Rivers Already Setting Record

Lots of talk out there about Philip Rivers starting for the San Diego Chargers this year. Exciting stuff.

Here is an interesting factoid that is neither positive or negative when you consider that most teams with pro-bowl quarterbacks don’t typically have top 5 picks…nor do they typically draft quarterbacks.

Fewest Pass Attempts in First 2 Seasons of a Top 5 Draft Pick, Modern Draft:

Philip Rivers – 30
Art Schlicter – 37
Mike Phipps – 107
Steve McNair – 223

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14 Responses to Rivers Already Setting Record

  1. PBdafan 07/19/2006 at 8:34 AM #

    I can’t wait to see him in action. I’ve been following college football for over 40 years, and he is one of the best players I’ve ever seen. If Norm Chow had stayed, Philip would have been a cinch for the Heisman trophy.

  2. packpigskinfan23 07/19/2006 at 9:18 AM #

    wow… what a record to have. 🙁

    I can completely understand SD’s decision to remain with Brees until this year. He his one of my favorite QB’s in the NFL right now… a great talented, and his team should have made the playoffs last year. His shoulder injury at the end of the season is gonna work out great for everyone!To think, if it wasnt for his shoulder injury Rivers wouldnt be playing this year… and he NEEDED to play this year…. this is the year for him to come out and prove that his is NOT a second string QB. Brees also locates to a new team… one with a lot of pride, that should be a really tough team to match up with.

    I need to order NFL Ticket……

  3. BladenWolf 07/19/2006 at 9:21 AM #

    The low number of pass attempts by Rivers is directly related to Drew Brees suddenly (and surprisingly) becoming a star QB for the Chargers. Before DB’s breakout year, Shottenheimer was ready to give DB the hook and place Rivers at the helm and that’s why Rivers was drafted.

    I think it came as a shock to most when the Chargers exploded and became winners. IMO, this was largerly due to the RB/TE combo they had and NOT the QB. DB rode those two like a PBR cowboy and did not f’up enough to lose the games as he had in the past. When you can throw to an Antonio Gates and a LaDamian Thomlison, your QB rating shoots up like a weed in the summer time.

    Now that Brees is out the door due to salary cap/contract issues, count on Charger fans to forget DB and get on the River’s bandwagon.

    I hope they have another great year.

  4. redfred2 07/19/2006 at 9:51 AM #

    Skip on Cold Pizza said the Rivers will be “the man,” and by far the best new starting quarterback to play this season. Woody of course had to contradict him and replied, “Based on what, there is nothing to back up what you’re saying?”

    Can’t wait to see Rivers finally get his chance. He will play under control and with a little blocking, he has the ability to look over the field and make the right decisions time after time like the great ones.

  5. packpigskinfan23 07/19/2006 at 10:46 AM #

    I dont know if you were watchin the same Chargers I was BladenWolf…. but Brees is an excellent passer. The way they dominated the Colts was incredible. They had so many close games that they SHOULD have won… And it was not JUST the TE/RB plays that got them the wins. In fact, in the beginning of the year the Chargers didnt even go to Gates that often. Brees is going to do something big in NO…. I think the fact that he has better wideouts in NO than in SD will show his passing abilities more.

  6. packpigskinfan23 07/19/2006 at 10:46 AM #

    and Rivers WILL be the man…. he will hold back, and play it safe for the first 2 or 3 games… but I think he is wide open after that 🙂

  7. redfred2 07/19/2006 at 11:34 AM #

    I guess the short clip posted earlier here on SFN was about the total archive of Rivers professional passing career.

  8. BladenWolf 07/19/2006 at 2:05 PM #

    packpigskinfan23

    Drew Brees had one good year. Strike that, he had one great year. But the seasons before were only average, if that. His previous seasons are precisely why the Chargers drafted Rivers. They did not think DB was a franchise player or even in their short term future. But to his credit, he suddenly becomes one of the top rated passers in the league. (and AG and LT ARE the reasons he did this – check their season scoring for TD passes for the facts).

