Ivy leaguer leads Rams

[ChickenMan]

I know there has been a lot of trashing by many here relative to the quality of football played by the Ivy and Patriot Leagues... but having seen some of the top teams from those leagues play... I always knew better. A lot of people questioned Harvard's lofty rankings last year when they were led to a 10-0 season by QB Ryan Fitzpatrick. Yesterday that Harvard grad led the St Louis Rams to big comeback win... coming off the bench and throwing for over 300 yrds and 3 TDs to bring St Louis back from a 21 point deficit to a 33-27 OT win over Houston. While the Ivy and Pat Leagues may not be full of Ryan Fitzpatricks... the better programs from those leagues do have quailty players and certainly can compete with the top of I-AA.

[TexasTerror]

Texans gave it away in typical Texans fashion...

Why did MARCUS COLEMAN get an INT on 4th down and fumble it? Was his head in the game? Just knock it down or don't even grab it, TEXANS WIN...

No offense to Fitzpatrick, but he was going against the WORST secondary in the NFL. Definitely showed some flashes, but I'm not going to be completely impressed until he puts up good numbers against another NFL team, not the NFL's "junior varsity" squad...

[PapaBear]

While the Ivy and Pat Leagues may not be full of Ryan Fitzpatricks... the better programs from those leagues do have quailty players and certainly can compete with the top of I-AA.

No question. The biggest difference between I-A and I-AA is the athleticism and size of linemen, not skill players. I-AA skill players are easily the equal of those in I-A. (This is even more true when comparing schollie I-AAs vs I-As, but it also holds up with top-level non-schollies, as you've suggested.)

Granted, you won't see many Reggie Bushes in I-AA. But you won't see them in I-A all that often, either.

Ask any I-AA players who've actually been on the field against I-A competition. My guess is they'll agree.

[colgate13]

No offense to Fitzpatrick, but he was going against the WORST secondary in the NFL. Definitely showed some flashes, but I'm not going to be completely impressed until he puts up good numbers against another NFL team, not the NFL's "junior varsity" squad...

I don't care what team it was against, a rookie from the Ivy league put up numbers against PROFESSIONALS. That's something to be excited about. :nod:

[TexasTerror]

Oh, no doubt about. I was defending Fitzpatrick against Texan fans who were shocked that a Harvard kid could do that. Said he was on a great I-AA team last year...

From the Chronicle (Rams Put Harvard To Good Use):
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/fb/texansfront/3487246.html

[colgate13]

He's getting tons of play on ESPN this morning (at the gym!)

[TexasTerror]

Texan fans should've known this was going to happen...

Texans had NFL Legacy day and had all these guys from the Houston Oilers there, many of whom played on the same team that fell flat on their face to the Bills in that game that we all want to still put behind us...

Honored them at the half, then it was all downhill from there. Go figure! Just made perfect sense...