Back-up QBs NFL Story after Week 4

OUCH!

After the first quarter of the NFL season, injuries to starting QBs and the insertion of their back-ups are the story of 2019 so far. Additionally, replacing ineffective or aging veterans have led to a new, young group of potential stars for the next decade of the NFL.

In New Orleans, Drew Brees has been out with a thumb injury the past two weeks and former Viking QB Teddy Bridgewater has filled in admirably, notching a 2-point win over the Cowboys in week 4 and a beatdown of Seattle week 3 on the road and with the help of a dominant defense, the Saints are in first place in the NFC south division at 3-1. Brees should be back Nov. 10th vs. Atlanta. Teddy has completed two-thirds of his 87 passes with 2 TDs vs. only one INT. He will be holding down the fort in a weak division.

In Pittsburgh, Big Ben has had surgery on his throwing elbow and second-stringer Mason Rudolph got his first NFL start and won the game against an admittedly weak Bengals team in disarray. The Steelers are now 1-3 and are confident Rudolph can manage the offense until Ben returns in 2020.

The J-E-T-S Jets are still without Mono man Sam Darnold. Trevor Siemian was knocked out as well. Third in line, Luke Falk will have his hands full in Philly and will be on his butt all Sunday afternoon. This is not fair. Kissing boy better get out of bed soon..

In Chicago last Sunday, a conservative Mitch Trubisky had his shoulder dislocated against Minnesota and Chase Daniel entered and provided a spark to finish off the Vikings in Soldier Field, 16-6. Chase can play and with a tough Bears defense, the Bears should be fine for the few weeks Mitch will take to recover, no need for panic here. The downside from the Bears fan’s perspective is that Coach Nagy will cave to political pressure (ownership) which has gone all in with Trubisky. The investment capital paid out will forever haunt this generation of Bears fans as they will be stuck watching Mitch struggle as they watch fellow 2017 1st rounder Pat Mahomes lead KC to glory.

In Jacksonville, after former Super bowl MVP Nick Foles suffered broken clavicle in week 1, the magic of Gardner Minshew appeared. Foles will be out for a couple of more months and he might have a fight on his hands for his job. The Mustachioed Minshew is an exciting fresh face who dazzles defenses with escapability and accuracy and enthusiasm. Minshew Mania has taken over, The Gardner has thrown for 7 TDs and the Jags have won their last two over Tennessee and Denver to even their record at 2-2.

Jacksonville plays Carolina this Sunday and the Panthers have their own budding superstar in another former WSU QB, Kyle Allen, who has benefitted from the Cam Newton week 2 foot injury to lead the Panthers to road wins over Arizona and Houston. Carolina dropped their first two under Cam the Sham and because of the surprising leadership of Allen are now competitive at 2-2.

TIME TO MOVE ASIDE!

The utterly inept (0-4) Washington Redskins benched perennial disappointment Case Keenum halfway through the Giants loss and trotted out their #1 pick Dwayne Haskins, who set all the big 10 records at Ohio State, only to see him throw 3 interceptions, one a pick-6 to new Giant DB Jabril Peppers. The Skins are a disaster in every aspect, it’s a shame the spanker, Adrian Petersen has to see this in his twilight. Jay Gruden will be projectile vomited out of DC after this week’s Patriots game.

As for the Giants, Eli Manning replacement Daniel Jones, coming off his Offensive Player of week 3 accolade, and playing without Saquon Barkley managed a near perfect game, running Clemson RB Wayne Gallman and often hitting Engram and Shepherd to move his record to 2-0 as the Giants are .500 since I don’t know when. The kid is unflappable so far, scrambling his way out of trouble and showing the passing accuracy of a veteran. DJ faces the Vikings and their highly rated defense this week for a truer test of Jones’ ability. And….he gets Golden Tate as a target to open up the field.

The Vikings are experiencing a dismal first quarter under the lack of leadership from the overpaid and underwhelming Kirk Cousins. The Norsemen paid this bum $85 million so they’re stuck with him for another mediocre season.

Overrated Matt Ryan and the Falcons are wasting another season after a (1-3) start. Goodbye Coach Dan Quinn! They’ll never pull Ryan but the best team in Georgia are the bulldogs!

Jacoby Brissett has produced nicely in the wake of Andrew Luck’s untimely retirement. However the Colts stumbled at home to the lowly Raiders after breaking from the gate well. The Horseshoes sit at 2-2 in a division no one seems to want to win.

The Bills exciting beast of a QB is still in concussion protocol and if he can’t go and they have to play backup slug Matt Barkley vs. the Titans, forget it! NE took a super cheap shot against Allen. Barkley is the worst thing to hit Buffalo since Nathan Peterman.

THIS WEEK’S BOZO BETS

Jaguars +3 ½ over Panthers. The Gardner will do it again. Magic man keeps it close ‘till the end against another rookie starting QB.

If Allen is out vs. Tennessee, we like the Titans -3 over the Bills

We’re taking Aaron Rodgers and the Packers +3 ½ over Dallas and Dak Prescott any day.

Eagles -13 ½ over the hapless Jets in Philly. Poor Jets are down to their 3rd QB so this’ll be a rough road trip.

-HB