Ahead of the 2015 NFL season beginning on Thursday night (Friday morning UAE), Gregg Patton identifies his five most intriguing quarterbacks woth capturing your attention this season and to avoid at all costs.
The Good
Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers
Height: 1.98 metres. Weight: 113 kilos. He is not just a load to bring down in the pocket. He has quick feet, can make you miss a tackle and is happy to run you over if necessary. Newton, television analyst Jon Gruden said, “is physically different than any man I’ve ever seen play quarterback”.
Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks
It was Pete Carroll’s play call that ended the season on a bitter note. But it was Wilson who threw the intercepted pass that caused widespread grumbling – even within the team. Leader that he is, he organised an off-season meeting to air grievances and leave the mess behind, as if he will not remember.
Andrew Luck, Indianapolis Colts
If anything is wrong with the former No 1 draft pick, the Stanford graduate, the personable young man who studies the game, who was born to lead and throws such tight spirals – we have not heard about it, yet. Unless, of course, it is that he congratulates opponents after they sack him.
Tony Romo, Dallas Cowboys
Cowboys Nation once basted him in verbal barbecue sauce and put him in a 24-hour cooker. The heat, however, did not stunt his steady progression into a calm, poised presence on the field with 34 touchdowns, nine interceptions last year. He would look good playing in sunglasses.
Teddy Bridgewater, Minnesota Vikings
He grew as a rookie in relative anonymity for a mediocre team, winning six of 12 starts. He mentioned this summer that he wanted to complete 70 per cent of his passes this season, a feat achieved only five times in the league. In the preseason, he completed 83 per cent.
The Bad
Josh McCown, Cleveland Browns
A tough cookie who will take a hit, which does not erase his propensity for missing targets or delivering a soft ball that puts his receivers in jeopardy. Consistency? A pipe dream.
Nick Foles, St Louis Rams
The Rams trading Sam Bradford for Foles was a head-scratcher. In Philadelphia, Foles missed reads, hurried throws and often looked uncomfortable in the pocket. Plus, he is not athletic.
Brian Hoyer, Houston Texans
Cleveland’s failed quarterback surprisingly landed in Houston. He has coach-like analytic skills, but also coach-like passing and running skills. The Browns remember lots of overthrown passes.
Ryan Fitzpatrick, New York Jets
He went to Harvard, which tells you both that he is smart and no one expected him to be a starting NFL quarterback. Previous jobs in Buffalo, Houston and Tennessee have not proved otherwise.
Kirk Cousins, Washington Redskins
As a back-up, he mixed in some spectacular performances that made you think he could actually do this – until you realize his turnover total led the league.
Company%20Profile
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World ranking (at month’s end)
Jan - 257
Feb - 198
Mar - 159
Apr - 161
May - 159
Jun – 162
Currently: 88
Year-end rank since turning pro
2016 - 279
2015 - 185
2014 - 143
2013 - 63
2012 - 384
2011 - 883
The%20specs
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Company%20profile
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SRI LANKA SQUAD
Upul Tharanga (captain), Dinesh Chandimal, Niroshan Dickwella
Lahiru Thirimanne, Kusal Mendis, Milinda Siriwardana
Chamara Kapugedara, Thisara Perera, Seekuge Prasanna
Nuwan Pradeep, Suranga Lakmal, Dushmantha Chameera
Vishwa Fernando, Akila Dananjaya, Jeffrey Vandersay
No.6 Collaborations Project
Ed Sheeran (Atlantic)
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
The specs: 2018 Maserati GranTurismo/GranCabrio
Price, base Dh485,000 (GranTurismo) and Dh575,000 (GranCabrio)
Engine 4.7L V8
Transmission Six-speed automatic
Power 460hp @ 7,000rpm
Torque 520Nm @ 4,750rpm
Fuel economy, combined 14.3L (GranTurismo) and 14.5L (GranCabrio) / 100km
Brief scores:
Everton 2
Walcott 21', Sigurdsson 51'
Tottenham 6
Son 27', 61', Alli 35', Kane 42', 74', Eriksen 48'
Man of the Match: Son Heung-min (Tottenham Hotspur)
PFA Team of the Year: David de Gea, Kyle Walker, Jan Vertonghen, Nicolas Otamendi, Marcos Alonso, David Silva, Kevin De Bruyne, Christian Eriksen, Harry Kane, Mohamed Salah, Sergio Aguero