NFL 2005: Who's Who in NFL Quarterbacks

Quarterbacks around the league find themselves in the spotlight as the NFL begins its 86th season, all hoping to lead their teams to a coveted berth in Super Bowl XL on February 5 at Detroit’s Ford Field.

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

Since the advent of the Super Bowl (1966), TOM BRADY (48-14, .774) owns the best winning percentage among QBs with 40 or more starts. Second on the list is Hall of Famer ROGER STAUBACH (85-29, .746).

Brady is 7-0 in career overtime games, including playoffs. No other quarterback in NFL history has a career overtime record of better than 5-0.

The 199th selection of the 2000 NFL Draft is 19-2 (.905) in games decided by six points or less (including playoffs).

In 2005, Brady can help the defending Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots become the first team in history to win four NFL championships in a five-year span.

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES

DONOVAN MC NABB enjoyed perhaps his best season in 2004, leading the Eagles to Super Bowl XXXIX while posting a career-high 31 touchdown passes. McNabb’s performance has been a key factor in the Eagles’ run of four consecutive appearances in the conference championship game, having led the club to wins in 25 of their past 30 games.

While McNabb and winning have become synonymous, he has also excelled at protecting the football. His 2.20 career interception percentage is the second-best in NFL history, trailing only NEIL O’DONNELL at 2.11.

ATLANTA FALCONS

The Falcons are seeking to soar one step higher than in 2004 and MICHAEL VICK will likely lead the way.

Vick poses a threat with both his arm and his legs, passing for 14 touchdowns and 2,323 yards last year and adding 902 rushing yards -- the third highest single-season total for a quarterback in NFL history. He averaged an NFL-best 7.5 yards per carry.

Vick has a 23-12-1 record as a starter, posting the highest winning percentage (.653) in club annals.

BALTIMORE RAVENS

One of 12 NFL quarterbacks to start every game in 2004, KYLE BOLLER (3,819 yards) stands No. 2 on the Ravens’ all-time passing list, trailing only VINNY TESTAVERDE (7,148).

Boller established his career-low INT percentage (2.4) last season, tying him for the fourth-best mark in the AFC. He posted four games last season with a passer rating above 100.0. Boller (20) needs six more TD passes to own the second-most in team history (Testaverde, 51).

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

With 4,000 passing yards in ’05, PEYTON MANNING would become the NFL’s first QB to record seven 4,000-yard seasons in a career (currently tied with HOFer DAN MARINO at six seasons). Sunday night at Baltimore, Manning with make the 113th consecutive start to begin his career -- the longest such streak by a QB in league history.

No QB in history has passed for more yards in his first seven seasons (29,442).

Peyton Manning has thrown a TD pass in 100 of 112 career games. Last season, he became the first QB in history to pass for 25+ TDs in seven consecutive years.

PITTSBURGH STEELERS

BEN ROETHLISBERGER became the first quarterback in club history to earn AP Offensive Rookie of Year honors and is the first QB to begin his career with 13 consecutive victorious starts. The 23-year-old can become the first QB since 1970 to win a playoff start in each of his first two NFL seasons.

Last season the Findlay, Ohio native stood second in the NFL in yards per attempt (8.88), trailing only Indianapolis’ Manning (9.17). He led the NFL in fourth-quarter passer rating (118.5).

SAN DIEGO CHARGERS

DREW BREES recorded the NFL’s greatest improvement since 1970 in year-to-year passer rating in 2004, posting a 104.8 passer rating after his 67.5 mark in 2003 (+37.3).

Brees became the first San Diego quarterback to post a single-season passer rating of 100.0+.

Winner of the 2004 Associated Press Comeback Player of the Year Award, Brees passed for 20 TDs vs. 1 INT inside his opponents’ 20-yard line last year and was 11-for-11 on third-and-one rushing attempts.

Brees can become the first Chargers QB to pass for 20+ TDs in consecutive seasons since Hall of Famer DAN FOUTS (1980-81).

TENNESSEE TITANS

STEVE MC NAIR is the franchise’s winningest quarterback (72-45, .615) and is its most accurate passer ever, completing 2,013 of 3,395 attempts for a 59.3 career percentage. With 3,000 passing yards and 400 yards rushing this year, McNair would become the first QB in history to gain “3,000/400” in a single season four times.

