That would be…last season.

Last year, we thought it was amazing that Cam Newton, Blaine Gabbert, Andy Dalton and Christian Ponder all wound up starting on opening day. This year, we have five. In other words, half a conference handed over the keys to the offense to a kid who had never even played in an NFL game since September, 2011.

The results last year were mixed. Cam Newton set all sorts of statistical records, but the team went 6-10. Ponder struggled, but played okay with a bad team. Gabbert? Don’t ask.

It was Andy Dalton who led the Bengals to an unexpected Wild Card slot. They lost the game, and one statistic is stuck in my mind.

The Bengals have not beaten a team with a winning record under Andy Dalton. So, until he starts beating the Ravens, the jury’s still out on him a bit but so far he looks good again this season overall.

Robert Griffin, III, aka RG3, is more in the Michael Vick mold, running a 4.4 40-yard dash and having overall excellent mobility, a rocket arm, but the biggest differences are these:

RG3 came out of college with a lot more football intellect than did Michael Vick, and it shows in his statistics. With a horrible Redskins defense and questionable offensive line along with injuries at running back, RG3 came to a bad team. So did Vick, but again, RG3 came in the NFL with a much higher “floor” as they say. Here’s a statistical comparison of Vick’s full 8-game rookie season along with RG3′s 5 games:

Oct 7, 2012; Landover, MD, USA; Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III (10) is assisted by an official after taking a hit against the Atlanta Falcons during the second half at FedEX Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-US PRESSWIRE

Vick – 8 games, 2 starts:
Passing: 50/113 attempts, 44.2% completions, 785 yds, 6.9 yds/att, 2 TDs 3 INTS for a QB rating of 62.7.
Rushing: 31 attempts, 289 yards, 9.3 yds/attempt and 1 TD.

So, Vick gained more yards per rushing attempt than per passing attempt which is not unheard of for dual-threat QBs.

RG3: – through 5 games, 5 starts:
Passing: 96/139 attempts, 69.1% completions, 1,161 yards, 8.4 yds/att, 4 TDs and only 1 INT for a QB rating of 101.0. Astonishing numbers.
Rushing: 42 attempts, 241 yards, 5.7 yds/attempt and 4 TDs.

RG3 is obviously a much better passer than Vick as rookies, and the statistics do bear that out. RG3′s rushing yards per attempt is a good bit lower but with the “QB slide” rule and Washington Redskins Head Coach wanting to keep his star safe, that “slide” probably accounts for the difference there.

The other difference is that Vick was encouraged to run for first downs if the defense was out of position and to use his speed and open-field running to get as many yards as he could with his feet. Griffin runs when he has the room and can’t find open receivers, but generally gets down before he’s hit.

The problem with such a strategy is that Griffin, like Vick, is not a large, 21st-century QB prototype when it comes to the “dual-threat” quarterback. Vick is 6’0″ 215 lbs. Griffin is even more slightly built at 6’2″ 217 lbs. Neither are built to take hits from linebackers, and in fact RG3 received a “mild” concussion last Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons when getting down late into his slide.

Part of Cam Newton’s success at running (and Tim Tebow’s as well for that matter) is their size. They’re often larger than the linebackers that tackle them in today’s NFL. Newton is 6’5″ 250 lbs while Tebow is 6’3″ 236 lbs with biceps that would make Ed Hochuli jealous. Cam’s built like a prototype tight end, including good (4.59 40-yard) speed and an ability to change direction that is uncommon in a man so large. Tebow is built like a fullback and strong enough to dish out punishment to any tacklers and has a more hard-nosed, looking-for-contact style. Still, Tebow suffered some minor dings last season with the Broncos, so you don’t want your star QB taking too many hits. It comes back to bite you eventually.

Andrew Luck has similar stature to a Tebow – not that Tebow is some great passer, this is just for comparison’s sake – at 6’3″ 235. Tannehill is 6’4″ and 225 lbs, a WR-turned-QB at Texas A&M. Brandon Weeden is 6’3″ 220 and not a running QB, while Russell Wilson is the Doug Flutie clone at 5’11″ (in platform shoes) and 206 lbs.

So, the 5 starting rookie QBs run the gamut from strictly pocket-passer (Weeden) to full dual-threat (RG3).

Andrew Luck was the top pick, as everyone knows, more for his cerebral, accurate style and not making bad throws. Some say he was the most “NFL-ready” QB to come into the league since Peyton Manning. His stats?

Passing: 96/177, 54.2%, 1,208 yards, 6.6 yds/attempt, 7 TDs and 5 INTS for a QB rating of 77.1. He only has 16 carries on the season and plays for a team with the largest personnel turnover of any team in the NFL.

