In The Numbers: Vince Young Is Rex Grossman

Vince Young is going to be back under center to start the Titans' game on Nov. 1.  This move has been long-awaited by Titans' fans.  Young has been considered a winner, despite his inconsistencies, he enters the game Sunday with an 18 -11 record as a starter.  That is not a bad winning percentage by such a young quarterback.

At the same time, Young was benched for legitimate reasons, as a combination of on-field play and off-field drama led to him riding the pine.  Was his treatment fair? 

This got me thinking, isn’t winning good enough?  What else do you need?  How often has a QB been benched so early in their career despite such a favorable winning percentage?  Are there other examples?

The first comparable example I could think of was Rex Grossman.  Like Young, Grossman was a young QB with a winning record who found himself on the bench. Grossman and the Bears went to the Superbowl in his only full season as a starter, yet he was benched the following season.

Young and Grossman are two young QB’s with winning records who found themselves sitting and watching from the sidelines, but the similarities don’t end there.

Beyond the circumstance, statistically their numbers are almost identical.  Obviously Young is a different style of QB, so that should be factored in, therefore I chose to use scrimmage yards (rushing plus passing) and total TDs (rushing and passing) for the comparison.

Take a look at their career numbers:

Category	V.Young	R. Grossman
Start	29	31
Win/Loss Record	18 – 11 – 0	19 – 12 – 0
Completion %	56.9	54.2
Total Yards	5943	6244
Total TD’s	32	36
Interceptions	33	35
Fumbles	25	19
QB Rating	67.8	70.2

Those numbers are startlingly similar and that isn’t good news for Titans fans.  Based on the numbers, they are pretty much the same QB.  Yet somehow Young still has a fan base and Grossman does not. 

Not only was Grossman banished from Chicago, but people in Houston were disheartened knowing Grossman would be the primary backup to oft-injured Matt Shaub.  It has gotten to that level with him.  I hope Young fairs better, but I think the fans will have him on a short leash.  Will he end up in exile like Grossman?

I have my fingers crossed for Young, but I will not be holding my breath.  Hopefully he can prove he is what everyone hoped he would be and carry on his own winning tradition.