Since 1999, among QBs with at least 50 starts, McNair’s winning percentage of .658 (52-27) is the NFL’s fourth highest. McNair and head coach JEFF FISHER have combined for 72 victories together, the most among active NFL quarterback-head coach duos.

ARIZONA CARDINALS

Free-agent acquisition KURT WARNER takes over as the Cardinals’ starting quarterback. Warner, a twotime NFL Most Valuable Player, is the NFL all-time leader with a 65.9 completion percentage and trails only Hall of Famer STEVE YOUNG (96.8) with his 95.7 career passer rating. Warner, a former NFL Europe League standout, aims to become the eighth different quarterback to lead a DENNIS GREEN-coached team to the playoffs.

CAROLINA PANTHERS

Excitement is high in Carolina, as JAKE DELHOMME and the Panthers seek to build off last season’s strong finish. Delhomme, who won a championship as a member of the NFL Europe League Frankfurt Galaxy in 1999, led the team to victory in six of the final eight games of 2004, helping Carolina rebound from a 1-7 start.

Delhomme was best in crucial moments, posting a 91.8 fourth-quarter passer rating, second in the NFC (DAUNTE CULPEPPER, 111.7). He enters 2005 after totaling career-highs in completions (310), yards (3,886), touchdowns (29) and passer rating (87.3).

CHICAGO BEARS

Rookie KYLE ORTON enters the season as the club’s starting quarterback and hopes to build on a successful preseason. Orton completed 63 percent of his attempts (29 of 46) for 469 yards this summer, posting an 84.4 passer rating. The fourth-round pick was a three-year starter at Purdue and becomes the third Bears rookie quarterback to start a season opener since 1933, joining JOHNNY LUJACK (1948) and ZEKE BRATKOWSKI (1954).

DALLAS COWBOYS

Veteran DREW BLEDSOE joins the Cowboys and is reunited with head coach BILL PARCELLS. The pair spent 1993-96 together in New England, helping the 1996 Patriots reach Super Bowl XXXI. Bledsoe, a four-time Pro Bowl performer, enters 2005 on the cusp of a major milestone. With 39,808 career passing yards, the former No. 1 overall draft pick from Washington State needs 192 yards to become the 10th player in NFL history with 40,000 career passing yards.

DETROIT LIONS

JOEY HARRINGTON enters his fourth season as optimism abounds for the Lions’ offense. Harrington hopes to continue a trend that has seen him post improvements in touchdowns, yards, completion percentage and passer rating in each of the past two seasons. In 2004, the former Oregon standout tossed a career-high 19 touchdowns and a careerlow 12 interceptions, becoming the third Lions’ quarterback to pass for 3,000 yards (3,047). Harrington has sporting ties throughout his family, as younger brother MICHAEL is the starting quarterback at Idaho and second cousin PADRAIG is a PGA Tour golfer.

GREEN BAY PACKERS

BRETT FAVRE kicks off his 15th NFL season and to many is the epitome of an NFL quarterback.

The Packers legend is within reach of a bevy of significant milestones in 2005, including one achievement that may occur this week.  Favre has 49,734 career passing yards and needs 266 to join Pro Football Hall of Famers DAN MARINO (61,361) and JOHN ELWAY (51,475) as the only players in NFL history with 50,000 career passing yards.

With 24 touchdown passes, Favre will join Marino as the only player ever with 400 TD passes.

MINNESOTA VIKINGS

DAUNTE CULPEPPER is firmly established as one of the premier quarterbacks in the NFL, coming off one of the greatest seasons by a passer in league history. His 39 touchdown passes tied for the fifth highest single- season total all-time while his 4,717 passing yards ranked fifth in league annals.

Culpepper, who earned his third Pro Bowl trip following his historic 2004 campaign, owns the third highest career passer rating ever (93.2), trailing only Pro Football Hall of Famer STEVE YOUNG (96.8) and KURT WARNER (95.7).