Oct 7, 2012; Columbus, OH, USA; Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill (17) throws a pass in the second quarter against the Miami Dolphins at Paul Brown Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-US PRESSWIRE

The Miami Dolphins drafted Ryan Tannehill with the 8th pick overall. His stats are a little more pedestrian, especially in TD/INT ratio:
Passing: 97/169, 57.4, 1,269 yards, 7.5 yds/attempt, 2 TDs and 6 INTS for a QB rating of 70.4.

His Head Coach, Joe Philbin, does NOT want him “taking off” with the ball, and in fact Tannehill has one strength that all the others aren’t quite as good at – throwing while on the move. Philbin uses this to have Tannehill use his strength, agility, and deceptive (4.6) speed to get outside of the pocket and make accurate throws without having to stop and set his feet.

Tannehill also was facing an uphill fight to get established as the Dolphins were considered (along with perhaps Cleveland) to have the worst WR corps in the NFL. Davone Bess was their “best” receiver after trading Brandon Marshall, but 6’5″ WR Brian Hartline has emerged from Marshall’s shadow to lead the NFL in receiving yards through 5 contests so far. Philbin has Tannehill and the team moving in the right direction.

Brandon Weeden actually has a pretty good offensive line, anchored by LT Joe Thomas who is considered by many to be the best LT in the game, but like Miami has an inconsistent group of WRs. At least they drafted uber-RB Trent Richardson…he’s a VERY stong, fast RB that takes some heat away from Weeden in the running game. Weeden’s stats:

Passing: 112/202, 55.4%, 1,288 yards, 55.4% completions, 6.4 yds/attempt, 5 TDs and 9 INTs (4 of those were in his first start) for a QB rating of 64.5.

September 30, 2012; St. Louis, MO, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) rushes against the St. Louis Rams during the first half at the Edward Jones Dome. Mandatory Credit: Photo by Scott Rovak-US PRESSWIRE

Russell Wilson is the odd man here. The pixie-ish QB has struggled some, like Weeden, but here are his stats through 5 games:
Passing: 79/125, 815 yards, 63.2% completions, 6.5 yds/attempt, 5 TDs and 6 INTS. His QB rating is 75.2.

Okay, now that your brain is addled with stats, what do they all mean?

First of all, each of the 5 starting rookie QBs have different styles of play. No two are similar in many respects, save one:

They’re ALL throwing better than Vick did as a rookie if you look at their QB ratings. Vick’s was 62.7.

As further comparison, let’s look at the QBRs and yards per attempt for last season’s 4 rookie starters:

Cam Newton: QBR: 83.8 – 8.5 yards/attempt
Blaine Gabbert: QBR: 65.4 – 5.4 yards/attempt
Christian Ponder: QBR: 70.1 – 6.4 yards/attempt
Andy Dalton: QBR: 80.4 – 6.6 yards/attempt

Clearly, Newton was head and shoulders above the other rookies last year, and was also the only dual-threat QB of that class.

Finally, the point here is simply that today’s rookie quarterbacks are much more “ready” for the NFL than most in previous seasons have been, and that trend looks to continue with Matt Barkley entering the draft next year. Even Philadelphia’s Nick Foles, at 6’6″ 243, looked very, very crisp in the preseason and with Vick’s currently turnover-prone playing, fans are already beginning to clamor for him to be insert as the starting QB over Vick. You know what they say…the most popular player on any team is the backup quarterback, but it further illustrates my point.

These quarterbacks are no longer your father’s rookie quarterbacks.

Look for the “starting-rookie-QB” trend to continue as the success of players like Cam Newton and Andy Dalton last year and all 5 rookies this year being more impressive than most rookies that have started in the past, excluding last season. The lockout-shortened training camp makes their performances last year even more astonishing, and the coaches are beginning to adapt – meet rookie QBs “halfway” in some respects – to help them get confident and to integrate their unique talents into whatever the offensive coordinator envisions.

The rookie QB has duly and truly arrived.

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Newton had just won the National Championship at Auburn following a National Championship at Blinn Junior College. These successes followed a freshman year at Florida, behind Tim Tebow, where a young, immature Newton was accused of stealing a laptop computer and of academic dishonesty. These questions about his character remained through the draft, but the Panthers did their due diligence and drafted him #1.

The pick drew inevitable comparisons with JaMarcus Russell immediately. Both big, strong guys with cannon arms. Both were from very successful college programs in the SEC as Russell had attended LSU. Oh – one more thing.

Both are black.

The racism bubbled through comments from users on NFL.com, ESPN.com and countless other pro football websites.

Newton is “Quarterback Zero” for the most recent phase of the Quarterback (R)evolution: The rookie starting quaterback.

Yes, first-year Panthers’ Head Coach Ron Rivera had installed a run-first, vertical passing offense that Cam seemed well-suited for. Even after a lockout-shortened rookie training camp, Newton came out firing. Literally.

He had over 400 yards passing in EACH of his first two games and led the NFC in passing yards at that point….second only to some fellow named Tom Brady of the AFC.

