The Harrington Family Foundation

By KERRY EGGERS
As the final seconds wound down, Joey Harrington sought out many of his teammates, giving each a "nice job" or a pat on the fanny. After the final horn sounded, he walked across the field at 3Com Park to share a handshake and a hug with Jed Weaver, a former University of Oregon teammate.
   
Weaver is a tight end for the San Francisco 49ers. Harrington is the quarterback for the Detroit Lions. Weaver's team won 24-17.
   
For now, the Lions are losers, and the future is what Harrington has to hold on to. After a rookie season in which he had the poorest quarterback efficiency rating among starters in the NFL, the former Central Catholic and Oregon standout is moving along in the maturation process. The Lions, 2-14 a year ago, are 1-4 and probably aren't going to make the playoffs.
   
But Harrington provides hope.
   
In Sunday's loss to the 49ers, the best combination quarterback-pianist on the planet completed 19 of 35 passes for 200 yards and a touchdown. After a forgettable start -- San Francisco led 17-0 early in the second quarter -- the Lions made it a game, and their second-year QB was a big part of it.
   
Yet there were moments to give those on the Joey bandwagon pause.
   
On the second play from scrimmage, his pass over the middle was right on target
to San Francisco cornerback Ahmed Plummer, whose interception set up the 49ers' first touchdown.
   
Another poorly thrown ball, with Detroit down 17-0 and reeling, was tipped in the air into the hands of Lion tight end Mikhael Ricks, who turned it into a 37 yard reception to give his team life.
   
Late in the third period, with the Lions trailing only 17-10 and facing fourth-and two on the San Francisco 35, Harrington made the mistake of throwing into double coverage. Safety Tony Parrish picked it off, and his return to the Detroit 38 set up the 49ers' game-winning score.
   
"He's a good young quarterback, but he is what he is," Parrish says. "He's in his second year. We attacked his game conceptually. There were a couple of things he likes to do that we were familiar with and that are easy to read. But he's definitely going to get better, and I believe he's going to do well in this league."
   
That was the majority opinion in the San Francisco locker room.
   
"I like him a lot," San Francisco coach Dennis Erickson says. "For an NFL quarterback, it's undeniably a learning process. Some guys who have been in the league a long time don't ever get it. Joey will. He has a chance to become a big time player in this league."
   
Harrington's numbers still rank among the lowest in the league for a starting QB. He has connected on only 51.7 percent of his passes (101 for 195) for 1,020 yards and seven TDs with eight interceptions.
   
But he's playing on a shaky team, and his top receiver is rookie Charles Rogers, who is going through a learning process of his own.
   
None other than Bill Walsh, one of the greatest authorities on quarterbacks in NFL history, gives his approval.
   
"He's going to get better and better and better," says the coaching legend, now a consultant for the 49ers. "You won't see the real Joey for about three years. It's just not going to happen. Young quarterbacks have to play."
   
Harrington started poorly Sunday along with his teammates, completing one of three passes for 9 yards with an interception in the first quarter. He gathered steam in the second period and found a groove in the third, mostly with short passes, dump-offs and screens. But he also went downfield to Rogers and Ricks, the latter a 17-yarder under pressure that set up the Lions' final TD.
   
"He's a pretty good young quarterback," San Francisco defensive end Andre Carter says. "He does some things really well. He seems very confident back in the pocket for a second-year guy. He has a bright future ahead of him."
   
The 6-4, 220-pound Harrington is one of the best in the league in one department: avoiding sacks. He's been sacked only three times this season and avoided the 49er pass rush all day. He was sacked just eight times last season and is on pace to set an NFL career record in fewest-sacks percentage.
 
 First-year coach Steve Mariucci should be a benefit in bringing Harrington along, too.
   
"Joey has a great opportunity," says San Francisco offensive tackle Scott Gragg, a veteran starter from Silverton. "Mariucci has coached a lot of good quarterbacks. Harrington will be a good student and a great QB for a long time. I'm just glad we got to play him while he was still learning."
   
For now, the refrain "good young quarterback" rings strong. Someday soon, Harrington hopes to wipe the "young" from such nomenclature.