If Panthers miss playoffs, they will blame themselves

CHARLOTTE — Carolina Panthers middle linebacker Chris Draft would like nothing better than to have something tangible to play for when he gets off the team bus and walks into the Louisiana Superdome on Sunday morning.

But if that doesn’t happen, if the New York Giants defeat the Washington Redskins on Saturday night and officially eliminate the Panthers from playoff contention, Draft said he and his teammates will have no one to blame but themselves.

“We’ll get what we deserve,” Draft said. “We’ve had plenty of opportunities to put ourselves in the driver’s seat. We could have put ourselves in a position where we control our own destiny. But we didn’t, so we have to take what they give us.”

Carolina is clinging to a ray of hope entering the weekend.

To get into the postseason they need to beat the NFC South champion New Orleans Saints and hope the Giants and Green Bay Packers, who play the Chicago Bears on Sunday night, both lose or tie.

It’s not the best scenario in the world, but at 7-8 it’s about all you can ask for.

“We don’t control our own destiny and it’s nobody’s fault but ours,” said quarterback Jake Delhomme. “We’d love to somehow slide in, but we’ll know Saturday night if there’s more of a chance. But we don’t control our own destiny and that’s our fault.”

The Panthers had plenty of chances to gain control their own destiny, but have failed time and time again.

Panthers veteran safety Mike Minter said there isn’t one loss that stands out in his mind as the costliest, but instead points to the four-game losing streak late in the season as the team’s downfall.

After going into the bye week 4-4 and two games out of the NFC South race, the Panthers rebounded to win back-to-back games at home against Tampa Bay and St. Louis to start the second half of the season.

In the meantime, the Saints lost both of their games and suddenly the Panthers were tied for first in the division at 6-4.

The future, one that looked so drab just three weeks before, was suddenly looking bright. Talk of the playoffs, and even talk of the Super Bowl, began to return.

But almost as quickly as the opportunity came, it vanished.

But the Panthers lost Nov. 26 on the road to a struggling Redskins team that had lost five of their last six games coming in, and that proved to be a tough one to swallow.

Even though they were a game behind the Saints, the Panthers were still in control of their own destiny (by virtue of their early season win over the Saints) going into a Monday night game at Philadelphia. All they needed to do was win out.

That didn’t come close to happening.

Despite leading most of the game and outplaying the Eagles on Monday Night Football, the Panthers lost in the final minutes to fall to 6-6.

Even then, Carolina still had a chance at a wild card spot, but fell again to the New York Giants. They made matters worse the following week when they were clobbered 37-3 by the Pittsburgh Steelers to fall to 6-8.

Now, Carolina’s hard-fought 10-3 win over Atlanta last week only serves as a reminder how much each of those four losses hurt.

“All we had to do was win one of those games - just one,” Minter said. “If we had, we would be looking real good right now. Going into that stretch, we knew what we were fighting for. To not get a win in any of those games, that’s the part of the season that I look at.”

It’s not all that unusual.

The Panthers have always been a streaky team under Fox.

They lost eight straight games in 2002. They lost six straight in 2004. They even lost three straight toward the end of the 2003 season before clinching the division and moving on to the Super Bowl.

“We have always had those type of stretches, even before we went to the Super Bowl,” Minter said. “We always had those stretches where we can’t get a win, but then all of sudden we break lose and play well from there on out. That (bad stretch) just came at a real bad time this year.”

“When you look at it as a whole, we kind of squandered opportunities throughout the year,” Draft said.

Draft felt like the Panthers finally played their first complete game of the season last week against Atlanta. Like most of us, he expected there would be more than just one.

And yet, remarkably, the Panthers still have hope in the forgiving NFC.

“With all of the things we have squandered and messed up, we are still in a pretty good spot,” Draft said.

Added Minter: “Let’s just say that if the Giants lose Saturday night we will be very, very happy.”

