Joey Harrington

[White Shogun]

Nice article on ESPN about Joey Harrington.

On the one hand, Pasquarelli points out that, for the past three years, most of Harrington's supporting cast has been decimated by injuries. He's had no one to throw the ball to, nor anyone to run it. His stats aren't all that bad, in 2004 at least, for passer rating, TD to INT ratio, etc.

But read the article closely, and you'll see those same BLACK players who were injured the last three seasons, commenting that if Harrington doesn't win this year he will lose his job. Roy Williams went so far as to say that he (Williams) follows Harrington, but its hard to be a follower when you're losing.

In typical fashion, the QB takes the blame, or credit, as the case may be, for his team's record. But it annoys me that the guys who are as equally to blame for the Lion's dismal performance are willing to blame their QB instead of shouldering some of the responsibility themselves.

But then why should I be surprised?

 

[robcat]

Harrington was a high first round draft pick because Detroit was horrible and they havent improved much since. Well see if their highley rated negro receivers come through for once. If only Harrington was Aaron Brooks he would be a starter for life.

 

[White Shogun]

Detroit had a chance to win their game against the Bucs today, but didn't get it done. Of course, the media and ESPN "expert", Eric Allen, place the blame squarely on Harrington's shoulders.

From the ESPN article:

Detroit (1-2) thought it would escape with a victory when Harrington found Marcus Pollard in the right corner of the end zone, but the tight end's sliding catch was reversed by instant replay.

Harrington found Mike Williams on the opposite side of the end zone on the next play, but the rookie came down out of bounds. The fourth-year quarterback had one more chance but overthrew Roy Williams on the last play of the game.

So its Harrington's fault that the Lions didn't score a TD, despite the fact that two of the passes he threw were on the mark for the score.

Go figure.

Harrington was 15/27 and 137 yds 0 TD 0 INT on the day. By way of comparison:

Aaron Brooks 15/26 172 yds 0 TD 0 INT (W)
Anthony Wright 15/21 144 yds 0 TD 1 INT (W)
B. Bollinger 14/28 149 yds 0 TD 0 INT (L)
Tim Rattay 11/21126 yds 0 TD 1 INT (L)
Falcon's QB's 11/2288 yds 1 TD 0 INT (W)
Bill's Qb's 10/21103 yds 0 TD 1 INT (L)

The other QB's in this list have similar stats, but 3 won and 3 lost. Do these men get the credit or the blame, as the case may be, like Joey Harrington? I imagine JP Losman is getting a ton of BS, but any of the rest? Anyone complaining about how bad Brooks and Wright are playing? Worse I've ever heard anyone say about Brooks is he is "inconsistent." And let's not even mention Mike Vick's stats, who, as far as passing goes, are usually in the same range as Joey's.

 

[Don Wassall]

I read on a football site today that after Harrington threw the TD pass to Marcus Pollard at the end of the game against Tampa -- a play that seemingly won the game for Detroit until it was overturned after it was reviewed -- that not a single Lions player congratulated or even acknowledged Harrington. Looks like he's getting the Cade McNown treatment.

Meanwhile, the three heralded first round wide receivers on the team had another bad game, and Charles Rogers was suspended for four games today for violating the league's substance abuse policy.

 

[jaxvid]

The Detroit sports media were ripping Harrington today because he isn't throwing "catchable" balls to the recievers and all they can do is get their hands on them but not make the catch.

Charles Rodgers was getting some heat for his poor recent play of late and now the suspention.

 

[White Shogun]

Mean time, on Planet Earth, anytime a pass hits a WR in the hands, anywhere but in Detroit, its usually considered a "catchable ball." Derisive comments can be heard from the broadcast booth, "All he did was hit him in the hands, Jim."

 

[JayDukes]

Can't place all the blame on the receivers if Harrington is just flat-out inaccurate.

 

[Don Wassall]

No one is placing all the blame on the receivers, we're just not placing it all on Harrington. Or do you think Rogers, Williams and Williams are playing well and living up to their hype?

 

[White Shogun]

Can't place all the blame on the receivers if Harrington is just flat-out inaccurate.

Inaccuracy has never stopped anyone from touting the greatness of Michael Vick.

 

[jaxvid]

Harrington is not playing well. Rarely does. However as we have been saying on this site little criticism has been directed at the trio of recievers that he is throwing too.

When Schroeder and Kircus were the targets they were faulted for "not creating seperation" and not making "catches in traffic (i.e. with defensive backs hanging on them because white receivers never get PI calls)" and "not making the tough catches" (poorly thrown balls).

