Guest Post: Palmer vs. Peyton. How Big’s The Gap?

Another offering from our Boston Beantown Bengal, Papa C, who looks at the differences between the two quarterbacks who took the field Sunday. If you’re interested in writing a guest post, contact me via the “About” tab.

In my opinion, when he retires, Peyton Manning will be the best quarterback to have ever played the game. That begs the question, what is the difference between Manning and Carson Palmer? Why do some quarterbacks turn out like Peyton Manning, some like Carson Palmer, some like Ryan Fitzpatrick and some like Jamarcus Russell? The point of this is not to hero worship Peyton Manning as I do on a daily basis, but to understand what makes a good quarterback, and what we should be looking for in the future.

First, we have to assume a certain standard of physical ability. I was a good, not great, high school player, but I never had the physical gifts to play in the NFL. Very, very few people do. It’s important that you have a front office that doesn’t make mistakes about lack of ability or injuries (*cough* Antonio Bryant) because talent is a necessity and durability is crucial. Second, the kid has to be intelligent. You want a QB capable of making smart decisions. That’s the difference between a physical specimen like Jamarcus and a player that isn’t an idiot.

Now here is where it gets muddy. I’m a big believer that the rest of the team matters. For a quarterback, that means having a strong offensive line, good receivers, and an adequate running game. These are the reasons Ben Roethlisberger has won two Super Bowls and gotten away with off-the-field misconduct while Carson Palmer is under .500 for his career. If you’re like Mike Brown and you don’t believe in improving an offensive line through intelligent drafting and excellent conditioning, your only way to find a “bell cow” quarterback is to keep trying (Akili Smith, Jon Kitna) until you get lucky and find someone talented enough to overcome the handicaps you’re providing. Unfortunately, when the weak point is the offensive line, injuries become more likely.

Still, what’s the difference between Carson and Peyton? I think it comes down to decision making. Most successful quarterbacks in the NFL can make smart decisions, but very few can make those decisions at a fast pace. Why is running the two minute drill so hard? Because decisions need to be made much faster than in a normal game situation. The quarterback needs to be comfortable with all of his plays and his receivers, and the coach needs to call the plays quickly.