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Last week, the immense pressure that has been building in Ryan Leaf since draft day finally surfaced. It didn't take long for Ryan Leaf to crack under the pressure of his first NFL season. After the San Diego Chargers rookie quarterback commited five turnovers and completed one of 15 passes against Kansas City, Leaf shouted obscenities at a San Diego television camerman who was blocking the path to his locker. The next day, Leaf unleashed a stream of profanity at a writer who reported the first incident. Then Friday, Leaf met the press for 82 seconds, and the transcript consisted of nothing but defiant yes and no answers. On Sunday, after he was benched against the Giants, Leaf was humble. He completed 15 of 34 passes for 193 yards and four interceptions, then watched as Craig Whelihan finished the game. "The Chargers would be better off if it weren't for me," Leaf said. "It was so sad to see everyone else play well, and this rookie quarterback comes in and loses it all. By my performance this year, there's no reason for me to be the starting quarterback." Leaf was speaking the truth, but he will be the starter Sunday when the Chargers meet Peyton Manning's Indianapolis Colts. The game features the top two picks of the 1998 NFL draft. They have combined for four touchdown passes in the first four games of their careers -- and 19 interceptions. Archie Manning knows a little something about rookie quarterbacks. He was the second overall choice in 1971, out of Mississippi. He played behind someone named Edd Hargett and finished his first season with six touchdown passes and nine interceptions. The Saints won four games that year. Oh, and he's Peyton's dad. Earlier this week, the elder Manning was on high ground in Mississippi, having evacuated New Orleans and his elegant Garden District home in deference to Hurricane Georges. "All in all, they're rookie quarterbacks with a lot on them," Archie said. "One of the things people don't realize is that there's never been a tougher time to be a rookie quarterback. We're in a cycle where the defenses have caught up with the offenses. "It's not all cerebral out there. These two guys are bright guys." In other words, it's a little too early to, uh, pass judgment. "It's just reflective of the times we live in -- everyone wants instant gratification, instant answers," Colts president Bill Polian said. "But that's not the way the world works. Aside from the interceptions, Peyton's played quite well. "He's gotten better each week, in large chunks. We can clearly see that what's down the road is a first-rate quarterback. We're thrilled. We couldn't be happier. The only thing is, the soil and grit needs to be removed from the diamond -- and that only comes with time and experience." Steep learning curve Some perspective: Peyton Manning has thrown 11 interceptions in four games, the most by a Colts quarterback in a similar span since 1961. That quarterback was Hall of Famer Johnny Unitas, who tossed 12 interceptions in four games -- in his sixth season. Manning, for the record, is 81-for-146 (56 percent), 992 yards, three touchdowns and those 11 interceptions. His Indian-hapless Colts are a dismal 0-4. Leaf has completed 45 of 104 passes (43 percent) for 568 yards, 1 touchdown and 8 interceptions. The Chargers are a modest 2-2. Lest we forget, the position itself is the most difficult to assimilate in all of professional sports. "I have to know the calls, the reads, what the receivers are doing on routes, what our protection is," Dallas quarterback Troy Aikman says. "The other guys just have to know what they're doing, and that's about it." Some years ago, I sat down with then-Giants quarterback Phil Simms to learn what went through his mind as he dropped back to pass. On one particular play, we counted 21 conscious decisions or fleeting observations -- in less than four seconds. That's a lot of traffic in one brain. People in the NFL agree with Archie Manning, stressing that today's defenses are more complex and more geared to crush quarterbacks than ever before. Polian has some experience with young quarterbacks. He was Buffalo's general manager when Jim Kelly arrived from the USFL, and the Bills promptly went 4-12 in 1986. He was Carolina's general manager in 1995 when Kerry Collins, the fifth overall pick in the draft, helped lead the Panthers to a 7-9 record. "It's a lot more difficult for Peyton than it was for Kerry," Polian said. "Four years ago, they weren't running the sophisticated blitz packages you see today. Peyton's seen more blitz schemes in four games than Kerry saw in his whole first season. "I've seen Kelly suffer through the slings and arrows by 4-12, and I saw Kerry suffer through a tough rookie season. About all I can do with Peyton is pat him on the back and say, 'Listen, Kelly and Kerry turned out OK, and so will you.' " Polian said one of the important things he learned with Kelly and Collins was the need for a coach grounded in mechanics. Bruce Arians, the offensive coordinator at Alabama last year, is the Colts new quarterbacks coach. "The more the pressure mounts, the more the frustration sets in, the more you tend to slip mechanically," Polian said. "Bruce has been there for him on an ongoing basis. Peyton doesn't need a mentor or a role model -- he's had that in his home for 22 years." While the coaching staff is a comfortable fit for Manning -- head coach Jim Mora got to know Peyton well when he was the head coach of the New Orleans Saints -- it has been a little gnarly on the field. Leaf, on the other hand, has far more support, which explains why he has won two more games than Manning. The Chargers signed three free agents to help protect Leaf along the offensive line: center Roman Fortin, guard Aaron Taylor and tackle John Jackson. Joe Bugel, who coached the legendary Hogs in Washington in the 1980s, is the new line coach. Leaf left Washington State after playing only two full seasons, while Manning started for all four years. In fact, Manning completed more passes at Tennessee than Leaf actually attempted. This is why personnel men say Manning is a more polished product and Leaf has more room to grow. With all the attention focused on Manning and Leaf, Eastern Michigan's Charlie Batch snuck under the hoopla radar as the season opened. Now, after starter Scott Mitchell was demoted to third string and Batch led the Detroit Lions to a rousing Monday Night Football victory over Tampa Bay, Batch is getting national attention. If history is any indication, he, too, will crash and burn on occasion. |