Rowan’s Rant

I’m going to give you a list of the Super Bowl Champions since 2000. As you read, think of a common theme between these teams.

2010: New Orleans Saints*
2009: Pittsburgh Steelers
2008: New York Giants
2007: Indianapolis Colts
2006: Pittsburgh Steelers
2005: New England Patriots
2004: New England Patriots
2003: Tampa Bay Buccaneers*
2002: New England Patriots
2001: Baltimore Ravens*
2000: St. Louis Rams*

So what do these teams have in common? Still don’t know yet? Think about who quarterbacked those teams. Six of the 10 winning quarterbacks in those games were drafted by the team they won the Super Bowl with. And, possibly more importantly, not one single starting quarterback from any of these teams is what you would considered a “scrambler” or something similar to the style of quarterback we see from players like Michael Vick. So why am I telling you this? Because there is a lot of talk in and out of Minnesota that the Vikings should go after Heisman Trophy-winner Cam Newton of Auburn with the 12th overall pick.

These new breeds of quarterbacks who can run like running backs and wide receivers yet still have a capable arm to play in the National Football League are indeed fun to watch. Thing is, if you ask anybody who is a fan of whatever sport you want, if they could choose between having a team that’s fun to watch and a team that wins, chances are they want the winning team. Fact is these “run-first” and “athletic” quarterbacks don’t win the games when they matter.

Vick and the Eagles made the playoffs this season, and were bounced in the first round by the NFC Champion Green Bay Packers, putting up only 16 points. If you want to push the argument, the only other quarterback even close to being called “similar” to Vick’s playing style would be Donovan McNabb, and we know his playoff record in big games. Even then, that argument is a stretch.

The Vikings need a quarterback in one of the first two rounds this year; one not named Cam Newton. Whether or not the Vikes go out and sign a quarterback like McNabb or Vince Young is irrelevant to my argument here. Very rarely do you see a player, especially a quarterback, make an immediate impact his rookie season. Blaine Gabbert of Missouri, Ryan Mallett of Arkansas, Jake Locker of Washington or even Andy Dalton of TCU are all available as projects for the Vikings if they choose to draft one of them April 28.

Rather than waste their time on Cam Newton, the Vikings could just wait for the fourth-round (remember they don’t have a third-round pick) and draft another Tarvaris Jackson-like bust. Sorry, I meant trade up.