We’re two weeks into the regular season and our preseason projections have already been thrown out of whack. Injuries, obviously, are a common thing in the NFL, but this year more than most those injuries have affected the most important position in sports. The leaves haven’t even turned yet and already some of the game’s best quarterbacks are missing time with injuries, illnesses or otherwise, leaving teams with high August hopes scrambling.
Have you kept up to date with everything going on? It’s okay if you haven’t – it’s been quite a lot. We’re here to catch you up:
Andrew Luck:
This one is obviously different than the rest, but having a franchise quarterback in the prime of his career decide to retire two weeks before the season starts might throw off a team’s plans just a little bit. The QB carousel started with Luck on August 24, and seemingly hasn’t stopped since. Indy, however, hasn’t been derailed with Jacoby Brissett, taking the Chargers to overtime and beating the Lions.
Nick Foles:
The former Super Bowl MVP left Philly to be the guy in Jacksonville, signing a four-year, $88 million contract in March. He got off to a good start in Week 1 against the Chiefs, completing five of his first eight passes for 75 yards and a touchdown, then broke his left clavicle and is likely out until Week 11. Though Gardner Minshew-mania has hit Jacksonville with his mustache and his fashion choices, the Jaguars are already 0-2 and scored 12 points on Sunday.
Sam Darnold:
When unusual occurrences come about, chances are the Jets are somehow involved. Alas, the news broke last week that New York’s second-year starter will miss at least the next month with mononucleosis. Making matters worse, he can’t even be in the building so as not to affect his teammates.
His backup, Trevor Siemian, made it less than a half before he exited Monday night’s loss to Cleveland with a gruesome ankle injury. Sitting at 0-2, New York is now down to third-stringer Luke Falk, on his third team in two years in the league.
Ben Roethlisberger:
A non-contact injury in football is never a good thing. When Roethlisberger made a routine throw in the first half of Week 2 and immediately came down grabbing his elbow on the follow through, it’s obvious something was wrong. Indeed, he’ll undergo season-ending surgery to repair that elbow, and although he says he’ll be back in 2020, a 38-year-old QB off of major elbow surgery can’t inspire a load of confidence. Mason Rudolph looked decent in relief, and it’s his team now, but like Jacksonville, Pittsburgh is 0-2 in a division with the upstart Browns and the very-good-looking Ravens.
Drew Brees:
The Saints’ signal caller came down on the helmet of Aaron Donald on a follow through in Sunday’s loss and wound up tearing ligaments in his thumb, requiring surgery. He’s expected to miss about six weeks, leaving it up to Teddy Bridgewater to weather the storm. The league’s highest-paid backup, Bridgewater has only started one game since his devastating knee injury in 2016. On the bright side, everyone in the NFC South has at least one loss already, meaning New Orleans can afford to go 3-3, or even 2-4, and still be alive.