February Quiz Answers

So, how do you think you did?  Look below for the answers to yesterday’s quiz, along with links to the relevant posts:

1.  Who was the first African American head coach to win the Super Bowl?  (Hint:  His memoir is the current selection of the Naptime Huddle Book Club.)

TONY DUNGY

See:  http://naptimehuddle.blogspot.com/2012/02/reading-huddle-quiet-strength_13.html

2.  Who was the first special teams player to win Super Bowl Most Valuable Player?

GREEN BAY PACKERS’ DESMOND HOWARD, IN SUPER BOWL XXXI

See: http://naptimehuddle.blogspot.com/2012/02/super-bowl-game-changers-part-2.html

3.  Who set the record for the longest play in Super Bowl history with a 99-yard interception return for a touchdown?

STEELERS LINEBACKER JAMES HARRISON, IN SUPER BOWL XLIII

See:  http://naptimehuddle.blogspot.com/2012/02/super-bowl-game-changers-part-i.html

4.  Who is the league’s oldest active player?

HOUSTON TEXANS PUNTER MATT TURK, WHO IS 43 YEARS OLD

See: http://naptimehuddle.blogspot.com/2012/02/gold-watches-and-golf-clubs-2011-nfl.html

5.  What is the penalty when a pass interference foul is committed by the offense?

10 YARDS FROM THE PREVIOUS SPOT

See:  http://naptimehuddle.blogspot.com/2012/02/super-bowl-game-changers-part-i.html

6.  Whose memoirs were the inspiration for the 1971 telefilm Brian’s Song?

CHICAGO BEARS LEGEND GALE SAYERS (The book was I Am Third)

See:  http://naptimehuddle.blogspot.com/2012/02/screen-plays-classic-football-movies_29.html

7.  Who was the first wide receiver to throw a touchdown pass in a Super Bowl?

PITTSBURGH STEELERS’ ANTWAAN RANDLE-EL, IN SUPER BOWL XL

See: http://naptimehuddle.blogspot.com/2012/02/super-bowl-game-changers-part-2.html

8.  What rap song, by rapper GZA, refers to 31 of the 32 NFL teams?

“QUEEN’S GAMBIT”

See:  http://naptimehuddle.blogspot.com/2012/02/rapping-up-football-and-hip-hop.html

9.  Which running back that retired this year was so coveted by the New Orleans Saints that the organization traded all of its draft picks to snag him?

RICKY WILLIAMS

See: http://naptimehuddle.blogspot.com/2012/02/gold-watches-and-golf-clubs-2011-nfl.html

10. Which football movie classic was the feature film debut for Judy Garland?

PIGSKIN PARADE (1936)

See:  http://naptimehuddle.blogspot.com/2012/02/screen-plays-classic-football-movies.html

BONUS:  In rapping parlance, what does it mean to “spit eights”?

TO BE ADEPT AT RAPPING IN EIGHT-MEASURE OR EIGHT-LINE VERSES

See:  http://naptimehuddle.blogspot.com/2012/02/rapping-up-football-and-hip-hop.html

And now, check your score against our grading scale:

0-2: Fair Weather Fan (You know we post more than recipes, right?)

3-5: Equipment Manager (Make sure you use fabric softener when you wash the towels.)

6-8: First Round Draft Pick (But don't get cocky...)

9-10: Head Coach (Maybe you should write this thing!) 

February Quiz

Did your post-Super Bowl hangover keep your brain from absorbing anymore football facts? Test yourself with our latest quiz questions!

1.  Who was the first African American head coach to win the Super Bowl?  (Hint:  His memoir is the current selection of the Naptime Huddle Book Club.) 

2.  Who was the first special teams player to win Super Bowl Most Valuable Player?

3.  Who set the record for the longest play in Super Bowl history with a 99-yard interception return for a touchdown?

4.  Who is the league’s oldest active player?

5.  What is the penalty when a pass interference foul is committed by the offense?

6.  Whose memoirs were the inspiration for the 1971 telefilm Brian’s Song?

7.  Who was the first wide receiver to throw a touchdown pass in a Super Bowl?

8.  What rap song, by rapper GZA, refers to 31 of the 32 NFL teams?

9.  Which running back that retired this year was so coveted by the New Orleans Saints that the organization traded all of its draft picks to snag him?

