Palmer was given the reins his second year and went through some growing pains. I was at a game in December of 2004 when the Bengals were playing the Ravens. The Ravens had built a 20-3 lead by the end of the third quarter. In the fourth quarter, Palmer transformed from the Bengals' QB of the future to their QB of the present right before our eyes. He completed 10 of 13 passes for 200 yards and led the Bengals to a victory.
In 2005, Palmer had his breakout season. He led the Bengals to an 11-5 record and the division title. He finished the season with nine-consecutive games with a passer rating of 100+, and he led the league in completion percentage. He finished fourth in the league with 3,836 yards and a Bengals' franchise record 32 TDs.
After being injured in a playoff game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Palmer required offseason surgery.
The following season, he took all but one snap. It took until Week Nine of the season for him to completely regain his form. In a game against the San Diego Chargers, he threw for a career high 440 yards. He finished the season with a franchise record 4,035 yds, 28 TDs, and 12 INTs.
He was also selected to his second Pro Bowl.
The 2007 season was not good for the Bengals, as they finished with their first losing record with Palmer at QB. However, he was still productive, completing 376 passes for 4,131 yards, both franchise records, 26 TDs (including the 100th of his career), but 20 INTs, a career high.
In Week Two of the season, the Bengals lost to the Cleveland Browns, 51-45. Palmer threw for 401 yards and six TDs.
So far, Theismann is batting .1000. The drastic difference can be seen between Boller and Palmer.
Derek Anderson, Cleveland Browns
He was originally drafted by the Ravens in the sixth round of the 2005 draft. The Ravens waived him on Sept. 20, and the Browns picked him up the following day.
Anderson was the third-string QB, behind another former Raven in Trent Dilfer, and Charlie Frye in 2005.
After Dilfer left in 2006, Frye was promoted to starter, and Anderson was the backup. Anderson took one snap in a game in October, but made a bigger impact in his second appearance.
In a game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Charlie Frye was injured. Anderson played the entire second half of the game, throwing his first two TDs and rushing for 33 yards. He led the Browns to a come-from-behind overtime victory.
The 2007 season was Anderson's breakout year. Charlie Frye was named the starter for the Browns but struggled in the first quarter of the season opener. Anderson would come in and never looked back.
In his first start, he led the Browns to a 51-45 victory over the Bengals. With a passer rating of 121.0, Anderson threw for 328 yds and five TDs.
Anderson would lead the Browns to two victories against the Ravens. It was the first time since 2001 that the Browns had swept Baltimore.
The Browns finished 10-6, and Anderson finished the season with respectable numbers: 3,787 yds, 29 TDs, 19 INTs, and an 82.5 passer rating.
Anderson signed a three-year extension during the offseason, but will probably have to fight Brady Quinn for the starting job.
Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers
Ben was drafted 11th overall by the Steelers in 2004.
Originally, Ben Roethlisberger was the third string QB for the Steelers, behind Tommy Maddox and Charlie Batch. Batch was injured in the preseason, and Ben moved up to No. 2.
Maddox started the first two games of the season for the Steelers. The second game was against the Baltimore Ravens, in which Maddox was injured. Roethlisberger took over.
The third game of the season was the first start of Ben's career.
His rookie season was supposed to be a time for him to sit and learn the system, but Big Ben was thrown out there due to injuries, and he performed extremely well. Going 14-1 in his 15 starts, 13-0 during the regular season. Roethlisberger was the first QB to be named Offensive Rookie of the Year in 34 years.
Roethlisberger struggled in his first playoff game, throwing two INTs; however, the Steelers managed to hold on and win the game against the New York Jets. They would lose to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game.
He finished the season with 2,621 yards, completing 66.4% of his passes, 17 TDs, 11 INTs, and a passer rating of 98.1.
In 2005, the Steelers were 11-5 and became an AFC Wild Card team. Ben Roethlisberger missed four games due to injuries, and the Steelers were 9-3 with him and 2-2 without him.
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