Quote:It's going to be a tough go this year. Especially the first month of football for this defense. Barring any key injuries to these signal callers.

 

1. Aaron Rodgers - Superbowl Caliber QB / MVP Caliber QB at home in an opener 

2. Philip Rivers - MVP Caliber QB - Has a history of schooling us on the road 

3. Joe Flacco - Superbowl Caliber QB at home

4. Andrew Luck - Prior to his injuries in 2015 - One of the best and most respected QB's in the NFL and this is across the pond

5. BYE WEEK

6. Jay Cutler - Turnover prone on the road - Hope to honestly see some flashes right here after the bye week

7. Derek Carr - Ascending young QB - Same class as Bortles - Could go either way here at home 

8. Marcus Mariota - Another ascending young QB who has already had a decent showing against this team - I think we get him

9. Alex Smith - Another savy veteran with a respectable track record on the road here 

10. Brock Osweiler - I don't know what to expect out of him, by week 10 we'll have a good feeling at home

11. Matthew Stafford - Interesting to see how he fairs this year without Johnson Jr. - His been turnover prone in the past on road

12. Tyrod Taylor - This is interesting, could be anybody at QB by week 12 in Buffalo - could be tough on the road regardless

13. Paxton Lynch - Again, this is interesting, could be anybody at week 13 with Denver at home

14. Teddy Bridgewater - He's a safe QB - By Week 14 his game could be different than what we've seen here at home

15. Brock Osweiler - Again, not sure yet this time on the road

16. Marcus Mariota - Again, this time at home

17. Andrew Luck - We play them basically twice this year away from our true home - Could be swept by a healthy Luck clots team

 

 

Looking through the above QBs. Without training camp, pre-season play, etc. I see our defense breaking down in these kinds of groups. 

 

QB's who will give this defense trouble for certain:

Aaron Rodgers

Philip Rivers 

Andrew Luck x2

Joe Flacco

Alex Smith 

 

QB's who could have a good game or a really bad game for certain:

Jay Cutler

Matthew Stafford 

Derek Carr

Teddy Bridgewater

Brock Osweiler x2 

 

QB's who could struggle for certain and should struggle:

Marucs Mariota x2

Denver's QB

Buffalo's QB

 

 

This year's schedule offers a WIDE spectrum for our young defense to prove itself. You're getting five quarterbacks with proven play-off records, statistics and game breaking abilities. You're getting another batch of young quarterbacks with limited experience but big play ability like Mariota, Bridgewater and Carr. And then you're getting guys like Cutler and Stafford who can be really, really good or really, really bad based on their history. And then you're getting relatively unknown situations with Denver and Buffalo. So it's a healthy up and down test this year for a young defense.