10.  Which football movie classic was the feature film debut for Judy Garland?

 

BONUS:  In rapping parlance, what does it mean to “spit eights”?

Check in tomorrow to see how you did!

The NFL's March Madness: The Salary Cap, Free Agency and the Franchise Tag

*Today’s post is authored by my husband, John.  He is much better at explaining the topics in this post than I am, so he was drafted by Naptime Huddle for this one.  Enjoy!

                March is the NFL’s warm-up to the NFL Draft, which occurs in mid/late April.  It is a time for NFL teams to get their rosters in shape.  Prior to March, the teams have probably been releasing players to free up “cap space,” i.e. to jettison players that cost too much money so they can sign players they need and stay under the salary cap.   Free Agency starts March 13, 2012.  The following is a very basic outline of the Salary Cap, Free Agency and the Franchise Tag.

The Salary Cap

                The salary cap is a number determined by a fairly complicated formula that sets the maximum limit that teams can spend on player salaries.  In 2011 it was about $120 million per team.  In 2012 it is expected to be just about the same.  Under the new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), there is also a minimum payroll, i.e. teams cannot be cheapskates. 

Salary caps in a political context...

  
              Understanding how player salaries count against the cap is important to understanding the Franchise Tag and, to some extent, Free Agency.  One might think that if a player signs a 5-year, $100 million contract, then he counts against the cap for $20 million each year.  Unfortunately, it is not that simple.  

First, you have to factor in a signing bonus.  A signing bonus is money paid to the player up front.  So let’s take that 5-year, $100 million contract and say that $25 million is by way of a signing bonus.  That signing bonus gets prorated over the life of the contract so it will count against the team’s salary cap $5 million each year of the contract.

Second, you have to factor in the base salary, which is the remaining $75 million.  That’s probably not going to be broken up evenly either, and it is fairly typical for teams to have these contracts back-loaded.  This is because NFL contracts are not guaranteed and teams can release players prior to having to pay them a big payout.  See Peyton Manning—the Indianapolis Colts have until March 8th to decide whether to release him or pay him a contract-mandated $25 million bonus.

Manning clearly pensive about his future...

Because these contracts are not guaranteed there is one more twist.  If you release a player his remaining unpaid bonus will count against your cap immediately.  So if we release our guy after year 2, the remaining $15 million of his bonus will count against the cap in year three.  He’s gone, but you’re still paying for him. This is often referred to as “dead money.”

So what happens if a team goes over the cap?  Quite simply, it is very hard for them to go over the cap.  Every contract gets reviewed by the league to insure, among other things, that the team stays under the cap.  If a team manages to sneak something by the league they will most likely be fined and lose draft picks as punishment.

Free Agency

                So now that you understand the salary cap I’ll briefly discuss free agency.  Simply put, a free agent is a player whose is not under contract.  There are undrafted free agents, which are players who went through the draft but were not selected.  Then there are restricted free agents:  being signed by a new team can result in compensation to their old team, typically an extra draft pick.  And finally, there are unrestricted free agents, which are players who are free to go wherever they choose.

The Franchise Tag

                So now we get down to the business of the Franchise Tag.  Each team gets one Franchise Tag and this year they must use it by today, March 5, 2012.  With the Franchise Tag a team can lock up a player who would otherwise be a free agent.  When a team uses the Franchise Tag they get to keep that player for another year and must pay him the greater of:  (a) 120% of that player’s salary from the previous year; or (b) the average of the salaries of the top five players at that player’s position.  The Franchise Tag will make this player one of the highest paid players at his position for the next year.  This is an “exclusive” Franchise Tag.  No other teams can talk to this player.

                There are other variations of the Franchise Tag, including a non-exclusive tag which is similar to the exclusive except that other teams can negotiate with the player and, if they reach a deal, his original team gets a right of first refusal.  If his original team lets him go then they will get two compensatory first round draft picks.

                The Franchise Tag is often used as delay tactic, either to give a team more time to negotiate a new contract with its star player, or to trade him.  Players do not like the Franchise Tag because it forces them to stay for one year without getting to negotiate that big contract they want with a big signing bonus, while risking injury for another season. 

