The quarterback position is undeniably the most scrutinized position in the NFL. If a team is winning, then the quarterback sits golden. However, when things aren’t looking so pretty and the losses keep pouring in, it is almost always the quarterback who is in the hot seat.
Sometimes it’s deserved criticism, while other times it’s a team effort. The following are six NFL teams that are currently in some early season trouble due to poor quarterback play.
Dallas Cowboys’ backup quarterback needs a backup
The Dallas Cowboys have been rolling the dice with an injury-prone, aging Tony Romo for the past few seasons and were quite lucky up until he sustained a broken clavicle in Week 2.
Since the team has been gambling with Romo, there hasn’t been been much done to prepare for life after the star quarterback. Backup quarterback Brandon Weeden is not the long-term answer by any means, which is clearly evident by the three losses he has recorded since starting.
The Cowboys have Matt Cassel waiting in the wings, but he has been boomeranged all over the NFL the past four seasons and is hardly a source of stability. Unfortunately, while Romo remains sidelined for another several weeks, the Cowboys look doomed to slip further down the rankings in their division. By the time Romo returns, it might be too late to salvage the team.
The Cowboys need to face reality and start the plan in motion to find an eventual replacement for Romo.
Houston Texans forever trying to get it right
Time for another ride on the quarterback carousel in Houston.
From week to week, we are never sure whether we will be watching Brian Hoyer or Ryan Mallett under center for the 1-4 Texans.
In Week 1, Hoyer started but was replaced by Mallett late in the fourth quarter in a loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. The Texans let Mallett start in Week 2, resulting in another loss to the Carolina Panthers.
Week 3, with Mallett still starting, the Texans posted their first win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Once again getting the nod to start in Week 4 was Mallett. However, his inconsistency wore on his coach, and he was yanked third quarter in favor of inserting Hoyer.
Surprisingly, the Texans reverted back to start Mallett in Week 5 and he played until he took a vicious hit in the second quarter. In came Hoyer who threw some impressive touchdowns, which was enough to keep him the rest of the game while a cranky and visually peeved off Mallett fumed on the sidelines.
Someone give this guy a hug or a baby bottle already.
The quarterback revolving door will surely keep swinging throughout the season, as it has in years past when Matt Schaub went downhill. With that said, the Texans, who chose to pass over Derek Carr in the 2014 NFL draft, seriously need to address their dreary quarterback situation.
Jury’s still out on St. Louis Rams quarterback trade
Watching Nick Foles as starter for the 2-3 Rams has been like riding on a roller coaster.
Foles has had some great games mixed along with some real clunkers. He entered Week 5 coming off of a win against the Arizona Cardinals when he completed 66.7 percent of his passes, scored three touchdowns, and went interception-free along the way.
However, with the stinker Foles just posted Sunday against the Green Bay Packers, we’re pretty sure the real quarterback is still in Arizona and the Rams used an impostor in Sunday’s embarrassing 24-10 loss. Foles was horrendous, completing only 36.67 percent of his passes for one touchdown and four atrocious interceptions. He finished the day with an overall quarterback rating of 23.7.
A hot and cold Rams offense looks to be the pattern moving forward. This is the sad state of affairs with a wildly inconsistent Foles under center. On the flip side, it’s not like Sam Bradford is performing at much more of a stellar rate with his new team, either.
San Francisco 49ers and their regressing quarterback
The 49ers’ win against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 1 seems like years ago. Since then, the team has posted four losses in a row, led by struggling quarterback Colin Kaepernick.
Kaepernick has made some dreadfully awful plays since the Week 1 win. Although, there looked to be a glimmer of hope during Sunday Night Football in a close loss to the New York Giants. Kaepernick actually shed his funk and performed with confidence. He threw for two touchdowns and zero picks, which is something that has not occurred since Week 2.
While we can commend, rather than criticize him for his Week 5 performance, it remains a fact that Kaepernick overall has regressed over the past two years.
As it stands, Kaepernick is playing in year-by-year contract from 2015-2020 that contains a de-escalation clause that would cause him to lose a total of $12 million if he isn’t active in 80 percent or more of the team’s snaps and makes it to either All Pro status or a Super Bowl.
Obviously, Kaepernick is under a world of pressure to make improvements. If he doesn’t, then the 49ers could be inclined to cut ties with him so as to begin again with someone new in 2016.
Washington Redskins
Washington appears to be sold on quarterback Kirk Cousins while their expensive 2012 first-round draft pick walks around in street clothes as the third-stringer on clipboard duty.
Washington is 2-3, though, and Cousins has racked up more interceptions than touchdowns (6:5) along the way. A mixed bag of offerings looks to be the trend for what Cousins will produce this year. This was displayed perfectly on Sunday when he looked fantastic until tossing the game-ending pick-six versus the Atlanta Falcons.
Backup quarterback Colt McCoy is hardly a winning option, but he is more consistent. And, how long does Washington intend to maintain RG3 on the payroll? The team can get by with the quarterbacks at hand, it appears. Although, does just “getting by” cut it in the NFL, let alone advance a team to the playoffs?
Washington must address its less-than-ideal quarterback situation next season if the team ever wants to gain headway in a very competitive NFC east division.
Detroit Lions must fix a broken Matthew Stafford
Matthew Stafford and the Detroit Lions are in complete melt-down mode after getting sucker-punched again, posting loss No. 5 on Sunday.
As a result of Stafford’s horribly inept level of play in an embarrassing home loss to the Arizona Cardinals, 42-17, he was benched in the third quarter and replaced by backup Dan Orlovsky. The benching of Stafford is only temporary, and the Lions will have him back under center in Week 6 against the Chicago Bears.
It’s been incredibly worrisome to watch Stafford, who is capable of tossing the rock for for upwards of 5,000 yards per season, struggle to hit his receivers and toss careless interceptions in the process. Stafford leads all NFL quarterbacks in turnovers with eight interceptions and one lost fumble.
The coaching staff, along with Stafford, is to blame for the team’s woes. And, if Stafford doesn’t get his act together this year, the team may decide to cut its losses. Stafford’s current contract allows the Lions to release him with no further money owed after the 2015 season.
Honorable mention questionable quarterbacks
Peyton Manning
The Denver Broncos are 5-0 despite Manning’s 6:7 touchdown to interception ratio, and we know he is ever-so thankful for his defense every time the Broncos squeak out a win.
Drew Brees
Brees is posting decent yardage, but six touchdowns and only one win for the New Orleans Saints is rather troublesome.
Joe Flacco
Flacco currently comes in at No. 36 among his fellow quarterbacks in overall ranking, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required), and the 1-4 record of the Baltimore Ravens is an eyesore. Some receivers might help, however, and Steve Smith Sr. might be coming to the rescue in Week 6 against the Tennessee Titans.
Andrew Luck
Luck is off to a frightening start 1-2, registering seven interceptions in just three games, while his elder backup just posted back-to-back wins for the Indianapolis Colts