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OK. Here goes.

I reacted forcefully Tuesday upon hearing news I honestly never expected. Never did I think the Minnesota Vikings would draft a quarterback No. 12 overall, declare him their Matt Ryan/Joe Flacco -- i.e., an instant starter on a veteran team -- and then acquire a veteran to start ahead of him just before training camp.

If anything, I anticipated the Vikings pursuing an experienced quarterback who could start if Christian Ponder wasn't ready, but would otherwise provide competent insurance as a backup.

And after mulling it for most of Wednesday, I think that's exactly what the Vikings did. Their trade for Donovan McNabb, completed a short time ago, requires us to recalibrate how most of us view McNabb at this stage of his career. He will offer a professional presence during whatever time Ponder needs on the sideline, if any, but McNabb should in no way be viewed as the Vikings' unquestioned starter for the 2011 season.

If McNabb starts Sept. 11 against the San Diego Chargers, he'll become only the third post-merger quarterback in the past 41 seasons to be a Week 1 starter for three different teams in consecutive years. Yes, Donovan McNabb -- a six-time Pro Bowler -- is now a quintessential journeyman.

(Hat tip to ESPN's Keith Hawkins for digging out that Elias stat.)

Think about how this all played out. The Washington Redskins wanted no part of McNabb, even at a time when merely capable quarterback play is a much-valued commodity. The Redskins are prepared to start fellow journeyman John Beck, and the best deal they could find for McNabb is one that guarantees only a sixth-round draft pick.

It's also important to note that multiple media reports, including one by Jay Glazer of FoxSports.com, have the Vikings first pursuing free agent Tyler Thigpen for this role. Thigpen is a former Vikings draft pick. He's started 12 games in his career and fits the profile we've been discussing.

McNabb might be an upgrade over Thigpen as a short-term starter, but how he will accept Ponder's eventual ascension is anyone's guess and probably had something to do with the delay between the preliminary agreement and the deal's completion.

McNabb would need a career renaissance to fulfill the expectations I'm hearing from some of you. He'll have a much stronger set of skill players to work with than he did in Washington, but he'll also have a fraction of the time to learn the Vikings' offense and develop the chemistry necessary for this transition.

So I don't think this is a terrible move, especially if the Vikings first tried and failed to sign Thigpen. They needed to add a veteran quarterback one way or the other.

I just don't think it changes the franchise's big-picture dynamic. Ponder will start when he is ready and possibly sooner. If McNabb can buy the Vikings a few extra weeks or months, then bully for everyone.

If there is a downside, it's that the Vikings have added a layer of consternation to the eventual transition. Barring a McNabb injury, Ponder will get his first start after one of these scenarios:

1. He beats out McNabb in training camp.
2. McNabb struggles.
3. McNabb plays well enough to keep the job but is cast aside anyway.

None of these scenarios would be painful if you substituted "Thigpen" for "McNabb." That's what we all need to get our heads around. The events of the past few days have told us this: In the summer of 2011, at least, Thigpen = McNabb.

The Minnesota Vikings' 2011 home stadium remains in doubt, but their plans for the draft are not. In reviewing comments Thursday from coach Leslie Frazier and new offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave, it seems clear they intend to draft a quarterback who could jump in as a near-immediate starter when the season begins.

The Vikings hold the No. 12 overall pick, and as we noted Wednesday, early mock drafts suggest anywhere from two to four quarterbacks could already be off the board by that point. But past decisions have put the Vikings in an unenviable position this spring: They have little choice but to force a pick. The only question is whether the rookie will be ready to play right away or if the Vikings will also have to acquire a veteran option.

"I guess it depends on that young guy," Frazier said. "Ideally, you'd like to find the Matt Ryans of the world, the Joe Flaccos of the world and ride with one of those guys. But it doesn't always happen that way. We just kind of have to see where things fall. If we find someone like that, you'd like to build around him. That really gives you a chance for the long term. But as I mentioned it doesn't always happen that way. If we have to go with a veteran guy while we're developing that young guy, I'm not opposed to that either. But ideally, find a young guy, build around him and know you're going to have him for that next nine or 10 years as your starting quarterback. But those guys are sometimes hard to find."

Said Musgrave: "Ideally, you would like to find a young guy that has a bunch of promise and potential and you would hand him the keys and let him make his mistakes and learn and but also know that he would be there for you in the long term. That's ideal. I believe that will be one of our goals to identify any candidates that can fit that role but at the same time be ready to find some other fellows that may have some experience, that can come in and be effective and also have some upside to them as well."