                One big piece of news in advance of today’s deadline is the “tagging” of Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson.  From the statements of Eagles management and Jackson himself, it appears that this is a mutually beneficial arrangement (Jackson even said he was “honored” to be the team’s Franchise Player.  However, it is widely known that Jackson was disgruntled this past season by his contract terms.  Hopefully, this will give the two sides time to work things out.

                So those are the basics of the Cap, Free Agency and the Franchise Tag.  These topics are really much more complicated when you dive deeper and, because they tend to change some with every new CBA, there’s really no point in learning all the ins and outs.  But at least this should give you enough background to navigate the stormy pre-Draft seas in the NFL.

Recipe Time Out: Cajun Fried Tilapia

Today I offer you a new menu choice for your Lent Fridays:  Cajun-Seasoned Fried Tilapia.  I got this from the September 2009 issue of Southern Living Magazine.  It’s super easy and tasty.  Although it has Cajun seasoning, I don’t think it would be too spicy for little ones—but you should temper your sprinkling of the filets to adjust to your child’s tastes.

Serves 4.

 

Ingredients:

4 (4-6 oz.) tilapia filets

1.5 tsp. Cajun or Creole seasoning, divided

3 Tbsp. self-rising flour

½ cup plain yellow cornmeal

1 Tbsp. butter

2 Tbsp. olive oil

Lemon (optional)

Instructions:

 

Sprinkle filets with 1 teaspoon of seasoning.  Combine remaining seasoning, flour and cornmeal.

Dredge fillets in cornmeal mixture, shaking off excess.

Melt butter with oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add filets and cook 3-4 minutes on each side, or until the fish flakes with a fork.

Squeeze lemon over filets, if desired, and serve immediately.

Note:  Instead of fish, you can use 8-oz skinless, boneless chicken breasts, or 8-oz bone-in, center-cut pork chops.  I have never done this, however, so I can’t speak to the results.  Let me know if you try it!

Screen Plays: Classic Football Movies (Take 2)

Today we continue our look at classic football movies through the decades with pictures from the ‘70s, ‘80s, 90s and 2000s.  Unlike Take 1 of this article, I had a harder time narrowing down the films to just one per decade.  Maybe because they came out in my lifetime, or because there’s just been more pigskin-related output from Hollywood with football’s rise in popularity.  Either way, I hope you’ll agree with my selections and that they will spark some good memories.

Classics from the 1970s:  Brian’s Song (1971), The Longest Yard (1974)

Brian’s Song is a notable item on this list because it actually was a made-for-TV movie, or telefilm.  Inspired by the memoir of Bears legend Gale Sayers, I Am Third, this poignant tale recounts the true story of Chicago Bear Brian Piccolo.  Making the team as an undrafted free agent in 1965, he worked his way from the practice squad to earning the role of starting fullback in 1969.  Bears legend Gale Sayers was the starting tailback and the two became fast friends.  In that season, Piccolo was diagnosed with embryonal cell carcinoma.  The disease spread quickly and he died on June 16, 1970, at age 26.  Brian’s Song was an ABC Movie of the Week the next year and was told through the experience of Sayers, who was played by Billy Dee Williams; James Caan was cast in the role of Brian Piccolo.  The movie was so critically acclaimed that it was briefly shown in theaters.  The movie won three Emmys—for Best Dramatic Program, Best Teleplay and Best Supporting Actor—and Williams and Caan both earned nominations for their performances.

In stark contrast is the other seminal football flick from this decade, The Longest Yard.  This comedy stars Burt Reynolds as a former NFL QB Paul “Wrecking” Crewe sentenced to a short prison term for stealing his girlfriend’s car.  He’s cajoled by the overbearing prison warden into coaching in a game pitting a team of the athletic and sociological underdogs—a reluctant team of prison inmates who Crewe must coach—against a team of prison guards who form a semi-pro team managed by the warden.  Hilarity ensues as Crewe tries to mold the overmatched inmates (several played by actual former NFL players) into a cohesive team unit.  I won’t tell you how it ends, but you can probably guess.  The Longest Yard, which won a Golden Globe award for Best Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy), inspired a remake in 2005, starring Adam Sandler as the former QB and Burt Reynolds as a fellow prisoner who volunteers to coach the inmates.

