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This story appears in ESPN The Magazines November 14 Pain Issue. Subscribe today!NFL ratings are down in 2016, and everybody is looking for an explanation. Plenty of theories have been cited: an exhausting election is drawing viewers; off-field incidents and the NFLs treatment of head injuries have sullied the leagues rep; and Thursday night games give us ill-prepared teams, adding to the idea that the NFL TV schedule in general is spread too thin.The other theory bandied about: ugly football. The quality of the game being played in the NFL right now simply isnt very good, the argument goes, and that starts with disappointing performances at quarterback. Is QB play in decline? Is the league getting sloppier because young guys like Dak Prescott, Carson Wentz, Jameis Winston and others are asked to play right away?Im skeptical.In fact, the evidence says quarterbacks are actually as good as theyve ever been. Really. And contrary to popular narrative, the position hasnt gotten easier to play.Quarterbacks are being asked to do more than ever before. Many are sent to the line with two plays and then kill one based on their pre-snap read. Others wait until after the snap to pick their play with a run-pass option. They also navigate far more complex defenses after the snap, with defensive backs disguising their coverages and pattern-matching instead of dropping into simple zones or man coverage. Theyre facing more complex blitzes too, from defenders who are bigger, faster and stronger than ever.On this alone, you would expect a decline in quarterback numbers, but the opposite is true. QBs -- and offenses as a whole -- are more productive and efficient than ever before.Take the Dolphins Ryan Tannehill. He might be the poster child for the disappointing quarterback of the modern era: a mobile QB with arm strength who struggles to turn those tools into consistent above-average play. Hes the guy who, after being drafted eighth in 2012, started too soon and never lived up to the hype -- but he still managed to get a four-year, $77 million extension from Miami in 2015. Even Dolphins fans would argue that hes frustrating, right?Heres the thing: In any other era, Tannehill would qualify as a superstar. In his 2015 season, widely regarded as a disappointment, Tannehill completed 61.9 percent of his passes with a 2.0 percent interception rate, ranking 21st and 15th in the league, respectively. Those same numbers in 1985? Theyd rank first and second.And keep in mind that Tannehill threw the ball 586 times last year-an impressive volume in any season. A quarterback with those statistics and that volume would have been a star in years past, and thats without getting into the value Tannehill contributes as a runner. Whats below average today would have been above average just 10 years ago and worthy of Pro Bowl consideration in the 1970s and 80s. If you think the 1985 Bears epitomized a golden age of NFL football, think again.Now, I hear you countering: But its obviously easier to pass in todays NFL than ever before. Its true that teams today are throwing shorter passes, which puts an increased amount of pressure on receivers to make plays after the catch. Thats fair. But while we dont have data on air yards (the distance a ball travels before being caught or falling incomplete) going back to the 20th century, ESPN Stats & Information did start tracking it as of 2006, and across the board, regardless of throw distance, quarterbacks completed passes more often and threw interceptions less frequently in 2015 than they did in 2006.And what about that sloppy play? We often hear about all the turnovers. Watch NFL RedZone on Sunday and its one after the other. We see footballs being thrown to a defender without a receiver in the vicinity. We see bad snaps and crippling red zone fumbles. But a declining level of play should mean more turnovers, and again, if you look at the league over time, turnovers of every sort decrease as you get closer to the modern game: A turnover rate of 3.9 percent in 1975 dropped to 3.0 in 1995 and was down to 2.3 percent last year.The anecdotal side of the argument says, Well, if its not bad QB play or more sloppy play, its about the talent coming in. These kids arent ready to play! Sorry, but the idea that colleges arent preparing players like they did in the past is absurd.If colleges were really unhelpful, how could rookie quarterbacks like Wentz and Prescott come into the NFL and excel almost immediately while looking like seasoned veterans? Prescott isnt just winning in Dallas; through Week 9, he ranks third overall in Total QBR at 81.3, behind two MVP candidates (Tom Brady and Matt Ryan). Wentz in Philly? Hes completing 66 percent of his passes -- and he came out of North Dakota State, which is further evidence that NFL quarterbacks can be found all over the place, not just at top schools. Thats not a new phenomenon, of course. Its just a reminder that theres no QB crisis at any level.The QBs arent the only rookies playing well: Cowboys halfback Ezekiel Elliott, Jaguars corner Jalen Ramsey and Titans right tackle Jack Conklin have been among the best players at their respective positions in 2016. Coaches around the league have argued that the schemes being run in college football dont fit their pro standards, but that ignores how teams like the Patriots and Seahawks have successfully integrated concepts into their offenses rather than relying on crafting offenses around their players strengths.Think about it: If teams around the NFL really believed that the quarterbacks coming into the league werent up to the rigors of the professional game, we would see these organizations prefer veteran options like Josh McCown and Chase Daniel in free agency and decline to take passers at the top of the draft. And yet, since the new CBA and rookie scale were enacted for the 2011 draft, eight of the 18 players taken in the top three have been quarterbacks, including each of the top two picks in the past two drafts.Theres scant