Frazier announced most of the additions he has made to the coaching staff Thursday, acknowledging Musgrave along with Mike Priefer (special teams), Fred Pagac (defensive coordinator), Jeff Davidson (offensive line), Craig Johnson (quarterbacks) and Mike Singletary (linebackers). Holdovers will include George Stewart (receivers), Jimmie Johnson (tight ends), Karl Dunbar (defensive line) and Joe Woods (defensive backs).

Where that staff is working on game days next season is anyone's guess. Ted Mondale, the new chairman of the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission, said Thursday it could take up to six months to replace the damaged roof of the Metrodome, if engineers determine a total replacement is necessary. That timetable could threaten the Vikings' preseason schedule if a lockout doesn't do the trick first.

As we've noted before, the Vikings have already questioned whether they will be able to play next season in the Metrodome. It's possible they'll move to TCF Bank Stadium, at least for 2011, while awaiting approval for a new stadium to replace the Metrodome. Stay tuned.

» NFC High Energy: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

A look at a player who gave his team a significant boost in Week 4.

Detroit Lions quarterback Shaun Hill put up the third 300-yard game of his career Sunday afternoon, but his total of 331 yards took a historic back seat to his 53-yard rushing effort. Included in that total was a 40-yard run that conjured memories of his days as a high school option quarterback who also ran a fair amount at the University of Maryland.

Hill’s 40-yard run was the longest by a Lions quarterback in 26 years and one of only three 40-plus-yard runs by an NFL quarterback in the past four seasons. He took advantage of a man-to-man defense in the back end, and a Packers defensive stunt on the front end, to dash 25 yards down the middle of the field before a nifty cutback garnered him another 15.

Since the start of the 2007 season, here are the four longest runs by an NFL quarterback:

• 44: Vince Young of the Tennessee Titans in 2009
• 40: Donovan McNabb of the Philadelphia Eagles in 2007
• 40: Shaun Hill of the Detroit Lions in 2010
• 38: Joe Flacco of the Baltimore Ravens in 2008

Here’s a new NFC North blog rule: Every time one of our quarterbacks dashes 40 yards in a game, whether he’s 40 years old, 30, 27 or 26, he is automatically and without fail our High Energy Player of the Week.

Continuing their "Man 2 Man" series in the video below, the fellows over at ESPN Fantasy debate whether Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler or the Baltimore Ravens' Joe Flacco is a better draft choice. You would think Cutler will finish the year with more touchdown passes, but what do I know.

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- We opened our discussion of this game by asking whether Green Bay truly had an elite-caliber defense. So far Monday night, the answer is a resounding yes.

The Packers have held Baltimore to 54 total yards over its first four possessions. They’ve forced two turnovers, unofficially stopped three running plays behind the line of scrimmage, and sacked quarterback Joe Flacco once.

We have a long way to go, but to this point the Packers defense has answered the bell.

	Getty Images
	Ben Roethlisberger and Brett Favre lead two of the top five passing offenses in the league.

Posted by ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert

This is what football is all about: Two cold-weather, northern-division teams with power running games and aggressive defenses getting together for what promises to be … a pass-happy shootout.

Huh? What in the name of the Purple People Eaters and Steel Curtain are we talking about?

Minnesota and Pittsburgh will meet on a natural grass field Sunday on a seasonable mid-October day. The NFL’s leading rusher will be in a Vikings uniform, while the Steelers will have the talented duo of Rashard Mendenhall and Willie Parker. And when the first whistle blows, you’ll see two of the best passing offenses in this league go to work.

Behind quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh has morphed into the NFL’s second-most prolific passing team. The Steelers are averaging 297 passing yards per game, a 35 percent increase over their average just two years ago, and through six games they’re getting 75 percent of their total offense through the air.

Roethlisberger’s 104.5 passer rating ranks fourth in the NFL -- just one spot below Vikings quarterback Brett Favre, who has led a renaissance in Minnesota’s scheme. Tailback Adrian Peterson (624 yards) continues to lead the NFL in rushing, but the Vikings have actually thrown more times (184 attempts) than they’ve rushed (174) this season. If that ratio holds up, it will be the first time in Peterson’s NFL career when the Vikings have passed more than they’ve run.

Passing Performance Minnesota Vikings Pittsburgh Steelers Year Pass off. rank Pass rating rank Year Pass off. rank Pass rating rank 2006 18 26 2006 9 15 2007 28 21 2007 22 2 2008 25 18 2008 17 17 2009 12 3 2009 2 4 Rushing Performance Minnesota Vikings Pittsburgh Steelers Year Rushing off. rank Year Rushing off. rank 2007 1 2007 3 2008 5 2008 23 2009 9 2009 15

The new dynamic for both teams is based partly on NFL rules that heavily favor the passing game. Mostly, however, it’s the result of two run-oriented coaches recognizing and utilizing the elite play of their quarterbacks.

