Backup or not, numbers say Brohm will play this year

By Anthony Bialy  |   Tuesday, May 27, 2008  |  Comments( 1 )

Green Bay Packers
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Brian Brohm is more than a luxuriously costly Plan B. Green Bay Packers fans are welcome to question the notion that Aaron Rodgers needed a backup as prominent as, say, the Big East’s all-time leading passer at the 56th pick in last month's NFL draft, but it’s not simply a matter of team management anticipating the wretched scenario whereby Rodgers flops. Rather, the Packers shrewdly recognized that Brohm provides them with an option not only if the first guy struggles but also because whoever starts is likely to at minimum get nicked up enough to miss time.

A sobering reality faced by about two-thirds of the league last year drove the Brohm pick: Only 11 quarterbacks started every game for their team. While some passers didn’t make it to 16 contests thanks to ineffective play, physical impairments are also a relentless factor when it comes to a player who is literally the center of the defense’s attention. Simply, every quarterback is going to get hit multiple times every outing by furiously aggressive pursuers, and a portion of those collisions will harm the victim enough to keep him off the field.

On top of that, one of those quarterbacks who began every game didn’t finish one of them: Rodgers of course spelled an ailing Brett Favre in Week 13 against the Cowboys, adeptly stepping in and going 18 for 26 with a touchdown on his way to a 201-yard partial-game performance. While Green Bay came up short in that evening’s contest, the fact is that the since-elevated player’s proficient display shows why keeping a talented thrower on the shelf is a logical necessity even if it means tying up salary-cap resources.

The nature of this league is that a reserve has to be more than just a fading veteran whose primary roles are to dish advice and man the clipboard. He is by definition less talented than the man topping the depth chart, but the second-stringer still has to be a capable player who can’t be overwhelmed by the fact that he might have about 30 seconds to prepare for action. Corpses should be more jittery than quarterback backups, men who have an immensely difficult task considering they probably won’t touch a live football any random week.

The understudy’s value is genuine even if the regular starter falls but doesn’t end up on injured reserve: One or two games where the usual passer is relegated to the sidelines could be the difference between a playoff bye and a wild-card spot, or a wild-card spot and a season that ends in December. Call it the Todd Collins Principle: Acquiring a second skilled quarterback can’t be seen as a waste for as long as those stationed the position are the focus of brutally overwhelming attacks.

Plus, a summer battle for the highest job won’t hurt. It’s not a knock on Rodgers, but the fact remains that he’s untested: He’s understandably only made 59 passing attempts over his three NFL seasons. Some competition is worthwhile in general and for this situation in particular, as it’s better that the California product is irritated and motivated than happy and content.

And it’s not to scare Mrs. Rodgers, but there’s a fairly large probability that her son will be hurt over the course of this season badly enough that he’ll have to sit out for at least a little time if he does win the job. This is where the Louisville rookie comes in, as he has to do more than ensure that the assumed starter earns his status: He must be ready for the potential to take over at worst during a game or at best for an upcoming one.

Some get benched for poor performances, but the harsh reality is that quarterbacks are likely to have more than their feelings hurt over a season’s course. That’s why Brohm is a worthwhile insurance policy despite the substantial price.
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