Q: Will Carson Palmer, who is now fully rehabbed from his knee injury from the 2005 playoffs, play any better than last year? We have waited a long time for a quality quarterback, and last season wasn't as great as his first. Will he play on the same level he did in 2005? Are we finally Super Bowl bound?
--Mike Haun, Cincinnati

A: Although he tailed off a bit in 2006 after his knee surgery, he still ranked sixth in the league in passer efficiency rating and his 28 TD passes were second only to Peyton Manning's 31. So I wouldn't be worried much about him peaking in 2005. He's still definitely on the ascent. What coach Marvin Lewis has to do, besides enforce a curfew, is improve his defense. He's supposed to be a defensive guru, yet his defense ranked 30th in yards and 17th in points given up last year. It never has lived up to Lewis's reputation in his four years on the job. Until it ranks at least in the top half of the league rather than the bottom half, the Bengals don't have a chance.

Q: Brian Griese has come off the bench and outperformed the starting quarterbacks in Tampa and Miami. Why is he not sought after and regarded as a starter somewhere instead of a mere backup to the ineffective Rex Grossman?
--Darrell Olander, Fullerton, Calif.

A: Because when he was a starter in Denver, he looked more suited to the role he is currently playing: excellent backup capable of not only filling in but winning games. Although he might get another chance somewhere and end up as the second coming of Trent Green, Griese is now 32, and teams are looking for younger prospects. Don't be shocked if he gets a chance this year in Chicago.

Q: Do you think Rex Grossman is truly the answer for the Chicago Bears? Can he come back this year and be successful after all the garbage that was written and said about him.
--Tom, Chicago

A: It will be tough — almost unprecedented. The last quarterback to lose his first Super Bowl and come back to win one was John Elway. The record for losing quarterbacks in the Super Bowl is abysmal because as soon as you get there and come in second, nobody truly believes until you win. The pressure becomes greater and greater. In Grossman's case, he played so poorly in the Super Bowl and so much was written beforehand about his inconsistency, that even if he goes 16-0 with the Bears, there will doubters. Until he wins a Super Bowl, there will be second-guessers. It becomes a psychological burden. My doubts about Grossman, however, are more physical than mental. I think he's a tough competitor, a hard-worker, and well-liked by teammates. I question whether he has the physical ability to create in the pocket. When things go well, he's very good. When protection or plays break down, he's lost. Until he demonstrates more creativity, including an occasional run for a first down, I'll wonder.

Q: How are these old, washed-up quarterbacks still finding work? Has the new crop of quarterbacks over the past five years been that bad?
--Dave Branham, Dayton, Ohio

A: It's the toughest position in sports and whether there are 26, 28, or 32 teams, there are never as many qualified, reliable starting quarterbacks as there are jobs available. Add that fact to the desire of most teams to have three on their roster and you can figure out why Vinny Testaverde may still be working at age 50. Next thing you know, Warren Moon will be coming back.

Q: How many losses will it take before the Browns throw Brady Quinn to the wolves?
--Mike, Portland, Ore.

A: How about throwing him to the Rams instead in Week 8, right after the Browns' bye. By then, they will be lucky to be 2-3 and probably going nowhere, so why not target the open week for extra practice and start him on the road in St. Louis?  If it doesn't happen then, it's either because Charlie Frye is surprisingly good or Romeo Crennel is surprisingly scared to pull the trigger. After Week 8, the Browns face Seattle before going on the road to Pittsburgh and Baltimore, no place to break in a new quarterback. So week 12 against Houston followed by a trip to Arizona could be the spot. If the Browns are limping along after midseason with no realistic chance of making the playoffs, they would be silly not to start Quinn at some point. Otherwise, they throw away his rookie season and set the franchise back another year. The very act of drafting him indicated the Browns are already out of love with Frye, so waiting would be counterproductive. If they really want to make a statement, start Quinn on opening day against Cincinnati.

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