“It’s all about the evolution of our offense with Ben Roethlisberger at the quarterback position,” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. “We are not going to concern ourselves with describing any personas or things of that nature. We are going to move the chains and ring the scoreboard up by whatever means possible. Ben is central to that. He is a veteran-proven quarterback who has played well [and] is practicing really well. It’s just going to go through him.”

As Roethlisberger noted, this shift “has been in the works the last year or two.” The Steelers ran 511 times and threw 442 passes in Tomlin’s first season (2007). Last year, however, the ratio moved closer to 50-50. Now, there is no question the Steelers are a pass-first offense. Roethlisberger threw 43 times in the season-opening victory over Tennessee and passed for 417 yards while using a no-huddle scheme last week against Cleveland.

“I’ve said it a thousand times and it might be making people upset,” Roethlisberger said. “But we’re not the Steelers of the ‘70s anymore. They were a running team and that’s what worked for them. We need to be more balanced, and that’s what we’re doing.”

Roethlisberger should have a favorable matchup against the Vikings, who gave up 385 passing yards last week to Baltimore’s Joe Flacco and are likely to be playing without Pro Bowl cornerback Antoine Winfield (sprained foot). With that apparent opening, the Steelers would be silly to start crashing Mendenhall into the middle of the Vikings’ still-stout run defense.

“[Roethlisberger]’s come a long way since making eight throws a game and handing the ball off,” Minnesota coach Brad Childress said. “I don’t think they’re at all that kind of football team anymore. … They are throwing it more and being intentional with it.”

The same could be said of Childress and the Vikings, who have passed more than they’ve run in each of their past five games. The trend reflects Favre’s growing comfort level with the offense, and while it hasn’t come at the expense of Peterson’s yardage, it has without question given the Vikings a different look.

Childress sometimes stubbornly insisted on a run-first scheme during his first three years in Minnesota, and Favre has joked that Childress runs a “Midwest” version of the West Coast offense. But the compass is clearly moving toward the Pacific.

In 2007 and 2008 combined, the Vikings called 1,093 running plays and 804 passes when you include quarterback scrambles. This season, it’s almost a statistical 50-50 ratio; they’ve thrown 184 passes and run 174 times.

Credit Childress and offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell for taking the muzzle off what had been a conservative approach. In fact, the Vikings have 11 passes of 30 or more yards this season, which is tied for most in the NFL.

And in the event you suspect Favre has used his veteran clout to hijack the scheme, consider this: Favre said this week that he could count “on one hand” the times he’s strayed from a play call this season.

“It’s pretty much what they are giving me,” Favre said. “… Darrell and Brad have increased [my freedom] a little bit, [but] I think part of it is because the scheme is playing so well. If I had to go by percentages, just in all the games, there have been only a few times … where I have done something that we have not talked about.”

Indeed, from this vantage point, it seems both the Vikings and Steelers are simply making fuller use of their offensive schemes.

“I just think we are operating more efficiently,” Tomlin said. “That efficiency, that attention to detail, is producing big plays.”

And a decidedly different look.

	US Presswire
	Ben Roethlisberger and the defending champion Steelers will take on Brett Favre and the undefeated Vikings in Week 7.

Posted by ESPN.com’s James Walker and Kevin Seifert

As one of just four undefeated teams, the Minnesota Vikings (6-0) can make a claim as arguably the best team in football.

As defending Super Bowl champions, the Pittsburgh Steelers (4-2) can also claim they’re the team to beat until someone else holds the Lombardi trophy.

So which team has the advantage when the Vikings meet the Steelers Sunday in Heinz Field?

ESPN.com’s AFC North blogger James Walker and NFC North blogger Kevin Seifert debate the most important storylines in this high-profile matchup.

Which quarterback is more important to his team: Minnesota’s Brett Favre or Pittsburgh’s Ben Roethlisberger?

Seifert: Favre has already made a huge difference in at least two victories this season. Without his heroics, I think the Vikings lose to San Francisco (Sept. 27) and last week against Baltimore. Other than Favre and receiver Percy Harvin, the Vikings in essence are fielding the same team they had last year. Through six games in 2008, the Vikings were 3-3. I don’t know if a quarterback can have a bigger impact than doubling a team’s win total through six games. Roethlisberger is the cornerstone of the Steelers, but I like their chances with backup Charlie Batch better than the Vikings’ with backup Tarvaris Jackson.