Louisiana Sports Buzz: New Orleans Saints vs. Cincinnati Bengals

The Saints are hoping to avoid another possible onslaught on Sunday when they host the offense-minded Cincinnati Bengals who have such weapons as quarterback Carson Palmer, wide receiver Chad Johnson and running back Rudi Johnson. The Saints are favored by 3 1/2 points.
After getting bashed for big plays last Sunday against the Steelers, the Saints defense must turn things around to improve their record 7-3. The Bengals are 4-5.
One of the reasons the Saints ranked 10th in total defense heading into the game with Pittsburgh was that they hadn´t given up a lot of back-breaking plays in their first eight games. But the Steelers got touchdown passes of 37 and 38 yards from Ben Roethlisberger and runs of 72 and 76 yards from Willie Parker and the New Orleans professionals gave up a season-high 467 yards.
The Bengals, like the Saints offense did against the Steelers, piled up more than 500 total yards in a 49-41 loss against the Chargers on Sunday. Bengals quarterback Palmer threw for a career-high 440 yards and Johnson set a club record with 260 receiving yards, not to mention Rudi Johnson, who finished with 85 rushing yards in just the second half, giving the Saints much to think about.
"Obviously, they´ve got explosive playmakers, guys who are talented at both receiver positions and at running back," said Saints coach Sean Payton. "They have a strong-armed quarterback who has played extremely well. You see their ability on offense to strike quickly, and that´ll be a big challenge for us."
"Chad Johnson is as good as his offensive coordinator will let him be," said Saints receiver Joe Horn. "I watch games. They got him involved. They threw him the ball. They gave him 15 to 20 opportunities, and Chad did what he does best, They put him the offense and he made plays."
Saints defensive end Will Smith said the key for the defense is to learn from its mistakes, bury the past and get ready to play a wounded team.
"Our mistakes against the long runs by the Steelers are correctable," said Smith. "It´s nothing major. But we got to fix them."
He added, "Every week we have a different challenge. This week we got Rudi Johnson, Chad Johnson, Carson Palmer and that other receiver whose name I can´t pronounce (T.J. Houshmandzadeh)."
Saints wide receiver Marques Colston and running back Reggie Bush became the first rookie teammates in NFL history to record 50 catches each when they reached that figure against the Steelers. Colston had 10 catches and Bush 7 that day.
Payton had his team working on its poor turnover differential. With the Saints sitting near the bottom of the turnover differential chart a minus-6, the coach had both his offensive and defensive players focusing on holding into the ball and trying to come up with takeaways.
The Saints were minus-3 in their loss to the Steelers and rank 29th in the league with 10 takeaways and 16 giveaways. On defense they have four interceptions and six fumble recoveries -- tying for 30th. Only the Redskins have fewer takeaways with five.
"It´s easy to give lip service to it," said Payton. "We conducted strip drills, ball security drills and some other things since we need to pay attention to it rather than just talk about it. That is something we need to continue to do a better job with, starting with me."
The Saints parted ways with with second-year quarterback Adrian McPherson, the former fifth-round draft pick who had been on injured reserve since the end of the preseason. McPherson was placed on injured reserve after suffering a freak knee injury during halftime of the preseason opener at Tennessee. McPherson, a longshot to make the roster, was struck by a golf cart driven by the Titans´ mascot, T-Rac, and never got a chance to play in the preseason.
"It wasn´t injury related, we were just going in a different direction," said Payton. "From a quarterback standpoint, we felt like there were certain things we were looking for. He was a hard worker, a guy who worked at it. The evaluation took place over a long period of time, and we felt like we were better off going in a different direction."
Colston, who was voted by fans as the NFL Pepsi Rookie of the Week for the past two weeks, was among the nominees for the ward again this week after his 10 catches.
Payton noted how quickly Brees and Palmer came back from serious injuries to play this season.
"It´s a credit to both players because both had significant injuries and both came late in the year. I know both worked extremely hard to get back to the way they´re playing right now. Maybe those injuries five or eight years ago would sideline a player longer, but I know both have worked hard to get back to where they are now."
Sunday´s game is a hot ticket for a handful of Bengals. Cornerback Greg Brooks, a New Orleans native who is on injured reserve with a knee injury, ordered 25 tickets. Center Ben Wilkerson, who played at LSU, has 27. Linebacker Ahmad Brooks wanted 24. Wide receiver Chris Henry, another New Orleans native, wanted 25.
"I´ve got more relatives than I can count in New Orleans," said Henry, "and everyone is starting to go back home. The Saints are playing in the Superdome again and that´s exciting.
"Everybody´s really behind the Saints because they´re bringing the city back together again. The people in New Orleans really love football...It´s always been like that, even when I was a kid."
Two former Heisman Trophy winners will be on the field Sunday, Palmer and Bush, both of USC. "I´m a big fan of Reggie´s," said Palmer. "I´ve been watching him for a long time. Hopefully, he doesn´t get off to one of those days he got off on so often back at USC."

Ravens will leave host Saints marching in step with defeat

The New Orleans Saints have been posted as a slight favorite for today's game against the Ravens at the Superdome, and who's to argue?

