No Respect!

Why is it that Kyle Orton gets absolutely no credit for being a good NFL QB? In fact, not only doesn't he get credit for being a good QB, he's frowned upon and looked at as a stop gap until a good one comes along.

The Denver Broncos were the laughing stock of the NFL this off season when they let Jay Cutler go to the Bears and received Orton back as part of the compensation. They were the laughing stock again as they new coach Josh McDaniels lobbied publicly for and failed to get New England QB Matt Cassel who ultimately was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs.

When Orton was a Chicago Bear they couldn't wait to get rid of him. In 2005 as a rookie Rex Grossman (the predetermined starter going into the year) was hurt in preseason and Orton played the first 15 games. Orton was 10-5 as a starter and when Grossman was healthy they placed him as the starter in game 16, throughout the playoffs and for the Superbowl.

The coaching staff asked Orton to minimize mistakes and to let the rushing attack and the defense win ballgames rather than employing an aggressive passing attack. Measuring Orton by victories, his rookie season was a successful one even by historical standards. Orton's 15 starts and 10 victories are both rookie records for Bears quarterbacks, and the 10 victories are the third most in the NFL since the NFL-AFL merger in 1970, behind only Ben Roethlisberger's 14 victories in 2004, and 11 victories by Joe Flacco last year.

Following the 2005 season, the Bears signed veteran Brian Griese as the team's second string quarterback. Orton, now demoted, became the Bears' third-string quarterback, and did not see any playtime throughout the entire 2006 season.

In 2007 the Bears played merry-go-round with their QB's. Grossman. Greise, Orton.... In 2008 more of the same, Grossman, Orton.

So now he's in Denver. Orton has led the Broncos who were the laughing stock of the league no more than seven weeks ago to a 6-0 start. Kyle Orton, is not pretty. True, he doesn't groom himself and could use a shave, but that's not what I mean. He doesn't put up flashy stats and isn't charismatic. He simply manages the game, and manages the game well.

He manages the game so well in fact he has the 3rd highest winning percentage behind all active QB's with more than 2 full years of game starts.

My apologies if your favorite QB isn't on the list but let's take a look at the QB's that are generally regarded as the best QB's in the NFL and where they rank.

No one wants the guy. Josh McDaniels didn't want him, Lovie Smith didn't want him, the fans in Chicago definitely didn't want him, the pundits in the TV and print media didn't want him.... I don't even know if his mother wanted him? The guy is always the fall-back position. Grossman doesn't work out... ok try Orton. Greise doesn't work out... ok try Orton, Cassel doesn't work out... ok, try Orton.

All I know is the guy wins. I'm a life-long Jets fan and my guy threw five picks last week. FIVE! If Orton was my QB we'd be 5-1 right now and not 3-3. And there are at ten teams at a minimum that would be better off if Orton were their QB too. Count'em. - Mike Cardano

Mike Cardano is the founder of the Around the Horn Baseball Blog and the Extra Point Football Blog.

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Roto-Rx

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The Doctor is in...

Question #1: Do you see Pat White getting any significant playing time in any capacity over the course of the year? – Walter, Charleston, WV

Walter: Dr. Roto has big worries about Pat White. I think that he may have been a waste of a 2nd round pick by the Fins. For this year, Dr. Roto sees Ronnie Brown getting most of the Wildcat snaps. Also don't forget Chad Henne there on the sidelines. The Dolphins really like him and he will probably be the starter next year.

Question #2: Do you consider Mario Manningham a front line receiver? – Melissa, Nyack, NY

Melissa: It's way too early to call Manningham a front line WR. What we can call him is a talented young WR with big upside. It would be no surprise to watch him fulfill his vast potential that he showed while at Michigan. If he's still on the waiver wire in your league, grab him ASAP.

Question #3: Who do you think will end up with more all purpose yards, Darren Sproles or Leon Washington? – Mike, Giants Stadium (friend of Fireman Ed)

Mike: You're putting me in a tough spot here Mike, because if I say Sproles, Fireman Ed is going to revoke my New York Jets library card. Ryan has been saying that he wants to get Washington 20 touches a game, but Dr. Roto hasn't seen that yet and doubts that he will. The longer LT is out, the more chance Sproles has of being the better player. Truth is, if Washington is getting too many touches it means the Jets are playing from behind. So far, Mark Sanchez isn't letting that happen!

Question #4: After two weeks, what defense has impressed you the most? – Frank, Baltimore, MD

Frank: This is an easy one. It's the J-E-T-S. They have been swarming and impressive. Darrell Revis is one of the top 3 CB in the NFL. They have stopped Schaub and Brady in the first two weeks...not an easy thing to do. They are getting Calvin Pace back soon, which will make them even more dangerous.