Walker: Last I recall the Vikings were a playoff team in 2008 without Favre, and Jackson was their starting quarterback for the final four games, including the postseason. Favre is a luxury in Minnesota. At 40, he’s is not even the best player on his own offense. That award goes to tailback Adrian Peterson -- the real engine behind the Vikings. Without a doubt Roethlisberger means more to his team. At 27, Big Ben already has twice as many rings (two) as Favre (one), and Roethlisberger is just entering the prime of his career. He’s 55-22 (71.4 percent) as a starter and kept the Steelers afloat when Pro Bowl safety Troy Polamalu missed four games with a knee injury. But both deserve to be near the top of the MVP conversation. So look for the winning quarterback to make a huge push in that race as we approach the midpoint of the season.

Which defense is more likely to dominate?

Seifert: We’re not exactly at a high point for Minnesota’s defense right now. I’m pretty sure the Steelers will be scouring the tape of last week’s game against Baltimore, which rolled for 302 offensive yards IN THE SECOND HALF. The Ravens scored 21 points in less than five minutes of the fourth quarter and seemed to expose the Vikings’ pass defense. Most of that damage came after Pro Bowl cornerback Antoine Winfield left the game with a sprained foot. It’s difficult to replace a No. 1 cornerback, but can the loss of one player really decimate a defense that thoroughly? I like the Steelers’ chances of getting pressure against Favre more than the Vikings’ ability to cope with Winfield’s injury status.

Walker: I like the physicality of both defenses. But with home-field advantage, Winfield’s status uncertain and the return of Polamalu, the advantage goes to Pittsburgh. The Steelers have the NFL’s third-ranked defense, and that’s with Polamalu missing four games. Now everyone on Pittsburgh’s defense can revert back to their normal roles. Minnesota’s defense is underachieving this year at No. 18. Pittsburgh will be the toughest defense the Vikings have faced so far. The Steelers have the talent to match up with Minnesota’s offense and keep the game manageable. But with four turnovers last week, Pittsburgh's biggest concern should be taking care of the football and not giving the Vikings a short field.

	Rich Gabrielson/Icon SMI
	Adrian Peterson, the NFL's leading rusher, has had his best games against AFC North teams this season.

Who is the biggest playmaker in this game?

Seifert: You have to point out that two of the NFL’s four highest-rated quarterbacks are playing in this game. You have to give credit to any receiver, Pittsburgh’s Santonio Holmes included, who has made a Super Bowl-winning catch. But this game will feature a fascinating matchup between the NFL’s leading rusher (Minnesota's Peterson ) and its second-best rush defense (Pittsburgh). Peterson made quick work of the Ravens last week, rushing for 143 yards. But the Steelers are allowing only 74.5 rushing yards per game, and have given up only one rushing touchdown all year. If anyone can slice through the Steelers, it’s Peterson. But it will be a challenge.

Walker: With 10 combined wins, you can’t help but have a lot of playmakers in this game. For me, it’s a close race between Peterson and Roethlisberger. I believe these two players will most determine the outcome of Sunday's game. Peterson had his two biggest performances this season -- a combined 323 rushing yards -- against AFC North teams in the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns. Usually the Steelers have success against big, physical backs, but Peterson is special. If he runs wild Sunday, Minnesota has the advantage. On the flip side, Roethlisberger is just as capable -- and perhaps more capable -- of putting up numbers similar to Joe Flacco's (385 yards) last week. So I like Roethlisberger’s chances of controlling the game more, especially with Minnesota hurting at cornerback.

Brad Childress and Mike Tomlin, former colleagues in Minnesota, usually rely on defense and power running. Whose roots will show more clearly in this game?

Seifert: My guess is that Childress would love to follow his roots, relying on Peterson and the defense to win it. But as we’ve discussed above, this game doesn’t seem to set up that way. Whether he likes it or not, Childress is going to have to rely on Favre and the passing game in its most significant test yet this season. This year’s version of the Steelers doesn’t seem to get beat by the running game, and the Vikings' defense might not be suited to take on the pass-happy Steelers. This isn’t likely to be a Childress-like game.

Walker: This is an interesting question, because I think one of Tomlin’s biggest strengths is the ability to be fluid during games. Tomlin is a defensive coach, but he’s not afraid to let Roethlisberger chuck it 35 to 40 times if necessary. Tomlin’s also not afraid to go for it on fourth down at times most coaches would not. Tomlin rarely coaches tight, and the same cannot be said for Childress, who tightened up last week in the fourth quarter against Baltimore. But it’s hard to argue with Childress’ 6-0 record. I think this game will see a little bit of everything, not just smashmouth football and good defense.

