subject: Nfl Tickets - Quarterback Woes Follow Teams To Week 13 [print this page] Week 12 in the NFL was full of ups and downs, from the New England Patriots getting spanked by the New Orleans Saints to the Tennessee Titans marching onward to a five-game winning streak. It was also a pivotal week in terms of quarterbacks, as the end of Week 12 brought about a crucial injury to the Carolina Panthers and the start of Week 13 gave the New York Jets something to worry about. These weren't the only quarterback woes teams dealt with in early December, and here's what's going around the league this week in terms of teams' rocket-launchers.
Jake Delhomme, Carolina Panthers: Panthers fans have been calling for the termination of Jake Delhomme ever since the start of the regular season, and they may have just gotten what they wanted. Carolina's starting QB made an early exit from the team's Week 12 game against the New York Jets when he broke his finger at the end of the fourth quarter, and it looks like Matt Moore is going to be his replacement until Delhomme heals. Moore has played the crucial role of backup since his induction into the league in 2007, finishing the '07 season as a starter after Delhomme suffered a season-ending elbow injury and subsequent replacements David Carr and Vinny Testaverde were both injured, as well.
Can Matt Moore eclipse the success of Jake Delhomme this season or will Panthers fans learn to be careful what they wish for? It's anyone's guess, but Moore's inexperience will most certainly be a factor for this struggling Carolina team.
Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers: With all the talk circulating the league right now regarding a change in policy with concussions, the Steelers played it safe and sat Ben Roethlisberger during Pittsburgh's Week 12 game against the Baltimore Ravens. This decision sparked a war of words between Roethlisberger and teammate Hine Ward, but it was a good choice by Steelers coaches, as the concussion was Roethlisberger's fourth since 2006.
Fans with NFL tickets to the Steelers-Ravens game saw Dennis Dixon starting for Pittsburgh in place of Roethlisberger, and the backup completed 12 of 26 passes for 145 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Roethlisberger returned to the field after his team's Week 12 loss, and all seems to be fine on the QB front now as long as Big Ben stays healthy (and concussion free).
Mark Sanchez, New York Jets: The New York Jets played the Buffalo Bills in the Thursday night game of Week 13, and even though the Jets came out on top with a 19-13 win over Buffalo, they got a scare when rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez dived headfirst on an 8-yard run, spraining his posterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during his fall.
Sanchez's knee injury probably isn't serious, but it comes just one week after the quarterback injured his left knee doing the same thing against the Carolina Panthers. After the Carolina game, coach Rex Ryan brought in New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi to teach Sanchez how to slide (and avoid these types of knee problems), but the rookie didn't take instruction on his Week 13 blunder.
If Sanchez's knee doesn't pose any more serious problems than already considered, he won't be sitting out any, but he's got a long way to making this up to Rex Ryan. After the game, Ryan spoke of the incident, saying, "Sometimes, the kid's got to understand we're trying to teach him to slide. I love the kid, but he's got to grow up and understand he represents our entire organization. We want what's best for him."
