in NFL Props
Ah Yes, The Quarterback Controversy
by BetUS Staff
NFL teams. Some of these wouldn't necessarily constitute a quarterback controversy; they just involve an honest competition.
One of the QB battles that I believe IS controversial, and did not get numbers assigned to it, is in Super Bowl, but has worn out the patience of a lot of the team's backers with his inconsistency and errors, is feeling pressure from Kyle Orton, who had been the starter before Grossman; who in the end may not be as productive but might be less mistake-prone. Personally, I don't see Orton as an improvement, but he's matured a lot by sitting on the bench, and a lot of people are giving him a chance, most notably coach Lovie Smith, who has named the two QB's as "co-starters" going into the first pre-season game. So CJ would probably make Grossman -150 as opposed to Orton's +130 in the battle of the Windy City.
Now let's look at the others:
BetUS NFL Proposition Odds
To be Named Starting QB for Baltimore Ravens
Kyle Boller -200
Troy Smith +300
Joe Flacco +400
The intention of the Ravens is to ease Flacco into this situation. The only way he is going to force the issue is to take complete control in the pre-season, and with the learning curve as steep as it might be for the first-round pick out of Delaware, I don't see that happening.
If Baltimore puts its immediate future in the hands of a young quarterback, I see them doing that with Flacco rather than Troy Smith, who ultimately is considered not to have enough size to really be a long-term guy. The "safe" choice here, if that term can be used, until a "quarterback of the future" can be weaned into the offense, is BOLLER, who is eventually a disposable part but who has 42 career starts under his belt.
To be Named Starting QB for Miami Dolphins
Josh McCown +100
Chad Henne +150
John Beck +300
I think Henne will eventually become the starter, because things will wind up degenerating quickly enough in Miami where they will hand the ball over to him at some point during the season. But I just can't see that happening right away.
McCown, who the Dolphins brought in as a stop-gap, probably deserves to be called the favorite, but I would consider Beck to have more value than Henne right now. Don't forget, like Henne, Beck is a second-round draft choice, has a year under his belt and is more mature than most second-year men, having fulfilled a two-year mission at part of his BYU experience. Plus, you already know the level of mediocrity you're going to get with McCown. I can not imagine coach Tony Sporano or the man who pulls his strings, Bill Parcells, not wanting to see exactly what they have with Beck before making any final decisions.
To Be Named Starting QB for NY Jets
Chad Pennington -400
Kellen Clemens +300
There is talk about Brett Favre circulating around New York, but barring that, I would say that CLEMENS is the guy who offers value here. yes, he had a rough Green-White scrimmage and Pennington, who is vastly more experienced, would seem to have the lead.
My feeling is that the Jets would like any reason at all to hand the job over to Clemens, because ultimately Pennington is injury-prone and has physical limitations with his arm. He is not the future, and may not be the present, either.
To be Named Starting QB for Arizona Cardinals
Matt Leinart -300
Kurt Warner +250
This is not a contest. The Cardinals have spent a first-round draft pick on the former Heisman Trophy winner, and they are going to give LEINART every possible opportunity to demonstrate that he is without a doubt the quarterback that will take them to the next level.
Sure, Warner was fine in relief when Leinart went down with a broken collarbone. But at this moment in time, regardless of what you may think of him, Leinart is the QB seen by the Cards as having more upside. Inasmuch as he appears to have shown up at camp healthy and ready to go, I would think the job is his until he literally gives it back to Warner.
To be Named Starting QB for Atlanta Falcons
Joey Harrington +100
Chris Redman +150
Matt Ryan +300
Here I see less hesitancy to go with a rookie quarterback than other places. that's because the Falcons aren't really going anywhere, and they know they aren't going anywhere, and why waste time with Redman, who will never be a steady starting QB in the NFL, or Harrington, who doesn't really have a ceiling the Falcons are interested in?
RYAN, I believe, is going to get a legitimate chance to win the starting job in training camp, and he may actually give this team its best chance. Besides, the Falcons are going to protect him to a certain extent with a running game that features Michael Turner, the free agent pickup, and Jerious Norwood, who is capable of taking the ball a long way.
To Be Named Starting QB for San Francisco 49ers
Alex Smith -400
Shaun Hill +300
J.T. O'Sullivan +500
Well, you would think that if a team has spent the #1 choice in the entire draft on a quarterback, that quarterback is going to get every opportunity to prove that he either has it or he doesn't. I don't think the Niners will ditch Smith, and indeed he should probably be the favorite because he is still perceived by many to the be the future of this franchise, and because he has played well when healthy.
But I would not discount longshot O'SULLIVAN here. San Francisco acquired him for a purpose - because he knows the very complicated offense being installed by new offensive coordinator Mike Martz. O'Sullivan spent just one season at Detroit, where he threw only 26 passes, but again, he knows what Martz is trying to accomplish, and that is a leg up in at least one department. If the learning curve for Smith proves especially steep, the unknown has a chance, and may well be worth a pop at this price.
The 2008 Super Bowl XLII and beyond!
(Charles Jay of www.ebookies.com is a member of the NFL too - that is, "not for long" if you don't get results. He is now a regular contributor to the BetUS.com Locker Room)