Posted by ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert

After Minnesota’s 33-31 victory Sunday over Baltimore, here are three (mostly) indisputable facts I feel relatively sure about:

1. In trying to convey the chance nature of this victory, I glossed over the career-changing performance of receiver Sidney Rice. His 58-yard reception in the fourth quarter not only set up the eventual game-winning field goal, but it also gave him the first 100-yard receiving game of his career. Rice has developed an indisputable connection with quarterback Brett Favre; on the 58-yard reception, he adjusted a 12-yard comeback route into a straight go route. Favre followed Rice’s thinking and was rewarded for giving him a chance to make the catch in traffic. With a 6-foot-4 frame and a near 50-inch vertical leap, Rice makes it extraordinarily difficult for cornerbacks to beat him to the ball. Once pigeon-holed as a red zone specialist, Rice has now emerged as an all-field threat.
2. Tight end Visanthe Shiancoe has 12 touchdowns since the start of the 2008 season, second only to Atlanta’s Tony Gonzalez (13) over that span. But if Minnesota had its way, his 1-yard scoring reception Sunday would never have happened. The Vikings had the wrong personnel on the field for the formation, according to Favre, and coach Brad Childress tried to call a timeout. Fullback Naufahu Tahi, for one, had never been used in the play before. But Favre pushed on and ran the play anyway. “I knew by [Tahi’s] look that he had no clue,” Favre said. “He hadn’t run that play. You just have to be able to adapt sometimes. I thought we did a good job at it. … I feel real confident with our guys that we can do things like that.”
3. Runs of 26 and 58 yards helped tailback Adrian Peterson to his first 100-yard game since opening weekend, an especially impressive statistic considering the opponent. Yes, the Ravens had allowed 127 yards to Cincinnati’s Cedric Benson a week before. But Peterson’s 143 yards Sunday were an 11-year high against a Ray Lewis defense, according to Elias Sports Bureau. Lewis has missed some games over his career, but the last time he played in a game in which an opposing runner had a better day was in 1998, when Chicago’s James Allen rushed for 163 yards.

And here’s one question I’m still asking:

What’s the prognosis for cornerback Antoine Winfield? The Vikings’ top cornerback left Sunday’s game in the first half and did not return. The injury was first reported to be a turf toe, but Winfield said afterward it was an injury “to the top of my foot.” He lobbied to return to the game, but the Vikings considered it significant enough to keep him on the sideline even with Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco on his way to a 244-yard second half. The Ravens often targeted Winfield’s replacement, Karl Paymah, as the Vikings decided to keep Benny Sapp in the nickel position. Few teams have a suitable replacement for a No. 1 cornerback, but I think you got a pretty good picture of how important Winfield is to the Vikings’ pass defense after he departed.

Posted by ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert

Detroit has the oldest team in the NFC North and the fifth-oldest in the NFL, according to this analysis from NFC West maven Mike Sando. But at the most important position in the game, they’ve got the league’s youngest starter.

Rookie seasons of last 5 QBs drafted No. 1 overall Quarterback Year Drafted W-L as starter TD-INT Matthew Stafford 2009 ??? ??? JaMarcus Russell 2007 0-1 2-4 Alex Smith 2005 2-5 1-11 Eli Manning 2004 1-6 6-9 David Carr 2002 4-12 9-15

Matthew Stafford left the University of Georgia a year early, turned 21 in February and on Monday was named Detroit’s starting quarterback. Speaking to reporters at the Lions’ practice facility, coach Jim Schwartz said the decision was not impacted by Daunte Culpepper’s toe injury and said Stafford is the Lions’ permanent starter.

So now is a good time to make a few things clear. First: It’s almost a given that this will be ugly, at least in the beginning. Stafford played like a classic young gunslinger during the preseason, completing seven passes of at least 20 yards while throwing four interceptions in 55 attempts. (In a 500-pass season, that ratio would bring 3,536 yards and 36 interceptions.) And as you can see from the chart above, recent NFL history is littered with the early struggles of highly-drafted quarterbacks.

	Rick Stewart/Getty Images
	Detroit rookie quarterback Matthew Stafford.

To me, the near-constant references to Atlanta’s Matt Ryan and Baltimore’s Joe Flacco need to end. Both took their teams to the playoffs as rookies last season, but I don’t think anyone would doubt they had the benefit of landing on a better team than the Lions. For every Ryan, there is a David Carr, JaMarcus Russell and Alex Smith. For every Flacco, there is a Peyton Manning. Yes, even Manning struggled as a rookie, throwing 28 interceptions as Indianapolis finished 3-13 in 1998.

This is not to suggest that the Lions have doomed Stafford’s career by naming him their starter right away. It just means the negative moments are going to outweigh the positive moments this season unless Stafford is different than nearly every other young quarterback who has taken over a sub-par team in recent years.

