Who remembers what happened when we had Donovan McNabb and Michael Vick, two quality quarterbacks, fight for the starter position on a very good Eagles team? Anyone? Well...McNabb was shipped off to Washington, and well, turn on the TV and you can see how Vick has turned out as the starter. Quarterback controversies are deadly to a team, especially when they are a young team on the rise. Don't get me wrong, McNabb was on the tail end of his career, and Vick, even though he was fresh out of jail, was a younger, more athletic quarterback that could lead the Eagles to a championship. Well, that has yet to happen, and with Vick looking like he is going to get the boot after the season, as well as Andy Reid, you could use this is prime evidence that quarterback controversies KILL good football teams. Andy Reid is a well-respected coach around the league and has been with the Eagles for over a decade. He has never led them to a Super Bowl win, but he has gotten pretty darn close. Unfortunately, his decision to try out Vick and McNabb in the same season a few years ago will probably cost him his job. They tried to switch it up with Kevin Kolb and failed horribly. They drafted a kid named Nick Foles out of the University of Arizona, and it looks as if he is going to be the future of the Eagles, even though his debut was less than spectacular.
Another QB controversy that has become deadly to a team is the whole Tim Tebow fiasco in New York. I really do not want to comment on that because their is nothing to say but let me just say a few words. Mark Sanchez, who has led the Jets to the AFC Championship for 2 straight seasons in 2010 and 2011, is being scrutinized for his bad playing, even though his receiving core lacks a big name. With no help from his offense, he has been ridiculed and embarrassed all season, and the Jets fans want a change, and Tebow will eventually get that opportunity. If you don't call that controversy a nail in the coffin of the Jets franchise, I don't know what else to say.
With all that said, we have another controversy on our hands. Colin Kaepernick, a 2nd year quarterback from Nevada, shined in his starting debut with the 49ers. He manhandled a solid Chicago Bears defense and threw for 243 yards and 2 touchdowns. His quarterback rating was an astounding 133.1! Can you have a better debut in the NFL than that? I don't think so. Oh, did I mention it was on Monday Night Football? Incredible! A week ago, many didn't even know who the backup quarterback was for the 49ers, as many did not really care. Alex Smith played well against the Cardinals, lighting up the field with 18 completions out of 19 attempts for 232 yards and 3 touchdowns. Yes, Smith has played sub-par for his first 5 seasons in the league, but he came around with the arrival of Jim Harbaugh and hasn't looked back. He led this team to the NFC Championship! You have to give him his credit.
Let me take a step back and say this, I am extremely critical of Alex Smith and I do not think he is the right answer for the quarterback position for the future of the 49ers. When the 49ers had the 1st pick in 2005, I said from day one they needed to pick up Aaron Rodgers. The kid had issues with his throwing delivery, but had extreme potential. Unfortunately, he went to Green Bay and won a Super Bowl years later. We decided to go with Smith, and was a laughing stock for the next 5 to 6 years. Even though I cannot trust Smith because of his past, I am optimistic he has turned around and is finally living up to his potential. With all that said, we now have a quarterback controversy on our hands with a team that has TREMENDOUS upside for years to come!
It seems as if Kaepernick will get the start for the game against the Saints this weekend, but I really hope Harbaugh will realize Smith is the one who has led this team to success and will make him starter as long as he can recover fully from that concussion. I think this QB controversy can hurt this team, as they are still a young squad, and Harbaugh needs to control this situation and not let it get out of hand with the media. I hope Kaep can stick with the Niners and learn the ropes with Smith and Harbaugh, as he could become the next Aaron Rodgers. I just hope Harbaugh thinks the same way as myself as well as many other die-hard 49er fans, because this whole fiasco can hurt this team as history has shown its lethality.
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