By Pat Kirwan
NFL.com Senior Analyst
(Aug. 27, 2006) — At least 10 teams or close to 30 percent of NFL franchises are likely to start the season with a different quarterback than they considered their starter in 2005. Change is inevitable in the NFL, but even this volatility isn’t normal. It’s more like the hurricane season of 2005.
With starters getting little to no work in the fourth preseason game, the body of work is in place to kick off the 2006 season. For some team executives as they sit around the conference table, there may be some anxiety about what the preseason told them about their starting quarterback or maybe what it didn’t tell them about their offense.
For example, there’s no doubt that Daunte Culpepper, Steve McNair, Drew Brees, Billy Volek and Rex Grossman will jog out with the first unit on opening day, but these five starters threw a combined 204 passes this preseason and not one touchdown pass. Here are the three game totals for each QB:
| Quarterback | Completions | Attempts | Yards | TDs | INTs | Sacks |
When you look at the number of pass opportunities these signal-callers had, most coaches and personnel people would like to have seen at least one touchdown pass. These players aren’t alone as Mark Brunell threw 31 times for 162 yards with no touchdowns, one interception and four sacks.
 |
|
| Drew Brees has yet to throw a TD pass for his new team. |
There’s no roster pressure on Culpepper, McNair or Brees, but with Vince Young right behind Volek and Jason Campbell right behind Brunell, those situations are worth watching. The Chicago situation is already starting to flair up for Grossman because Brian Griese has connected on 18 of 37 passes for 281 yards and four touchdowns without an interception or sack. The fans are already calling for Griese.
Up in Buffalo, it appears that J.P. Losman has won the job, but the production doesn’t make it clear cut and the veteran players are just sitting back and watching this one unfold. Losman has completed 37 of 57 passes and has thrown two touchdown passes, but he has also been sacked nine times, fumbled three times and thrown two interceptions. His competition, Kelly Holcomb, has thrown only nine passes all summer. Losman is an athlete, but 14 negative plays in partial duty in three preseason games is something to keep an eye on as the season starts.
The Redskins have really held back on their offensive game plan for the preseason, which is a good thing, but between Brunell and Campbell, they have thrown 65 passes, no touchdowns and three interceptions while taking eight sacks. Washington is another team to hope for a big improvement when the regular season kicks off.
Finally, around the league everyone will say the right things about the preseason, but there is always a little doubt when the quarterback doesn’t find the end zone or take care of the ball.