I actually like the way Stafford aggressively pursued the job this summer, especially compared to the way Culpepper appeared to be playing it safe. In the Lions preseason action that I saw, Stafford was throwing downfield routinely while Culpepper was far more conservative.

I suppose that could have been a function of playing calling, but ultimately the disparate approaches were reflected in the numbers: Stafford averaged 7.1 yards per attempt, while Culpepper averaged 5.7. Culpepper, on the other hand, threw no interceptions and finished with a solid passer rating of 89.6.

Rookie seasons of Lions QBs drafted in 1st round* Quarterback Year drafted W-L as starter TD-INT Matthew Stafford 2009 ??? ??? Joey Harrington 2002 3-9 12-16 Andre Ware 1990 0-1 1-2 Chuck Long 1986 0-2 2-2 Greg Landry 0-2 2-7 9-15 *Common draft era (since 1967)

The end result is that neither quarterback separated himself. In other words, the competition was a draw. So if they were even, I have no problem with choosing the more aggressive player -- and the one who eventually would be taking over the job anyway.

I just think it’s better to be realistic about the short term from the outset, rather than start tossing out platitudes about Stafford’s presumed attributes before he takes his first NFL snap.

Update: It's only fair to publish Schwartz's thoughts on tempering expectations. Suffice it to say, he's not in favor of it. Here's what Schwartz said Monday:

“I don’t expect to get beat up and beaten down this year. I expect a lot out of this football team and I’m not going to concede anything to expectations outside this building, outside this locker room. I know what we have here, and we expect to compete this year. So, let’s sort of throw that out right now.”

	AP Photo/Reed Saxon
	Which rookie quarterback is under more pressure to succeed in 2009: New York's Mark Sanchez or Detroit's Matthew Stafford?

Posted by ESPN.com's Kevin Seifert and Tim Graham

With nothing better to do during the NFL's dog days of July, two of our division bloggers hopped on the phone this week to debate which rookie quarterback faces more pressure this season: the Detroit Lions' Matthew Stafford or the New York Jets' Mark Sanchez.

Podcast: Football Today NFL bloggers Kevin Seifert and Tim Graham debate which rookie quarterback faces more pressure in 2009: Matthew Stafford or Mark Sanchez? Football Today

The NFC North's Kevin Seifert and AFC East's Tim Graham considered the issue from a number of perspectives, including:

• The 2009 expectations for each team. (Detroit: Win some games. New York: Win some playoff games.)
  
• The contracts each player signed. (Stafford: Biggest in draft history. Sanchez: Biggest in Jets draft history.)
  
• Each team's alternatives at quarterback. (Detroit: Daunte Culpepper. New York: Kellen Clemens.)
  
• The urgency for each player to start right away. (Stafford: Moderate. Sanchez: Mandatory.)

Graham suggested the Jets will follow the Joe Flacco model that coach Rex Ryan witnessed last season in Baltimore. Seifert questioned whether Sanchez is as NFL-ready as Flacco. To which Graham responded with a vague insult of Flacco's foundation -- constructed mostly at the University of Delaware after transferring from Pitt -- relative to Sanchez's grooming at USC.

Listen to the podcast for all of the spice and color you've grown to love from Double Coverage -- and to discover the surprising conclusion we reached.

ESPN's Marcellus Wiley and Mike Golic also weigh in on the topic.

Posted by ESPN.com's Kevin Seifert

Matthew Stafford faced as many questions, doubts and criticisms of any No. 1 draft pick in recent memory.

• His accuracy was suspect.
• His college team didn't win big.
• He was the best of a weak quarterback class -- one that didn't include Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford.
• He wouldn't fare well on a rebuilding team with a weak offensive line.

I know for a fact there were some NFL teams who didn't consider Stafford the best quarterback in the draft, let alone worthy of the top overall pick. But it's clear now that Detroit wasn't one of them. The Lions jumped head-first onto the Stafford bandwagon with a contract so audacious it could only mean they are legitimately enamored with him.

	NFL.com Video
	An inside look at quarterback Matthew Stafford.

If the Lions shared any of the preceding doubts -- if they had any lingering questions about Stafford's ability to develop into an elite quarterback -- it's hard to believe they would have allowed the negotiations to reach the point they did. In terms of guaranteed money, the Lions gave Stafford almost a 30 percent raise over last year's No. 1 pick, Miami offensive tackle Jake Long. Stafford's $41.7 million in guarantees was 17 percent more than Atlanta gave quarterback Matt Ryan last year as the No. 3 overall pick.

