JaMarcus Russell in the West, Joe Flacco in the East, Matt Ryan in the South and Aaron Rodgers in the North. The youth movement is in full bloom.
More and more, teams are relying on young, inexperienced quarterbacks.
Yet it remains unclear: Is it better for a quarterback to learn as the understudy to a veteran for at least one season or to learn as he goes?
Sunday's game at the Coliseum presents a clash of theories as Raiders second-year quarterback JaMarcus Russell and Atlanta Falcons rookie Matt Ryan square off.
"I know some people think that it's a big debate as far as starting a rookie quarterback, sit him and let him learn standing on the sideline,"
Falcons Coach Mike Smith said Wednesday, "or do you play him?"
Proponents of the latter theory cite the success of Dan Marino and Ben Roethlisberger as rookies. Others counter with the abysmal showings of David Carr and Alex Smith.
Former Raiders coach Lane Kiffin faced a similar situation last season. Russell made it a non-issue by missing training camp and the first week of the season while engaged in contract negotiations.
As a result, Russell appeared in only four games, including one start. He has started all seven games this season.
Smith took a wait-and-see approach with Ryan, the third pick of this year's NFL draft. In April, Ryan was one of four quarterbacks competing for the starting job.
"It really became apparent for us as a coaching staff the second preseason game that we were going to name Matt our starter,"
Smith said. "We had clarity at that point that he gave us the best opportunity to win."
The Raiders lost to Flacco and the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday. Flacco is the only other rookie quarterback who has started every game this season.
Russell and Rodgers represent the sizable class of players who spent time learning the nuances of the NFL on the practice field, in meeting rooms and watching videotape. Their play this season does little to clear up whether they benefited more from waiting.
Rodgers threw only 59 passes in mop-up duty his first three seasons with Green Bay. He spent most of his time learning under Brett Favre.
Rodgers has completed 65.6 percent of his passes this season, throwing for three times as many touchdowns as interceptions, and his passer rating is 98.8. Russell's 50.3 completion percentage is higher than only two regular starters, his 18 sacks are tied for fifth most, and his 74.4 passer rating is in the bottom fourth of the league.
Even so, Smith — a Jacksonville assistant last year — said he notices the progress Russell has made since the Jaguars faced the Raiders late last season.
"I've seen marked improvement,"
Smith said. "It has been steadily up from what I've seen. He's going to be a great quarterback in this league."
Many believe that Ryan is a superstar in the making. He is already drawing comparisons to Indianapolis quarterback Peyton Manning for his poise, strong arm and leadership skills.
"He's ahead of where he should be,"
Raiders receiver Javon Walker said, adding that Russell is making similar strides.
Raiders Coach Tom Cable said he sees merit in both approaches when it comes to developing a young quarterback. The Falcons made the right call on Ryan.
"They're doing it right,"
Cable said. "They're giving it to him as he can handle it. The most impressive thing about him that I've seen is his poise and his ability to throw on the run. They are doing a nice job of not overdoing it."
