As the Patriots squeaked out a 37-31 victory over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, fans took a collective sigh of relief as New England extended its lead in the AFC East.
Sitting at 6-3, the Pats now turn their attention to Andrew Luck and the Indianapolis Colts. What looked like a sure victory before the season now becomes a bit more intriguing, considering that Indy has the same record as New England. Luck hasn’t suffered the normal rookie woes in his first season in the NFL, throwing for 2,631 yards and 10 touchdowns while leading the inspired Colts to a surprising record. Luck has also rushed for five touchdowns on the year.
But with all that said, is Luck even the most impressive of an extremely talented group of rookie quarterbacks?
Robert Griffin III has the arm strength and legs to have fans in Washington believing for years to come. RGIII has thrown for just under 2,000 yards and racked up another 529 on the ground, with 14 combined scores.
In Miami, the Patriots have yet to face another strong rookie signal caller in Ryan Tannehill. The Texas A&M product has the Fins at 4-5 and in the picture for a wild card berth while completing more than 58 percent of his passes. With limited weapons for the Dolphins, Tannehill’s success comes mainly from his ability to manage the game and not make crucial mistakes.
Russell Wilson torched New England in the Seahawks’ shocking 24-23 victory in Seattle, throwing for 293 yards and three touchdowns while exposing holes in the Patriots’ secondary all afternoon long. Wilson has 13 touchdowns in 2012 and has the Seahawks in playoff consideration in the surprisingly competitive NFC West.
Then there’s Browns QB Brandon Weeden who, at 29, is the oldest rookie in the NFL. After professional baseball didn’t work out, Weeden returned to college and starred at Oklahoma State before being taken in the first round of the NFL Draft by Cleveland. He’s led a lackluster offense in 2012 but has shown some spark with fellow rookie Trent Richardson.
You’ve seen the stats and heard the stories, but now it’s time to vote. Pick who you think has been the most impressive rookie quarterback in the NFL so far this season, and be sure to turn into NESN Daily Sunday at 10 p.m. to see the results.