Question #5: Would you start Tony Romo or Jay Cutler this week? - Anthony, Fairfax, VA

Anthony: Dr. Roto is going to say Romo. Don't be surprised to see Matt Forte have a big game in Seattle. The Seahawk run defense is suspect and the Bears really need to get Forte on track. Romo is starting on MNF...it will be a good time for him to show his critics that he really is a top 10 QB.

The Doctor is out…

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If your question was not answered this time, you can go directly to the source @ https://www.roto-rx.com/
where Dr. Roto will answer all your Fantasy Baseball & Football questions.

The Doctor is in...

Question #1: After week #1 and seeing how coaches are planning on using their players this year, are there any major changes to how you valued anyone prior to the season starting? – Maureen, Meriden, CT

Maureen: It is still too early to tell that, Maureen. There were some guys who I thought would play more (Donald Brown) and some guys I thought would play less (Cadillac Williams), but we need to give it at least 3 weeks before we start to see trends forming.

Question #2: Is the fact that the Bears lost Urlacher enough reason to waive the Bears defense and look for another one? – Stewart, Coronado, CA

Stewart: Not a chance. Lovie Smith will have those guys prepared and Tommie Harris and Lance Briggs will make sure that the team is fired up. I would rather have the Bears without Urlacher over the Lions with 12 players!

Question #3: Does Roy Williams get a bump in his value because T.O. isn’t there? – Ben, Buffalo, NY

Ben: For sure. The Cowboys are going to need Roy to step up and show the skills he once did in Detroit. If he doesn't, Dallas will be in some trouble because Witten is the only other serious threat there (with apologies to P. Crayton).

Question #4: Is Jake Dellhome in jeopardy of losing his job? – Daryl, Detroit, MI

Daryl: Hate to say this, but I hope so. He's a gunslinger with no bullets right now. He's making bad decisions and the team is losing trust in him. The running game is solid, but don't forget that Steve Smith is a fiery guy. The Panthers do not want him raging up and down the sidelines pissed off because Delhomme can't get him the ball. John Fox is a Parcells disciple--he hates the turnover!

Question #5: Is now the time to pick up Michael Vick? – Roger, Atlanta, GA

Roger: I would have said yes but then the Eagles went out and signed Jeff Garcia. With Garcia there and McNabb recovering a bit faster than expected, I think Vick won't get more than a start or two this year. If you can pick him up and stash him, you may want to consider that, but don't count on him for production this year.

The Doctor is out...

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THE WORST OF THE WORST – NFL WEEK 1

Jay Cutler – Well now we know what happens when Devin Hester is the no.1 receiver for Cutler. Besides Hester (who is not a wide receiver) and tight ends Desmond Clark (who is out with a back injury) and Greg Olsen, Cutler has nobody to throw it to.

And since Matt Forte can’t carry the ball every play, Chicago’s offense is in trouble. And Green Bay exploited Sunday. Cutler threw four interceptions in a game that was only decided by six points by a touchdown pass from quarterback Aaron Rodgers with less than two minutes left.

Four interceptions… That is not what the Bears had in mind when they traded for Cutler, especially when a defensive tackle is the one who makes the interception. Although the 325 pound Johnny Jolly made an incredibly athletic play to make the catch, that is no excuse for a “pro-bowl caliber” quarterback to throw the ball into the hands of a defensive tackle.

The Redskins Offense – A total of five plays were run by the Washington Redskins offense in the first quarters against the Giants at the Meadowlands. That’s it.

Jason Campbell looked like a deer in the headlights lining up against Justin Tuck and Osi Umenyiora. And the New York defense loved every minute of it. Campbell couldn’t move the ball. Head coach Jim Zorn was not consistent with his play calling. And if it wasn’t for a fake field goal in the red zone that score a touchdown, the Redskins would have been down 17-0 at halftime.

Santana Moss was completely taken out of the game after getting a little too physical with defensive back Corey Webster. Campbell was totally unsuccessful throwing the deep ball. The Giants dominated the time of possession and the Redskins looked like they never had a chance (although they only lost by six).

Kurt Warner – The re-signing of Kurt Warner was supposed to help the Arizona Cardinals continue to be successful on offense. But when running back Tim Hightower is the team leader in receptions against the 49ers, there is a problem.

Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin only caught a combined total of eight passes and for 90 yards. Isn’t Warner supposed to spread the ball around a little more? Isn’t Warner supposed to be more successful with the deep ball? Didn’t the Cardinals win every game against an NFC West opponent last year?

Instead, the San Francisco defense intercepted two of his passes, completely shut down Arizona’s running game and won 20-16. Maybe the Cardinals won’t run away with this division after all.

HONORABLE MENTIONS – The Cincinnati Bengals (too easy), Jake Delhomme (way too easy), Andre Johnson (only four receptions for 35 yards). - Michael Klopman

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Have a Fantasy Football or Rotisserie Baseball question? Want to know who to pick up, who to activate and who the hot prospects are? Ask Dr. Roto. Let Dr. Roto guide your team to a league championship!