Everybody is picking on David Carr

by Ed Valentine on Mar 14, 2008 12:31 PM EDT in New York Giants News

As a 'serious' Giants' blogger I have tried to be nice and not pick on poor David Carr, the team's new backup quarterback.

But, everyone else is having so much fun picking on Carr's miserable career, the number of hits he has taken, his quote comparing himself to a carpenter and his really, really uncool white gloves that I have to join the fray.

If you missed it, our own 'jrs1940' jumped in with this gem in the comments the day Carr signed.

David: "well, the Giants seem like a fine organization, what about the offensive line?"

Jerry: "We have a great offensive line, Eli only got sacked 27 times"

David: "In one game right?"

Jerry: "No Dave, thats ALL SEASON"

David: "Wow...has Eli ever been hurt?"

Jerry: "A little dinged, but he's never missed a start"

David: "Wow. So, basically I get to stand on the sidelines all season, hold the clipboard for a QB who is durable and nobody is going to sack me?"

Jerry: "Basically, yes"

David: "And you are going to pay me for this?"

Jerry: "That's the idea Dave yes"

David: "27 sacks all YEAR?"

Jerry: "All year Dave"

David: "You sure you want to pay me? Because I gotta tell ya, I would take this job just for the traveling and meal money"

Jerry: "We were thinking 1 year, 1 million"

David: "I love you"

Following on much the same theme, The Big Lead poked fun at Carr this way.

Carr: "One of the reasons I'm excited about coming here is they protect the quarterback well and they have playmakers on the outside."

Some people might think Carr meant, "I'm coming to New York because the offensive line is too good to let Eli get hurt and they have good players around him to make sure he doesn't look bad. There's no way I'm going to have to play!"

Stephanie Stradley, who writes about Carr's first team, the Texans, for AOL Fanhouse, didn't hide her disdain for the Giants new backup QB.

Carr is the perfect illustration off how a quarterback who can't read defenses, has terrible pocket presence, holds onto the ball too long and has a wonky throwing delivery will make offensive lines look much worse than they are.

The year 2007 demonstrates why David Carr is not a very good quarterback. When he moved to the Panthers, Carr gushed about how much talent was on that team compared to his old team, and how much better the line was for the Panthers. Sound familiar?

Over the course of that season with the Panthers, Carr ended up getting some starts after Jake Delhomme went down to injury. His stat line? He managed 3 touchdown passes, 5 interceptions, 13 sacks and a passer rating of 58.3 in 6 games. He was benched in favor of an ancient Vinny Testaverde who played better than Carr, despite not having camp with the team, coming out of semi-retirement, and not even knowing the names of the players on the team. Even little known backup Matt Moore got on the field over Carr. Panther fans rejoiced when Carr was cut.

The Texans in 2007 were liberated once the reign of Carr ended. In one of those little known facts, the Carr-less Houston Texans last year only allowed 22 sacks. (27th in the league). With basically the same line and personnel, the Texans were actually able to throw the ball down the field too. Highest passing totals matched with lowest sacks in their history.

So in other words, most sensible Giant fans know that if Manning gets hurt, you are going to be hating life anyway. But if someone tries to sell you that Carr will look better once he is finally on a better team, well, that is a freaking joke and is evidence of someone who hasn't seen much of Carr's play.

Yikes!

After all of that I have just one thing to say. Eli, stay upright. Please!

Tweet Comment 15 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

In fairness

I wasn't picking on Carr so much as saying how could he not want to come play for the Giants

Sorry, but Stephanie Stradley comes off sounding like Carr never called her again after pinning her legs behind her ears on their first date.....bitter much Stephie?

Funny how this dingbat fails to mention Carr was injured last year. I really haven't heard any football expert say this was a bad move, except for Stephanie Stradley. So because he sucked with the Panthers means he'll suck forever? Yeah, probably right, no athlete has ever sucked with one team, and then went to another team and played better, right, Kerry Collins, Thomas Jones, BRETT FAVRE? Not comparing Carr to Favre in talent, only in situation

Thats the problem with the internet, its turned too many people with a keyboard into experts

Always nice to see my name in lights though, thanks Ed :)

by Jim Schmiedeberg on Mar 14, 2008 1:30 PM EDT reply actions

I'm just

trying to help you score points with Reby :-)

by Ed Valentine on Mar 14, 2008 2:37 PM EDT up reply actions

When I read something like Stephanie wrote.

