Whatever happened to back-up QB's who actually played in games??
Maywood
Posts: 2,086 ✭✭✭✭✭
So far in 2023 there have been six season-ending injuries to starting QB's: Joe Burrow, Anthony Richardson, Deshaun Watson, Aaron Rodgers, Kirk Cousins, and Daniel Jones. Another group of QB's have missed at least one start due to an injury: Kyler Murray, Bryce Young, Jimmy Garoppolo, Justin Fields, Tyrod Taylor, Matthew Stafford, Ryan Tannehill. I was just checking on tonight's game and apparently Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen are both sub-par but will nonetheless be starting.
That's all pretty incredible to me.
I had mentioned several weeks ago that in one particular week eight games were decided either by a score as time was expiring or an Int, fully half of the games played that week. It sounds weird but as a fan it seems that it is quite exactly what the NFL wants, games that keep all fans interested till time expires. There's a casualty to all that and it seems that it might be back-up QB's because they never get to play.
My memories are of teams having suitable QB's on the bench who routinely saw maybe five minutes of play at the end of several games each season. Teams and fans knew what they could do, knew how they performed under game conditions. That's a faint memory now. The veteran QB's used to be the back-up but now it's young draft picks who aren't good enough to start and who never really get tested. Aside from the QB position I can't think of any other group of players on a team that don't regularly see the game and who aren't really prepared to play.
Is this the new NFL for good??
Maywood.
Comments
I agree with ya. Especially If a game is wrapped up, there should be no reason to continue playing the starting QB, or any other key positions.
I been shouting this for years especially watching Brady get hit deep in the 4th quarter of blowout games.
Coaches are morons for the most part, I absolutely run my Madden franchise 100% better than NFL coaches
Generally its the players that dont want to come out, especially the skill guys. The numbers impact awards and career stats which impacts contracts and so on.
The other thing too is any time you let someone play in your spot you risk losing your job. If a backup comes in slinging the ball around next time you have a bad game fans will be wanting the backup which is how you start to lose your job
Missouri 14 OSU 3
And guess what?
It's the coaches job to do what's best for the team
Keeping players happy is good for the team. Unless your stating Oline is going to be replaced as well they want to see the QB in there. They dont want to play in the preseason but do during the season.
If youre just going to go take a knee for a couple minutes sure. If starters are getting pulled then everyone needs to be pulled in professional sports, not sending the message to players we dont value you enough to take you out.
Missouri 14 OSU 3
You can rotate back ups in to your hearts content, you got a 53 man roster and can protect the most important pieces,,this is a business not a high school team where coaches need to deal with feelings.
Your being paid to do what the coaches tell you to do.
You dont have to deal with feelings in HS, you just cut them or bench them with few expections. These are grown men making millions that are more important than the coach. In HS you can do things like that, in the NFL youre managing happiness much more and dont have that kind of leverage. Brady left the Pats because Bill acts like a HS coach.
The whole do what youre told because I said so ends in HS.
Missouri 14 OSU 3
Oh really? My friend is the AD of a large High School and the biggest problems are dealing with parents and making sure the kids are experiencing a team building atmosphere where everyone's happiness and growth comes before everything else, as a matter of fact wins are the least concern as long as the kids are given an opportunity to grow and learn about character, integrity and leadership.
In pro sports it's a business first, everyone knows this, if a guy doesn't play hard or gives 100% effort and brings a team first attitude he will be cut or benched and that costs the player money, these athletes take more plays off over minor injuries because they don't want to further hurt themselves because again it will cost them money.
Trust me if a stud player is told to take a quarter off because the game is out of hand he will be happy to rest and reciperate so he is more ready to perform when it counts, and his paycheck is just as fat.
We are not talking about taking a guys starter status away here, we are talking about taking a franchise caliber player out of a blow out for the better of the team, a healthy rested player is a good player
AD and coach is different. Yea I know the HS coaching can be a nightmare with parents, I left coaching HS because of it. You can find ways around it, but it also varies drastically from school to school. Thats not how things are working at IMG, Mater Dei or other top HS programs that not only put a lot of guys in college but put a ton of guys in the NFL as well for a single HS.
Numbers matter. Sitting out a pro bowl sure, but if they miss an incentive by a minuscule margin because they sat out a quarter thats an issue.
Pro sports are definitely a business first and that goes both ways. Teams generally have no loyalty to players and players are looking to maximize their earnings while they can.
I know youre not talking about taking a guys starter status away, but it can lead to that any time you let someone else play for you. Farve had Rodgers behind him and got pushed out, Foles, Purdy, Brady and so on. Not every situation was the same, but anytime someone else gets that chance you might be done for especially in a sport like the NFL where the average career is shorter than other major sports
Missouri 14 OSU 3
@Basebal21
I know guys want to play for sure but putting in backups for mop up duty is a move I fully support and would stand by it as a coach.
Communication is everything,
I would make it crystal clear the reasons for protecting my players before training camp got through,
A blowout game is usually back up running back plays so a few serious with 2nd string guys doesn't really give guys a lot of time to step up and take someone's job
Back up RBs and really even starting RBs arent really valued much anymore. Its unfortunate for them but its the easiest position to find someone competent and can turn it over the most.
The player position would matter and what they want. A first year or two QB you could do that, an elite QB thats been around if they dont want to come out they wont come out.
Personally I would get rid of the whole kneeling thing. Thats a waste of everyones time if you can run out the clock there should be an option to just say game over.
Missouri 14 OSU 3
HOT TAKE
i blame idiotic fantasy sports.
to clarify I mean the official multi-million dollar kind , the old kind wasnt a problem
i also blame idiotic legal sports betting , i'm fine with bookies
@bronco2078 is on to something.
every aspect has been captured by legal gambling now
again no issue with betting , as long as its the illegal kind
they can take thier $150 in bonus bets that expire in 7 days and shove them where the sun dont shine
And yet another starting QB goes down as Justin Herbert has a fractured index finger on his throwing hand. I have no idea who their back-up is or if he's ever played in a game.
Does the name Easton Stick ring a bell??
Honest, I didn't make that up.
It's not like the Chargers can do any worse, they are a terrible football team
Chargers always gonna be Chargers.
Here in Minnesota, we seemed to find a back up QB who had some talent running with the ball and winning games.
His first pass was right to a defender, who dropped it, Dobbs threw into coverage constantly, but his running ability helped us win two games.
Suddenly, he's trying to be Kirk Cousins, standing in the pocket like a statue and the offense does nothing for three games.
Now he's benched.
whatever happened to ...................
stupid fullhouse theme stuck in my head now