid when it it contract time. ECON101

[MOtorboat]

time for a few of you to don your cheerleader outfits and petition the NFL for PMS status..

the less our players are recognized the farther under the radar we are Psyhc101 and the less they get paid when it it contract time. ECON101

If an agent's only bargaining chip, and Shanahan's only motivation is a column written by a guy at footballfutures.com, we've got much bigger problems than we thought.

[LRtagger]

Ryan is definitely number one. He has singlehandedly brought that team out of chaos and ashes. He is playing like a veteran QB, and without him, that team would be going O-fer. The impact of a capable QB, team leader is unreplaceable.


Single handedly?? Are you serious? He is having a great rookie season, but I would attribute their success this year to their stout running game. One guy I believe is 3rd in the league in yards (Turner) and the other I believe leads the league in YPC (Norwood). Not to mention they have one of the best pass rushing DE's in the league and one of the better WR in the league.

You are crediting their 6-4 record to a QB with a less than a 60% completion percentage, less than a 2:1 TD to INT ratio, and an 87 passer rating. Meanwhile you have a guy who already has nearly 1000 yards rushing and 9 TDs in 10 games :confused:

Matt Ryan manages that offense well, but he is in no way carrying that team as you indicate.

[WARHORSE]

Single handedly?? Are you serious? He is having a great rookie season, but I would attribute their success this year to their stout running game. One guy I believe is 3rd in the league in yards (Turner) and the other I believe leads the league in YPC (Norwood). Not to mention they have one of the best pass rushing DE's in the league and one of the better WR in the league.

You are crediting their 6-4 record to a QB with a less than a 60% completion percentage, less than a 2:1 TD to INT ratio, and an 87 passer rating. Meanwhile you have a guy who already has nearly 1000 yards rushing and 9 TDs in 10 games :confused:

Matt Ryan manages that offense well, but he is in no way carrying that team as you indicate.


Think so? Stick Joey back in there and see what Turner runs for. They each support the other. And the fact that you post those stats means you dont really understand what hes been doing. Which is leading his team by playing WITHIN himself.

He made some terrific plays against us, and only one rookie mistake. Look at third down, his mobility, his throwing on the run, but more than that, his management and field generalship of the offense. He threw the game winning touchdown only to have it dropped.

They should be 7-3 right now, and Ryan is definitely rookie of the year up to this point, and if he continues, you'll see at the end of the year.

A matter of opinion, so Iknow you'll keep yours, but in the end only one will win, and theres still alot of football left.

[LRtagger]

Think so? Stick Joey back in there and see what Turner runs for. They each support the other. And the fact that you post those stats means you dont really understand what hes been doing. Which is leading his team by playing WITHIN himself.

He made some terrific plays against us, and only one rookie mistake. Look at third down, his mobility, his throwing on the run, but more than that, his management and field generalship of the offense. He threw the game winning touchdown only to have it dropped.

They should be 7-3 right now, and Ryan is definitely rookie of the year up to this point, and if he continues, you'll see at the end of the year.

A matter of opinion, so Iknow you'll keep yours, but in the end only one will win, and theres still alot of football left.


Turner would still be a beast with or without Matt Ryan behind a pretty good offensive line. I would say that their running game has been the thing to help Matt Ryan, not vice versa.

How do the stats indicate that I dont know what I am talking about? The guy has one of the best running games in football, but he still barey completes half his passes. He doesn't even account for half the TDs the team has scored this year, yet he is single handedly carrying the team?

You said without Matt Ryan, this team would be 0-10. That is completely and utterly FALSE. There are two games this year that he has thrown fewer than 20 passes and less than 200 yards and the team still put up 34 and 38 points in wins.

I would say only ONE win this year can be put on Ryan's back and that was their Chicago game. All of their other wins Turner killed the opposing D. Maybe the NO game, but I would attribute that more to the fact that their D held Brees in check for most of the game.

Yea this team was 1-15 last year and Ryan has HELPED turn them around, but nearly the entire roster is new including a new HC. To say Matt Ryan has done it alone is completely ignorant to what this team has accomplished AS A WHOLE.

I could care less who actually wins rookie of the year, because we all know QBs get the most recognition in any award. Even if he wins ROY it doesn't mean that he carried his team on his back as you seem to believe.

[horsepig]

Really, Clady should be the top ranked OLman, that's a no-brainer.