But now with three highly drafted black recievers the problems are: Marriucci's offensive scheme does not allow the recievers to get "seperation" and Harrington can't throw.

A talk radio guy in Detroit raved about Williams "hands" and how great he was and then said the three balls he dropped during the game was "unusual". Which it is not for him.

The point: it is always the white guys fault: QB, coach, or rare white reciever, but not the highly drafted black guys.

 

[Poacher]

Gentlemen,



I've been a Lions fan (for better or worse) for a good twenty something
years and we haven't had a consistent quarterback since Gary Danielson.



I was very excited when we got Harrington. I figured he was going
to be the one. I think I was wrong. He has good games and
bad. But I will say the following in his defense:



The Lions play calling and the plays themselves don't seem that creative.



The Lions highly touted receivers are big and strong but the dirty
little secret is that they are not that fast...just watch them
sometime you'll see.



In short I don't know what's wrong with my team. They don't have any fire.

 

[Guest]

The point: it is always the white guys fault

this is a general rule in sports today.

 

[JayDukes]

Can't place all the blame on the receivers if Harrington is just flat-out inaccurate.

Inaccuracy has never stopped anyone from touting the greatness of Michael Vick.

Vick is known for his scrambling skills. Anyone can tell you that he's not the typical quaterback. He's not the best passer, and he knows that.

 

[White Shogun]

Vick is known for his scrambling skills. Anyone can tell you that he's not the typical quaterback. He's not the best passer, and he knows that.

He's also known for getting sacked and injures easily.

His yards per game and touchdowns per game are only marginally better than Doug Fluties. Have you ever heard of him?

Funny, you say Vick knows he's not the best passer. Is that why they're always trying to convert guys like him, Daunte, and McNabb into pocket passers? See also: Steve McNair.

Are you one of those guys who says Favre should retire, JayDukes? Take a look at the figures I posted under the thread of that same name, comparing Favre, Vick, and Culpepper.

If Vick wants to play running back, they should move him to running back and let someone else, better than him, have his QB slot. Like Matt Schaub for instance.

 

[right winger]

Schaub has a lot of talent. But the Falcons would have to return to their traditional resting place as an NFL bottom feeder for several seasons, along with Vick continuing to tear it up with those 125 yard passing games, before there would be a quarterback controversy in Atlanta.

Once installed as a tribal chieftain, always a tribal chieftain.

 

[White Shogun]

Schaub has a lot of talent. But the Falcons would have to return to their traditional resting place as an NFL bottom feeder for several seasons, along with Vick continuing to tear it up with those 125 yard passing games, before there would be a quarterback controversy in Atlanta.

Once installed as a tribal chieftain, always a tribal chieftain.

I know, RW, I know.

I was being a bit sarcastic because of the idiotic posts that JayDukes keeps coming up with.

Vick will retire or leave the game from injury altogether before someone else quarterbacks that team.

 

[bigunreal]

Harrington hasn't exactly taken the NFL by storm during his brief
career, but then again he has shown some potential, especially before
the past two seasons. This is because at that point he was pushing the
time limit that highly drafted white QBs are typically given before
they are universally declared, by fans, media and coaches alike to be
"busts." This doesn't apply to black athletes very often, and black QBs
are given a much, much longer time to "develop" before they are finally
(and always without the chorus of "boos" that accompany any failed
white QB) sent to the bench. Akili Smith comes to mind. Despite not
flashing ANY potential at all during his year and a half or so as
starter in Cinn., I don't think he was ever declared a bust while he
was playing, and I don't believe there was any violent fan reaction
towards him as he piled up those terrible performances. There never is
with any black athlete. The ones who draw the rage of fans are always
white. Compare Harrington to Aaron Brooks. Brooks has to be the dumbest
QB I've ever seen. He still draws at least a couple delay of game
penalties every game because he can't manage the clock and get plays
off in time. How long has he been a starter? 4-5 years? He hasn't
improved at all, in fact he has actually regressed. The Saints haven't
won anything with him, and never will. If he was white, he would have
been benched at least 2 years ago, and would probably never have a
chance to start for another team in the NFL. He would have been
declared a "bust." Tim Couch, on the other hand, was given 3-4 years to
start with a terrible expansion team in Cleveland, then summarily
labeled a "bust," and now he can't even find a backup job in the NFL.
Yeah, even with the absolutely horrible slew of QBs starting in the
league (Frerotte, Brooks, Bledsoe, Testaverde, Orton, Losman, Wright,
McNair, Harrington, Brunell, etc.).



