Orton Is Etching His Place In History

by Adam T on Jun 24, 2008 2:37 PM CDT Comment 14 comments

Normally, something like this wouldn't pass for a post all it's own, but seeing as how the Bears have decided to hibernate and do absolutely nothing, it gets more press time.

Pro Football Reference has done a post on the Worst QBs of All Time. If you break the list down based on worst seasons our own Kyle Orton makes an appearance, though one could find many other reasons for that season aside from Orton's performance.

He appears as the 16th worst season behind such notables as Ryan Leaf, Kerry Collins, Jake Plummer and Vinny Testaverde.

Looking at the worst performances by year Orton's 2005 campaign came out on top, based on an adjusted yards per pass attempt (some formula factoring in interceptions and sacks) where his yards per throw number was 2.97.

Again, that year he came in as a rookie as a starter after Rex Grossman blew out an ankle or a knee or whatever it was that year and Chad Hutchinson surprised nobody by turning out to be a turd, so Orton had no training camp time with the first team and had to learn as he went.

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I'd be willing to bet...

...that if you pulled the one game against Cinci where he threw 5 picks he would drop off that list entirley.

IIRC, that game WAS his training camp.

Let the kid play!

Besides the obvious - Go Irish.

Z. He doesn't need an exclamation point. He is one.

by PopeFlick on Jun 24, 2008 3:50 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Let's not forget

the two more important details.

1) Orton was drafted in the 6th (or was it 5th?) round. And naturally, not only was he not expecting to have to start, he simply wasn’t READY. Hell even recent QB analysis shows that even for 1st round picks like Carson Palmer, it is best to let them sit a year to learn the NFL and acclimate to the speed.

2) (And MOST Importantly) John Shoop. Oh how I loathe the name. How was Orton supposed to get past a 2.97 YPC when no passing play ever called for more than a 3 yard pass? To the FLATS, NO LESS. so not only was it only 3 yards forward progress, but the ball had to be thrown a good 11 yards laterally, so it’s not like they were quick short range passes.

by HesterSteals1st on Jun 24, 2008 3:51 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Absolutely

that is why I included the line that there were many other factors outside Orton that contributed to those numbers.

Being Who You Thought We Were Since 2005!

by Adam T on Jun 24, 2008 3:57 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Agree with the he gets abum rap

BUT, John Shoop wasn’t the coordinator in 2005 and Orton was a 4th rounder. John Shoop was (thankfully) fired with Dick Jauron. In 2004 Lovie Smith brought in Terry Shea from the Chiefs. Everyone thought, “Great a real good coordinator, finally” but his 1000 pg playbook was too complicated and he was replaced by Ron Turner following the 5-11 2004 season.

SO, for Orton’s rookie campaign his plays were called by Ron Turner, not Shoop. But whatever way you break it down, he did the best he could with what he had. Personally, I am rooting for him to win the Bears QB Derby of ‘08.

Lovie Smith-isms:
"We get off the bus running"
"Rex Grossman is our quarterback."
"...and we'll go from there."

by GallopingGhost on Jun 24, 2008 5:56 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

touche on mistaking the year

but I think we can all agree that Ron Turner’s offensive (pun?) playcalling wasn’t a whole hell of a lot better for than what Shoop had been known to do.

And even for the 4th round, it still applies that he had no reason to be expected to be able to come in and start not to mention that it’s not what he expected when he got drafted. He was expecting to come in, be a third stringer, learn as he went along then , boom!, here’s the reigns to the team.

That said, I like what I saw from him last year, and considering he has a good 4-5 inches on Grossman, and proved that he could throw a respectable long ball, I think he’s going to handily win the QB competition this year. Especially when you consider that every defense in the league thinks they have Grossman figured out, and we don’t need said defenses possibly proving He is what they thought he was.

by HesterSteals1st on Jun 24, 2008 6:22 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Very true.

I agree with that all and hope I didn’t come off as an ass while correcting you.

Lovie Smith-isms:
"We get off the bus running"
"Rex Grossman is our quarterback."
"...and we'll go from there."

by GallopingGhost on Jun 24, 2008 11:17 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I saw

on outside the lines today video footage of benson at court.

at one point he was sitting down in the back(waiting his turn next to his lawyer) and some guy i think asked for an autograph. In general, benson didnt look to upset, he was smiling and seemed quite at ease.

these polls fail to consider wins and losses which is unfortunate because this is how people stereotype players. the average football fan reads this and thinks kyle sucks. Real bear fans know this isnt true, but this is how it starts.

by rahulsriram on Jun 24, 2008 4:35 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

huh?

Real bear fans know this isnt true

We do?

Not so sure about that.

visit the mindful mission

by big_lowitzki on Jun 26, 2008 3:35 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Get over the excuses!!!

You tough-guy Chicagoans are so damn sensitive. Dude had a shitty season. Who really cares why?

by tyger1147 on Jun 24, 2008 5:48 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

he has a shitty season cause hes a shitty player

thats why.

"snuffalufagus fucks my shit up"

by leopoldjones on Jun 27, 2008 12:16 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

A Different Orton

I remember watching the last couple games of the season. Some folks called them garbage games, but both the Packers and Saints were in ‘fighting for the playoffs’ mode. Packers wanted home advantage, which the Bears spoiled for them, and the Saints wanted a spot in the playoffs, which the Bears spoiled for them. In the packers game, Orton posted a 100 plus passer rating game in miserable passing conditions at soldier field. Brett Favre called it the coldest game of his 17 year career. Orton was very accurate in his passes, so accurate he hit Moose Muhammed right between the numbers on the front of his jersey in the endzone. Moose dropped it. He then came into the saints game and launched a missile to Hester right in his hands for a 54 yard TD. He also hit Anderson with a bullet in the endzone from like 25 yds away, Anderson almost got carried by the pass out of the endzone. Orton didn’t look like game manager he was pigeon holed into a couple seasons before his return. He resembled more the gun slinger he was at Purdue when he came close to winning the Heisman. I gotta say there was some poetic justice felt watching him go up to Drew Brees after the game as Brees recognized his victory. To do that Favre the game before was even sweeter, in the frozen tundra. This kid is tougher than Grossman, he’s better in the pocket under pressure, he’s smarter and protects the ball better. The Bears minimize turnovers with Orton, and really thats at the core of their game, winning the turnover ratio. Give this kid a real chance.

by Chicagoso on Jun 25, 2008 10:02 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Yes.

Plus 1.

Besides the obvious - Go Irish.

Z. He doesn't need an exclamation point. He is one.

by PopeFlick on Jun 25, 2008 11:41 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

rex has a better arm

but if orton has increased him arm strength enough, he very well may be our #1 QB. he has decent pocket presence and is a decent height. he was terrible his rookie year, definitely, but keep in mind he was supposed to be the 3rd string QB. if rex’s pocket presence and decision-making is improved (it definitely was when he reclaimed the starting role late last year), he’s probably the better QB. but, if orton has added a few mph to his fastball, he could be our starter.

by guy incognito on Jun 25, 2008 12:12 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs