On Football provides an in-depth look at the most significant developments in the NFL each week.
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Joe Flacco remains a starting quarterback, while Daniel Jones may soon be sitting on the bench. Bryce Young has earned another chance, and Caleb Williams is secure in his position. However, the dilemma surrounding quarterback roles is still a prominent topic, with some teams needing to rethink their strategies.
The Indianapolis Colts have opted to keep Flacco as their starter over Anthony Richardson, even after suffering a 30-20 defeat to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. With a record of 1-3 in his four starts this season and a total of six turnovers, including four interceptions in the last two games, concerns about Flacco’s performance are growing.
Head coach Shane Steichen originally made the switch from Richardson to Flacco believing the veteran would offer a better chance of winning. Unfortunately, that hasn’t materialized, and the Colts, currently standing at 4-6, seem to be going nowhere. Even if they happen to qualify for the playoffs, they lack the makings of a Super Bowl contender. Richardson, who only threw 393 passes during his collegiate career at Florida, needs valuable game experience moving forward.
Despite switching to Flacco a few weeks back, the 2023 AP Comeback Player of the Year has not invigorated the Colts the way he did with the Browns last season. Therefore, giving Richardson the opportunity for growth through the remaining seven games is crucial for their future.
In New York, the Giants are facing their own situation with Jones, who has a contract complication involving an injury guarantee of $23 million for 2025. It’s quite possible he may be benched to avoid any potential injuries, a move similar to what the Broncos did with Russell Wilson last year, as well as the Raiders with Derek Carr back in 2022.
With the Giants currently positioned to secure the first overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, it would be sensible for them to start whichever quarterback—either Drew Lock or Tommy DeVito—gives them the least chance of winning. Landing the top pick would afford New York the chance to select from talented college quarterbacks such as Shedeur Sanders from Colorado, Cam Ward from Miami, or Carson Beck from Georgia.
The situation in Carolina is slightly different; Young, the 2023 number one pick, was sidelined but had a chance to return to the starting position when Andy Dalton was injured three weeks ago. Young has made strides since then, leading the Panthers to two straight wins, and like the Colts with Richardson, the Panthers must ascertain Young’s potential as their quarterback. The best way to achieve that is by allowing him to remain on the field until the season concludes.
In Chicago, Caleb Williams has struggled recently after a promising stretch that saw the Bears win three games in a row. They have since dropped from a 4-2 start to 4-5, with Williams completing only 50.5% of his passes, without any touchdowns or interceptions during their current three-game losing streak. Despite these challenges, head coach Matt Eberflus has no plans to bench Williams. This is a wise decision, as the broader issue in Chicago appears to be the offensive scheme, which led to the dismissal of Shane Waldron. Thomas Brown has been promoted to take over as offensive coordinator.
Meanwhile, in Dallas, star edge rusher Micah Parsons made headlines after returning from an ankle injury and delivering comments regarding coach Mike McCarthy, following their 34-6 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. He recorded two sacks and forced a fumble, but when asked about McCarthy’s job security, Parsons turned heads with his answer.
Parsons expressed concern for veteran players rather than criticizing McCarthy, but he faced backlash for seemingly throwing his coach under the bus. On his podcast, he clarified that he never intended to imply that McCarthy should be fired, stating: “That’s above my pay grade.”
McCarthy responded graciously and indicated that he had a conversation with Parsons to clear the air. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones echoed this sentiment, explaining that Parsons’ comments were not a reflection of negativity towards McCarthy but rather concerns for veteran players potentially entering the final stages of their careers.
As the Cowboys struggle with a current four-game losing streak and with quarterback Dak Prescott sidelined for the season, discussions regarding McCarthy’s future will loom large in the coming weeks. Any responses to these inquiries must be more constructive than Parsons’ remarks.
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