GROSSMAN VS. BECK

Head Coach Mike Shanahan has chosen Rex Grossman as his Week 1 starting Quarterback for the Redskins’ game vs. the NFC East rival NY Giants. To Shanahan’s credit, it appears a fairn and honest evaluation led to this decision, after a spring and summer which seemed to indicate that both father and son (Mike and OC Kyle Shanahan) favored John Beck as the 2011 starter.

With the Redskins’ short-term Quarterbacking future settled, let’s take a look at each Quarterback’s upside as Washington’s potential starter.

THE CASE FOR REX GROSSMAN

The positive impressions that have followed Rex Grossman throughout his NFL career are remarkably consistent from station to station. Beginning with Chicago, on to Houston, and finally with the Redskins since last season, teammates largely view Grossman as a magnetic personality with a high football IQ, solid work ethic, quality practice reps, and natural leadership ability. On the field, Grossman has enjoyed some success in producing positive results. His 2006 Bears team reached the Super Bowl, with Grossman having thrown a career-high 23 touchdown passes. Finally, Grossman brings playing experience in 41 games with him into the 2011 season.

THE CASE FOR JOHN BECK

John Beck contrasts Rex Grossman in one glaring area: NFL experience. Since being drafted as a 26-year-old in 2007 - after having gone the Thornton Melon route and enrolling in college later than most - Beck played in just five regular season games with the Dolphins. All of Beck’s game action came as a rookie four years ago in Miami. Given the relative absence of an NFL body of work, much of an evaluation of Beck as an NFL prospect leads back to one grading place: Incomplete. Similar positive comments to those heard regarding Grossman have been spoken frequently about Beck during stops in Miami, Baltimore, and Washington. Beck also enjoyed tremendous statistical success as a college Quarterback, particularly during his senior season.

THE COMPARISON

The makeup of the personalities who battled this summer for the Redskins’ 2011 starting QB job make an evaluation of who is most suited for the role highly subjective. Grossman’s experience versus Beck’s lack thereof, make any comparison highly unscientific and subject to debate. That said, it is fair to do some side-by-side analysis of the Redskins’ #1 and #2 QBs.

During his final season in college, versus top-notch competition in the SEC at the University of Florida in 2003, Grossman’s statistical performance dipped sharply in areas like completion percentage and TD-INT ratio – in a season in which he was asked to make more than 500 pass attempts. John Beck’s senior season, in 2006 at BYU, saw the Quarterback complete nearly 70% of his passes, with a TD-INT ratio of 4-1. The level of competition is understandably higher in the SEC (Grossman), but there is no substitute for a Quarterback who has consistently made good decisions about where to throw the ball in an offense that requires him to pass 30+ times per game.

Grossman’s NFL resume also contains some serious question marks. During his most productive season as a Bear (2006), Grossman attempted 30 passes per game, completed less than 55% of his throws, and had a TD-INT ratio of 23-20. Those numbers do not provide enough value for a team that is dependent on its Quarterback. The Redskins’ 2011 roster also raises some questions about what role Grossman will be asked to fill. There is no RB in Washington’s system that has averaged more than 16 carries per game in an NFL season – a potential warning sign of a need for a busy QB.

If the decision were mine, John Beck would have been given the opportunity to start for this Redskins team. This is not because of any dramatic and apparent difference between the two, but more due to a lack of confidence in Grossman’s ability to achieve enough production over a 16 game season.

Grossman got the nod, and should be given the opportunity to develop a rhythm and to lead Washington for 16 games.