The Saints are America's Team, thanks to their inspirational 5-1 start in the area that was hit by Hurricane Katrina. They're the feel-good story of the NFL season, and they have to be feeling good after a late comeback win over the Eagles and a restful bye week.

So, who's to argue?

You know who.

I'm not really a contrarian. I just play one on TV.

The Saints have been running on mojo and adrenaline for the past couple of months, and the last thing you want to do when you've got that kind of momentum is take a week off. The Ravens, meanwhile, needed the bye to patch up Steve McNair and adapt to their new offensive coordinator.

I had to settle for a 7-5-1 performance against the spread last week, thanks to some misplaced confidence in Cowboys quarterback Drew Bledsoe, but I'm gathering a little momentum of my own - if you don't count my World Series prediction. (Why would anybody think I know anything about baseball, anyway?)

Ravens at Saints (-1 1/2 ): Brian Billick is now calling the offensive plays, and since I really do consider him to be an offensive genius, I can't wait to see McNair carve up the Saints. Guess I'm just not a touchy-feely guy. Ravens.

Redskins vs. bye (-6): Mark Brunell will throw a couple of interceptions playing catch with some kids in the neighborhood. Bye.

49ers at Bears (-16): The last time I gave a spread this big, the Titans almost beat the Colts outright, but I haven't learned my lesson. The Bears defense may score enough points to cover. Bears.

Texans at Titans (-3): If this game was a bigger dog, it would have its own sitcom on the new CW Network. Titans.

Jaguars at Eagles (-7 1/2 ): The Eagles are coming off back-to-back road losses to the Saints and the Buccaneers, so Eagles fans are going to be particularly liquored up for this one. The Jags won't know what hit them. Eagles.

Falcons at Bengals (-3 1/2 ): Carson Palmer is not playing as well as he did last year, but he has been careful (no interceptions in the past three games) and consistent. That should be enough for the Bengals to win by a touchdown. Bengals.

Buccaneers at Giants (-9): The oddsmakers have placed the over/under number at 40 which means, if you do the math, they are predicting that the Giants will win 25-16. I think it will be 23-14, and if I hit it on the nose, you owe me a drink. Bucs.

Cardinals at Packers (-4): The Cardinals let me down last week, but I'm not a fair-weather Matt Leinart fan. I don't know if they can win at Lambeau Field, but I think they can make the Packers sweat out a field goal at the end. Cardinals.

Seahawks at Chiefs (-4): The Seahawks are now led on offense by Seneca Wallace and Maurice Morris instead of Matt Hasselbeck and Shaun Alexander, but the Chiefs may be down to their third-string quarterback. Not sure either team can win this game. Chiefs.

Rams at Chargers (-9 1/2 ): The Chargers are going to be irritable after last week's dramatic loss to the Chiefs, but the Rams are coming off a bye week and they have played well on the road. The Chargers win, but that's way too many points. Rams.

Steelers (-9) at Raiders: The Raiders beat the Cardinals last week, but they're still a train wreck. Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is coming off a concussion, but Charlie Batch should be able to cover this spread. Pittsburgh, at 2-4, will not want to leave anything to chance. Steelers.

Jets at Browns (-2): The Browns, like the Ravens, have a new offensive coordinator, but what they really need are some new offensive players. Jets.

Colts at Broncos (-3): Don't really care about the spread here. If the Colts show up, they win outright. I think they will show up. Colts.

Cowboys at Panthers (-5): The Cowboys have a new starting quarterback, but it will take some time for that offense to click. Let me apologize in advance for this: Romo wasn't built in a day. Panthers.

Patriots (-1 1/2 ) at Vikings: There's no question that the Patriots are the superior team, but something tells me that they are in for a long Monday night at the Metrodome. Just a hunch. Vikings.

By the way, there was a hint of scandal here a couple of weeks ago, when I inadvertently gave myself an extra win in a losing week. My overall record (53-42-5, .558) has been corrected and is still very impressive when you consider how little actual knowledge I bring to this endeavor.

Saints Are In This Thing For The Long Haul

(Sports Network) - Come on, admit it. This was the week you expected the nice little heartwarming run of the New Orleans Saints to come to a screeching halt, courtesy of the mighty Philadelphia Eagles. I can't say that I disagreed with that train of thought, either.

The Saints dispelled the non-believers once again, however, with another stirring performance on Sunday. New Orleans rallied for 10 fourth-quarter points, the last three coming on a last-second field goal by ultra-steady veteran John Carney, to pull out another improbable win in what's been an storybook season so far.

