Is Bledsoe getting too much of a fair shake?
By Andy Targovnik on May 26, 2006 12:25 AM
If you judge Drew Bledsoe's career by the numbers only, he is a lock for the Hall of Fame.
Entering his fourteenth NFL campaign, Bledsoe is 7th all-time in passing yards, having just passed Dan Fouts in 2005. He is also 13th all time in passing touchdowns, only 10 behind Fouts. Additionally, Fouts never played in a Super Bowl while Bledsoe led the 1996 New England Patriots to the Big Dance. He also chipped in to help the Pats win a Super Bowl back in 2001. Since Fouts was a shoe-in for the Hall of Fame, it stands to reason that Bledsoe will make it too, right?
Not so fast. Most NFL fans will tell you that while the Fouts election was a no-brainer, Bledsoe will be a borderline case. I believe there are three reasons for this:
First, even though most Hall of Fame quarterbacks have played for more than one franchise, they had already earned their Hall of Fame credentials with their original squad. The rest was just icing on the cake. Joe Montana and Warren Moon ended their careers with other franchises, but the fact remains that had they retired instead, they still would have made the Hall.
Now take Bledsoe: He had his best years early in his career in New England. When he was traded to the Bills, he was still not considered a great player. That perception was cemented by the fact that New England became a dynasty immediately after Bledsoe left town. And even though Bledsoe made a huge contribution in the playoffs against Pittsburgh during New England's first winning Super Bowl run, the only Patriot quarterback that people care to mention is Tom Brady. So Bledsoe needed to do something special as a Bill to establish himself as a Hall of Famer whereas the aforementioned players were playing with house money when they left their original cities.
After a very good first year, Bledsoe's last two seasons in Buffalo were quite forgettable. As a Cowboy last year, he had his moments, but threw some huge interceptions that helped keep the Dallas Cowboys out of the playoffs.
Second, even though Bledsoe is typically considered part of his team, the present Hall of Fame quarterbacks were their team. Mention the Chargers in the 80's, you think of Fouts. Mention the Houston Oilers of the 80's and 90's and you think of Moon. But when you think of the Patriots of the early 90's, you're more likely to think of Bill Parcells than Bledsoe.
Finally, in almost anything in life, it's not only what you do but it's often how you look doing it. In some cases, especially when pressured, Bledsoe looks awkward when he throws. Picture Troy Aikman, Dan Marino, Montana, Moon, and even Jim Kelly and you think of their throwing motion as a thing of beauty. But picture Bledsoe and you think of a guy getting happy feet, patting the ball numerous times and throwing off his back foot.
What would make Bledsoe a lock for Canton? A good statistical year? Nope. One thing and one thing only will assure him his plaque: Another Super Bowl appearance. He might get it in anyway based on his compiled statistics, but unless he gets back to the Big Dance, it's anything but a guarantee.
If you judge Drew Bledsoe's career by the numbers only, he is a lock for the Hall of Fame.
Entering his fourteenth NFL campaign, Bledsoe is 7th all-time in passing yards, having just passed Dan Fouts in 2005. He is also 13th all time in passing touchdowns, only 10 behind Fouts. Additionally, Fouts never played in a Super Bowl while Bledsoe led the 1996 New England Patriots to the Big Dance. He also chipped in to help the Pats win a Super Bowl back in 2001. Since Fouts was a shoe-in for the Hall of Fame, it stands to reason that Bledsoe will make it too, right?
Not so fast. Most NFL fans will tell you that while the Fouts election was a no-brainer, Bledsoe will be a borderline case. I believe there are three reasons for this:
First, even though most Hall of Fame quarterbacks have played for more than one franchise, they had already earned their Hall of Fame credentials with their original squad. The rest was just icing on the cake. Joe Montana and Warren Moon ended their careers with other franchises, but the fact remains that had they retired instead, they still would have made the Hall.
Now take Bledsoe: He had his best years early in his career in New England. When he was traded to the Bills, he was still not considered a great player. That perception was cemented by the fact that New England became a dynasty immediately after Bledsoe left town. And even though Bledsoe made a huge contribution in the playoffs against Pittsburgh during New England's first winning Super Bowl run, the only Patriot quarterback that people care to mention is Tom Brady. So Bledsoe needed to do something special as a Bill to establish himself as a Hall of Famer whereas the aforementioned players were playing with house money when they left their original cities.
After a very good first year, Bledsoe's last two seasons in Buffalo were quite forgettable. As a Cowboy last year, he had his moments, but threw some huge interceptions that helped keep the Dallas Cowboys out of the playoffs.
Second, even though Bledsoe is typically considered part of his team, the present Hall of Fame quarterbacks were their team. Mention the Chargers in the 80's, you think of Fouts. Mention the Houston Oilers of the 80's and 90's and you think of Moon. But when you think of the Patriots of the early 90's, you're more likely to think of Bill Parcells than Bledsoe.
Finally, in almost anything in life, it's not only what you do but it's often how you look doing it. In some cases, especially when pressured, Bledsoe looks awkward when he throws. Picture Troy Aikman, Dan Marino, Montana, Moon, and even Jim Kelly and you think of their throwing motion as a thing of beauty. But picture Bledsoe and you think of a guy getting happy feet, patting the ball numerous times and throwing off his back foot.
What would make Bledsoe a lock for Canton? A good statistical year? Nope. One thing and one thing only will assure him his plaque: Another Super Bowl appearance. He might get it in anyway based on his compiled statistics, but unless he gets back to the Big Dance, it's anything but a guarantee.
posted by The Gryphon at 10:52 PM
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