NFL 2011: Why Ryan Fitzpatrick Is One of the League's Most Intriguing Players

Harvard graduates seem to have a way of always being followed by their education no matter where they go.  In the case of Buffalo Bills' quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, it is a qualification that he has been remembered by ever since his debut as a backup with the St. Louis Rams in 2005.

I have absolutely nothing against Harvard grads (heck, I'd love to be one) but it goes without saying that in the sports world, anyone with a Harvard education is judged differently than everyone else.  In short, they are considered "lesser" than their peers—peers who are obviously so much better at what they do simply because they focused more on sports than learning.

At the beginning of Fitzpatrick's career, he was mocked by fans all over the country as a kid who was too smart to play football.  He fell under that Harvard stereotype—he's not going to focus as much on the game, and he's definitely got his sights set on bigger things.

Well, Fitzpatrick has seemingly dispatched himself from those judgements.  Take this into account: Fitz has fashioned an eight-year career out a profession where the average time of employment is less than five years.  While he's spent his career primarily as a backup, his performance last season in a bad situation in Buffalo—as well as in his opening day game in 2011—has shown the NFL that he can indeed be a legitimate starter in the league.

So why does this make Ryan Fitzpatrick the most intriguing player in the league?  Well, there are a number of reasons.  First of all, he may be the most important player on a bad Bills team that needs leadership.  Suppose Fitzpatrick leads Buffalo to a winning record in 2011.  Doesn't that qualify him as one of the better quarterbacks in the league?  Keep in mind—the Bills never win. 

But also consider the following two stat lines:

62.2% completions, 3,541 yards, 31 touchdowns, 16 interceptions, 97.4 QB rating

62.6% completions, 3,622 yards, 25 touchdowns, 10 interceptions, 93.6 QB rating

Both of these stat lines are very similar but the first one is the superior one.  Line two is Baltimore Ravens' quarterback Joe Flacco in 2010.  Flacco has established himself as one of the best young passers in the league at 26.  

Fitzpatrick is only 28 and stat line one belongs to him—these are Fitzpatrick's numbers over his last 16 games, or what amounts to a full season.  While he has thrown six more picks, Fitz has superior touchdown numbers and a better QB rating, and trails by nothing more than a few ticks in terms of yards and completion percentage.

No, Fitzpatrick is not the best quarterback in the league.  But he has finally stepped out of the shadow of his Harvard education and shown the league that even nerds can win in the NFL.

Hopefully for the Bills, Fitzpatrick can continue his success and lead the team to their first playoff appearance in more than 10 years.