Sam Bradford

charlie whitehurst, colt mccoy, eli manning, drew brees, peyton manning

 

Heading into the finale Sunday night ‘a winner-take-all regular-season’ against NFC West rival St. Louis, the Seattle quarterback situation remains up in the air.
For the Rams, however, it couldn't be any more clear. With poise beyond his years, the Oklahoma product already is called a "franchise quarterback" by some and has led St. Louis from a league-worst 1-15 season in 2009 to one victory from the playoffs at 7-8. Carroll has been most impressed by Bradford's consistency in the face of challenges and distractions — including the hype that comes with being selected with the No. 1 choice. Rookie Sam Bradford, the No. 1 overall choice in the 2010 NFL draft, earned the starting spot by the team's third exhibition game and has flourished as an every-week starter ever since. "He's just a natural and can get it done," said Seahawks coach Pete Carroll. "He's going to be a big factor in this division for a long time."

Seahawks safety Earl Thomas said that steadiness dates back to college, where Bradford won a Heisman Trophy in his sophomore year with the Sooners.

Sam Bradford

 

 

"We've been battling for a long time, since my first year in college, and we've had some good battles," said Thomas, who intercepted Bradford twice in 2008. "He's doing the exact same thing in the NFL that he did in college — he's playing great for his team. I'm pretty sure he's the front-runner for the rookie of the year. That says a lot about him and how he's carried his team this year."

Bradford has had help, notably from workhorse running back Steven Jackson, who has 1,196 rushing yards and a league-leading 319 carries. Jackson also has helped in the passing game with 42 receptions and 344 receiving yards.

That production is hardly new for Jackson, a three-time Pro Bowl choice from Oregon State. Bradford's numbers have arguably surpassed expectations, with 3,357 passing yards, 18 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. His 335 completions have set an NFL record by a rookie, breaking the mark set by Peyton Manning.

Seattle linebacker Lofa Tatupu warns that Bradford is also more mobile than people think. And he's tough, as was evident in the Rams' 20-3 home victory against the Seahawks in October.

"He's a stud, man. He's not afraid of anything. He'll stand in there and deliver the ball, even getting hit. We got some good licks on him. He gets up and he'll still throw it in there." said Tatupu.

charlie whitehurst, colt mccoy, eli manning, drew brees, peyton manning