Does the backup QB really matter?

[Bengals_Legendary]

I've been thinking about this over the past few days, and I've come to realize... what does it matter who the backup QB is? I'm being totally serious.

It's always, "If _________ goes down, we will need ___________!"

Will we though? Does it really matter? For what reason?

If your primary QB goes down with injury, the season is likely screwed.

That's just the bottom line. It doesn't matter if it's McCarron...it's not Dalton.

This doesn't necessarily refer to just the Bengals...it's everybody, the entire NFL.

If you HAVE to rely on your backup, you will not win the Super Bowl.

Sure, McCarron (and others) will do enough to get you into the playoffs...but that's it.

I just don't understand the thinking:

1) Your great backup gets you to the playoffs where you lose first round (bad draft pick) or...

2) Your average backup gets you nowhere and you get a decent or great draft pick.


My point is...a McCarron isn't going to beat a Brady in a Super Bowl, so who cares who's #2?

[*SHRacerX*]

First, 50 Post rule...

Second, the Bengals and Pats can't meet in the Super Bowl as they are still in the same conference.

Third, The backup QB might be able to keep you in a race long enough for your team to make the playoffs and get your starter back, or simply plays above and beyond (Kurt Warner) and wins it all.  It is a team game.

Fourth, if you work for the Broncos, Cowboys, or Vikings, don't come with less than a first round pick. 

[leonardfan40]

(09-01-2016, 08:19 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: First, 50 Post rule...

Second, the Bengals and Pats can't meet in the Super Bowl as they are still in the same conference.

Third, The backup QB might be able to keep you in a race long enough for your team to make the playoffs and get your starter back, or simply plays above and beyond (Kurt Warner) and wins it all.  It is a team game.

Fourth, if you work for the Broncos, Cowboys, or Vikings, don't come with less than a first round pick. 

He's been a member for a year so I think that qualifies under 50 post rule. And I don't think he was saying the patriots, I think he was just saying McCarron won't beat a top level or super bowl caliber QB

As to the point of the post, yes and no. You're right if Andy goes down for the season it's over. If he goes down for 4 weeks or so mccarron could take the team 2-2 or 3-1 depending on who the opponents are. Last year he beat the bad teams and lost to the good teams, I think most of that fell on the team who carried him like they would with any backup QB. Is mccarron one of the best backups in the league? Yes imo, would we see a huge drop off between him and another decent backup on the final record? I doubt it 

[TGISunday]

50 post rule...cut it out guys l

That is not something that carried over from the old board.

As to backups...Brady was a backup that won a super bowl.

[Sled21]

Who says McCarron can't beat a top tier QB? He took Manning's Broncos into overtime in his first NFL outing. He took Ben Rothlesberger's Stoolers in the playoffs and had them beaten until the bad refereeing turned into the 4th quarter defensive meltdown. Football is a team sport, Gentleman. While McCarron is not Dalton or Brady, he, and some other backups, are fully capable of taking a GOOD team into the playoffs and winning, possibly winning it all. This mindset is complete nonsense....

[Bengalzona]

You may not expect the #2 to win games for you, but he can certainly lose them if his skills are that sub par.

[leonardfan40]

(09-01-2016, 08:34 AM)Sled21 Wrote: Who says McCarron can't beat a top tier QB? He took Manning's Broncos into overtime in his first NFL outing. He took Ben Rothlesberger's Stoolers in the playoffs and had them beaten until the bad refereeing turned into the 4th quarter defensive meltdown. Football is a team sport, Gentleman. While McCarron is not Dalton or Brady, he, and some other backups, are fully capable of taking a GOOD team into the playoffs and winning, possibly winning it all. This mindset is complete nonsense....

Wasn't manning out that game? And I don't think he scored a point until Ben got hurt in the 4th qtr against Pitt

[Brownshoe]

(09-01-2016, 08:34 AM)Sled21 Wrote: Who says McCarron can't beat a top tier QB? He took Manning's Broncos into overtime in his first NFL outing. He took Ben Rothlesberger's Stoolers in the playoffs and had them beaten until the bad refereeing turned into the 4th quarter defensive meltdown. Football is a team sport, Gentleman. While McCarron is not Dalton or Brady, he, and some other backups, are fully capable of taking a GOOD team into the playoffs and winning, possibly winning it all. This mindset is complete nonsense....

