Let's Discuss the 2007 Schedule

[GTripp0012]

Originally Posted by Sheriff Gonna Getcha

I honestly don't think either QB was particularly effectice (or horrible). The reason why their ypa average was high was because, as you know, they threw a lot of high percentage passes and not because they were chucking it up downfield. Moreover, Brunell's ypa average is inflated because the team was relatively effective at screen plays and the ability of guys like Moss and Cooley to get yards after the catch.

I thought he got a lot more help from his receivers last year (2005) than this year (2006). Moss made that same play so many times in 2005 off the screen, I can't help but think that Brunell's YPA from 2005 was pretty inflated.

This year, I can remember only one big passing play from the first nine games that Brunell didn't have much of a role in and that was the 75 yard shovel to CP against Houston. But I'd be willing to say that most QBs with some talent on offense got a play like that at least once during the course of the season.

I think theres a double standard with QB age in this league. If Brunell or McNair throws for 7 YPA, its because they had great help from receivers. If McNabb does it, despite having the LEAGUES BEST PLAYER AFTER THE CATCH (Westbrook), it's because he's just that good. I think it's a league wide phemenon to create self serving evidence to say that old guys can't play, when in fact that isn't true.

But I think the near identical play of Brunell and McNair, at the very least, should demonstate to everyone just how much of a role defense plays. The difference between the leagues best D and leagues worst D, teams who had nearly identical offenses, was the difference of 8 wins. 8 wins! It's a 16 game season.

If we had the 2004 defense playing with the 2006 offense, we could have expected a 12-4 season with the exact same play from QB. That's the point. Defense really, really is everything in this league.