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

AARON BROOKS is the only player in Saints history with four consecutive 20-touchdown-pass and 3,500-yard passing seasons. He is also one of the league’s most durable quarterbacks, having started 69 consecutive games, the third longest active streak in the NFL, trailing only BRETT FAVRE (205) and PEYTON MANNING (112). Quarterbacking runs in the family for Brooks, as the Newport News, Virginia native is a second cousin of Atlanta’s MICHAEL VICK.

NEW YORK GIANTS

ELI MANNING begins his first full season as the club’s starting quarterback. Drafted No. 1 overall in 2004, Manning started the final seven games of his rookie season, posting 100.0+ passer ratings in two of his last three starts. Manning, the younger brother of Colts quarterback PEYTON, is not the only Giants’ passer with a famous quarterbacking brother. Newly acquired quarterback TIM HASSELBECK, who spent the past two seasons with Washington, is the younger brother of Seahawks starter MATT.

SAINT LOUIS RAMS

MARC BULGER has proven to be a consistent passer -- and winner. His 26-10 (.722) record is the third best winning percentage of active NFL quarterbacks with a minimum of 10 starts, trailing only BEN ROETHLISBERGER (10-0, 1.000) and TOM BRADY (48-14, .774). Bulger is a graduate of Pittsburgh Central Catholic High School, the same school that produced legendary NFL passer and newly inducted Pro Football Hall of Fame member DAN MARINO.

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS

Quarterback TIM RATTAY earned the starting job with a strong preseason, completing 62 percent of his attempts (31 of 50) and posting an impressive 99.4 passer rating. Rattay first played the quarterback position in his senior year at Arizona’s Phoenix Christian High School, setting numerous records. From Pee Wee football until that senior season, Rattay was a tight end and safety. A standout college passer at Louisiana Tech, Rattay became the third player in NCAA history to throw for more than 100 touchdowns as a collegian.

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

Aiming to reach the playoffs for the third consecutive season, quarterback MATT HASSELBECK enters his fifth year with the club. With at least 20 touchdown passes in 2005, Hasselbeck will join DAVE KRIEG as the only players in franchise history to accomplish the feat three years in a row. Playing in the NFL is a family profession for the Hasselbecks, as brother TIM is a quarterback with the Giants and father DON spent nine years as an NFL tight end.

TAMPA BAY BUCANEERS

After a successful 10-game stint as the Bucs’ starter in 2004, BRIAN GRIESE enters the season hoping to pick up exactly where he left off. Griese led the NFL with a 69.3 completion percentage a year ago, setting franchise records with a 97.5 passer rating and an average of 7.83 yards per attempt. Griese (102.9, 2000) and his father, Pro Football Hall of Famer BOB GRIESE (87.8, 1977) are the only father-son combination to lead the league in passing.

WASHINGTON REDSKINS

Fourth-year quarterback PATRICK RAMSEY enters 2005 as the Redskins’ No. 1 quarterback. After serving as the backup to MARK BRUNELL for the first nine games of 2004, Ramsey started the final seven games of the season, helping the team average 26 points per game in wins against the Giants, 49ers and Vikings. The Ruston, Louisiana native was a standout collegian at Tulane, holding the school record with a touchdown pass in 31 consecutive games.

BUFFALO BILLS

Second-year pro J.P. LOSMAN makes his first career NFL start Sunday at home against Houston. He is the AFC’s lone QB making his NFL starting debut this weekend. Before Losman, the last QB Buffalo drafted in the first round was Pro Football Hall of Famer JIM KELLY (1983). On Kickoff Weekend, Losman will be the AFC’s third youngest starting QB at 24 years, six months (Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh; 23 yrs, 6 mos.; Boller, Baltimore; 24 yrs, 3 mos.).

CINCINNATI BENGALS

CARSON PALMER enters his second season as the Bengals’ starter and has a TD pass in his past six starts. Palmer posted a passer rating of 100.0+ in each of his final three games last season. Comparing his first seven starts in 2004 to his final six, Palmer improved his completion percentage from 55.1 to 68.6 (+13.5 pct.) and his TDs per game from 0.7 to 2.2.

