Originally Posted by SC Skins Fan
Good points, but I still think if you look at the three game stretch from Philly to TB you see a QB really close to being very good. You will likely bring up the costly INTs at Dallas and at Tampa that ended those games, but that is the hurdle he needs to cross. Winning games in the fourth quarter is the toughest thing to do and one of the last real progressions for NFL QBs. We saw what happened to Todd Collins when the ball was in his hand and he had to go win a game sans a running game during the Playoffs. He ended up looking a lot like Campbell did. Campbell has some development left, certainly, but I think you aren't really giving him enough credit for the development he showed from 2006 to 2007 and then during the course of 2007. I am concerned about the new offense (you saw how Phillip Rivers struggled this year, even though the offense was more or less the same but with Norv calling the plays). I guess we are actually pretty close in our opinions, but with a different tone to similar points.
Campbell
Philly 23-34, 67.6%, 215 yards, 3 tds, 0 ints
Dallas 33-54, 61.1%, 348 yards, 2 tds, 1 int
Tampa 30-49, 61.2%, 301 yards, 1 td, 2 ints
86-137, 62.7%, 864 yards, 6 tds, 3 ints
Collins
NYG 8-25, 32%, 166 yards, 0 tds, 0 ints
Min 22-29, 75.9%, 254 yards, 2 tds, 0 ints
Dal 22-31, 71.0%, 244 yards, 1 td, 0 ints
52-85, 61.2%, 664 yards, 3 tds, 0 ints
Obviously the game against the Giants was very windy and difficult conditions. If I substituted the Seattle game the numbers look like:
73-110, 66.4%, 764, 5 tds, 2 ints
I'm not detracting from what Collins was able to do, but I think by comparing Collins performance to Campbells and saying it demonstrates the huge progress that still remains for Jason, you aren't giving proper credit to what Jason was doing in the three games prior to his injury (not counting Buffalo, because obviously that was a very unique situation). You also don't consider how much better the defense performed at the end of the year and the fact that Collins was never put in a position where he had to go out in the fourth quarter and win a game (or try to carry a team that was unable to run the football).
Personally, I think Jason demonstrated that he is closer than you suggest, but obviously the new offense will be a great challenge.
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