QBs’ careers hanging in the balance
Cleveland’s Griffin, Houston’s Osweiler are looking for professional redemption this weekend
Quarterbacks are always under scrutiny. It comes with the job.
But for two of them Sunday, winning or losing could mean the difference between continuing an NFL career or alternative employment asking folks if they’d like french fries with that burger. OK, we exaggerate. But Robert Griffin III and Brock Osweiler do face career-defining moments. NFL analysts will be dissecting every move.
In Cleveland, Griffin will attempt a return to the form that once made him a shining star in Washington. The Browns announced Griffin will start Sunday against Cincinnati.
The Browns signed the 2012 NFL offensive rookie of the year as a free agent, hoping coach Hue Jackson could help him revive his career and restore the Browns to respectability.
Neither has happened with Griffin missing the entire season after suffering a broken shoulder in Week 1. In using five different players under centre, the Browns have gone 0-12, suggesting Griffin improves prospects just by showing up.
The Browns are projected to have the No. 1 pick in the 2017 draft, but Griffin will at least get a shot at proving to management he could be the solution at quarterback, at least short term. He’s scheduled to earn US$7.5 million next season, but none of the money is guaranteed.
Griffin’s situation is not much different than the one in which Osweiler finds himself with the Texans. There are already those who believe the US$72-million, four-year deal he got is the worst free agent signing ever by an NFL team. Osweiler’s deal is guaranteed through next season for US$37 million and this weekend he must prove he’s worthy.
The Texans face their most important game of the season against the Colts.
And with the Texans tied with the Colts and Titans for the division lead at 6-6, Osweiler understands the way this turns out could go a long way in determining his future.
“This game Sunday afternoon in Indianapolis, this is the biggest game of our season,” Osweiler said. “I’m viewing our season right now as a one-game season and it’s one game that we must win. I think our entire football team understands that ... you can expect our best effort Sunday.”
Osweiler has been a magnet for criticism during a three-game losing streak.
A win would resolve much of the pressure, leaving Houston 4-0 against their division rivals, basically making the Colts’ playoff hopes toast. Lose and a season, a career and a gilded contract all stand to unravel.
Giant game ahead
Eli Manning is the 22nd-ranked qualifying quarterback with an 88.3 passer rating and the Giants’ offence has averaged just 20 points a game.
So a win Sunday over Dallas would go a long way to alleviating the fan base’s angst about their team’s playoff prospects. “Hey, we’re the only team to beat Dallas,” Manning said on his radio show, “and we’re going against them at home now and we’ve been playing great at home. So this is a chance to prove that we are a good team ... a playoff team.”
They’ve done little to prove that so far. The Giants need to rebound from a beating by the Steelers. And with the league’s fourth-toughest schedule in the final quarter of the season, there are no soft touches. A loss would drop the Giants’ playoff chances to near 50 per cent.
The pretty boy QB
Terrell Suggs will admit the Patriots have a pretty good quarterback.
He just won’t acknowledge him by name.
With Tom Brady returning to full practice from a sore leg for Sunday’s game against the Ravens, Suggs refused to mention Brady’s name, referring to him as “the pretty boy from up north.”
Brady, meantime, told reporters he’s feeling better.
“I’d much rather be practising than getting treatment. It was good to be out there. It was a productive day and we’ve got to have a productive week, too.”
If the Pats want to clinch the No. 1 seed in the AFC, they’ll have to do it against the league’s best defence.