Football is the #1 sport with most injuries.
Every year, quarterbacks account for 5.8% of the total number of injuries. If there was no Plan B, the club would succumb to a losing streak.
And 2019 is no different wherein 1 in 5 quarterback situations is panic-inducing.
According to one study, QBs are disproportionately impacted by shoulder injuries compared with other playing positions. The high risks of shoulder and elbow injuries, however, are caused by direct contacts, not by the throwing motions.
That’s how valuable a QB is—a club cannot do without one.
Enter Plan B or the backup quarterbacks.
Backup QBs are a necessity, not a luxury
The reserve role may not be as prestigious as it seems. Definitely, not at the level of the true QBs (looking at you Tom Brady).
In retrospect, the names of the best backup QBs popped up intermittently. These are Earl Morrall, Jim Plunkett, Doug Williams, and Jeff Hostetler.
Nick Foles is the backup QB that led the Philadelphia Eagles into a Super Bowl showdown against New England Patriots. Foles, who replaced Carson Wentz, went on to receive an MVP performance with a 41-33 win.
In the NFL today, there are just two QBs—the starter and the backup.
However, seven weeks into the 2019 NFL season, six starting QBs already missed the games following an injury. But only two teams have used their backup QBs to full advantage.
The majority of the teams who lost a starter QB relied on the assistance of Ordinary Joes off the bench. So unlikely.
About 107 games have already been played, but there are 214 more to go, which means the high chance of more QBs getting hurt during the game.
In the years to come, the competence of an NFL team will depend on both the starter and the backup QB. Having one isn’t a luxury anymore, but a necessity.
Teams with backup QBs have a winning record
In what can be considered as the year of the backup QB, the teams are [ever too] slowly turning their heads to the role of backups.
The sentiment is clear: if number 18 or 12 got injured in the pitch, the team is f***ed!
This was epitomized when Patrick Mahones was sidelined with ligament damage due to dislocated kneecap recently. A backup QB has to step in for Mahones while he was away for at least a month.
So each NFL team today has a backup QB. Having one is still a game plan.
The teams playing with a backup QB is not at all screwed.
In about 25 games that a backup QB started, the teams have 20-15 upper hand. Teddy Bridgewater, for instance, led the New Orleans Saints with 5-0 as a backup for Drew Brees.
Same with Kyle Allen who filled in Cam Newton when he had to miss a game where Allen had gone 5-1 for the Carolina Panthers.
Not just as replacements for the injured starter QBs, but backup QBs can be the driving force when the starters struggle with the offence.
How important backup QBs will be this year and beyond? Let us know.