    My point was that this sudden leap in DB’s quality of play is what lead to River’s low passing attempt numbers. In any other situation, Rivers would have been on the field much more if not a starter by his second season (i.e. Eli Manning). (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft04/index)

  9. cfpack03 07/19/2006 at 2:22 PM #

    New Orleans – no dominate TB, weaker OL, and no Gates. IMO, with less talent helping out, Brees won’t look so good this year. Rivers, on the other hand, should light it up

  10. Mike 07/19/2006 at 4:01 PM #

    Philip has a great mind and should be a solid NFL QB. To say he has the lowest passes attmpeted as a knock is absurd. There are many highly touted QB’s that never make it, and many who are obscure that do very well. Johnny Unitas was not drafted. Sometimes it takes the right team, right opportunity to be a successul long term NFL QB. Elway was good, not great, until he finally got Terrell Davis, then BAM, wins 2 Super Bowls.

    Don’t judge Rivers record on 2 silly seasons. Brees in ’04 was one of the top rated QB’s and SD had no reason to put Philip in, expcet in late game mop up situations. In those cases, a guy is not going to throw anyway. In ’05 it was a struggle and DB had a good, not great year, but there was still no opportunity to work Philip in.

    Will he “light it up”? I hope so. Guys like Philip that have the good head, coaches head on the field usually do perform well and light it up. With AG and LT, a lot of the pressure should be off Philip, enabling him to do well. Understand, even in his 3rd year, he is still a rookie from a game expereince standpoint, and he will make some poor decisions. I saw huge jumps in his decisions from freshman to senior, and given the same progression in the NFL, Philip will be fine long term. Short term, he may still struggle at times. The games he has played, some he did well, some he struggled. Mostly preseason games, but he had some good ups and some bad downs.

  11. packpigskinfan23 07/19/2006 at 4:32 PM #

    I totally agree that Rivers #’s are like they are just because of the year Bree’s had. But Brees had a prettty good year before last as well. Sure SD didnt’ know this was going to happen… but it did… I still think NO will be just fine this year. Brees will show he can do it. Let me put it this way… out of all the returning QB’s who were injured at the end of last year, I think Brees will have the better year. Maybe not better than Carson Palmer… but definatly better than Culpepper.

    this season is going to be great for a bunch of former Wolfpackers… Williams will put up some great numbers… even if his team does not. I expect Lawson to be the next big thing…..

  12. bTHEredterror 07/19/2006 at 8:36 PM #

    No doubt DB is a good NFL quarterback, makes most of the throws well, and is a tough leader. But to say LT and Gates weren’t a large part of the reason he blossomed is preposterous. Gates in particular, who wasn’t there when Brees was struggling, would aid any quarterback due to his ability to change the defense. With Gates as a serious threat in the middle of the field, safeties must stay at home since there are few if any LB’s in th league with a real shot to cvoer him. Blitzes are also far more risky due to Gates superior adjustments. This gives McCardell and Eric Parker, a cagey vet and marginal starter, 1-on-1s with little or no outside deep help. Corners have to play deeper allowing for possession routes. Couple that with LT who slows the pass rush and keeps linebackers close to the LOS, and you’ve got a formula for success. Philip will take full advantage, as he did at State with TJ and TA/RayRob.
    To see a similar impact on a different team this year, watch how Vernon Davis changes the SF offense, especially if the 49ers run game by committee stays productive. They have so many holes they may only gain a couple of wins, but they will be far more competitive in Nolan’s year two.

    Tight end is becoming a priority around the league (about time), and when used effectively they make any quarterback better.

  13. Cardiff Giant 07/20/2006 at 5:28 PM #

    Philip will be fine.

  14. Packof82Cards 07/20/2006 at 8:52 PM #

    Since when does Phillip have a weak arm? Granted it’s not Elway or Favre strong, but weak?

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