8 Reasons Quarterback Play Is at an All-Time Low

The NFL season started oddly enough with a rush to preseason and then to a regular season that has seen more than its share of changes and surprises.

Who would have thought teams like Cincinnati and San Francisco would be atop their divisions looking at the playoffs and enjoying pretty good quarterback play?

The 2011 season will be defined by the league's most polarizing position: the good, the bad and the ugly.

We really should not be surprised at the changes that have occurred, only that they have been so significant. And while play is not what it should be and could be considered an all-time low, there is room for improvement.

But for now, we see the quarterback glass as half full rather than half empty. And that is a stretch.

Too Many Musical Chairs

It seems at least one team each week is making a change, and some are making a change for the sake of making a change.

Looking at the landscape of quarterbacks, there have not been too many changes during the season that have been for the better.

Blaine Gabbert in Jacksonville. Tim Tebow (maybe) in Denver. Charlie Whitehurst and back to Tarvaris Jackson in Seattle. John Beck in Washington.

With all the change, there is no room for continuity and therefore these teams are losing at an alarming rate.

Coaching Dilemmas

If you look at the teams that have quarterback problems, you see coaches who are also on the hot seat and trying to save their jobs—at least some of them.

I would assume Pete Carroll has no reason to worry in Seattle, but his passing situation is ghastly.

Jacksonville, Cleveland, Denver, Washington and Indianapolis need a better passing offense and their coaches are feeling the heat for it.

Cleveland's Pat Shurmur is probably safe at the helm since this is is first rodeo.

Everyone Seems to Be a Retread

Look at those who have been replacements or were replaced: Kyle Orton, Carson Palmer, Charlie Whitehurst, John Beck.

They all have started somewhere else and have had limited or no success.

Teams need to find better backups to come in and win when needed.

The Defenses Are Ahead of the Offenses

For the first time in years, sans about six NFL teams, the defenses look better than the offenses in the NFL.

This is probably due to the lockout, no organized team activities and the fact preseason and practices were limited.

It is much easier to point to a running back and tell the defender to go out and hurt them.

Offenses are intricate. They need time to develop.

Four Rookies

If you have not noticed, four rookies are currently starting under center in the NFL.

While Cam Newton and Andy Dalton look like the real deal, Christian Ponder looks to be grounding himself into the Vikings offense and Blaine Gabbert may need a year or two.

While all four have had their moments of greatness and Newton is putting up all-world numbers, they have also gone through their fair share of growing pains.

This means a watered-down passing pool.

Everyone Is Waiting for Some Luck

He is the most prized quarterback coming out of the draft since a guy named Elway—well, I would not go that far. Maybe since some kid from Tennessee came out in 1998.

But Andrew Luck is said to be the savior of many an NFL team and only one will be able to draft him.

Only problem is, what happens if he is not as good as advertised or he does not make an immediate impact?

The Peyton Manning Effect

Say what you want, but Manning makes the NFL go.

He is the most talked about quarterback and he has not even taken a snap this season.

Indianapolis is in a tailspin and other teams have been affected positively by the loss of the great passer of the NFL.

He is still the most influential player in the league, hurt or not.

Led by a Small Sum

You can count on your hand how many quarterbacks in this league are "elite," and then there's the rest of the lot.

These elite passers have their teams in playoff contention each year and prove why they are the best.

The NFL is not created equally. If it were, there would be 32 Tom Bradys and there would 5,000 passing yards for each team.

Wow, that is scary. It is a definite divide between the haves and the have-nots.