O' Quarterback, where art thou?

After watching Brad Johnson and Brooks Bollinger compile their own bloopers video on Sunday against the Giants, and with the return of Rex Grossman under center looming in Week 10, it seems a good time to address the ever-increasing importance of strong quarterback play in the NFL.

The league is driven by its signal callers now more than ever, which means solidifying the sport's most high-profile position can change the fortunes of a team rather quickly. With no dominant teams, the onus has fallen on the so-called primadonnas to prevent the fatal mistakes that can - and do - cost teams their seasons.

Look at what Kerry Collins has done for the Titans since replacing Vince Young, who, by the way, handles adversity about as well as Marvin Lewis handles his locker room. Tennessee went from a solid team with a great defense, to Super Bowl front-runner after inserting Collins under center.

You have to go back to Marshall Faulk in the year 2000 to find the last time a top flight running back was the centerpiece of a championship team, and even then the Rams were a pass-first offense. Quarterbacks make or break a team these days and any head coach without a good quarterback is going to be out of a job sooner rather than later.

Not every team can have a Tom Brady or Peyton Manning, and you do not need a Hall of Fame quarterback in order to win a Super Bowl. What NFL teams need in a quarterback is a player who can take ownership of the team. Taking ownership entails earning the confidence of your teammates, which comes from making big plays in big situations. Eli Manning can look like Kyle Boller for three quarters, but in crunch time he comes through for his team. That kind of character makes a championship quarterback; it is not about putting up huge fantasy numbers each week.

Anyone who thought the Vikings were a serious Super Bowl contender at the beginning of the year with Tavaris Jackson at the helm was kidding themselves. Sure Minnesota has a strong defense, but even the '85 Bears 'D' would have a hard time overcoming Jackson's anemic play. The Vikings have since replaced Jackson with Gus Ferrotte, a journeyman who has switched teams more often than Anne Heche. Are your hopes for Tampa rekindled yet, Minnesota? They shouldn't be.

The saving grace for Minnesota, at least in the division, may be the reemergence of Rex Grossman this week. If Grossman's stint as Chicago's starter is not short-lived, he will make the NFC North a two-team race. Unfortunately for Grossman and the rest of Chicago, the Bears will not be one of them.

Collins is one of two elder statesmen getting the job done for his team this year; the other is Kurt Warner. Warner is a perfect example of how making a change at the quarterback position can single-handedly change the fortunes of a team. The 37-year-old took over for Matt Leinart last year and hasn't looked back. Warner is 10-6 in his last 16 starts and sports a 104.2 quarterback rating. Leinart's inability to be anything better than dismal held the Cardinals back last year. Warner's stellar play has vaulted Arizona into a near lock for the playoffs and has turned Leinart into a better candidate for "The Surreal Life" than for a starting quarterback gig.

The NFL is in a stage of parody right now with no flawless teams. With so many teams so closely clumped together, it is going to be the field generals that separate the contenders from the pretenders. People can say quarterbacks wear skirts, but if you are an NFL player, you need a good one on your team if you want to wear a ring.