Is Kevin Kolb really better than Derek Anderson?

The headline is not funny and nobody’s laughing, but it’s
worth noting that through five games last season the
Arizona Cardinals were 3-2 with wins over the Rams,
Raiders and Saints, and this was with Derek Anderson and
Max Hall leading the way.

At 1-4 this year, their struggles have caused many to
wonder what exactly the problem is. Naturally, people
focus on the QB, in this case Kevin Kolb.

According to ESPN.com’s Mike Sando, the network’s
Quarterback Rating System ranked Kolb’s performance
against the Vikings as the second-worst in the NFL, ahead
of only Denver’s Kyle Orton.

For the season, the Cardinals’ new signal caller has
completed 58.7 percent of his passes, throwing five
touchdowns and six interceptions. He’s lost five fumbles.

Even though Kolb’s passing numbers outshine those his
predecessors posted in 2010, his overall QBR is only
slightly better. The team has actually gone backward at
the position in terms of the costliness of interceptions
and fumbles.

Now, most Cardinals fans will tell you they’d rather have
Kolb under center than anyone the team used last season,
and if anyone is pining for last year’s passers a medical
exam may be in order.

However, while Kolb certainly looks less-awful than his
predecessors, the fact of the matter is his marginally
better statistics are not leading to more wins for the
team, and his numbers have decreased each week since the
opener.

There is still time for the QB to turn things around and,
unlike with both Anderson and Hall, it’s not a stretch to
assume he will.

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