We never had the playoff game won. You can say "we had it for about 30 seconds near the end of the game", but that doesn't mean anything. The team dragged McCarron through that playoff game and almost won despite of him. If the defense wasn't playing like the #1 defense in the league that game we would have lost by at least 30 points. McCarron had one good drive the other two scoring drives were either because the RBs had the majority of the yards or we started on the Steelers side of the field and got a flag to get in the red zone.

McCarron looked good for the first two drives in the Broncos game, and then fell flat on his face when the Broncos defense changed their plan for him. We still could have won that game if he wouldn't have fumbled the game away at the end either. Plus he was facing Brock and not Manning. It wasn't his first NFL outing either. He played all but 1 drive against the Steelers, and he played the 49ers.

[Sled21]

(09-01-2016, 08:53 AM)leonardfan40 Wrote: Wasn't manning out that game? And I don't think he scored a point until Ben got hurt in the 4th qtr against Pitt

And Ben didn't score at all, so what's your point? (the touchdown the refs allowed should not have been ruled a completion according to the NFL...now)

[Sled21]

(09-01-2016, 08:53 AM)Brownshoe Wrote: We never had the playoff game won. You can say "we had it for about 30 seconds near the end of the game", but that doesn't mean anything. The team dragged McCarron through that playoff game and almost won despite of him. If the defense wasn't playing like the #1 defense in the league that game we would have lost by at least 30 points. McCarron had one good drive the other two scoring drives were either because the RBs had the majority of the yards or we started on the Steelers side of the field and got a flag to get in the red zone.

McCarron looked good for the first two drives in the Broncos game, and then fell flat on his face when the Broncos defense changed their plan for him. We still could have won that game if he wouldn't have fumbled the game away at the end either. Plus he was facing Brock and not Manning. It wasn't his first NFL outing either. He played all but 1 drive against the Steelers, and he played the 49ers.

Which is why I said football is a TEAM sport. McCarron is a good enough QB that with a good team around him he is capable of winning just as much as the next guy.

[*jason*]

(09-01-2016, 08:13 AM)Bengals_Legendary Wrote: I've been thinking about this over the past few days, and I've come to realize... what does it matter who the backup QB is? I'm being totally serious.

It's always, "If _________ goes down, we will need ___________!"

Will we though? Does it really matter? For what reason?

If your primary QB goes down with injury, the season is likely screwed.

That's just the bottom line. It doesn't matter if it's McCarron...it's not Dalton.

This doesn't necessarily refer to just the Bengals...it's everybody, the entire NFL.

If you HAVE to rely on your backup, you will not win the Super Bowl.

Sure, McCarron (and others) will do enough to get you into the playoffs...but that's it.

I just don't understand the thinking:

1) Your great backup gets you to the playoffs where you lose first round (bad draft pick) or...

2) Your average backup gets you nowhere and you get a decent or great draft pick.


My point is...a McCarron isn't going to beat a Brady in a Super Bowl, so who cares who's #2?

Did you miss the Dallas Cowboys season last year?

That's why it matters.

The Bengals lake and WANT McCarran on the team. Can we please stop the "oh man we can trade McCarran for a 1st round CB next year" stuff.

[Brownshoe]

(09-01-2016, 08:56 AM)Sled21 Wrote: And Ben didn't score at all, so what's your point? (the touchdown the refs allowed should not have been ruled a completion according to the NFL...now)

He was able to get 3 field goals, 4 if you count the game winning one.

[*jason*]

(09-01-2016, 08:58 AM)jason Wrote: Did you miss the Dallas Cowboys season last year?

That's why it matters.

The Bengals lake and WANT McCarran on the team. Can we please stop the "oh man we can trade McCarran for a 1st round CB next year" stuff.

Like not lake.

[Brownshoe]

(09-01-2016, 08:57 AM)Sled21 Wrote: Which is why I said football is a TEAM sport. McCarron is a good enough QB that with a good team around him he is capable of winning just as much as the next guy.

