Saul: Grading first week performances of NFL quarterbacks

For an entire lockout-filled summer, writers and reporters spent their time finding NFL stories… For an entire lockout-filled summer, writers and reporters spent their time finding NFL stories that would appeal to the public.

As weeks passed, teams became overanalyzed and overhyped to fill the void left by the lack of NFL activity. And of all the things analysts and columnists liked to discuss, quarterbacks sat at the top of the list.

Would Michael Vick sign his big contract? Could Tim Tebow climb the Broncos depth chart? Was Peyton Manning going to be ready for week one?

Well, with this Sunday finally past, the predictions and hype have come to fruition. With that in mind, here is your first week’s grades on five NFL quarterback situations:

The Indianapolis Colts and Peyton Manning: I have one thing to say to you Colts fans: Close your eyes. It’s going to be a long year. Doesn’t it feel like the ’90s again? The last time the Colts played without Manning for an entire season was 1997 — when he was still at Tennessee. Their record was 3-13. On Sunday the team came out against a division rival and looked as bad as they could possibly have looked. The defense was soft, the replacement quarterback, Kerry Collins, looked confused, old and like he didn’t belong in the league anymore and all Peyton Manning could do was watch from the sidelines. The result? A 34-7 trouncing at the hands of the Texans.

Michael Vick and his huge contract: Vick alone looked dazzling. His legs were fresh, his arm was stronger than ever and the Rams simply couldn’t keep up once he got out of the pocket. But all those things are to be expected. What aren’t good signs for the Birds are the way their offensive line has been protecting Vick and the $100 million contract he signed in August. The truth is that the contract is borderline insane, considering the fact that Vick missed three games last year because of rib injuries and didn’t finish out his last $100 million contract. Now with week one over, it looks a little bit scarier to me. The Rams got to Vick early and often, and the quarterback took way more hits than any Eagles fan would want to see. If he stays healthy, Philadelphia could be unstoppable. If he doesn’t, well, it’s onto Vince Young.

Aaron Rodgers watches the throne: For a defending Super Bowl champion, Rodgers got little attention during the offseason. According to him, that’s just how he likes it. The Packers seemed almost forgotten until the season opener, but they didn’t waste any time reminding people who’s boss (for now). Rodgers was, in a word, fantastic. He opened the game by taking the Packers down the field and throwing a touchdown, making the Saints defense look like a practice squad. Nobody was going to get in his way, and he finished with 312 yards and three touchdowns. Look for Rodgers to make a trend out of this the rest of the season.

Cam Newton playing like a No. 1 pick: Wow. Did you see this kid go off? All the haters, all the doubters, all the people who spent the summer saying he could never be an NFL quarterback need to (temporarily) bite their tongues. Newton didn’t just put up record-setting stats for a quarterback’s debut (422 yards, two touchdowns, 110.4 QB rating); he was also a leader. He got the ball to his playmakers such as Steve Smith, he played with fire and a smile on his face and he let no one get in his way. It’s tough to imagine him keeping anything close to this pace, but it’s important for people to recognize he is capable of what he did on Sunday. By far the most athletically gifted quarterback in the 2011 draft, Newton didn’t just get it done with his arm but also ran for a score as well. It’s worth noting that Newton’s team didn’t win the game and the player that comes next on this list did, but still, if I played in the NFC South and watched him shred the Cardinals on Sunday, I’d be taking a big nervous gulp right about now.

Kevin Kolb starts a new chapter: For all the talk about Vick and Donovan McNabb over the last few years, Kolb really got lost in the storm. Even Sunday when he led his new team to a 28-21 victory over the Panthers and threw for 309 yards and two touchdowns, everyone was talking about the other quarterback — Cam Newton. While he quietly completed the biggest game of his career and got a young Arizona team off to a 1-0 start, Kolb still isn’t finding praise. So to round out our list of overhyped offseason stories, here is my letter of praise to Kevin Kolb:

Dear Kevin,

Good job! I’m proud of you. I know that Donovan and Michael always steal your thunder. I know nobody is talking about the fact you never did anything but act classy, work hard and support your family through all the turbulence that comes with living in the shadow of great players. I know that on Sunday you got it done despite only having one threat to throw the ball to: Pitt alum Larry Fitzgerald. But hey, think of it this way — things could always be worse. You could be 0-1 like McNabb in Minnesota. You could be on a fast track to crutches and a wheelchair like Vick in Philly. You could be making an embarrassing comeback attempt like Collins in Indianapolis. You could have lost your first game with your new team, like Cam Newton on Sunday. But you didn’t — you got it done. You won, you played mistake-free, and you turned a new page. But good luck against the Redskins defense next week, you’re going to need it.

Sincerely,

Isaac