You could say the Lions had no choice but to pay market price if they wanted to draft a quarterback at No. 1 in 2009, but they had a much cheaper and possibly safer alternative; Wake Forest linebacker Aaron Curry said this week he would sign for less than what Long received. Assuming he was speaking about guaranteed money, Curry could have saved the Lions almost $12 million on a five-year deal and perhaps $10 million with a six-year deal.

Even in the NFL's fantasy-land economic system, an eight-figure difference is a big deal. But the Lions never seriously considered Curry's offer and instead plowed ahead with Stafford.

Earlier this offseason, Lions coach Jim Schwartz insisted the Lions would pursue all options to find their next quarterback. He added: "I've been on the record saying quarterback is the most important position on the team. But there's a lot of different ways to get that quarterback."

So if Schwartz considered Stafford a flawed quarterback, I have a hard time believing he would have signed off on this decision. Every coach wants a blue chip quarterback to groom, but ultimately Schwartz knows its not in his best long-term interest to take on a project that might backfire and return him to square one.

Schwartz must feel confident his coaching staff can even out the rough patches in Stafford's game and develop him into a long-term starter. I'd be surprised if the Lions' intent was to do anything other than make Stafford a backup for 2009 and possibly 2010.

More than anything, however, Schwartz couldn't resist the powerful tug to begin building his program around a specific quarterback.

It's a sentiment Baltimore coach John Harbaugh expressed earlier this year at the NFL owners' meeting when I asked him about drafting quarterback Joe Flacco in 2008.

Harbaugh: "The thing that's interesting to me is that when you have the quarterback in place, it really becomes clear and evident what else you need. If your quarterback is not in place, it's just kind of murky. What kind of receivers do you need? What kind of running backs? How are you going to build your offense? It's all kind of muddled. When you get the quarterback, it just seems that it's easier to define. This guy is going to be a good fit for what we're trying to do in the offense."

Ignore the specific issues surrounding Stafford. In the big picture, the Lions have laid down the first and most important building block of their new regime. With Friday's agreement, Detroit has given itself a focal point to construct around. To do it, they paid sure-thing money for what some observers consider a could-miss player. Time will tell who was right.

	Joe Robbins/Getty Images
	Matthew Stafford is the top-rated QB prospect in the draft and the Lions need a franchise quarterback, but that doesn't mean Stafford is the best choice for Detroit.

Posted by ESPN.com's Kevin Seifert

Let's run through a logic exercise to help clarify the top of the NFL draft. Ready?

Quarterback is the most important position in football.

Detroit needs a quarterback. (And the Lions have needed one for about, oh, 50 years.)

The best quarterback in the draft is Georgia's Matthew Stafford.

The Lions have the No. 1 overall pick.

Stafford is the choice.

The path seems reasonable and straightforward, and yet similar logic trains have too often derailed. Recent history suggests that taking a quarterback with the top pick in the draft is at best a 50-50 proposition. And in fact, the habit of identifying a draft's best quarterback as the top player has hindered as many teams as it has rewarded.

	NFL.com Video
	An inside look at quarterback Matthew Stafford from Georgia.

The dynamic has particular applications for 2009. The Detroit Lions are unabashedly searching for a franchise quarterback, but Stafford's aptitude in that role remains a fierce debate with the draft 10 days away. Scouts Inc. rates him as the eighth-best prospect this year amid concerns about his accuracy and decision-making, and there are whispers that some teams favor USC quarterback Mark Sanchez instead.

Detroit officials are attempting to separate their evaluation of Stafford from their obvious need at the position, an impossible task for some teams who have been in a similar situation in recent years.

"We need to find a quarterback," new Lions coach Jim Schwartz said.

"I've been on the record saying a quarterback is the most important position on the team. But there are a lot of different ways to get that quarterback. Peyton Manning was drafted No. 1 overall. Kurt Warner, a Super Bowl champion, was an undrafted free agent. There's a lot of different ways to get that quarterback.

"You need to find that guy. There are a lot of different ways to skin that cat, though."

(Read full post)

Posted by ESPN.com's Kevin Seifert

Brian Brohm took it like a man.

Entering the NFL draft, Brohm was considered a polished passer and a quick study. Those attributes made him perfect for the Green Bay Packers, who needed a player ready to step into the No. 2 quarterback role behind starter Aaron Rodgers. But Brohm struggled from the outset of training camp, and Monday the Packers confirmed that fellow rookie Matt Flynn will serve as the primary backup.

Speaking Monday to reporters in Green Bay, Brohm accurately and professionally outlined his failure. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Brohm acknowledged his breakdown in the most basic of fundamentals.