Carney's 31-yard kick with no time left lifted the Saints to a 27-24 victory, the team's fifth in six games this season. The 42-year-old turned out to be the eventual hero in the team's gutsy comeback, but he was far from the only one.

Quarterback Drew Brees outshone Donovan McNabb, the league's likely MVP over the first quarter of the season, over the fourth quarter. Thirty-four-year-old wide receiver Joe Horn taught the younger Philadelphia defensive backs a lesson with a monster performance. And a defense which was burned for three second-half touchdowns which erased a 17-3 halftime lead held its ground what it mattered most.

Brees shook off a pair of interceptions to throw for 275 yards and three touchdowns, including a 48-yard connection with Horn early in the fourth quarter that tied the contest at 24-24. Most importantly, the former Charger completed his final 11 passes and went 8-for-8 for 68 yards on the game- winning drive, a 16-play marathon that consumed the final 8 1/2 minutes of action.

"These are the guys that drive the franchise," said Saints head coach Sean Payton of Brees. "They touch the ball 65 or 70 times a game and their play is very important to our success."

Brees wasn't about to let New Orleans lose this game. Neither would Horn, the one-time poster boy for the me-first, prima donna brand of wide receiver who has remarkably transformed himself into a valued and exemplary leader of both the team and the community. The veteran wideout set season-bests of six receptions and 110 yards while scoring his first two touchdowns of the year.

"He is everything you want in a player," said Payton. "He works hard, he practices hard. He knows his strengths and weaknesses. If he has two catches and we win, he is happy. If he has 15 and we win, he is happy. I admire that about him and I think he is awfully competitive as well."

It's still way too early to accurately assess where the Saints will finish in the NFC South. It's not going to be an easy road for New Orleans, either, with a resurgent Carolina club currently nipping at its heels and a solid Atlanta team not looking far behind. But considering all the Saints had to go through last season, the task may not seem so difficult after all.

SWEET REVENGE

The win was particularly special for two New Orleans defensive starters who are former Eagles, defensive tackle Hollis Thomas and middle linebacker Mark Simoneau.

Thomas had started 95 games during a 10-year stint in Philadelphia, but fell out of favor once the Eagles used their first-round selection in last April's draft on Florida State star Brodrick Bunkley. Thomas was shipped to the Saints the following day as part of an exchange of fourth-round picks between the teams.

The 32-year-old had a strong game against his former mates, compiling six tackles along with a first-quarter sack of McNabb.

Simoneau was acquired by the Eagles during the preseason as part of the deal which sent wide receiver Donte' Stallworth to Philly. The versatile veteran has started five of the team's six games and has helped New Orleans become significantly stronger against the run this year.

Stallworth, incidentally, did not play in Sunday's game because of a lingering hamstring injury. Marques Colston, the impressive rookie who made Stallworth expendable, caught his team-leading fourth touchdown pass for the Saints in the victory.

WELCOME BACK

When strong safety Roman Harper was placed on injured reserve last week because of a torn ACL in his right knee, the Saints brought back a very familiar face to take the rookie's spot on the roster. Veteran Jay Bellamy, who spent the previous five seasons in a New Orleans uniform, was signed on October 10 and saw action in a reserve capacity during Sunday's game.

Bellamy was a fixture in the Saints' secondary ever since he signed with the club in 2001. The 34-year-old started 67 consecutive games for New Orleans until suffering a season-ending shoulder injury in Week 3 of last season. He led the Saints in tackles in both 2003 and 2004.

The 12-year veteran had been released by New Orleans during the final wave of roster cuts.

A WELL-DESERVED BREAK

The Saints head into their bye week holding a one-game lead over Carolina atop the NFC South. New Orleans will play again at the Superdome, where it sports a 3-0 record this year, on October 29 with an intriguing interconference matchup against the Baltimore Ravens.

Baltimore has never played the Saints in New Orleans during the regular season, but earned a 21-6 decision at the Superdome in a preseason game on August 26, 2005. Two days later, Hurricane Katrina struck the city and left the Saints in a nomadic state for the duration of the 2005 campaign.

Saints put rookie DE on IR

An injury forced the unbeaten New Orleans Saints to make a roster move Friday, as they placed rookie defensive end Rob Ninkovich on the injured reserve list.

They signed second-year defensive end Eric Moore from the practice squad to fill his spot.