Classic from the 1980s:  All the Right Moves (1983), Wildcats (1986)

These ‘80s films are noteworthy more for their stars than their subject matter, but are respectable football films nonetheless.  All the Right Moves features a young Tom Cruise playing a frustrated high school defensive back.  This was Cruise’s third movie released in 1983; the first was his first leading role in Losin’ It and the second was his breakout film, Risky Business.  Cruise’s character, Stefen Djordjevic, lives in an economically depressed town in Pennsylvania and is desperate to earn a football scholarship to escape.  His goals pit him against his head coach, played by Craig T. Nelson.

Wildcats features comedy icon Goldie Hawn as Molly McGrath, the daughter of a famous football coach who dreams of coaching a team herself.  She finds her “dream” job at an inner-city high school where she has to battle both racism and sexism—not to mention a scheming ex-husband—to earn the respect of her players and community.  Though not met with critical acclaim, the film is a good example of campy comedy used to address sensitive social issues.  It also happened to be the film debuts of Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson.

Classic from the 1990s:  Rudy (1993), Any Given Sunday (1999)

No list of football movies would be complete without Rudy, a sentimental, but powerful, look at the real-life story of Daniel “Rudy” Ruettiger, played by Sean Astin.  Rudy is the ultimate underdog—he’s small, not terribly talented and comes from an economically disadvantaged family.  Despite all his shortcomings, Rudy’s undying dream is to play football for the University of Notre Dame.  Unable to gain admittance to the prestigious school, he manages to be admitted to a small junior college close to the university and gets a part-time job on Notre Dame’s groundskeeping staff.  Being a Hollywood movie, it shouldn’t be a surprise that his dreams are realized…in a way.  The plot may sound like a cliché, but believe me—this is a movie even guys will admit to crying over.

I’m including Any Given Sunday in this decade’s list to provide a stark contrast to Rudy.  Whereas the latter is a sentimental look at the relative purity of the college game, Any Given Sunday is a gritty attempt to look inside the business of professional football, which can be ruthless at times.  Directed by Oliver Stone, the movie features an ensemble cast, including Al Pacino, Cameron Diaz, Dennis Quaid, James Woods and LL Cool J.  Several NFL players also appear, including Lawrence Taylor, Dick Butkus (who also appeared in The Longest Yard and Brian's Song), Emmitt Smith and Johnny Unitas.  The plot pits a struggling team of aging, ailing players (and head coach, played by Pacino) against team ownership, personified by an aggressive woman (Diaz) who has inherited the team from her father.

Classic from the 2000s:  Remember the Titans (2000), Friday Night Lights (2004), The Blind Side (2009)

Our classics from the last decade are all based on true stories.  Remember the Titans took place in Alexandria, Virginia, which was still struggling with integration in the early ‘70s.  Denzel Washington plays a man hired to be the new head coach at T.C. Williams High School; the current coach, who is white, will be moving on.  However, he reluctantly decides to stay on as an assistant coach to help Washington navigate the racial tension that is still rife on the team and in the community.  Fighting through continuing resentment, and competing personal agendas, the two ultimately find ways to unite the players as teammates.

Friday Night Lights was based on the book, Friday Night Lights: A Town, a Team and a Dream, written by H.G. Bissinger.  Bissinger chronicled the story of the 1988 Permian High School football team in Odessa, Texas, a town absolutely devoted to the game of football.  The movie spawned the wildly popular NBC television series of the same name.  Themes of socioeconomic strife and racism run in the background of both the book and the movie.  Actor Billy Bob Thornton plays coach Gary Gaines who has to balance the health and maturity of his players with the enormous pressure to win brought upon him by school administrators and the community.

Oher with his adoptive parents at Ole Miss

The Blind Side is based on the book of the same name, which is a semi-biographical story of Baltimore Raven offensive lineman Michael Oher.  An African American growing up in Memphis, Tennessee, Oher spent most of his childhood moving from foster family to foster family.  He is eventually admitted to a private Christian school because the school’s coach is impressed by Oher.  Once in school, he is befriended by a white boy and his mother, Leigh Anne Tuohy, played by Sandra Bullock.  Over time, Oher is treated like a member of the family and, eventually, Leigh Anne becomes his legal guardian.  With the help of a tutor, other teachers at the school and his new family, Oher becomes academically eligible for the school football team.  Under the guidance of his coach, and encouragement from Leigh Anne, Oher becomes a top college prospect, and eventual first round draft pick.  Sandra Bullock won several awards for her performance as Leigh Anne Tuohy, including an Oscar and a Golden Globe; the film received an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture.