I don't know that Harrington would have ever developed into a great QB,
but I do know he will never be a great one now. He has clearly
lost not only his self- confidence, but the confidence of his
teammates. In this respect, he is indeed like Cade McNown, as Don
mentioned. McNown holds the modern record for being declared a "bust"
in the most unjust manner imaginable. This kid passed for 275 yards in
one HALF in his first NFL appearance! I was watching the game, and the
announcers barely mentioned it. If Michael Vick were to ever pass for
275 yards in a half, the television networks would interrupt
their regular programming with a special report about it. A national
holiday might be declared. McNown holds virtually every Bear rookie
passing record, yet he was already being severely criticized after that
rookie season. The fans already didn't like him and were booing his
every incompletion. His teammates clearly hated him. Now, imagine
producing under those circumstances. I consider the fact that this
virtual clone of Steve Young has been effectively banned from the NFL,
while awful, journeyman QBs abound throughout the league, to be the
greatest crime in the history of the Caste system.

 

[White Shogun]

If this were real life, could you imagine a coach or team manager actually starting Aaron Brooks over Jake Delhomme? I wonder if they even miss him at all.

I never understood why there was so much hatred for Cade McNown, either.

Another white QB who was almost relegated to permanent bench duty for some reason other than performance is Josh McCown. The only games the Cardinals have one in the past two years have been when he was the starter. And they think Rohan Davey will play better than him?

McCown is fairly accurate, mobile, has a good arm...but...well, you know... he's WHITE.

 

[Uberberserker]

Being from the same general area as Harrington and having followed his career pretty closely my opinion is that so far Harringtons 'failure' lies with the Lions abysmal GM Matt Millen (a good football player, horrible GM). In attempting to rebuild the Lions I think he has gone about it the exact OPPOSITE way a GM should. The Lions should have gotten a much better Offensive Line, then gone out and gotten some high draft pick position players. (It is almost unanimous that the best way to rebuild a football team is to improve their defense first and then work on the O-line, then move onto improving the roster of position players)

THE LIONS O-LINE SUCKS and Harrington gets rushed to much and this has retarded his development as a player.

Also I don't think that Mariuccis West Coast Offense is the best type for Harrington, my feeling has been that he would be able to flourish in a more vertical offense, like the Colts and Seahawks have.

Right now as things stand, with his Wide-outs taking hits from the bong alongside Randy Moss, I hope that Harrington gets traded to a different team (which doesn't seem likely to me because of his contract). Even a demotion for a few years to back up may be better for his career in the long run. I do think that Harrington does have the potential to have some sort of come back sort of like what Jon Kitna had when he left the Seahawks and went to the Bengals.

 

[GreatLakeState]

The Lions have a first-round draft pick, Jeff Backus, and a
second-round pick, Dominic Raiola, and a former Pro Bowl and
Super Bowl player, Damien Woody, on their offensive line. And
funny how Peyton Manning didn't seem to have many problems
when Rick DeMulling was blocking for him?

I've seen every game Joey has played with the Lions. He, and
his receivers, would suck regardless who is blocking.

Which isn't to say Matt Millen isn't a total buffoon.Edited by: GreatLakeState

 

[Guest]

don't make excuses for bad white players. harrington is not good.

 

[White Shogun]

don't make excuses for bad black players. vick is not good.

 

[Uberberserker]

don't make excuses for bad white players. harrington is not good.

Perhaps you right. Cerainly right now Harrington is not good and I was just exploring my ideas on why that is.

I will admit that I have been following Harrington for a number of years (being from the same general area and all) and am totally BIASED. But I admit that I am biased, which is alot more then alot of folks do!

I still think he could mount a Jon Kitna-esque comback though (and there is a very good case to be made that Kitna helped contribute to the Bungles getting over the hump and getting back to respectibility and returning to the moniker of The Bengals)

Also: when I post about the Lions O-line I was referring more to the O-line of like 3-4 years ago.

 

[Don Wassall]

Steve Mariucci and Matt Millen continue to reap what they've sown, just like Mike Tice in Minneapolis. Does anyone really think Jeff Garcia, or anyone else for that matter, can take over at quarterback for Harrington and turn things around with this collection of teammates? Good luck.


[url]http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=smith_ michael&id=2194878[/url]

 

[Don Wassall]

Mariucci rushed Jeff Garcia back from injury into the lineup, so eager was he to bench Harrington, and now Garcia is out for Sunday's game with an injury, so the despised Harrington is back in at QB and I would imagine with zero confidence -- the head coach couldn't wait to dump him, his "heralded" receivers are either injured or suck when they play, the offensive line can't protect the quarterback, and his (overwhelmingly) black teammates hate his guts. Good luck Joey!

At least they'll be playing on the road in the Metrodome, home of those precocious Minnesota Vikings.