Ninkovich, a 6-2, 252-pounder from Purdue, was selected by the Saints in the fifth round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He injured his knee in the Saints' 23-3 victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Monday while participating on a special teams coverage unit.

Moore (6-4, 268 pounds) broke into the NFL in 2005 as a sixth-round selection of the New York Giants. The Giants, perhaps boasting the deepest collection of defensive ends in the league with the likes of Michael Strahan, Osi Umenyiora, Mathias Kiwanuka, and Jason Tuck, elected to waive Moore at the end of training camp. He quickly was signed to the Saints' practice squad and practiced with the team through the first three weeks of the season before his promotion.

The native of Pahokee, Fla., was a standout performer for the Florida State Seminoles, playing in 41 games and collecting 82 tackles with 14 sacks, 30.5 tackles for losses, 34 quarterback pressures, four fumble recoveries, four forced fumbles and eight passes defensed.

The Arms Race in the AFC East Takes on a New Look

By Mike BrodyWagerWeb.com Contributing WriterThe quarterback position has always been the most important position for any NFL team. Having a confident field general is essential for any team that wants to go deep into the playoffs. Nowhere is that more evident than in the AFC East.Tom Brady and the New England Patriots have dominated the division since Brady took over for Drew Bledsoe three games into the 2001 season. Now the Miami Dolphins, the New York Jets and the Buffalo Bills are all trying to find that diamond in the rough like the Patriots did when they selected Brady in the sixth round of the 2000 draft.Daunte the DolphinMiami is coming off a 9-7 season and has some quality skill position players. The Dolphins' biggest problem the last few seasons has been at quarterback. Miami has had immortals such as A.J. Feely, Jay Fielder, Gus Frerotte and Sage Rosenfels taking snaps in the last three seasons.Now the Dolphins think they've solved their problem. The Dolphins traded for former Minnesota QB Daunte Culpepper and former Detroit signal caller Joey Harrington this off-season to sure up their weakness. The problem is, both QBs are huge question marks. Chances are, Miami will be searching for answers at the QB position again this season.Culpepper will be the starter if he's healthy. The 6'4'', 260 lb veteran was in the midst of his worst season as a pro when he suffered a catastrophic knee injury during the seventh game of the 2005 season. He had thrown just 6 touchdowns and 12 interceptions at the time of his injury. The season before, however, Culpepper was an All-Pro as he tossed 39 TDs and just 11 INTs while posting an impressive 110.9 quarterback rating. He would have been league MVP had it not been for Peyton Manning's record-breaking season.Back-up PlanCulpepper is optimistic that he'll be done with rehab and ready for the start of the season, but that's wishful thinking. Miami will probably open the season with Harrington at the helm and that could leave the Fins in a big hole right off the bat.The former University of Oregon star has never fulfilled the promise of being the No. 3 overall pick in the 2002 NFL draft. Despite having talented wide receivers and running backs around him, Harrington floundered in his 4 years with the Lions, throwing two more interceptions than touchdowns while leading the Lions to just 18 victories in 51 starts.The Dolphins have another intriguing option in their camp: Marcus Vick, the troubled younger brother of Atlanta QM Michael Vick. The odds are better that Vick will be in police custody rather than a Dolphins uniform come September, but if Nick Saban and the coaching staff can find a way to keep Vick on the field, he could offer Miami some insurance in case Culpepper and Harrington falter. Vick will most likely be made into a wide receiver anyway, but he could end up being used in several roles similar to the original slash, Kordell Stewart.Still SearchingThe Jets and Bills continue to look for answers at the QB spot as well. New York's QB job is up for grabs as incumbent Chad Pennington missed most of last year after undergoing rotator cuff surgery. Pennington has a history of injuries and may never be the same after his latest setback. The Jets also acquired veteran Patrick Ramsey in a trade with the Washington Redskins in March. Ramsey has been a disappointment in Washington where he lost his job to Mark Brunell last season.New York's best hope may be rookie Kellen Clemens. Clemens was having a stellar senior season at Oregon before suffering a season-ending ankle injury. He has good size, speed and quickness, and could be the quarterback of the future that the Jets have been looking for.Buffalo, on the other hand, has done nothing to upgrade its weakness at quarterback. The Bills had a terrible draft and will go into the season with Kelly Holcomb and J.P. Losman vying for the starting job again. Neither are a very attractive option and the Bills look to be going nowhere again.The StandardIn order for Miami, New York or Buffalo to make the playoffs, they will have to go through New England. The Patriots look to be even better than last season, having drafted running back Laurence Maroney and wide receiver Chad Jackson to add to Brady's arsenal of weapons.The Patriots are still the kings of the AFC East and are one of the favorites to win the Super Bowl again. Should the Patriots regain the championship, it would be their fourth Super Bowl in six years and will cement their place as one of the greatest dynasties in the history of the league.

