MVN: Most Valuable Network

This week, we examine efforts by second opportunity head coaches in losing seasons, call into question the franchise QB label for some AFC passers, and try to figure out just what the heck is wrong with the Chargers.  This is your weekly look at the NFL stock market on MVN Outsider!

Risers

Player: QB Joe Flacco, Baltimore Ravens
At it's most basic levels, football analysts will question whether or not a team's quarterback has what it takes to be the passer the franchise needs.  Coming out of Delaware, there were significant questions surrounding Joe Flacco, whether or not he was able to milk enough experience out of his three years at Delaware to compete in the NFL, why Pitt gave up on him so fast if he was indeed an NFL prospect, and yes, why his team wasn't competitive against App State in the DI FCS Championship Game.  If Flacco hasn't yet established himself as a franchise quarterback, he has at least made the rest of the debate a bunch of semantics.  Flacco has shown no signs of struggling to transition to the pro game, helping to revitalize the end of WR Derrick Mason's career in the process.

Team: Houston Texans
It's that time of the year again!  It's time for the Texans to make all the football analysts see great things for them in their future.  How could you not be impressed by the Texans' performance last night?  Well, for one, you probably didn't see the game.  That's understandable.  The now 5-7 Texans could play like the 07 Patriots down the stretch, winning each of it's final four games by a 4 TD margin, and still wouldn't have any realistic chance to play in January, considering that they hold neither head to head tiebreaker against the current wild card leaders, Baltimore and Indianapolis (thanks, Sage).  Still with QB Matt Schaub on the mend, and the Texans' corners playing much better football, the Texans will be at full strength this season for the first time in December, and perhaps we will see a glimpse of the team we all thought we would see in September.

Head Coach: Herm Edwards, Kansas City

I'm very impressed by coach Herm's acceptance to turn the reins of the offense over to Chan Gailey and run what appears to be a college offense, a pistol/spread combination.  It's creating favorable matchups for a severely undermanned Chiefs offense.  Admittedly, there is a risk for failure here if the Chiefs assume that QB Tyler Thigpen would be good in any offense simply because he's good in this one.  With that said, the defense is the reason this team is 2-10, but as the overseer, it's Edwards that deserves credit for making the team competitive and pulling the strings to keep this team playing hard.  In my opinion, Edwards has earned his job for next season despite winning only 1/6 of his games.

Fallers

Player: QB David Garrard, Jacksonville Jaguars
Knowing full well that Garrard isn't getting any serious protection from his offensive line, is it time to potentially consider that he's not the Jags' franchise quarterback?  Garrard is a sound decision-maker, who fought through Chrone's disease to play at an MVP level in 2007.  He appeared to earn the title of QB of the future, but this year, the Jags sit at 4-8, and Garrard has gotten worse as the year went on.  I have no doubt that if you put a better offensive line in front of Garrard that the production will return, but the Jaguars might entertain the thought this off-season that they could do better, and use a draft pick on a quarterback.  Either way, with the lack of depth at the position for Jacksonville, it would not be a bad idea to bring someone in to compete.

Team: San Diego Chargers
Okay, so it's generally accepted that the Chargers are a good team that got screwed by some lousy officiating and weird flukes and lost a few games they should have won.  But, what I'm wondering is, what ever happened to the passing offense?  Where are those game-breaking plays that Phillip Rivers was making earlier in the season?  Instead of continuing the high level of play that made me think they would contend for the super bowl at the start of the season with the tough losses, the Chargers have come out of the bye week, and have looked more like a 4-8 team than a team that should be 8-4.  At this point, the offense can't put it on the feet of the defense anymore because the offense is turning the ball over, and isn't scoring points.  4-0 saves their season and likely gets them into the playoffs, but even one little slip-up the rest of the way and the Chargers become the biggest disappointment of the season, surpassing the Seahawks.

Head Coach:  Dick Jauron, Buffalo Bills
The collapse in Buffalo is not Jauron's fault, I don't think.  But the Bills need someone to pull them out of this tailspin, and Jauron has simply not shown that ability.  He is not responsible for the lack of depth on both sides of the ball that is causing this team to collapse again, much like he wasn't responsible for the 4-0 start.  In December, I think he has to beat all of the teams that owner Ralph Wilson expects him to beat, or Jauron will not be retained at seasons' end.