"Of course I'm disappointed, but I knew I didn't perform up to my level of expectations in the preseason games and in camp. I think the breakdown really wasn't mental. I think some of my technique has been a little bit off this camp. Got to get back to throwing the ball the way I know how to, putting a little more juice behind the ball and just letting it rip. I think I might have been holding back on a few throws so I just have to get back to letting the ball come out of my hand. Let it fly."

Brohm eventually could overtake Flynn, but it won't be easy. Flynn already has caught the eye of coach Mike McCarthy, who on Monday compared his "moxie" to that of Carolina's feisty Jake Delhomme.

It's far too early to call Brohm a wasted draft pick. In many ways, however, he has squandered an ideal assignment: The Packers had Brohm tapped to serve an important role without being thrown onto the field right away -- as the Atlanta Falcons are doing with rookie Matt Ryan and the Baltimore Ravens with Joe Flacco.

In the preferred scenario, Brohm would have received practice snaps in the Packers' offense to help fuel his development. Now, he is a member of their scout team with an uphill battle to secure a more prominent role.

Elsewhere around the NFC North:

• The Chicago Bears' projected starting receivers are Devin Hester and Brandon Lloyd, writes Brad Biggs of the Chicago Sun-Times. (Editorial comment: Yikes.)
• The Bears need to get rookie running back Matt Forte at least 20 touches per game, according to David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune.
• The Detroit Lions haven't picked a winner yet in the cornerback competition between Leigh Bodden and Travis Fisher, according to the Detroit Free Press.
• On the other hand, the Lions have awarded veteran George Foster the starting right tackle job. For now, first-round draft pick Gosder Cherilus will be on the bench.
• The Minnesota Vikings are nearing a sellout of their Sept. 14 home opener against Indianapolis, but they have 8,000 tickets remaining for their Sept. 21 game against Carolina. To avoid a potential blackout, they are teaming with the local Fox affiliate to sell discounted tickets.
  

Posted by ESPN.com's Kevin Seifert

How about some Brett Favre links for a change?

• The NFL will need about a week to investigate and rule on the tampering case between the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings, according to the Green Bay Press-Gazette. (Knowing the NFL, however, it wouldn't be a surprise if it takes longer).
• The Vikings have lawyered up. They have almost nothing to say about the tampering charges.
• The Chicago Bears owe it to themselves -- and everyone else with interest in their well-being -- to have "The Conversation," writes David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune. They should at least find out if Favre would be interested in playing for the Bears.
• Bob Ryan of the Boston Globe thanks Favre and the Packers for providing the media with juicy drama during what is traditionally one of the least exciting weeks of the sports year.
• The Detroit Lions got a little bit of clarity in negotiations Wednesday with first-round draft pick Gosder Cherilus when the Baltimore Ravens signed quarterback Joe Flacco, who was picked one slot behind Cherilus.
• Former Packers vice president Andrew Brandt will teach sports business at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business, as well as sports law at Georgetown law school during the fall semester.
• An architectural firm has developed a new Vikings stadium that shaves about $100 million from the original $954 million price tag. The design uses some of the existing Metrodome structure. The plan has not been approved.
• Check out this shot of Vikings coach Brad Childress showing off a 65-pound grouper he caught near Marco Island, Fla. (No, it does not appear Favre was on the boat.)

Posted by ESPN.com's James Walker

The Baltimore Ravens could use a veteran quarterback. Brett Favre could use a veteran team. The Green Bay Packers could use help in getting the legendary quarterback as far away as possible.

Can you say, "We have a match?"

At the very least, the Ravens should pick up the phone and call Favre, agent Bus Cook, or both.

Thoughts of whether Favre can run Cam Cameron's offense, or if Favre fits into a locker room already filled with strong personalities should be secondary at this point. Place the call and talk those things out. Let Favre know right away that you're interested, then both parties could make an informed decision.

Bringing in Favre would be perfect for Baltimore.

The Ravens know their quarterback of the future (Joe Flacco), but have no idea about their quarterback of the present. They're gearing up for a three-way race in training camp, which is rare and never a good sign.

Favre could be the ideal stopgap. Let him play a year or two, let Flacco learn from one of the best of all time, and choose to keep either Troy Smith or Kyle Boller.

Baltimore is a good, but not great, spot for Favre. The Minnesota Vikings would be more ideal because they are closer to winning a Super Bowl. A team like the Chicago Bears would at least breed familiarity.

But the Green Bay Packers would cringe at Favre signing with those two teams. So if Favre wants to show gratitude and respect the Packers' wishes of leaving the division and NFC, Baltimore is the place.

The Ravens lost one retired Mississippi quarterback (Steve McNair) earlier this year.

What's wrong with adding another Mississippi quarterback who wants to come out of retirement?