I don’t know if Verizon Wireless was foreshadowing the NFL season when it had New Orleans Saints backup quarterback Luke McCown appear in a commercial about backup generators, but the script to that commercial has become a reality.
“I bet if they just had the chance, some of those backups would really shine,” McCown said, dramatically staring off into the distance. On Sunday, McCown got his chance, and man, did he shine.
There were a host of other backup quarterbacks who started this weekend or replaced the starter late in the game, proving it’s important to have a solid backup quarterback and that some backups are capable of producing when they get the chance.
Saints fans were sweating bullets when it was announced Drew Brees was injured. Nobody had any idea how damaged Brees’
rotator cuff was until head coach Sean Payton downplayed the reports stating Brees could miss several games.
When the Saints announced McCown would start in place of Brees on Sunday against the Carolina Panthers, confidence sunk even lower. But no one knew McCown would perform so stellarly.
McCown completed 31 of his 38 passes for 310 yards and an interception. The lack of touchdowns and one pick make the stat line look less impressive, but it’s misleading. I watched the game through, and I was incredibly impressed with how he played.
McCown’s 81.6 percent completion percentage would have been closer to 90 percent if it hadn’t been for some key drops.
His one interception came late in the game when Panthers cornerback Josh Norman did his best Calvin Johnson impression, laying out to pick off the ball in the back of the endzone. It’s hard to blame McCown for someone making such a special play.
McCown didn’t throw any touchdowns, but without his impressive stand-in performance, the Saints would have easily lost by double-digits instead of five points.
McCown wasn’t the only backup who went to work in week three. Cowboys backup quarterback Brandon Weeden started for the injured Tony Romo. He finished 22-of-26 with 232 yards and an interception in a 39-28 loss to the Atlanta Falcons.
Weeden’s interception was in his own half of the field, and it gifted the Falcons a touchdown, but his 84.6 percent completion was a pleasant surprise. The Cowboys offense couldn’t get anything going in the second half, and the Falcons took control of the game.
Weeden wasn’t stellar, but he was more than serviceable. It was the Cowboys’ defense that got shredded in the second half and lost the game. If Weeden plays at a similar level for the rest of the time he starts, the Cowboys will be in a decent spot when Romo returns.
Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger suffered a horrifying-looking knee injury in the third quarter of the 12-6 win against the St. Louis Rams, meaning veteran quarterback Michael Vick entered the fray.
Vick didn’t do much, throwing for just 36 yards, but he has the experience to keep the Steelers’ offense moving while Roethlisberger is on the sideline.
Ryan Mallett made his second start for the Houston Texans this season after taking the quarterback job from Brian Hoyer, and he helped lead the Texans to their first win.
San Diego Chargers backup quarterback Kellen Clemens came in late during the Chargers 31-14 loss to the Minnesota Vikings and finished the game 5-of-6 for 63 yards and a touchdown.
Chicago Bears backup quarterback Jimmy Clausen got another start for the oft-injured Jay Cutler. He was 9-of-17 for 63 yards, and the Bears punted on every offensive drive.
That might say more about the Bears than Clausen, though. A better backup might not have been able to do much for Chicago, but it couldn’t have hurt.
Overall, it was a good week for backups. With many of them getting their chance early in the season, it should serve as warning to other teams: Have a capable backup ready, or it could cost you dearly.
Jack Woods is a 22-year-old mass communication senior from Ruston, Louisiana. You can reach him on Twitter @Jack_TDR