I hope you enjoyed our look at classic football movies—and that your Netflix account is current!

Screen Plays: Classic Football Movies (Take 1)

In honor of last night’s Academy Awards, I thought it would be fun to take a look at some cinematic classics that featured football.  I selected just one or two films per decade that any good fan should at least be aware of.  Today, we look at films from the ‘20s, ‘30s, ‘40s, ‘50s and ‘60s.  Check back to this space for another post featuring classics from the ‘70s through the 2000s.

Classic from the 1920s: 

The Freshman (1925):  Not to be confused with the 1990 Marlon Brando/Matthew Broderick film of the same name, The Freshman is the only silent movie on our list.  This comedy features an awkward college freshman, played by Harold Lloyd, who is determined to attain notoriety on campus.  He finally tries out for the football team.  In the tryouts, Harold only succeeds in breaking the tackling dummy and willingly takes its place for the remainder of the practice.  Impressed by his enthusiasm, but not his physical talents, lets him be the team’s water boy.  Naturally, he is given a chance to play in the school’s big game at the end of the movie—because so many of the team’s players get injured—and feats of heroism ensue.  In 2000, The Freshman was included in the American Film Institute’s “100 Years…100 Laughs” list.

Classic from the 1930s: 

Pigskin Parade (1936):  This Academy Award-nominated film (for best Supporting Actor) is a jovial look at the college game, but it is also worth noting as Judy Garland’s first feature film role.  At age fourteen, Garland plays the younger sister of an Arkansas hillbilly with a monster throwing arm developed by throwing watermelons.  He is recruited by a married couple who coaches football at a small Texas school that was mistakenly invited to play against Yale University (a football powerhouse at the time) in big bowl game.  The challenge for the coaches is to get the school to admit their new star, who they need to fill the shoes of their injured quarterback.

Classic from the 1940s: 

Knute Rockne, All American (1940):  This biopic about Notre Dame football coach Knute Rockne (played by Pat O’Brien) is the origin of the classic quote  “Win one for the Gipper.”  A young Ronald Reagan played the role of George “The Gipper” Gipp, thus earning him the nickname that would follow him into politics 40 years later.

O'Brien and Reagan

Classics from the 1950s: 

Crazylegs (1953) and  Jim Thorpe: All-American (1951):  In the first biopic, Elroy “Crazylegs” Hirsch played himself in a film that focused on his collegiate career, which began at the University of Wisconsin.  He played running back at Wisconsin in 1942, but had to transfer to the University of Michigan because of a commitment to the Navy.  In his 1943-44 school year, he became the only athlete at Michigan to letter in four sports in a single year:  football, basketball, track and football).  In the second film, the great Jim Thorpe was played by Burt Lancaster and chronicles his athletic development starting from young child on an Indian reservation to his celebrated collegiate football career, his medal-winning performances in the 1912 Olympics and his professional athletic career.

The real Jim Thorpe

Classic from the 1960s: 

Alan Alda as George Plimpton

Paper Lion (1968):  This comedy was based on the book of the same name written by George Plimpton.  In 1963, Plimpton wanted to see how the “average” man would fare in the NFL.  With the coaches in on his plans, he joined the Detroit Lions training camp under the pretext of trying out to be the Lions’ third-string quarterback.  The book discussed several of the Lions players, many of whom played themselves in the film, including Alex Karras and Joe Schmidt.  Alan Alda played the role of Plimpton and several other football greats were featured in the film, like Vince Lombardi and Frank Gifford.

The real George Plimpton

Football Zodiac: Year of the Quarterback

Early last year, ESPN announced its programming initiative, “Year of the Quarterback,” with the intent to focus on this high-profile position throughout 2011.  Anointing the year in that way turned out to be quite prophetic, given all of the drama surrounding the league’s quarterbacks last season.  With the NFL Scouting Combine now in full swing, all 32 teams in the NFL are already looking ahead to April’s draft and next season.  Some will be looking especially close at the new crop of quarterbacks coming out of college. 

