A case for Tyler Thigpen

[MMXcalibur]

http://blogs.nfl.com/2009/08/27/a-ca...tyler-thigpen/

Thursday, August 27 2009
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Jason La Canfora
A case for Tyler Thigpen
Posted: August 27th, 2009 | Jason La Canfora | Tags: Baltimore Ravens, Ben Roethlisberger, Brodie Croyle, Buffalo Bills, Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Joe Flacco, Kansas City Chiefs, Matt Cassel, Matt Ryan, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints, trades, Tyler Thigpen, Wildcat

I have a question for you guys: Name a first-year starting quarterback who accounted for more touchdowns than Super Bowl-winning veteran Ben Roethlisberger or standout rookies Joe Flacco and Matt Ryan last season? Here’s another one: Of all the players who ran the ball at least 50 times last season, who led the NFL in yards per carry?

OK, so the title of this blog makes the answer pretty much a dead giveaway. I think we all know who I’m talking about here (for the record, he averaged 6.2 yards per carry on 62 rushes). But I’m going to say it (read: type it): I like Tyler Thigpen. I’m not afraid to admit it, and I know some savvy NFL scouts/executives who value him, too.

I like Thigpen’s guts and competitiveness. I love his athleticism. I think he’s a playmaker who’s still quite raw (a 25-year-old who became a starter for a lame-duck staff last season, out of Coastal Carolina of all places) and has some warts but a ton of upside. He’s a kid who flashed some real talent, yet was surrounded by an Amy Winehouse-thin roster in Kansas City last season (having no defense and no running game did him no favors).

And it’s clear that the new Chiefs regime prefers Matt Cassel and Brodie Croyle to him — because Thigpen is being shopped — but if I’m running the average NFL team (which means I probably have 1.5 capable QBs on my roster, and, yeah I’m going to use a lot of parenthesis in this post), I’m making a play for this kid, even if it costs me more than a fifth-round draft pick (the current asking price).

So, let’s go back to the beginning here, a very good place to start.

Thigpen was thrust into duty after the Chiefs’ other quarterbacks went down with season-ending injuries. He ended up accounting for 22 touchdowns (18 passing, three rushing and one receiving) in just 11 starts for a 2-14 team that had some deep flaws. Roethlisberger, a $100 million QB, won a Super Bowl with help from the game’s best defense and accounted for 19 TDs (17 passing, two rushing) in 16 starts.

So Thigpen, as a second-year pro with no prior experience and a last-place roster around him, threw for 2,608 yards and 18 TDs with 12 interceptions in the first 11 starts of his career. And Roethlisberger, already fully polished and with a Super Bowl-quality roster around him, threw for 3,301 yards and 17 TDs with 15 interceptions in 16 games. Hmm, interesting. And Roethlisberger had as many turnovers as Thigpen did scores.

OK. In no way am I trying to say Thigpen is remotely the QB and playmaker than Big Ben is (nor could anyone expect him to be), but tell me this kid might not be worth a shot at being better than most teams’ current backup passer. (Personally, I think he’s a heck of a lot better than Croyle, for one, but I’m obviously not running any NFL teams). Hang with me here.

Ryan, the third overall pick in the 2008 draft, won the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award, had the league’s best running game and a stout Falcons defense behind him, and he accounted for 17 total TDs in 16 starts. Flacco also was a first-round pick in 2008, started 16 games for a Ravens team with the league’s second-best defense and a robust running attack, and he accounted for 16 total TDs.

Let’s take it a little deeper. Well, Jason, you dope, the Chiefs stunk and Thigpen just put up a bunch of meaningless numbers while chasing teams in the second half of games, right?

Not so fast. The Chiefs either led entering the fourth quarter, led in the fourth quarter or were tied entering the fourth quarter in seven of Thigpen’s final 10 games. If anything, questionable play-calling, a horrid running game and an atrocious defense conspired against the young QB.

Overall, could Thigpen be better in the fourth quarter? Sure, he had a 62.0 rating and completed just 50 percent of his passes (four fourth-quarter TDs to four fourth-quarter interceptions isn’t that bad, though). This was a kid from a small school thrust into emergency starts with little coaching, and as we know, inexperienced passers tend to have issues late in games. Thigpen also was sacked 11 times on just 123 fourth-quarter pass attempts, so a suspect offensive line and lack of any sort of competent defense didn’t make things any easier on him.

Well, what about Thigpen completing just 55 percent of his passes and throwing 12 interceptions in just 14 games? Neither is ideal, no doubt. But let’s look at his offensive weapons. Dwayne Bowe and Devard Darling were his starting receivers. It wasn’t exactly the sure-hands crew. Besides having perennial Pro Bowl TE Tony Gonzalez, this kid was on his own.

As I said, Thigpen is raw and has some flaws, so coach him up (he was the first quarterback in Coastal Carolina history for goodness sake, with the program starting in 2003) and help him with film study and fundamentals. There is plenty to work with there.

This kid is incredibly fast — on his runs, he was almost never tackled by someone in the front seven. You can’t tell me he’s not one of the 64 best QBs out there, and given his skills and speed, he definitely could be someone who could help in the Wildcat. At 6-foot-1 and 224 pounds, Thigpen can take a hit.

As for the interceptions, that’s pretty common with young QBs. And the first came in a mop-up role in his first appearance of 2008, and three more came in his first NFL start, against the eventual NFC South champion Falcons, when you’d expect him to be nervous.

In the final 10 games, all starts, Thigpen threw 16 touchdown passes to eight interceptions. Not too shabby. And that’s far beyond anything the first-round bonus babies (JaMarcus Russell and Brady Quinn) from Thigpen’s draft year (2007) have accomplished.

Well, sure, those are decent numbers, but come on, the dude was in a shotgun most of the time and not a traditional offense?

