I was thinking after watching McCoy go 25-30 for 299 yards that maybe the groupthink (which I agreed with) thought about the reason why they have relaxed the rules was to get more exciting games for the redzone and to attract more casual fans for the end of the game is not the whole story. Maybe a big part of the reason why they have relaxed the rules is to decrease the importance of the elite franchise qb. In other words, the franchise qb throwing into tight windows was such an advantage that it through parity out the window. That is why you had the decade of all basically all Super Bowls won by franchise qbs from 1999-2012 with the exception of 00 and 02. Basically you needed that to be successful unless you had an all time defense.
I don't think we have yet to see it effect a championship yet, but if you continue to have guys like McCoy able to have games like last night, Drew Stanton winning many games without playing in 3 years, the Mannings, Brady's, and Rodgers won't be nearly as valuable as they once were, especially with there crushing salary cap hits. Anyway, just food for thought.
when the Broncos are 6 - 1, Pats are 6 - 2, Colts are in first place in their division, Steelers are 5 - 3, Ravens (like Flacco or not, he's paid like a franchise QB) are 5 - 3, etc.
the SB favorites right now still have to be the Broncos, Pats, Seahawks, Packers, Colts, etc. ie. teams with legit franchise QB's or great defenses
But nothing has changed my mind overall that you need a franchise QB to win in this league. Far too many of them have won Super Bowls over the years for me to think otherwise.
When an Alex Smith or Brian Hoyer win a Super Bowl, I will consider wavering from that stance. Until then? Nope.
Rodgers
Brady
Rivers
Ben
Eli
Brees.
They are longtime franchise QBs and usually are competing for SBs. The only one I didnt include was Luck, and he is definitely a franchise QB.
Colt McCoy is just an example of how a guy without a start in 3 years can come in now and have a game that was off the charts. Stanton hasn't played in three years and beat us and the niners.
I would even argue that the trend is starting, the last two qbs to win Super Bowl were Flacco and Wilson, franchise qbs no doubt, but not Brady Rodgers and Peyton.
Mark Sanchez went to back to back AFC Championship games.
The teams who win consistently either have legit shut down D (a rarity) or a franchise QB.
Ben-2
Peyton
Brees
Rodgers
Flacco
Wilson
All of them are elite QBs, except Flacco, who is probably top 12, and Wilson, who played behind the best defense in the NFL since the 99 Ravens.
Colt McCoy, over a larger sample size, will find himself back on the bench with a clipboard.
He is what he is.......a backup NFL QB. And backup QBs are called upon to sometimes come in and perform well. He did that.
What separates the great ones from guys like McCoy and Stanton is that they can sustain that success over full seasons and years.
With that said, I'd like your theory to be true. I think its grossly unfair that we've come to a point where average QBs get $12 million/year contracts but RBs and guards can barely make $3 mil/year (I know.. cry me a river, but these guys put their bodies and lives on the line every week and their careers are usually over by age 30 when they have to support their families for another 40 years doing something at usually menial wage)