Week 9 might be the worst bunch of starting quarterbacks you’ll ever see
Football fans were forced to suffer through Thursday night’s brutal performance from Ravens third-stringer Joe Fagnano against the Jaguars after Lamar Jackson and Tyler Huntley went down with injuries.
The undrafted rookie, who is expected to lose the starting job to newly acquired veteran Jacoby Brissett next week, throwing for just 60 yards on 10-of-18 completions with a pair of interceptions in Baltimore’s 33-10 blowout loss – and it may have been even worse than that dreadful statline suggests.
The Ravens apparently had more faith in Derrick Henry-led Wildcat formations, screen passes and trick plays than in Fagnano’s throwing arm, barely asking him to throw beyond the line of scrimmage.
Fagnano’s struggles were just the beginning of what promises to be an ugly weekend of quarterback play around the NFL.
With injuries piling up and poor play throughout the league under center, several teams are turning to backups and unproven signal-callers in a Week 9 slate lacking in star power at the sport’s most important position.
The defending champion Seahawks, who have struggled offensively this season, are turning to Drew Lock after Sam Darnold was ruled out with a quad injury.
Lock will start opposite of the Cardinals veteran Gardner Minshew, who will make his first start after leading Arizona to a comeback against the Cowboys last Sunday.
There’ll be another heavyweight battle at Lincoln Financial Field.
The Eagles, losers of six straight, are turning to their third starting quarterback Joe Milton III, who will get the ball for Philadelphia against the Giants after the benching of Tanner McKee.
J.J. McCarthy, who has looked solid in limited action for Big Blue, will make his second start in one of the week’s more intriguing quarterback storylines, but he was third on Minnesota’s depth chart just a month ago.
The quarterback carousel is spinning in Cleveland as well.
After making seven starts for the Browns last season and losing the job in training camp, Shedeur Sanders will step into the QB1 role for Cleveland for the first time in 2026 against the Saints with Deshaun Watson questionable with a concussion.
“Monday Night Football” won’t even be spared.
Vikings backup Carson Wentz will lead the way for Minnesota after Kyler Murray, who wasn’t exactly lighting it up when he was healthy, was ruled out with a hamstring strain against the Bills, who, thankfully, will have Josh Allen on the field.
And it’s not just the second and third-stringers.
Some established starters enter Week 9 looking to bounce back from miserable performances last weekend.
In perhaps the ugliest game of the season, Michael Penix Jr. threw four interceptions while Baker Mayfield didn’t complete a single pass as both quarterbacks battled a torrential downpour during the Buccaneers’ 16-0 win over the Falcons to become just the second team in the Super Bowl era to win a game without a completion.
Daniel Jones and Justin Herbert, who are both enduring major down seasons, weren’t much better, throwing two interceptions each in losses.
Hopefully you’re a fan of defense.
