What’s up with the dearth of quality backup quarterbacks in the NFL? Already this season, we’ve seen Tom Brady go down (and the Patriots’ chances for another Super Bowl effectively dashed with Matt Cassel under center), Gus Frerotte step in for an overwhelmed Tavaris Jackson in Minnesota (and not fare much better), and a host of other teams struggle with bench quarterbacks that are not up to the task.
It’s tough to imagine that there aren’t enough quality quarterbacks to fill out NFL rosters, but the numbers bear it out – teams hang onto QBs past their prime (Brad Johnson in Dallas, Brian Griese in Tampa Bay) or because they’ve produced in the past (Frerotte or Trent Green in St. Louis), when they’re clearly not ready to win games.
But the young guys haven’t been so hot, either – ask Kansas City’s menagerie of woeful young QBs, or Matt Leinart of Arizona, who can’t find his way off the bench. Quarterbacks are the most targeted players in football – it would make sense for teams to have a good backup plan. But too often, they don’t, and that can be difference between salvaging a season and watching one go down the drain.
But the Giants and Steelers have had no such backup problems, and we’ll start there with this week’s picks.
NY Giants (5-1) at Pittsburgh (5-1): The game of the week, and dare I say, a possible Super Bowl preview, has the Giants traveling to Pittsburgh to battle the Steelers. The Giants absolutely have to play better than they did in outlasting the 49ers last week, while the Steelers looked dominant in beating Cincinnati. The key here will be how well the Giants get after QB Ben Roethlisberger – if they can keep the pressure on, and the Steelers are still without RB Willie Parker, New York can win. I think Eli Manning will bounce back, the Giants’ defense will generate some stops and the Giants, road warriors over the past two seasons, will find a way to squeeze out a win. Score: NY Giants 20, Pittsburgh 17.
Arizona (4-2) at Carolina (5-2): Might Cardinals fans have some reason for optimism? Arizona is in first place in the lousy NFC West, and they have one of the most dynamic offenses in the league. Unfortunately for them, despite some inconsistent efforts, the Panthers have mostly looked like one of the better teams in the NFC, and they have the talent on defense to slow QB Kurt Warner and Arizona. Add a feisty home crowd and a hard-nosed rushing game, and Carolina should roll at home. Score: Carolina 27, Arizona 16.
Kansas City (1-5) at NY Jets (3-3): The Jets are a tough team to figure – by all accounts, they should have had their way with an Oakland team who got lit up by New Orleans the week before. Instead, they never got into a rhythm offensively, and they lost last week in overtime. But that shouldn’t matter this time around – Kansas City is one of the worst teams in the league, unsettled at quarterback and awful against the rush. Look for a big game from Thomas Jones and the Jets’ defense, and a New York win. Score: NY Jets 23, Kansas City 10.
Cincinnati (0-7) at Houston (2-4): After a couple seasons of contending, it looks like the Bengals are awful again. They certainly won’t finish the season winless, but I have a hard time seeing them winning this week on the road, even though the Texans have a tendency to coast from time to time. Expect the Bengals to make this a game early before the Texans pull away in the second half. Score: Houston 31, Cincinnati 21.
Indianapolis (3-3) at Tennessee (6-0): It’s a potential changing of the guard in the AFC South, as the Colts are in serious danger of seeing their season slip away after an embarrassing loss to the Packers last week. Prior to that, it looked like Indy was getting back on track, but Green Bay embarrassed them, particularly on the ground, and Tennessee has arguably the best rushing attack in the league. Add that to an aggressive, attacking defense, and Tennessee will outlast Peyton Manning and win this Monday night showdown. Score: Tennessee 24, Indianapolis 20.
Quick picks: Philadelphia will dominate Atlanta, Baltimore will handle Oakland, Tampa Bay will keep Dallas reeling, Jacksonville will top Cleveland and Buffalo should outlast Miami.
Last week’s record: 6-4. Overall: 41-29.
(A six-game challenge between columnist ML Smith and I).
I was lucky to get out 3-3 last week. Some very unpredictable stuff going on in the NFL, as St. Louis blew Dallas away, Carolina destroyed New Orleans, Green Bay tore up Indianapolis, the Giants manhandled San Francisco, Houston hung on to beat Detroit and Oakland took some more wind out of the Jets’ sails.
Week 8 picks: Tennessee 34, Indianapolis 14; Pittsburgh 34, NY Giants 17; Houston 30, Cincinnati 14; Carolina 27, Arizona 21; Philadelphia 31, Atlanta 10; Jacksonville 21, Cleveland 6.
Matt: Tennessee, NY Giants, Houston, Carolina, Philadelphia, Jacksonville.
Records: Smith 21-15, Matt 20-16.