Looking back: Jason Campbell was not a Pro Bowler, but all you have to do is look what certain defenses did this past weekend to Donovan McNabb and Tom Brady. They were under pressure; they wilted and looked terrible. Campbell faced that sort of pressure each week. It helped for him that coaches began tailoring the game plan more to hide the weaknesses, allowing Campbell to survive a little better. But Campbell took good care of the ball considering the pressure he faced. He developed a better understanding of the pocket and even made a few plays. All things considered, playing behind a bad line, for Campbell to throw 20 touchdowns to 15 interceptions and an 86.4 passer rating represented a solid year.
Still need to see: Quicker decisions on certain routes and more patience on others. Campbell improved in both areas, but there were plays in most games where if Campbell had stayed longer with the receiver — times when the blocking held up — a big play could have resulted. Also, need to see a late-game drive for a win, the sort that provides confidence and a swagger.
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Grade: B. A C in the first half; an A in the second. Given what he faced — with the three-headed play-calling monster — and the pressure he was under from the line, Campbell responded well. He showed toughness and improved at keeping his eyes downfield while under pressure. He did leave a lot of plays on the field early in the season and normally we would grade him harder for that; however, what he endured late gave him some extra credit. In the second half of the season, he was without a legitimate running game and his best tight end; he had still-developing young receivers and playing behind a line that stunk yet he still threw 11 touchdown passes to seven interceptions during that time. Maybe others could have done better; but many would have fared worse.
Where they’re headed: Uncertainty. All we know for sure is that Mike Shanahan did not like Campbell coming out of college. I’m guessing his opinion hasn’t changed that much, though his appreciation for Campbell after watching games this season might have increased. Should have, actually. My guess is that if they keep Campbell it would be for one year before handing the position to a young QB. Shanahan will judge Campbell not on whether or not he can win with him this season, but for the next five. Can he get better? One thing to know about Shanahan, based on people who have known and worked with him, is that he has a tendency to think he can turn any player into a good one. A bit confident. The hunch is that he’ll take that attitude more with a young quarterback with tools and a still undefined ceiling rather than a 28-year-old coming off an admirable season. As for the backups, it’s hard to say until we know what they’ll do with the starter, but Todd Collins’ lack of mobility will be an issue and Colt Brennan is far from a proven backup. If they draft a quarterback, one or both will be gone.
