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2017’s Underachievers: QBs, Coaches Who Should Be Updating Resumes

Ryan Murphy

by Ryan Murphy in NFL Football

Updated Jan 17, 2018 · 9:38 AM PST

Blake Bortles and Chad Henne gather on the sidelines. Photo by Keith Allison (Flickr) CC License

The NFL season is two weeks old and it’s already beginning to feel like many teams are less interested in playing football and more interested in having a limbo competition of sorts, i.e. seeing just how low they can go. Nine teams are still winless heading into Week 3 and some squads, like the Bengals, have hit historic new depths.

It’s just a matter of time before these games start having real consequences for the underachieving players and coaches involved. We have the odds on which struggling QB will be benched next, which coach will be canned, and which team will be mathematically eliminated from the playoffs first.

Next quarterback to be benched

  • Mike Glennon (Bears): 2/1
  • Blake Bortles (Jaguars): 7/3
  • Josh McCown (Jets): 8/1
  • Jay Cutler (Dolphins): 19/1
  • Tyrod Taylor (Bills): 20/1
  • DeShone Kizer (Browns): 24/1
  • FIELD: 8/1

It didn’t take long for Tom Savage to become the first NFL QB to be benched. The embattled signal-caller was put out of his misery during Week 1 against the Jags after completing just 53.8 percent of his passes, fumbling twice, and taking six sacks in one half. Who will join him on the sidelines next per a coach’s decision?

Chicago’s Mike Glennon Era could be coming to a merciful conclusion in the next two weeks. The fifth-year pro is expected to start this Sunday against the undefeated Steelers, but he’ll be on a very short leash after playing miserably in Week 2 against the Bucs, including a costly pick-six. Mitch Trubisky looked sensational in the preseason and it’s only a matter of time before management gives the ball to the ACC standout.

Blake Bortles continues to underwhelm in Jacksonville, where he currently ranks 25th among all NFL QBs in yardage and 29th in passer rating. The UCF product was abysmal in Sunday’s 37-16 loss to the Titans, turning the ball over three times and failing to find any kind of rhythm. With no. 1 receiver Allen Robinson out for the year, his chances of turning it around are slimmer than ever.

Hue Jackson has plenty of reasons to feel grumpy this season. Photo by Erik Drost (Flickr) CC License

First NFL coach fired

  • Chuck Pagano (Colts): 7/2
  • Marvin Lewis (Bengals): 4/1
  • Todd Bowles (Jets): 5/1
  • Ben McAdoo (Giants): 7/1
  • John Fox (Bears): 10/1
  • Hue Jackson (Browns): 12/1
  • Jay Gruden (Redskins): 20/1
  • FIELD: 12/1

Chuck Pagano’s tenure in Indianapolis could be coming to an end very soon. The Colts are off to an 0-2 start, getting outscored by 40 points in losses to the Rams and Cardinals, and Pagano has now fallen to 16-18 over his last three seasons. At this point, he can only pray that management puts the blame on Andrew Luck’s absence rather than his own shoddy job performance.

Marvin Lewis’ tenure is also in question after the Bengals became the first team in 78 years to begin the season without a TD in their first two home games. Lewis reportedly faced a “near mutiny” in the locker room following the team’s brutal 13-9 loss to the Texans and was forced to fire Offensive Coordinator Ken Zampese just to save his own skin. Things could get even uglier this Sunday when they face the heavily favored Packers. He’s the second-longest tenured coach in the league after Bill Belichick, but there has to be a back-breaking straw for every coaching camel, and this level of embarrassment is getting close.

If Ben McAdoo gets canned, he’ll certainly go down with both guns blazing. The coach was highly critical of Eli Manning in the team’s Monday night loss to Lions, calling his play “sloppy” and blaming him for the team’s poor execution. When you throw your franchise QB under the bus, it’s a clear sign that you’re either desperately trying to save your job or you no longer care if you get fired.

First NFL team to be mathematically eliminated from the playoffs

  • Cleveland Browns: 5/2
  • New York Jets: 3/1
  • Indianapolis Colts: 9/1
  • San Francisco 49ers: 10/1
  • Los Angeles Chargers: 20/1
  • New York Giants: 25/1
  • Chicago Bears: 30/1
  • FIELD: 11/1

The Browns are in prime position to become the first team eliminated from the postseason for the second consecutive year. In 2016, Cleveland was knocked out after a dismal 24-9 loss to the Steelers during Week 11 action. The roster continues to stockpile young talent, but the results remain the same; the Browns are winless again in 2017 and have been outscored by 17 points in soul-crushing losses to two division rivals, Pittsburgh and Baltimore. With top wideout Corey Coleman now out (again) with a hand injury (just like last year) and no. 1-overall pick Myles Garrett still yet to make his debut, expect more of the same in the immediate future.

The Jets should give the Browns some stiff competition in the race to the NFL’s bottom. New York is winless heading into Week 3 and looked horrendous in Sunday’s loss to the Raiders. The team was outscored 45-20 and were shown up on the field (and the sidelines) by previously retired running back Marshawn Lynch.

No list of hapless teams would be complete without mentioning the Colts. Indianapolis has put only 22 points on the board in losses to the Rams and Cardinals and has looked completely rudderless. Adding injury to insult, quarterback Andrew Luck is likely still weeks away from lacing ‘em up and returning to practice. Could they be out of the playoffs, officially, before he ever sees the field?

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