To get you ready for what should be a dizzying offseason, I tried to place all of the teams into three categories when it came to their quarterback situations during the 2011 season—Calm Seas (i.e., the quarterback situation is steady and stable), Stormy Seas (i.e., there are issues at QB, due to either injury or performance) and Completely Rudderless (i.e., the QB situation was a complete disaster)—and how they performed in 2011.  Are the two connected?  You be the judge:

Calm Seas:

Atlanta Falcons, Matt Ryan:  Finished at a respectable 10-6, losing in the Wildcard Round of the playoff to the New York Giants

Baltimore Ravens, Joe Flacco:  12-4 record, losing to the New England Patriots in the AFC Conference Championship

Buffalo Bills, Ryan Fitzpatrick:  Despite an incredible start to their season, Fitzpatrick’s performance dropped way off after a big hit he suffered against the Redskins on October 30th, and the Bills finished with a dismal 6-10 record.  It is widely believed that Fitzpatrick played with broken ribs.

Carolina Panthers, Cam Newton (right):  Had a 6-10 record, a decent record considering they had a rookie at quarterback

Chicago Bears, Jay Cutler:  Finishing 8-8, the Bears were on a roll until Cutler injured his thumb and missed the last five games of the season.

Cincinnati Bengals, Andy Dalton:  9-7, behind a rookie QB who wowed fans and critics with his veteran-like performances; they lost to the Houston Texans in the Wildcard Round of the playoffs

Dallas Cowboys, Tony Romo:  Always a focus for criticism, especially late in the season, Romo led his team to an 8-8 season, missing the playoffs by losing to the Giants in the last game of season.

Detroit Lions, Matthew Stafford:  Finished with a brilliant 10-6 record, with a finally-healthy Stafford able to find a rhythm with future Hall of Famer Calvin Johnson; they lost to New Orleans in the Wildcard Round of the playoffs.

Green Bay Packers, Aaron Rodgers:  Almost achieving perfection, the Packers finished 15-1, and lost to the Giants in the Divisional Round of the playoffs.

New England Patriots, Tom Brady:  Firmly planted in the captain’s chair, Brady once again took his team to the championship after a 13-3 season, only to see his receivers drop pass after pass in a loss in Super Bowl XLVI to the New York Giants despite his stellar performance.

New Orleans Saints, Drew Brees (left):  A perennial powerhouse behind their fearless leader, the Saints finished 13-3, losing to the upstart San Francisco 49ers in the Divisional Round.

New York Giants, Eli Manning:  Fighting through early-season criticism, Manning proved once again why he deserves to be ranked among the brightest stars at the position, helping his team claw its way to a 9-7 record, through the playoffs and finally beating the Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI.

New York Jets, Mark Sanchez:  Only in this category because it applies to last season, the Jets finished a disappointing 8-8, leaving the press to speculate on the level of the team’s commitment to its “Sanchise”.

Philadelphia Eagles, Michael Vick:  Like the Jets, the Eagles could not live up to their preseason hype, finishing at .500 with an 8-8 record.  However, it was their backup QB, Vince Young, who didn’t help matters, proclaiming them the “Dream Team” in the preseason.

Pittsburgh Steelers, Ben Roethlisberger:  The model of consistency, Big Ben led the Steelers to another great record, 12-4, losing in an upset to the Denver Broncos in the Wildcard Round.

San Francisco 49ers, Alex Smith:  Rejuvenated by a fiery head coach with a winning mentality, Smith boldly led his team to a 13-3 record, losing in the NFC Championship Game to the Giants.

San Diego Chargers, Philip Rivers:  Even if he weren’t a talented athlete, Rivers and his head coach Norv Turner, appear to be entrenched in their positions by sheer inertia; they led the team to an average 8-8 record.

Maybe he should focus more on throwing the ball...

Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Josh Freeman:  The Bucs seem to be firmly behind Freeman, despite his poor numbers in 2011, which resulted in a 4-12 season.  Things could get interesting, though, if they find an accomplished free agent willing to sign on as a backup and Freeman continues to struggle in 2012.

Tennessee Titans, Matt Hasselbeck:  A seasoned veteran signed by the Titans in 2011, Hasselbeck quietly took the Titans to a winning 9-7 record.  However, with Peyton Manning possibly on the free agent market, Hasselbeck may need to make some noise early in 2012 to justify his job.

è Note that only three of these teams had losing records in 2011, and one of those was with a rookie QB at the helm.

