FS:For starters, Brunell has upper hand

[scskinsfan]

http://www.fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2004/082004/08012004/1450365

For starters, Brunell has upper hand

STEVE DeSHAZO: Starting job is veterans to lose

Date published: 8/1/2004

ASHBURN--Twice yesterday morning, as he sat in a director's chair and patiently answered reporters' questions, Patrick Ramsey dropped his bottle of Powerade.

Each time, he quickly picked it up. No harm. His coaches weren't watching, as they had been earlier in the morning when Ramsey fumbled a snap and threw an interception during the first session of Washington Redskins training camp.

But you don't want a reputation as a butterfingers--not when you're locked in a battle for the second-most-prestigious job in the nation's capital. Not when you're already behind. Not when your every move is scrutinized.

And make no mistake: Ramsey is playing catch-up to veteran Mark Brunell. Coach Joe Gibbs may call it an open competition, but Brunell took the first snaps in yesterday's opening workout, and he already has several advantages.

Like a much bigger contract. Like 117 NFL starts, compared with Ramsey's 16. Unlike Ramsey, Brunell has led a team to the playoffs. He also healed before Ramsey did, thanks to essentially a year off in 2003.

Ramsey's assets--youth, a stronger arm and incumbency--carry considerably less weight. Gibbs prefers veterans, likes to run first and throw later, and his playbook is essentially a rebuttal to the Steve Spurrier doctrine Ramsey had memorized.

In truth, Ramsey's first two NFL seasons probably hurt him more than they helped. Aside from earning league-wide respect for absorbing ridiculous punishment without complaint, his experience actually set him back.

He's had to forget Spurrier's failed teachings and digest a playbook that's thicker than most encyclopedia volumes. He's been asked to relearn such basics as the position in which he holds the ball.

Then there are the scars.

Mentally, Ramsey has moved past the unblocked blitzers that no doubt awakened him in the middle of the night. Physically, it's another story. The broken bone in his right foot that ended his second pro season took its time mending; so did the various other bruises.

"It took me a while to heal up," he admitted. "It probably took until the last minicamp session two weeks ago before I really felt healthy. It took longer to heal up than I expected."

Meanwhile, Brunell had most of 2003 to mend while rookie Byron Leftwich became the future of the Jacksonville Jaguars. He still wears a brace on his right knee, but his injured shoulder is now sound, and even at 33 he can move when necessary.

So he could do more, sooner, in offseason workouts. And while the proof will come in the preseason, first impressions always carry weight. Brunell made new friends quickly in D.C.

"He's got a lot of charisma," center Cory Raymer said. "He's one of those quarterbacks with a swagger. You can take that with a grain of salt, but that's what you need at quarterback."

Understandably, Ramsey has yet to develop that skill. It's hard to lead from your back, or from the injured reserve list. Asked if he wished he had this year's protect-the-QB blocking scheme and talented teammates a year ago, Ramsey smiled coyly and offered a polite "No comment."

Ramsey could be excused had he vented a bit about his relative misfortune. His first two pro seasons brought more pain than glory, and he may spend the next few formative years as an understudy.

After Brunell joined the Redskins, Ramsey did request a trade through his agent. He reconsidered after a meeting with Gibbs, who has a history of making his QBs look good.

"[Ramsey] has done nothing but keep his chin up," Raymer said. "He had a tough second year under Spurrier. He had to get pulled off the mat a bunch of times. He's still somewhat inexperienced. He doesn't understand it all yet. But he's kept his chin up."

The competition is legitimate, and the best man will win the job. But Gibbs is no fool. He didn't get to the Hall of Fame without a Plan B. He knows Brunell's history of injury. And remember, Doug Williams went from backup to Super Bowl MVP in 1987.

Like Gibbs, Ramsey and Brunell are both devout in their faith, and the coach knows neither will make a stink if he doesn't win the job.

"I was real good at [being a mentor] last year, and if I had to, I could do it again," Brunell said.

But clearly, Brunell doesn't want to. And Gibbs made Brunell the linchpin of his comeback bid by trading for him before signing his first free agent.

Neither quarterback looked like a Pro Bowler in yesterday's first workouts, when the defense always has an advantage.

But barring injury, Ramsey is like a heavyweight challenger; he'll have to clearly outperform Brunell to take his crown.

"It's important to me to win the job," Ramsey said. "But regardless, I think I'm going to be a good quarterback in this league. I feel like I'll have success this year, or next year, or whenever that might be."

Chances are, it'll be later rather than sooner.

To reach STEVE DeSHAZO: 540/374-5443 sdeshazo@freelancestar.com

Date published: 8/1/2004

[Woofer]

As much as I like Ramsey, I have to agree with this article.

[bubba9497]

STEVE DeSHAZO :laugh:

obvously he doesn't Gibbs.

Joe doesn't know who start the first game yet, and 2 days of practice hasn't tipped the scales either way even an inch.

[bulldog]

from Gibbs' perspective, if both players are healthy and productive it makes more sense to go with Brunell in the beginning.

At 34 Brunell is going to deliver the most value to the Redskins in 2004 and 2005, after that his contract and age become problematic.

Ramsey meanwhile is all future

If Brunell starts and then is inconsistent, Gibbs can more go with Ramsey while Mark fits into the mentor role.