evidence of a drop in the quality of quarterback play. So why are we having a debate about declining performance around the league?The reality is that we see more football now. Weve had access to Sunday Ticket for a while, but the addition of an oft-mediocre Thursday night game presents a disappointing product on national TV. The addition of RedZone doesnt just mean you see every touchdown, it means you see every turnover. Sometimes twice. Just 20 years ago wed get our game, then maybe Troy Aikman vs. Steve Young in the national broadcast. Of course the NFL looked better when networks picked out the best matchups and you couldnt just flip over to see Jacksonville.The league knows it too. As recently as 2011, the NFL was reticent to share the All-22 coaching film that goes out to teams and officials for analysis, with former Texans and Redskins general manager Charley Casserly worrying that it would be used to draw inaccurate conclusions. That tape was made available to the public the following year.The idea that modern athletes are somehow less schooled in the fundamentals is one we hear repeated in every sport, with no real evidence to back it up. But in the NFL, the complaints that quarterbacking is worse now than ever and that young QBs arent prepared dont just fall flat -- the numbers show the opposite to be true. There are plenty of reasons NFL ratings might be declining. Inferior quarterback play is not one of them. Nick Foles Youth Jersey .J. -- New York Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz will miss the rest of the season after having surgery on his left knee. Herman Edwards Youth Jersey . PETERSBURG, Fla. http://www.theeaglesshoponline.com/Youth-Wilbert-Montgomery-Eagles-Jersey/ . -- Gus Malzahn finally had his day in Fayetteville. Dallas Goedert Youth Jersey . "Four now," Carl Gunnarsson told the Leaf Report proudly following a 5-2 victory over New York on Tuesday night, the clubs fifth straight at home. Shareef Miller Jersey . With Parker having a quiet game for once, Nicolas Batum and Boris Diaw provided the scoring as France won its first major basketball title by beating Lithuania 80-66 on Sunday. It was a victory that ended a decade of frustration for Parker and a talented French generation, which lost the final against Spain two years ago and took bronze in 2005. SAN ANTONIO -- The touchdowns came more easily back home in the desert. Down in Texas, the Arizona State Sun Devils found themselves in a grinder where every yard and score was tough to earn.Kalen Ballage scored on a 2-yard run with 3:15 to play and Arizona State rallied from 16 points down in the second half for a rugged 32-28 win over Texas-San Antonio on Friday night.Heavy favorites against a Conference USA program still in its infancy, the Sun Devils found themselves down early and fighting from behind nearly the entire game a week after putting up 68 points in a win over Texas Tech.Never give up, Arizona State linebacker DJ Calhoun said, adding his team was probably a bit cocky after its previous win. We came in here thinking we could just run past this team. We fought. Never give up.Arizona State scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns. Ballage, who tied an NCAA record with eight touchdowns against Texas Tech, capped the rally when he took a direct snap and powered over the goal line. The touchdown was set up by a defensive pass interference penalty on third down one play earlier.Zane Gonzalez kicked four field goals, including two from 54 yards, for Arizona State (3-0) and became the Pac-12 career scoring leader.Manny Wilkins passed for 264 yards and two touchdowns for the Sun Devils. Wilkins threw a 27-yard score to NKeal Harry with 3 seconds left in the first half. His 45-yard pass to Frederick Gammage in the fourth quarter cut the UTSA lead to 28-25.Wilkins shook off what looked like a ferocious hit in the first quarter and didnt miss a play.I dont ever sit on the floor, Wilkins. Im going to get up and go to the next play. Ive got a fighters mentality.Dalton Sturm passed for 229 yards and three touchdowns for UTSA (1-2). He also ran for 82 yards, including a 34-yard touchdown in the third quarter that had the Roadrunners thinking about a program-changing upset.Proud of the effort we had,, Sturm said.dddddddddddd But I felt like everybody else in the locker room: It hurts.THE TAKEAWAYARIZONA STATE: It was a victorious but ragged trip home for coach Todd Graham. The Sun Devils found themselves with a lingering hangover after their touchdown party in the desert last week. The points were much tougher to come by in the Alamodome as the Sun Devils were plagued by turnovers and drives that stalled and settled for field goals. Kalen Ballage produced little against the Roadrunners until the game-winning drive and even set up a Roadrunners touchdown with a fumbled punt return.That was as hard of a win as weve had, Graham said. We showed a lot of youth and made a lot of youthful mistakes.UTSA: If one game can be a confidence builder and a crusher, this is it. The Roadrunners are playing just their sixth season of football and punched above their weight for nearly four quarters, but couldnt hold on against an opponent from a Power 5 conference. First-year coach Frank Wilson will ache about letting this one get away, but at least he found the quarterback that should lead the Roadrunners into their Conference USA schedule.We believe we can play with anybody in the country, UTSA safety Michael Egwuagu said. We believed that coming in and we believe it after.UP NEXTARIZONA STATE: The Sun Devils start Pac-12 play at home against California on Sept. 24.UTSA: The Roadrunners play at Old Dominion on Sept. 24 to start their Conference USA schedule.DEFENSIVE CRACKDOWNAfter a 92-yard touchdown drive to start the third quarter, the Roadrunners gained just 51 yards the rest of the half. Arizona States defense allowed only one first down over UTSAs final five possessions.FINAL WORDIm as happy as Ive been after a win, Graham said. All that matters is we found a way to do it. ' ' '