"just as much as the next guy" must mean "just as much as the next backup"

[Sled21]

(09-01-2016, 08:58 AM)Brownshoe Wrote: He was able to get 3 field goals, 4 if you count the game winning one.

Wow, that was so much better than McCarron...... no wonder they won by two whole points.(with the 7 the refs gave them)

[Bengals_Legendary]

(09-01-2016, 08:30 AM)TGISunday Wrote: 50 post rule...cut it out guys   l

That is not something that carried over from the old board.

As to backups...Brady was a backup that won a super bowl.

I like McCarron a lot, but this is a bit of a stretch.

I've heard this response a lot, but it's irrelevant. Bledsoe succumbed to injury during the second game of the season, and it was all just history after that. McCarron is decent, but he isn't the next entrant into Canton.

[Brownshoe]

(09-01-2016, 09:02 AM)Sled21 Wrote: Wow, that was so much better than McCarron...... no wonder they won by two whole points.(with the 7 the refs gave them)

McCarron was going against the Steelers 29th rated pass defense. Ben had to go up against the team that was a nut hair away from being the least scored upon team in the league. Ben had 5 drives that resulted in points. McCarron had 3 drives that resulted in points, one of which was because he was gifted the ball on the Steelers side of the field, and a penalty put them next to the goal line (a drive that he had 0 yards on). The other drive where the RBs had the majority of the  yards, and the final drive where he got the ball on Pittsburghs side of the field and got a TD. Yes, it was a LOT better than McCarron.

[fredtoast]

It amazes me that some people think thst the back up QB does not matter.

The only teams that McCarron lost to were playoff teams. If we play nothing but playoff teams then we may not win many games with McCarron, but during the regular season we play a lot of good teams that don't make the playoffs. And we need to win those games to make the playoffs.

The 2010 Steelers made the Super Bowl because their back up QBs went 3-1

The '05 Steelers made the Super Bowl because their back up QB went 2-2.

The '04 Steelers made the playoffs because their back up QB went 13-0

The '02 Buccaneers made the Super Bowl because their back up QB went 2-1

The '00 Ravens made the Super Bowl because their back up QB went 7-1.

[BengalChris]

(09-01-2016, 08:13 AM)Bengals_Legendary Wrote: I've been thinking about this over the past few days, and I've come to realize... what does it matter who the backup QB is? I'm being totally serious.

It's always, "If _________ goes down, we will need ___________!"

Will we though? Does it really matter? For what reason?

If your primary QB goes down with injury, the season is likely screwed.

That's just the bottom line. It doesn't matter if it's McCarron...it's not Dalton.

This doesn't necessarily refer to just the Bengals...it's everybody, the entire NFL.

If you HAVE to rely on your backup, you will not win the Super Bowl.

Sure, McCarron (and others) will do enough to get you into the playoffs...but that's it.

I just don't understand the thinking:

1) Your great backup gets you to the playoffs where you lose first round (bad draft pick) or...

2) Your average backup gets you nowhere and you get a decent or great draft pick.


My point is...a McCarron isn't going to beat a Brady in a Super Bowl, so who cares who's #2?

Well I've highlighted the error in your logic. This error leads you to an incorrect conclusion. If you fix the error you will quick arrive at a better answer.

Don't feel bad, whole NFL franchises have made the same error. I know of NFL teams who didn't make this error and have Super Bowls as a result.

[SunsetBengal]

(09-01-2016, 08:53 AM)Brownshoe Wrote: We never had the playoff game won. You can say "we had it for about 30 seconds near the end of the game", but that doesn't mean anything. The team dragged McCarron through that playoff game and almost won despite of him. If the defense wasn't playing like the #1 defense in the league that game we would have lost by at least 30 points. McCarron had one good drive the other two scoring drives were either because the RBs had the majority of the yards or we started on the Steelers side of the field and got a flag to get in the red zone.

McCarron looked good for the first two drives in the Broncos game, and then fell flat on his face when the Broncos defense changed their plan for him. We still could have won that game if he wouldn't have fumbled the game away at the end either. Plus he was facing Brock and not Manning. It wasn't his first NFL outing either. He played all but 1 drive against the Steelers, and he played the 49ers.

Could you imagine the team morale, if Keith Wenning were the one taking over for Dalton last season?