Already this year, we’ve seen a slew of great NFL games and inspiring storylines to help us make it through the doldrums of fall & winter… I’m in Arizona, so not so much personally, but I know enough people in colder and more varied climate regions that really having nothing but football to enjoy.

While most of the stories surrounding the NFL right now are positive (e.g. Saints, Colts, Favre, Young), there are some others being dramatized by national/local media analysts and other individuals covering sports that may not have (full) merit.  I’m not arguing that the players/teams in these discussions should be ignored, nor am I making excuses for them, but in some cases, the media is putting way too much blame on an individual player.

Quarterbacks are responsible for wins & losses (misconception?)

There is a common ideology among NFL analysts and writers that the quarterback’s play is ultimately responsible for how the team will fair throughout the season or an individual game.  While the QB is certainly one of the most influential players on the field (1/2 of the time mind you), they aren’t the one’s responsible for their team’s failure all the time – nor should they be rewarded for the successes.

Special players do exist that can transcend and dominate a game – Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Brett Favre – but these guys can’t win on their own.  Brady throws the ball and hands it off, but that’s where his responsibility ends – if his receivers can’t catch the passes or the running back can’t gain a first down, is Brady still blamed for the team’s woes?  Of course not… so why are we constantly judging others who are in the same position, arguably with less talented teammates and coaches.

Case (1) in point… Jay Cutler is the scapegoat in Chicago, even though the Bears really have no receivers to speak of.  Devin Hester is a converted defensive player & kick returner, Johnny Knox is a rookie and Earl Bennett is a 2nd year player.  Not exactly a group of guys that can take you places (no offense to them).  Cutler has made some bad throws – I can’t argue that one bit, but he’s in no way the only reason the Bears are doing as poorly as they are.

Matt Forte‘s impressive season last year appears to be a fluke, because he’s struggling to do anything in the running game.  Fault the line or Forte himself, but a lack of a running game forces a quarterback into more precocious situations throwing the ball… the defense knows he’s throwing the ball every time.

Cutler is passing a lot – 381 attempts on the year behind only Brady (+12) & Manning (+7).  Cutler is throwing more than Kurt Warner (-9), Matt Schaub (-16) and Drew Brees (-61), despite those respective teams being known more for their passing attacks than anything else.  The 381 passing attempts is further exasperated by the fact that Forte has only had 157 carries (3.29 yds/carry).

Player X or Player Y can’t play anymore (or aren’t the same player they once were)

Sure, everyone loses a step and can’t play at the same level “eventually”, but too often players are written off due to the situations they are in.  The may still be a Pro-Bowl type player, but on a horrible team that isn’t taking advantage of their strengths & limiting their weaknesses, that player is not going to succeed.

Case (2) in point… Terrell Owens is often lauded for his “me first” attitude, but the guy leaves everything out on the field – he is a play maker.  Sure, he drops a few passes here and there (he’s got 8 on the season in 10 games), but if you throw him the ball he’s going to make a play most of the time.  This season, Owens has been a part of one of the worst offenses in the league.  The quarterback position is poor at best, the coaching ranks & management are a mess, and the team is generally lackluster on the field.  In week 11, Owens exploded for 197 yards on 9 receptions, including a 98-yard touchdown catch.

In that game, Terrell Owens caught what amounts to 26% of his total season’s receptions (only 26 thru 9 prior games) and 35% of his total receiving yards FOR THE ENTIRE SEASON to-date.  Note that Owen’s 35 receptions don’t even put him in the league’s Top 50 (total receptions).  Even w/ the 8 passes he’s dropped, if he caught half, he’d still be in the low 40′s overall.

Prior to this game, a lot of people were saying Owens was done, that he probably wouldn’t get another NFL contract.  I hardly think you can blame Terrell for the Bills’ overall ineptness or discredit his abilities on the football field at this point.

You might read this and think I am a big supporter of both Cutler and Owens, but really I’m not.  Cutler is a whiney POS in my book and I could care less if he played another down.  Terrell Owens isn’t quite that far down in my dog house, but he wouldn’t make my Top 50 players list either.  Still, I think it is unfair for the media to keep putting all the blame on these players for their “teams” performance.  Yell at the coach – yell at management – yell at the defense – yell at the offensive line – there’s plent of blame to go around.

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