Matt Stafford

The 2009 NFL season is still weeks away, but the debate over which rookie QB will have a better year, Matt Stafford or Mark Sanchez, is just beginning. The Detroit Lions and New York Jets both have a lot invested in these two young men, but the gamble is more likely to payoff on Broadway.

There is no doubt that Matt Stafford comes into a less pressure filled situation. His team is coming off the worst season in NFL history. The 16 losses that hang over their heads won’t easily be forgotten, but minimal success on the field can easily wipe away memories of such an abysmal season. Expect new coach in town Jim Schwartz to bring a fresh outlook to the upcoming season while keeping expectations low. If Detroit can build any semblance of a cohesive defense, Matt Stafford and Calvin Johnson may have just enough explosiveness to pull out enough wins to declare a rebirth to the franchise.

The Jets are in a different situation. Coming off a season that started off with unlimited promise and ending in utter collapse, the Jets feel entitled to a playoff birth in ’09. The coaching staff is new and there are plenty of fresh faces on both sides of the ball to elicit such high expectations. Add a QB from one of the most storied football schools in the land, and you have the recipe for excitement and success. It also helps that Mark Sanchez has shown a solid work ethic and desire to become the team’s leader.

Which of these stars though is more apt to actually help his team win now? There are too many question marks to answer Matt Stafford right now. Coming out of Georgia, accuracy was a real knock on his potential. Throw in the difficulties associated with reading NFL caliber defenses and predicting anything but a long year would be ludicrous. Think of him as more of a Tim Couch than a Matt Ryan. Stafford’s year will consist more of bumps and bruises than TD passes. But, that just comes with the territory. Throwing a rookie QB to the wolves along with a team that has its own identity problems into the mix, and fans can expect more losses to come.

Mark Sanchez finds himself in New York with the spotlight on him and all the pressure normally associated with a rookie quarterback to contend with, but he also has a solid set of veteran offensive teammates to help him out. Thomas Jones and Jerricho Cotchery are more than able to help him succeed. Their year spent with Brett Favre has them ready for a QB more constrained by the actual offensive system. Sanchez won’t have to win games for the Jets; he’ll just have to manage the game. Something he’ll have no problem doing from day 1.

So, until the season gets underway, let the debate rage. Surely opinions will be numerous. Just don’t expect the Detroit Lions to surprise anyone. If you want a sure thing, look no farther than Broadway. The number six pick in the draft is more than able to prove why he should have been number one.