QB Durability: The Happening

It's no secret that most of the nation is telling us we've got to be concerned about Denard's durability.  "QB's just can't take that number of carries and the hits that come along with them and stay healthy", is the usual line we've been hearing.  While I agree that QB durability is a concern, to me, it's no more of a concern than for a team whose QB stands in the pocket all day long.

Here's where I have to disagree with all the people who see his carries numbers each week and fire off some rambling echoing comment about inevitable injuries.

DRob is not your average QB.  No, I'm not talking about his got-here-before-I-got-here speed, or his super nova bright smile, or his unbelievable humility.  I'm talking about how his carries are obtained, and how his hits are taken.

Your average stationary QB will take most of his hits in the pocket and a few of them while running for his life.  Of the hits taken in the pocket, most of them will be taken without any warning and usually with at least a moderately forceful tackle.  This is why QB durability is even a topic in today's football conversations.  Then, we look at carries and hits.  The higher the carries and the more the hits a QB in this conversation takes, the more likely he is to come down with some kind of season affecting injury.  So people see his carries, and the number of hits he's taking and they automatically put him in the "high risk" bracket for getting sidelined at some point.

Here's what they aren't accounting for:

1)  If we want to count the hits a QB takes in the pocket, DRob is already at an advantage to the stand there and shoot QB.  If a play is busted, and he's taking a hit, someone actually caught him- and we all know that's been rare.  And even those hits are usually someone trying to slide him to the ground before he breaks loose and gains 50 yards.

2) If we want to count the hits a QB takes when he rushes, DRob is clearly at an advantage because of his speed, his cutting ability, his running vision, and his mentality as a runner (looks like a HB).  If a defender is hitting him and actually brining him down, they're hanging on to his leg or his waist (Manti Te'o in Heisman-like photo).  This is because they can't commit to a huge hitting tackle the way they can against a target that moves slowly enough to zero in on.  How many times has a defender given him a hit that everyone gasped at? None.  And this trend is likely to continue based on the abilities listed above.

3) The hits he actually does take when he's rushing are taken just like a RB would take them.  He's never a dear in the headlights or a car that couldn't stop soon enough to not get hit by that semi. 

4)  The kid is tough.  Period.

So if he's taking any more hits than a typical QB would take, it can't be that much more.  He takes less hits in the pocket, his hits downfield are never huge hits, the hits he does take downfield are braced for and slippery like most RB's/HB's, and the kid is tough as nails.

We don't hear the media fretting each week about the durability of every star RB in the nation.

So why do we hear it about DRob every five seconds?

Is it because they just need something to say/write about other than, "Denard Robinson is fast!!!"?

Is there a faction of people out there who want to be right more than they want to see a humble kid tear it up all year?

Mathlete (or someone else with numbers skills and access to some stats)- I’d love to see some numbers behind this…general categories like hits taken in the pocket, hits taken rushing, big hits, unexpected hits, etc.