Jake Delhomme’s Profile at Pro-Football-Reference

Ba Ba Booby

Quick, what was more pathetic?  Gary Dell-Abate, a.k.a. "Ba Ba Booey"'s, a.k.a. "Fah Fah Foe-hi"'s first pitch at the Mets home-game on May 9^th, 2009, or Delhomme's 5 INTs, one fumble, and 39 QB-rating in a playoff loss to Arizona.  Before you answer, you need to watch this:

We didn't know Booey was female. 

15 TDs and 12 INTs on the season.  Ranked 2^nd in the NFL in INTs per attempt.  Five INTs, a fumble, and a 39.1 QB rating in a playoff loss to Arizona.  What would you guess this should net you in the NFL ranks?  A boot in your ass?  A black-ball?  How about a FIVE-YEAR contract extension with $20 million in guarantees!

They'd have been better off paying the REAL Jake the Snake this cash and let him put them out of their misery with one awe-inspiring... DDT.

It's sad to see the Snake administering the DDT in what looks to be an arena smaller than a high school gym.  The 2008 movie "The Wrestler" is supposed to be loosely based on the Snake's life after the limelight.  So sad.

Old and In the Way

The Panthers made their first playoff appearance last year since 2005, and even though both teams were led by Jake Delhomme, these were two very different teams.  Back in '05, Jake was still known to be a clutch performer, able to make spectacular plays and pull seemingly impossible wins out of nowhere.  Four years later, that player is nowhere to be found and instead, the Panthers are basically handing the ball off two out of every three plays behind one of the best offensive lines in the league.

2008

Delhomme had built his career based on being a decent QB, but also one that can deliver in the clutch.  In a situation which he used to thrive, however, he failed miserably.  In their first game of the playoffs, at home in Bank of America stadium, on Jake's 34th birthday no less, he personally delivered six turnovers (5 INTs, 1 Fumble) en route to one of the most disappointing losses in franchise history.  The five INTs he tossed up that game marked a career high, surpassing his previous high of four INTs earlier in 2008 against the lowly Oakland Raiders.

2009 Fantasy Outlook

The contract the Panthers offered Jake was driven largely by the need to free up cap space.  He was slated to cost them $10 million against the cap in 2009, and that was simply a number they could not accept.  They were not ready to cut him either, as they had no money to lure even a decent free agent - not that there was one on the open market this year.  Jeff Garcia is not an improvement over Delhomme.  Neither is Sage Rosenfels.

The Panthers are not attempting enough passes to warrant the consideration of Delhomme as a fantasy starter, and even if they were, his age and that gimpy elbow of his has us wondering how much longer he can go.  He makes a good back-up QB on draft day - barely.