Which Quarterback’s Concussion from Week 10 Is the Most Devastating to His Team?
Published by Brandon Alisoglu on November 12, 2012
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Chicago Bears
The storyline of Week 10 doesn’t center around a tie, which is about as frequent as a lunar eclipse. For the San Francisco 49ers, Chicago Bears and Philadelphia Eagles, the focus is squarely on their quarterback’s brains.
Each starting quarterback (Alex Smith, Jay Cutler and Michael Vick) sustained a concussion and failed to return to the game. None of the teams went on to win, and fans are stuck holding their hats while waiting to see how things turn out.
Let’s check the level of devastation from across the country.
The Eagles: Not So Much
By the end of Week 11, what was left to destroy in Philly? Andy Reid is already losing his job, Vick was going to be released and Foles was going to be given a shot at the starting quarterback position.
Any further damage would be like shooting at a pile of rubble. It’s a waste of bullets.
The only tangible result of Vick’s concussion is all the hours saved from speculation about when Reid would pull the pin on the Vick era and see what Foles had. While I would certainly never advocate for a human being to be hurt, this actually did everyone a favor in a way.
Unless you are one of those crazy diehards who really believed that the Eagles were going to turn it all around, this isn’t a big deal.
Although, considering their remaining schedule, a turnaround isn’t entirely crazy.
Wait. Yes it is.
The Niners: Starting to Feel It
In the most coincidental turn of events, San Francisco will be facing the Bears in next week’s Monday nighter. Perhaps the biggest loser in all of this concussion business is the American people for possibly not having both teams at full strength.
Regardless, we will endure. It’s what we do.
As for the Niners, they will now turn the ball over to Colin Kaepernick if Smith can’t go on Monday. He’s shown he can be a mediocre quarterback for the time being but will be facing the tough Bears defense.
Kaepernick is not an optimal answer. However, at least he can rely on a dominant ground game, a sturdy offensive line and his mobility for when things get hairy.
The Bears: Just Tell Me He’s Alright
Chicago has the same level of rushing attack and defense as those that San Francisco will be leaning on, but the Bears offensive line struggles with any competent pass rush.
Why do you think so many Windy City citizens are concerned about Cutler’s health? They’ve seen this before and know he can’t continue to take the abuse he’s endured to this point.
Additionally, Jason Campbell inspires less confidence than Kaepernick. There’s a reason that Campbell has been passed around from team to team—he’s not that good.
At least with Kaepernick, you have the fear of the unknown. Campbell is a known quantity.
His mobility isn’t on par with Kaepernick, and he will be under much more duress than the younger signal-caller. Chicago’s division lead is down to one game, and things could spiral quickly out of control if Cutler is lost for any significant amount of time.
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