Bits Of Baylor Good For RG3 & Skins
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By DERON SNYDER
Running quarterbacks were oxymorons in the NFL, as curious a term as “blocking offensive linemen.” Running was the nature of each back in the backfield — whether he was a quarter, half or full — until a metamorphism began about 75 years ago.
In 1936, Green Bay’s Arnie Herber became the league’s first passing leader with more than 1,000 yards. The 3,000-yard standard was reached in 1960 by Baltimore’s Johnny Unitas and Denver’s Frank Tripucka; Miami’s Dan Marino took it past 5,000 in 1984.
Along the way, the league still had quarterbacks who could run, but teams didn’t build offenses around them. If your guy could scramble and extend plays like Fran Tarkenton and Roger Staubach, or Randall Cunningham and Steve Young, great. But aside from some bootlegs, few plays are designed to take advantage of that skill set.
Coach Mike Shanahan appears to be wiser than that, based on the Washington Redskins‘ season opener at New Orleans.
