Top NFL teams have one common thread: one QB

By JOANNE KORTH
Published November 16, 2007

TAMPA - As many as 10 NFL teams will change starting quarterbacks this week, including two - Miami and Kansas City - that will turn to first-time starters.

What else is new?

A staggering 50 quarterbacks have started games this season, including 35 among 17 teams. Dolphins rookie John Beck and Chiefs second-year pro Brodie Croylewill bring the total to an eye-popping 52.

Fifty-two!

On the flip side, 15 teams have had the luxury of starting the same quarterback in each of the first nine games this season, including all eight division leaders. Those 15 teams are a combined 86-49, the division leaders a decisive 54-18.

The Bucs lead the NFC South at 5-4, and Jeff Garcia has started every game. Coach Jon Gruden knows that combination is more than mere coincidence.

"It's a miracle, really," said Gruden, who dealt with at least one quarterback change in each of the past three seasons in Tampa Bay before acquiring Garcia.

"He has played so well for us and meant so much to our team. He has been a great leader. He has been a consistent play-maker. And his poise, I think, shows through."

Garcia is, perhaps, the best example that consistency at quarterback is a vital element of NFL success. The Bucs have sustained injuries at running back, left tackle, wide receiver and tight end yet still have a winning record.

Nothing disrupts an offense more than changing quarterbacks. The Bucs should know. They started three in 2004 and 2006, resulting in records of 5-11 and 4-12, respectively.

"It's been fun up 'til now," said Bucs receiver Joey Galloway, turning to knock on the wood at his locker. "It's been helpful for the offense. It's been helpful for the team. He has played very well.

"If he can continue to do that, we're going to be a team to be reckoned with later on."

More than half the league has not been so lucky. The combined record of the 17 teams with a revolving door at quarterback? A not-so-spiffy 58-95.

Remove the playoff-contending Browns 5-4, who dumped Charlie Frye after Week 1 in favor of rising star Derek Anderson, and the remaining 16 teams are 53-91, a dismal .368 winning percentage.

Here's the latest:

- In Baltimore, aging Steve McNair is out, Kyle Boller is in. Again.

- In Oakland, Josh McCown is out, Daunte Culpepper is in. Again.

- In San Francisco, Alex Smith is out, veteran Trent Dilfer is in. Again.

- In Kansas City, veteran Damon Huard is out, Croyle is in.

- In Miami, Trent Green is out for the season, Cleo Lemon is out of favor and the Dolphins are running out of time to win at least one game, having lost their first nine. Beck, a second-round pick from Brigham Young, will be the 12th quarterback to start for the Dolphins since Dan Marino retired after 1999.

- In Chicago, Brian Griese is out, Rex Grossman is in. Again. This comes a month after Grossman was benched for poor play and one week after throwing a perfect deep ball to cap a fourth-quarter comeback in Oakland in place of the injured Griese.

- In Minnesota, Brooks Bollinger is out, Tarvaris Jackson is in. Again.

- In Carolina, coach John Fox is doing everything he can to avoid starting David Carr, including propping up Vinny Testaverde, who turned 44 on Tuesday.

Perhaps the most shocking potential change is in Atlanta. Despite winning their past two games with Joey Harrington, the Falcons will start Byron Leftwich as soon as he is ready after ankle surgery three weeks ago. That could come Sunday against the Bucs.

Earlier this season, rookie coach Bobby Petrino benched Harrington in favor of Leftwich, who was injured in his only start Oct. 21 at New Orleans. At the risk of breaking his team's momentum, Petrino will stick with his month-old decision to start Leftwich.

Of the myriad changes this week, only one was an easy choice. In Jacksonville, starter David Garrard returns to the lineup after missing three games with an ankle injury.

Though injuries played a part in some of this week's changes, most are the result of difficult decisions by coaches.

Good teams get consecutive starts.

Bad teams need jump starts.

"Everything is based on one basic thing: Who gives us the best chance to win this week?" Bears coach Lovie Smith told reporters Wednesday after naming Grossman the starter for Sunday's game against the Seahawks.

"You take injuries. You take performance. You take everything into play. That's what we did coming to this conclusion."

Joanne Korth can be reached at korth@sptimes.com or (727) 893-8810.

Fast Facts:

.FAST FACTS

Consistent starting QB, consistent winning

It can't be a coincidence. Among the NFL's 32 teams, 15, including all eight division leaders, have started the same quarterback for all nine games. The division leaders are a combined 54-18, the 15 teams a combined 86-49:

LeadersRec.Quarterback Rating*TDs INTs

Patriots 9-0 Tom Brady 131.8 (1) 33 4

Cowboys 8-1 Tony Romo 103.3 (3) 23 11

Packers 8-1 Brett Favre 96.2 (5) 16 8

Colts 7-2 Peyton Manning 90.8 (10) 16 10

Steelers 7-2 Ben Roethlisberger 110.2 (2) 22 7

Bucs 5-4 Jeff Garcia 95.5 (6) 9 3

Chargers 5-4 Philip Rivers 77.9 (21) 10 10

Seahawks 5-4 Matt Hasselbeck 89.3 (12) 15 8

Other quarterbacks to start every game

Jon Kitna Lions 6-3 Jay Cutler Broncos 4-5

Eli Manning Giants 6-3 Donovan McNabb Eagles 4-5

Jason Campbell Redskins 5-4 Carson Palmer Bengals 3-6

Drew BreesSaints4-5*With rank among league QBs

Hed goes here

It can't be coincidence.

Of the NFL's 32 teams, only 15 have had the luxury of starting the same quarterback each of the first nine games of the season. Those teams are a combined 86-49, including all eight division leaders at a combined 54-18.

Division Team Record Quarterback QB rating (NFL rank) TDs INTs

AFC

East Patriots 9-0 Tom Brady 131.8 (1) 33 4

North Steelers 7-2 Ben Roethlisberger 110.2 (2) 22 7

South Colts 7-2 Peyton Manning 90.8 (10) 16 10

West Chargers 5-4 Philip Rivers 77.9 (21) 10 10

NFC

East Cowboys 8-1 Tony Romo 103.3 (3) 23 11

North Packers 7-2 Brett Favre 96.2 (5) 16 8

South Bucs 5-4 Jeff Garcia 95.5 (6) 9 3

West Seahawks 5-4 Matt Hasselbeck 89.3 (12) 15 8

Other quarterbacks to start every game: Drew Brees, Saints (4-5); Jason Campbell, Redskins (5-4); Jay Cutler, Broncos (4-5); Jon Kitna, Lions (6-3); Eli Manning, Giants (6-3); Donovan McNabb, Eagles (4-5); Carson Palmer, Bengals (3-6).

[Last modified November 16, 2007, 01:33:26]