Flutie Was Simply Ahead of His Time

By Michael RothmanWagerWeb.com Contributing WriterDoug Flutie was a gambler’s dream. Think about it. His team was always the underdog and yet he always came through in the clutch and covered the spread. From his Hail Mary pass in college to beat Miami to his scramble for a touchdown to beat Jacksonville in the pros, Flutie was a born winner. Sportsbooks hated this man, because whether they liked it or not, his teams were always getting points, yet they knew he would win the game;—somehow.Even with this, when you think of Doug Flutie, you think of a short quarterback. You think of a little guy who was great for some trickery in close games, but not a player you would build a franchise around. You think of a player who was good enough to dominate Canada, but not the NFL. Why?Atlanta QB Michael Vick was drafted number one overall in 2001 because of the amazing upside he possesses. Vick is a phenomenal athlete with speed, power, and the uncanny ability to throw the football up to 70 yards. Vick dazzled while playing his college ball at Virginia Tech and is a natural leader. These are simply intangibles you cannot teach, but can build a team and a franchise around.So I beg to ask one question: what is the difference between Vick and Flutie? Less than two inches in height. Vick stands at 6’0”, with Flutie lagging just behind at 5’10”. Flutie has the cannon that Vick has and is also a great athlete who consistently makes plays with his legs. Flutie also dazzled in college while playing for Boston College, and he even won a Heisman Trophy in 1984. Even Vick can’t claim that award. When talking about leadership skills, no one will ever forget Flutie’s 48-yard Hail Mary pass that upset the Miami Hurricanes on November 23, 1984. One can even argue that Flutie has the edge on Vick when it comes to football smarts, and more importantly, accuracy. Vick has a career completion percentage of only 54.1 percent.So if the two are so evenly matched, why was Flutie drafted 285th overall in 1985 while Vick was the first pick 16 years later? The answer is simple: Flutie was a man ahead of his time. In 1985, the mobile quarterback had no place in the NFL. Now this type of quarterback is the present and future of the game, and Flutie was one of the first prototypes. Flutie, the anti-Ryan Leaf, has no character flaws at all and if he were to come out of the draft now, he would be a first-day pick. The current coaches of this era would be drooling at the numerous ways they could utilize this athlete.Now, after 21 professional seasons in football, Flutie called it quits on Monday. Flutie leaves behind a legacy of heart and determination, six player of the year awards in Canadian football, and of course, his Hail Mary pass that will live forever in college football lore. But, most of all, I believe he leaves behind the sad legacy of a player who was born in the wrong era and who was consistently underestimated.Flutie made his resurgence in the NFL with the Buffalo Bills in 1998, voted the AP Comeback Player of the Year. In ‘98, Flutie threw for over 2700 yards and 20 touchdowns to only 11 interceptions. The very next year Flutie upped his numbers to over 3000 yards passing and was voted to the Pro Bowl. But alas, another stereotype would stand in the way of a fruitful career: his age. By the end of 1999, Flutie was 37 years old and the Bills did not want to build a team around an old-timer. It was just too late. Two years later, Flutie would sign with the Chargers, only to give the job up to another young quarterback: Drew Brees.Flutie’s potential was there for all to see. You don’t just make the Pro Bowl if you’re not a great talent. Again, timing ruined what could have been a Hall of Fame career. Flutie just needed the breakthroughs of players like Kordell Stewart, Atwaan Randle El, and of course, Vick, to set the stage. Kordell started the trend way back in 1995 when he came in as ‘slash.’ Pittsburgh coach Bill Cower tried to use the multi-talented QB in every way possible and ended up with great success. This opened the door for Vick to be the top pick in 2001 and Randle El to sign with the Redskins for $27 million. Imagine all the money Flutie could have made in this era, for himself and gamblers alike.Well, you can’t change history and you certainly can’t pick the era in which you are born. This is the sad reality of Doug Flutie’s career and the careers of many others who did not make it at the professional level. But what you can do is realize something. When you think of Michael Vick as the one player who changed the way we view what a quarterback can do, think again. There is one innovator who came before Vick, before Kordell, before Randle El, and even before Vince Young. This innovator was Doug Flutie.