I think about this time last year when so many Big Bluers were groaning and gnashing their teeth over Reese's failure to recognize or do this or that. Hey, he proves he knew what he was doing, right?
Carr was chosen because Reese, TC and Palmer are confident he can do the job. TC has even talked about improving his mechanics, one of Stephanie's knocks on him.
Relax, everybody, we won the SB.
The future looks bright
All will be well.

by george cronin on Mar 14, 2008 2:54 PM EDT up reply actions

King George has spoken

You are right, of course. They wouldn't have brought him in unless they thought he was better than what they have, and that they could get some good things from him. "In Reese We Trust."

by Ed Valentine on Mar 14, 2008 3:14 PM EDT up reply actions

They haven't cut

Either Wright or Lorenzen. I don't see that Carr is guaranteed the number 2 (or even number 3 slot)

Are they confident that he can do the job? I don't know, but they feel he was the best available option at a price that they were willing to pay.

Earth Friendly Shopping
Voting with our dollars for a cleaner, greener, better world

by NYERinSF on Mar 15, 2008 7:17 PM EDT up reply actions

Knocking Carr....

Here's a question: Think Eagles fan were knocking a washed up Jeff Garcia when they signed in in 2006? How about a better example, for you older guys: Oakland signing Jim Plunkett as a backup in 1980. Think both of these guys paid dividends? The thing to remember here is, you never know how a player is going to perform in an environment with many variables. I think the Carr signing is a good one, simply because he is better than all of our current backups. Remember, you can't judge Carr on his first overall pick status. He'll never be that. Think of him as a backup QB.

www.billkohut.com

by bk0831 on Mar 14, 2008 4:16 PM EDT reply actions

Plunkett -= Carr

Both players #1 picks, both bloodied and battered behind bad teams, both losing their confidence. Plunkett went to the Raiders where the culture was completely different. The culture in East Rutherford right now is thriving!!

www.billkohut.com

by bk0831 on Mar 14, 2008 4:19 PM EDT up reply actions

Going back further, how about YA?

It's not an exact comparison, of course, but when the Giants got him, he was a thirteen year vet most thought was washed up and that SF unloaded him to get John Brodie onto the field.
The difference is that Plunkett, Garcia and Tittle had good or even great years in their pasts.
It doesn't matter. The comparison doesn't have to be exact to satisfy me. I think Carr will work out, but only time will tell.
I'm curious to see the outcome but not worried. I have a perhaps misguided fate that with the breaks having gone the other way for the Giants so many times in the past that Lady Luck will be smiling on them for a good while.

by george cronin on Mar 14, 2008 5:01 PM EDT reply actions

George....

True about Tittle and Garcia, but Plunkett was an absolute bust before 1980. Oakland picked him up off the scrap heap. He was down and out.

www.billkohut.com

by bk0831 on Mar 14, 2008 9:29 PM EDT up reply actions

True, he had a lot of bad years until

he came off the bench early in the year and led wild card Oakland to an SB win, but I thought he had lived up to his press clippings in his rookie year with the Patriots (better than Eli's, for sure.) At least he didn't know anything but failure like Carr. Of course, I can see why you might consider comparing him to YA and Garcia as a bit of a stretch (or more.) I always liked the guy. He had a great story (blind parents, chicano background, poverty, etc.)

by george cronin on Mar 14, 2008 10:04 PM EDT reply actions

Speaking for the ladies,

I am looking forward to some hot pics of David. :)

by NYERinKY on Mar 15, 2008 6:39 AM EDT reply actions

What the hell is Stephanie Stradley

talking about? The Panthers last year were ranked 29th in the NFL in total offense and 29th in passing offense. They also were about in the middle of the pack in sacks alowed. Testeverde didn't do much better either with 5 TDs to 6 INTs and a passer rating of 65.8. This is supposedly better? And Carr is supposed to thrive in that environment while he is injured? She's an idiot.

by potroast on Mar 15, 2008 7:51 AM EDT reply actions

Wasn't Carr

pretty good his rookie year. I seem to remember being a little jealous an expansion team getting that kind of talent before his regularly scheduled beatings commenced.
That said, I hope Eli stays upright next season. The "Dave Brown syndrome" thing isn't something anyone wants to witness ever again.

by big blue wrecking crew on Mar 15, 2008 8:30 AM EDT reply actions

bottom line is

that carr is a significant upgrade over wright or lorenzen and he cost the giants basically nothing. that's what matters.

is todd collins a better backup QB? sure. is trent green? if he wasn't constantly concussed then probably. but ill take the bargain-basement (and younger) alternative any day of the week.

i dont care that his QB rating was 58.3 in 6 games last season. take the decimal out and your have lorenzen's 583-pound weight. he's still an upgrade.

by SBakerTheTouchdownMaker on Mar 15, 2008 2:40 PM EDT reply actions

Carr

I agree. Without even taking one snap from our center I think he is more credible than our two current backups.

The right change of venue might be an elixar for a guy like Carr. If nothing else you can be sure we will see every bit of talent he can muster. If people were knocking me the way he's getting it I'd be itching to prove them wrong.

by giant fan since 57 on Mar 16, 2008 7:03 AM EDT reply actions