Stormy Seas:

Arizona Cardinals, Kevin Kolb and John Skelton:  As with the 2011 preseason, it looks like there will continue to be a competition between Kolb and Skelton; Skelton took over the last half of 2011 due to injuries to Kolb, and the tandem led the Cardinals to an average 8-8 finish.

Cleveland Browns, Colt McCoy, Seneca Wallace:  The Browns have hung their hopes on the young McCoy, who missed the last three games of the season with a concussion.  Wallace did not impress as a backup, and the Browns finished 4-12.

Denver Broncos, Kyle Orton, Tim Tebow:  The Tebow phenomenon has been well document this year, with Tebow’s genuine leadership and miraculous finishes taking the Broncos to an 8-8 record, an upset victory in the Wildcard Round and loss to the Patriots in the Divisional Round.  However, the Broncos still belonged in this category, and may still be there in 2012, because Tebow never has gotten an unequivocal endorsement from the Broncos administration.   

Houston Texans, Matt Schaub, T.J. Yates, Matt Leinart:  I’m not sure I’d want to be Houston’s QB after last season.  Schaub was injured in Week 10 and then Leinart broke his collarbone the next week.  Yates performed admirable stepping into fracas, ultimately leading the team to a 10-6 record, eventually losing to Baltimore in the Divisional Round of the playoffs.  The Texans belong in this category only for last season; Schaub should be ready to start the 2012 season, but look for a battle between Yates and Leinart for the #2 position.

Schaub and Yates

Miami Dolphins, Matt Moore, Chad Henne:  Taking over after Henne was injured in Week 4, Matt Moore led the Dolphins to a disappointing 6-10 record.  The Henne Era seems to be over in Miami, so whether the Dolphins will remain in the Stormy Seas category in 2012 remains to be seen.  Keep an eye on this situation, however, as free agent QB Matt Flynn (currently with Green Bay) has previous experience with the new coach in Miami, Joe Philbin. 

Minnesota Vikings, Donovan McNabb, Christian Ponder:  The failure of the McNabb Experiment in Minnesota put rookie QB in the unenviable position of having his first NFL start against the dominant Green Bay Packers.  With star running back Adrian Peterson hobbled with injury, Ponder was never able to get much traction and the Vikes finished with a forgettable 3-13 record.

Oakland Raiders, Jason Campbell, Carson Palmer:  Injuries created a QB carousel in Oakland, requiring the Silver and Black to pull Carson Palmer from the brink of retirement so he could turn in multiple multiple-interception performances.  Despite this and being the most penalized team in the league, the Raiders still managed to scratch out an 8-8 record.

St. Louis Rams, Sam Bradford, Kellen Clemens:  Again, this team will probably change categories with the return of a (hopefully) healthy Sam Bradford in 2012.  But, with Bradford plagued by injuries all season, the Rams were clearly a house of cards unable to support him, finishing 2-14.

Seattle Seahawks, Tavaris Jackson:  Jackson doesn’t exactly have a stellar history in the league to date, so don’t be surprised to see the ‘Hawks make a change before the 2012 season, after finishing 7-9 in 2011.

A familiar sight this past season.

Washington Redskins, Rex Grossman (right), Josh Beck:  It’s been ages since the Redskins have had stability at quarterback and this year, like so many others, the inconsistency showed, as the ‘Skins finished with a dismal 5-11 record.

Kansas City Chiefs, Matt Cassel, Kyle Orton:  After being replaced by Tim Tebow in Denver, Kyle Orton moved to Kansas City after starter Matt Cassel was knocked out with a hand injury.  The team finished 7-9 and the offseason will, at a minimum, bring competition for Cassel.

è Note that only one of these teams, Houston, had a record better than .500.

Completely Rudderless:

Indianapolis Colts, Curtis Painter, Dan Orlovsky:  There’s not much left to say about the situation in Indy that hasn’t already been said.  Repeatedly.  Over and over.  For months.  Simply put:  2-14 without Peyton Manning.

Jacksonville Jaguars, Luke McCown, Blaine Gabbert:  The Jags cut veteran QB David Garrard less than a week before the 2011 season began, and the second-guessing began almost immediately.  McCown was ineffective in his two starts and rookie Gabbert failed to impress; the result was a 5-11 record.  To say that this QB situation is up in the air would be an understatement.