NFL's Quarterback Problem on Display This Week: Five Ghastly, Unwatchable Matchups
By Jason McIntyre
We’ve been chirping so much about the NFL’s impending QB problem, you’re probably sick of it. But Week 5 in the NFL – which has some tremendous games – will be pockmarked with some ghastly QB match ups. Three of the NFL’s Top 12 QBs are on a bye (Matt Ryan, Drew Brees, Kirk Cousins). This is going to be ugly.
New York Jets at Cleveland Browns.
Josh McCown is 38. A journeyman. He’s going home to face the 0-4 Browns and Deshone Kizer, a rookie with promise. But Kizer is only 21-years old and leads the NFL with eight interceptions.
San Francisco 49ers at Indianapolis Colts:
If you want to get technical, Brian Hoyer vs Jared Goff two weeks ago was a fun football game; also two weeks ago, Jacoby Brissett vs Carson Palmer was a competitive football game. Let’s not confuse quality and compelling with bad football. I’m just happy this isn’t one of the 4 pm games.
Tennessee Titans at Miami Dolphins:
With Marcus Mariota likely out due to a hamstring injury, the never-watchable 35-year old Matt Cassel steps in to face one of the worst QBs in the NFL to this point, Jay Cutler. He’s a walking interception, even against a bad Dolphins defense. Cassel still had the strangest pro career in NFL history: Never started a game at USC, got to the Patriots, filled in admirably the year Tom Brady went down, then got traded to the Chiefs where he stole a lot of money and somehow is still in the NFL. He started in Week 16 last year and beat Brock Osweiler and the Texans.
Baltimore Ravens at Oakland Raiders:
With only three games at 4 pm, I pity anyone who has Ravens at Raiders on CBS and watch Joe Flacco vs EJ Manuel. Packers/Cowboys should be great, and same with Seahawks/Rams. The Ravens have nothing on offense, and Manuel may just hand the ball off 40 times because if he has to throw, they won’t win. The Steelers ran all over the Ravens last week (42 carries, 173 yards), so expect Manuel to play it safe. And boring.
Case Keenum vs Mitch Trubisky
The Bears-Vikings game will be the worst on MNF this season, and this QB matchup has to be one of the worst in MNF history. The Bears can be feisty at home, but this has 12-9 written all over it. I’m mildly interested in Trubisky’s debut, but you can’t take much from it, not with those skill position players.