Best Rookie Quarterback Performances During First Regular Season Game

by Josh Kirkendall on Jul 20, 2011 4:00 PM EDT in Analysis

Peter King is one of a couple -- by couple we actually mean 99.9% of the NFL community of experts, fans and media -- that say it's time to prepare for the Andy Dalton era. There's always the obvious possibility that the Bengals may sign a veteran quarterback in the hopes to either give Dalton a veteran backup, or allow Dalton a little growing room to develop behind an established passer. Obviously, if one believes the whispers inside the dungeons of Paul Brown Stadium, that totally means Vince Young.

Even though he does start the first game of the regular season, historically speaking, rookie quarterbacks do not have the greatest debuts.

According to NFL.com, rookies starting a team's first regular season game are 11-17 with "nearly half of those wins (five)" having come in the past 10 seasons. Here's the consistent part. If a rookie quarterback plays out of his mind (relative to his experience), those teams typically win. I'm thinking, Dalton, Browns, September 11. A win?

Best performances by a rookie during the regular season opening game.

	Season	Team	Opp.	Result	Rating
Matt Ryan	2008	Falcons	Lions	Win	137.0
Chris Weinke	2001	Panthers	Vikings	Win	89.8
Jeff George	1990	Colts	Bills	Loss	88.9
Mark Sanchez	2009	Jets	Texans	Win	84.3
Jim Plunkett	1971	Patriots	Raiders	Win	82.5
David Carr	2002	Texans	Cowboys	Win	78.8
Archie Manning	1971	Saints	Rams	Win	76.5

Tweet Comment 6 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

Sign Bulger

Palmer wasn’t thrown to the wolves, so why do it to Dalton?
Get a veteran in, call it a rebuilding season, and go for it from 2012.

Sign JJo and Hall and give Zimmer a chance.

The money is there to do it.

by wiseking on Jul 20, 2011 5:16 PM EDT reply actions

sounds great

but the Bengals are the Bungles for a reason. They will let JJoe walk, and let Dalton get killed.

by JCompton41 on Jul 20, 2011 7:40 PM EDT up reply actions

it would be exciting

to get us a big name QB in PBS BUT, I say throw him on in there and lets see what he’s got. plenty of QBS get thrown right in as rookie’s and in my opinion learn MUCH faster and become pretty good players FASTER. and faster is what we need my friends. Heck who knows the kid might actually be that good. and you have to agree he would probably be better next year if he plays this year.

by GUNSHO on Jul 20, 2011 6:50 PM EDT via mobile reply actions