Yep, the Chiefs, in desperation, got a bit gimmicky last season and spread things out. But a lot of teams are going more that route, and you guys tell me that Tom Brady (and last year, Cassel) and Flacco and Roethlisberger aren’t back there quite a bit, too.

Wow, I never thought I’d write this much about Tyler Thigpen, but, alas, it has happened. But how can you not like the kid? Never invited to the combine, seventh-round pick by the Vikings, claimed off waivers by the Chiefs in September 2007, tore his medial collateral ligament that rookie season and then ended up starting 11 games the next year when no one expected it, and, best as I can tell, did some pretty nice stuff.

And now, someone, if they’re smart, will meet the Chiefs’ price and trade for Thigpen. Sure, a third- or fourth-round pick is considerable, but when you look at what the kid has done, how valuable his position is and how few quality alternatives exist (let alone talented 25-year-olds), to me, a fourth-round pick is surely worth the shot.

The Jaguars have expressed the most interest to this point, and that’s one of several teams with a significant need for a backup QB. The Bills, Bears, Packers and Saints also have been closely monitoring the QB market. And people I talk to around the league don’t discount the Patriots making a move for a QB, too — particularly one who could provide a Wildcat element. The Ravens seriously considered trading for Thigpen before ultimately opting to sign Cleo Lemon a little while back, league sources said.

Some team will come away with a solid prospect in Thigpen, and frankly, I’m not quite sure why the Chiefs didn’t give him more of a look before locking in on Cassel.

Thigpen overload lately.

[OnTheWarpath15]

Originally Posted by alpha_omega

I understand the comparison (statistically speaking), but there is no way TP makes that game winning throw in the super bowl.

He's yet to make a game-winning throw in ANY game.

[Bane]

Originally Posted by alpha_omega

I understand the comparison (statistically speaking), but there is no way TP makes that game winning throw in the super bowl.

Like were even thinking about the SB

[Radar Chief]

Is that a “case” of Pabst Blue Ribbon?
If so, thats starting to sound like a better deal.

[keg in kc]

I would read that, but I don't want to risk what few remaining brain cells I have.

[Titty Meat]

The case for Tyler Thigpen 1 win.

[MikeMaslowski]

I hope every NFL team reads this and takes the red pill and we get a 3rd rounder in return. How beautiful that would be... indeed.

[HemiEd]

Originally Posted by MikeMaslowski

I hope every NFL team reads this and takes the red pill and we get a 3rd rounder in return. How beautiful that would be... indeed.

Exactly, you would think none of these other ****ers had ever played a hand of poker in their ****ing lives.

Dammit, TT is the shit! We need a 2nd for him!

[Radar Chief]

Originally Posted by HemiEd

Exactly, you would think none of these other ****ers had ever played a hand of poker in their ****ing lives.

Dammit, TT is the shit! We need a 2nd for him!

Really, duh.
When you’re trying to make a sale it’s a lot easier to take price off than to add it on.

[JD10367]

He actually makes a pretty convincing case.

I don't think Thigpen will ever challenge Manning or Brady in the record books. But I also don't think Thigpen is as bad as he looked to you guys, or as bad as some of you think.

Is he a starter? Probably not. Can he carry a team? No, unless they're very talented. Does he have the potential to be a very solid #2? I think so. Some players are late bloomers (like Cassel).

I still don't think Haley trades him. Whether he's called the backup or the #3 QB, you're probably not gonna do much better for that position and can do a whole lot worse.

[Marcellus]

I am happy to have Cassel but you guys bag on a guy who started 11 games as a 2nd year pro and talk about all his negatives. No shit he needs work.

You guys bag on him just to bag on him because you have to either be pro or against Thigpen on this board and there is no in between.

[Lex Luthors]

Originally Posted by Pestilence

Wow....so the Vikings thought he had so much potential that they stuck him on the practice squad. Then we got him....tried him in a pro offense....and he shit the bed. Huard and Croyle go down and we're left with Thigpen....so we switch to the spread...because that's all he can run. Now all of a sudden he's got Peyton Manning potential!

HE'S GOT MOXIE GAT DAMNT!!!!

Don't rewrite history to fit your agenda. The Vikings hoped to sneak him through waivers and they were pissed when the Chiefs claimed him.

Last year, in his second year in the NFL, Thigpen passed for 2608 yards with 18 TDs and 12 INTs.

So you think this guy is a loser? Well, let me tell you the story of another loser. In his second year in the NFL, he passed for 2598 yards with 18 TDs and 15 INTs.

His name is John Elway.

I'm not saying Tyler Thigpen is John Elway. But it's freaking reeruned to completely dismiss what he accomplished last year on a team with no offensive line, no running game, and no defense.

Let me repeat that so that there is no misunderstanding. The Thigpen haters are reeruns.

[Bane]

Originally Posted by Lex Luthor

Don't rewrite history to fit your agenda. The Vikings hoped to sneak him through waivers and they were pissed when the Chiefs claimed him.

Last year, in his second year in the NFL, Thigpen passed for 2608 yards with 18 TDs and 12 INTs.

So you think this guy is a loser? Well, let me tell you the story of another loser. In his second year in the NFL, he passed for 2598 yards with 18 TDs and 15 INTs.

His name is John Elway.

I'm not saying Tyler Thigpen is John Elway. But it's freaking reeruned to completely dismiss what he accomplished last year on a team with no offensive line, no running game, and no defense.

Let me repeat that so that there is no misunderstanding. The Thigpen haters are reeruns.

[LaChapelle]

A nasty case of Tyler Thigpen.

[Hammock Parties]

You people and your stats. So cute.

[Bane]

I could care less about stats,all I know for sure is the kid took beating after beating for the red and gold,and never gave up.