CLEVELAND BROWNS

The last two seasons that TRENT DILFER has started all 16 games, he passed for 21 touchdowns in each year. The last Browns QB to pass for more than 21 was BERNIE KOSAR, who posted 22 in 1987. Dilfer is one of four QBs since 1970 to currently reside or retire 10 games above .500 as a starter after reaching a point of being 10 games below .500 -- an impressive 20-game swing (was 8-19, is now 49-39). The other three on this list: TROY AIKMAN (3-18 to 94-71), PEYTON MANNING (5-15 to 66-46), and Pro Football Hall of Famer STEVE YOUNG (3-17 to 94-49).

DENVER BRONCOS

With 4,000 passing yards in 2005, JAKE PLUMMER would become the first quarterback in Broncos history to record two 4,000-yard seasons. Plummer passed for a club-record 4,089 yards in 2004. Since 2003, Plummer is 19-8 (.704 pct.) as the Broncos’ starter, good for the fourth-best winning percentage among all QBs in that span. Last year, the nine-year veteran became the first Denver QB to take every snap from center for an entire season.

HOUSTON TEXANS

In 2004, DAVID CARR notched career-highs in passing yards (3,531), completion percentage (61.2 pct.), TD passes (16) and passer rating (83.5). Carr has started every game for Houston in two of the past three seasons. He registered seven games with a passer rating of 90.0+ in 2004 and finished fifth among AFC QBs in passing yards. Carr topped AFC QBs in rushing last season with 299 yards on 73 carries (4.1 avg.).

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

In the past two seasons, BYRON LEFTWICH has completed TD passes to 13 different receivers – tied for the most in the NFL (JOEY HARRINGTON, Detroit). Among AFC starting QBs last season, the business-degree holder from Marshall posted the third lowest interception percentage (2.3), trailing only the Chargers’ DREW BREES (1.8) and the Colts’ Manning (2.0).

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

The Chiefs’ offense, led by TRENT GREEN, has ranked No. 1 or No. 2 in NFL scoring in each of the past three seasons. Since 2002, Green (12,320) has passed for the second most yards in the NFL, trailing only Indianapolis’ Manning (13,024). Green has thrown for 300+ yards in eight of his past 12 starts and has the most career 300-yard games (20) in club history. Entering his 12th season, the Kirkwood, Missouri native is the sixth highest-rated passer in NFL history (87.9).

MIAMI DOLPHINS

GUS FREROTTE will be the Dolphins’ starter in their opener. Frerotte worked under new Miami offensive coordinator SCOTT LINEHAN while both were with Minnesota the past two seasons. In his most recent first start for a new club (2003), Frerotte set a Minnesota Vikings record with a 157.2 passer rating by completing 16 of 21 attempts for 267 yards and four touchdowns (September 22 vs. San Francisco).

NEW YORK JETS

CHAD PENNINGTON is just about flawless in the red-zone. He is 85 of 131 (65.6 pct.) for 519 yards with 39 TDs vs. 0 INTs for a 112.2 passer rating in the zone. Pennington possesses a franchise-best career passer rating of 93.7. With 8,091 career yards, Pennington needs 3,630 yards to surpass VINNY TESTAVERDE to become the fourth leading passer in club history. He aims to become the second Jets quarterback to lead the team into the playoffs three times (KEN O’BRIEN, 1985-86, 1991).

OAKLAND RAIDERS

In the last seven weeks of 2004, Oakland’s KERRY COLLINS posted the second-most touchdown passes in the NFL (16), trailing Indianapolis’ Manning (18). Collins threw for two or more TD passes in five of the Raiders’ final seven games. He also tied for the third-most pass completions of 25-or-more yards in that span with 17 such completions. The 11-year pro aims for his sixth consecutive 3,000-yard passing season.

NFL 2005 Related

NFL 2005 - Football Schedule & Results

Patriots & Raiders Kick Off NFL 2005 Season

NFL 2005 - Eagles & Falcons in Rematch

McNabb and Vick have established themselves as two of the premier quarterbacks in football, each with the ability to amaze with both their arm and legs.

In addition to the excitement generated by the QBs, the game is a rematch of last season’s exciting NFC Championship, won by the Philadelphia Eagles 27-10 on a cold, blustery January day in Philadelphia.

SPORTS

BASEBALL | BASKETBALL | COLLEGES | FOOTBALL | GOLF | HOCKEY | OLYMPICS | SOCCER | TENNIS

NFL 2005: Who's Who in NFL Quarterbacks by NFL Team