Fred Bowen's "The Score" column,
October 19, 2007, Washington Post

Checking Up on Jason Campbell

After five games I'm not sure if the Washington Redskins are going to make the National Football League playoffs. But I am sure the Skins finally have a good quarterback -- Jason Campbell.

Lots of kids who love football dream about being a quarterback. And why not? Quarterbacks, including Peyton Manning of the Indianapolis Colts and Tom Brady of the New England Patriots, are the heroes of the NFL. They are in television ads and on magazine covers.

Quarterback is a tough position. Not everyone can make the grade. Still, if you made a checklist of what is needed to be a terrific NFL quarterback, Campbell would have everything checked off.

Strong arm. If a quarterback can't throw the ball down the field, the defense will bunch closer to the line of scrimmage and make it harder for the offense to run the ball and throw passes. Campbell has a super-strong arm and can fling a football more than 70 yards.

Accuracy. Quarterbacks sometimes need to thread the ball into spaces no bigger than a computer screen. Campbell is getting better in this department. He has completed more than 58 percent of his passes this season (compared with 53 percent last year). His numbers would be even better if Redskins receivers hadn't dropped so many passes Sunday against the Green Bay Packers.

Ability to move. A quarterback doesn't have to be able to run like super running back Adrian Peterson of the Minnesota Vikings, but he has to be quick enough to avoid pass rushers. Campbell is plenty fast. He ran for a touchdown Sunday, and he almost caught Charles Woodson from behind when the Packers cornerback returned a Redskins fumble for a touchdown.

Smarts. Quarterbacks must memorize hundreds of plays -- the Redskins' playbook is 700 pages -- and know where every player is on the field at all times. I don't know what kind of grades Campbell earned at Auburn University, but he seems to know what he's doing on the football field. He is learning and getting better every week.

Ability to be cool. That doesn't mean wearing the latest shoes and sunglasses. A quarterback has to stay calm during pressure-packed moments in the game. Watch Campbell at FedEx Field this Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals. He never seems to get overly excited, angry or nervous.

Leadership. Everything else on this list won't count for much if a quarterback's teammates don't believe in him. The quarterback has to be the leader of the offense -- the whole team, really. From the way the Redskins talk after games and act on the field, they believe Campbell can make them all winners.

The Redskins have plenty of problems. The offensive line is beat up, receivers keep dropping passes, and Coach Joe Gibbs calls time at crazy moments.

But the Redskins have solved one problem: They've got a quarterback.

Fred Bowen writes KidsPost's sports opinion column and is an author of sports novels for kids.

© 2007 The Washington Post Company