I didn’t get to see Brady Quinn’s maiden voyage into the NFL live. And I was surprised by the accolades being showered onto him after going 13-of-20 for 155 yards and 2 touchdowns. Maybe, just maybe, I got this guy wrong. Oh me of little faith. I have to believe none of the people showering him with praise for his outing actually watched the highlights, which showcased Quinn’s incredible ability to throw five-yard check-down passes to his running back against a prevent defense.

These were his 13 magnificent completed passes against the all-world Detroit Lions defense:

[youtube:http://youtube.com/watch?v=S1LCq9_5b-U]

His first completion was a screen pass that lost five yards through the air, but which Chris Barclay (don’t worry, no one else has ever heard of him either) took another 35 yards for a gain of 30. His second completion was a check-down to Barclay. His third completion was his one good pass of the night. After that, he completed to a receiver who was open by five yards, then he threw another short check-down pass; then his first touchdown to an open receiver. When the Lions, up 23-13, when to a prevent defense, Quinn completed a short check-down pass to a wide-open receiver; then another short check-down pass to a wide-open receiver; then another one; then he hit a wide-open receiver for 24 yards; then another check-down pass to a wide-open receiver; then another one; then another one.

I’m not remotely surprised that Quinn is still third on the Browns’ depth chart. When you have to hang your hat on a dozen check-down passes, down 23-6 in the final six minutes of a preseason game, you’ve got a lot more to prove.

This all led me to think, How did Ryan Leaf do in his first preseason NFL outing? All I could drum up was a Wikipedia entry that said he did well in the preseason in 1998. Then, famously:

"…in the third game of the season, Leaf completed one of fifteen passes for 4 yards and fumbled three times in a loss against the Kansas City Chiefs.[15] He was benched after throwing two touchdown passes and thirteen interceptions in nine games, and replaced by quarterback Craig Whelihan.[16] After ten games, Leaf had thrown two more interceptions, passing for a total of 1,289 yards, with a 45.3 percent completion rate and a paltry quarterback rating of 39."

No way Brady Quinn is Ryan Leaf. No way. But, it certainly would make me chuckle if he turned out to be Cade McNown. -Cyd Zeigler jr.

I didn’t get to see Brady Quinn’s maiden voyage into the NFL live. And I was surprised by the accolades being showered onto him after going 13-of-20 for 155 yards and 2 touchdowns. Maybe, just maybe, I got this guy wrong. Oh me of little faith. I have to believe none of the people showering him with praise for his outing actually watched the highlights, which showcased Quinn’s incredible ability to throw five-yard check-down passes to his running back against a prevent defense.

These were his 13 magnificent completed passes against the all-world Detroit Lions defense:

[youtube:http://youtube.com/watch?v=S1LCq9_5b-U]

His first completion was a screen pass that lost five yards through the air, but which Chris Barclay (don’t worry, no one else has ever heard of him either) took another 35 yards for a gain of 30. His second completion was a check-down to Barclay. His third completion was his one good pass of the night. After that, he completed to a receiver who was open by five yards, then he threw another short check-down pass; then his first touchdown to an open receiver. When the Lions, up 23-13, when to a prevent defense, Quinn completed a short check-down pass to a wide-open receiver; then another short check-down pass to a wide-open receiver; then another one; then he hit a wide-open receiver for 24 yards; then another check-down pass to a wide-open receiver; then another one; then another one.

I’m not remotely surprised that Quinn is still third on the Browns’ depth chart. When you have to hang your hat on a dozen check-down passes, down 23-6 in the final six minutes of a preseason game, you’ve got a lot more to prove.

This all led me to think, How did Ryan Leaf do in his first preseason NFL outing? All I could drum up was a Wikipedia entry that said he did well in the preseason in 1998. Then, famously:

"…in the third game of the season, Leaf completed one of fifteen passes for 4 yards and fumbled three times in a loss against the Kansas City Chiefs.[15] He was benched after throwing two touchdown passes and thirteen interceptions in nine games, and replaced by quarterback Craig Whelihan.[16] After ten games, Leaf had thrown two more interceptions, passing for a total of 1,289 yards, with a 45.3 percent completion rate and a paltry quarterback rating of 39."

No way Brady Quinn is Ryan Leaf. No way. But, it certainly would make me chuckle if he turned out to be Cade McNown. -Cyd Zeigler jr.