September 30, 2012; Atlanta, GA, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (1) passes against the Atlanta Falcons during the second half at the Georgia Dome. The Falcons defeated the Panthers 30-28. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-US PRESSWIRE

Teams certainly took notice and had to defend every square inch or Newton could put the ball there from anywhere. He has a rocket arm – as big an arm as anyone in the NFL – and Rivera actually tailored the entire offense around Cam. He had installed designed runs, like the QB draw, and made use of “Cam’s Cannon” by taking shots early and often down the field.

In fact, Cam’s early rookie season was so successful that WR Steve Smith, frustrated over poor QB play for years and had wanted a trade, changed his tune and loves playing in Carolina once again. He had had 5 1,000-yard seasons and 4 in a row until 982 in ’09 and only 554 in their 2-14 season.

That all changed with Cam’s arrival. Not only did Smith become Newton’s favorite target, he had the second-best season of his career with nearly 1400 receiving yards and a lofty 17.6 yds/catch. The offense that was 32nd in the NFL the previous season vaulted to 5th overall, scoring 41 TDs instead of the 17 from the previous season.

Newton also set a record for all quarterbacks – ever – with 14 rushing TDs and only Philadelphia Eagles’ RB LeSean “Shady” McCoy had more scores on the ground than Newton last season. Newton threw for 21 TDs to 17 INTS and, considering the fact Newton had only a single season at Auburn as a big-time program’s starting QB, and considering the lockout-shortened training camp, Newton’s progress exceeded EVERYONE’s expectations. Everyone’s.

All this came after a rag called Pro Football Weekly and their alleged “writer” – Nolan Nawrocki – wrote this about quarterback Cam Newton:

“Very disingenuous — has a fake smile, comes off as very scripted and has a selfish, me-first makeup. Always knows where the cameras are and plays to them. Has an enormous ego with a sense of entitlement that continually invites trouble and makes him believe he is above the law — does not command respect from teammates and will always struggle to win a locker room…Lacks accountability, focus and trustworthiness — is not punctual, seeks shortcuts and sets a bad example. Immature and has had issues with authority. Not dependable.”

Send your emails and letters to NOLAN NAWROCKI at PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY 302 Saunders Rd. Suite 100 Riverwoods, IL 60015. I’m amazed the ultradoofus still has a job. Not a SINGLE WORD of what he wrote was accurate. The closest thing I’d give him is the “fake smile” – you know, the same “fake smile” that EVERYBODY uses at some point or another. Newton sure doesn’t use one on the sidelines, especially when he’s losing, but that’s another story.

Mr. Nowrocki rightly drew a ton of personal criticism for his comments and had people wondering why a so-called “professional” writer would indulge in such personal attacks while ignoring all of the good things Newton brought to the table. Like oh, I dunno….winning TWO national championships, the Heisman Trophy, leading the SEC in rushing (as a QUARTERBACK!), his arm strength, or anything else.

Newton survived the onslaught, gave Nawrocki a genuinely fake smile (for which I blame him not one single bit), and went on about the business of proving him wrong from the opening snap of game one.

Sep 30, 2011; Atlanta, GA, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (1) carries the ball against the Atlanta Falcons at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Liles-US PRESSWIRE

Consider Newton’s system and the numbers he put up as a rookie. His completion percentage, 60.0, is pretty close to West Coast-style offense completion percentages, which I’d say should be in the 60-65% range. However, his passing yardage of 4,051, was an NFL rookie record for a season and pretty darned good totals for anyone in any offense short of Drew Brees or Tom Brady whose offense calls them to throw 40+ times a game in any case.

His yards per attempt, at 7.8, reflect the vertical passing aspect of the offense. So, he brings the best of both worlds – the completion percentage of a West Coast quarterback with the yards per attempt of a deep passing offense. What’s not to love there?

If you throw in his rushing statistics into his passing, you see total yards from scrimmage at 4,759 with 35 TDs and 17 INTs. Those are elite QB numbers…and he did so – again – as a rookie.

When talking about the dual threat Newton possesses, we also have to acknowledge that Ron Rivera and Offensive Coordinator Rob Chudzinski installed some college plays specifically so that Newton could run them using his unique talent.

The “read-option” play is part of the Panthers’ every-day offense: It’s where Newton in this case runs to one side or the other with a RB behind him and further wide so that Newton can “read” where the defensive end goes and once the defender commits – either to him or the back – Newton reacts accordingly. If the end stays home, looking to keep Newton from running, he pitches to the running back for an outside run. If the end stays with the back, Newton tucks the ball and runs it off-tackle. That’s the “option” part.

That one play symbolizes the odd evolution that NFL offenses began last year with Newton and Tim Tebow. NFL teams are now “innovating” the college offense into their playbook.

And it all started with Cam Newton.

Next up…the Fab Five

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