{"id":7564,"date":"2016-12-06T14:24:06","date_gmt":"2016-12-06T19:24:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonprofootball.com\/?p=7564"},"modified":"2016-12-06T14:24:06","modified_gmt":"2016-12-06T19:24:06","slug":"guess-who-name-the-struggling-quarterback","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/2016\/12\/06\/guess-who-name-the-struggling-quarterback\/","title":{"rendered":"Guess Who: Can You Name the Struggling Quarterback?"},"content":{"rendered":"

You always know that feeling you get when you know everything is going to end badly. Call it the doomsday effect, call it being hopefully pessimistic, call it watching every Black Mirror\u00a0<\/em>episode, whatever; just know that one team is feeling that sinking ship feeling right now.<\/p>\n

Their quarterback is blowing his team\u2019s chances. Here are\u00a0his stats through 11 games:\u00a02,307 passing yards, 12 touchdowns, 13 interceptions, a 59.5 completion percentage, 5.77 yards per attempt, and just 210 yards per game. Whose passing stats are these?<\/p>\n

Guess Who: Can You Name the Struggling Quarterback?<\/h2>\n

At first glance, Case Keenum<\/a><\/strong> or Ryan Fitzpatrick<\/a><\/strong> came to mind right? But Keenum and Fitzpatrick aren\u2019t blowing any significant chances, as the Los Angeles Rams<\/strong> and New York Jets<\/strong> have been eliminated from the playoffs for the past few\u00a0weeks now. Maybe Carson Palmer<\/a><\/strong> was the answer, but at 210 yards a game\u00a0you can\u00a0cross him off. Palmer is better than just tossing a measly 210 yards per game. The same goes for Cam Newton<\/a><\/strong>, even\u00a0in the midst of\u00a0a nightmare season.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what the mystery quarterback\u2019s coach said after their recent loss:<\/p>\n

\u201cI think one of the keys to being a good quarterback is being accurate. We work on accuracy with all of our quarterbacks all the time. I think that\u2019s a key. I think [he] will be the first one to tell you. I think there\u2019s been very many times where he has been accurate and there\u2019s been other times where he hasn\u2019t been as accurate as he needs to be. He\u2019s working very hard to be as accurate and improve his accuracy all the time. We work hard on it with him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Figured out it yet? A Joe Flacco<\/a><\/strong> guess is close. But Flacco\u2019s never averaged an atrocious 5.77 yards per attempt, and John Harbaugh<\/strong> doesn\u2019t release statements like that about his Super Bowl<\/strong> winning quarterback.<\/p>\n

So who could it be?<\/p>\n

And the Answer Is………….<\/h3>\n

If you\u00a0guessed the Houston Texans<\/strong>‘\u00a0#17 Brock Osweiler<\/a><\/strong>, then you’re spot on (although\u00a0guessing every Cleveland Browns<\/strong> quarterback the last few years wouldn\u2019t totally be off either).<\/p>\n

Again, here\u2019s how bad Brock\u2019s been. He\u2019s 29th out of 32 quarterbacks in completion percentage (59.5%), and dead last in yards per pass (5.77). Quantifying that, no other passer dwells in the\u00a0five yards per pass average. And going back a few years here\u2019s some of the company he resides with: Blaine Gabbert<\/a><\/strong>, Jimmy Clausen<\/a><\/strong>, Blaine Gabbert a second time, Colt McCoy<\/a><\/strong>, JaMarcus Russell<\/a><\/strong>, and Brady Quinn<\/a><\/strong>. I’m\u00a0not making that up.<\/p>\n

Does\u00a0Osweiler have a bad coach that doesn\u2019t really help him? Yes, but you can\u2019t totally blame Bill O\u2019Brien<\/strong> either. It\u2019s not like he was out there making consistently horrible throws. Breaking it down even further, here\u2019s some of the worst ranked passing defenses he\u2019s faced this year with their averages and what he passed for in parentheses:<\/p>\n

31st Indianapolis Colts<\/strong> 278 (269)<\/p>\n

28th Oakland Raiders<\/strong> 273 (243)<\/p>\n

25th Tennessee Titans<\/strong> 270 (254)<\/p>\n

26th San Diego Chargers<\/strong> 271 (246)<\/p>\n

So even against the easiest pass defenses he struggles. That\u2019s a huge problem. Adding to the misery. He\u2019s equipped with a top-ten receiver, an explosive rookie wideout, and a top-five running back and still can\u2019t produce. Like having eggs, bacon, and pancake mix at your disposal and still screwing up breakfast.<\/p>\n

On top of that, he\u2019s been gifted a cupcake schedule (teams over .500 in italics) \u2013 Chicago Bears<\/strong>, Kansas City Chiefs<\/em><\/strong>, New England Patriots<\/em><\/strong>, Titans, a healthy Minnesota Vikings<\/em><\/strong>, Colts, Denver Broncos<\/em><\/strong>, Detroit Lions<\/em><\/strong>, Jacksonville Jaguars<\/strong>, Raiders<\/em>, Chargers, Green Bay Packers<\/strong><\/em>, Colts again, Jaguars again,\u00a0Cincinnati\u00a0Bengals<\/strong>, Titans again. That\u2019s six tough teams out of sixteen games.<\/p>\n

So What Happens Next?<\/h3>\n

An interesting thought going forward now: If he can\u2019t get the job done or even if he does<\/em>, does dumping him for someone like Tony Romo<\/a> <\/strong>when the Houston Texans<\/strong> still have to guarantee him all that money make sense? That\u2019s right, trade\/cut rumors are already swirling.<\/p>\n

Forget that he\u2019s been outplayed by his replacement in Denver and also a third string quarterback (Jacoby Brissett<\/a><\/strong>) earlier during the year, because for now he has four games left to prove himself \u2013 Colts, Jaguars, Bengals, and Titans. Just know that Texans fans can\u2019t shake that sinking ship feeling. They\u2019ve experienced enough already.<\/p>\n

Main Photo:<\/p>\n

\n
Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/div>\n