The Five Worst QB's To Start This Week
Jim McIsaac. Getty Images.Ideally this is the week when each NFL team can put their best foot forward. The season starts anew and teams are as healthy as they'll be all season. Of course that's not true for my Jets but every other team has their starting quarterbacks ready to go to begin the season. At least the ones who are under no massage restrictions.
So who are the worst QB's to get the nod this week? All odds are from the Barstool Sportsbook.
5. Daniel Jones, New York Giants
+5.5 at Titans
This was honestly a toss up for me between Jones and Mitch Trubisky. I asked former Barstool reality champion and Giants fan Tommy Smokes and he said Trubisky was worse because at least Jones has a glimmer of hope where he can be good. Brandon Walker leaned towards Jones being worse because Trubisky has never really had a bad season. I fall more in line with that thinking. Trubisky has already likely hit his ceiling but he's at least competent and has a winning record as a QB.
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Jones is 12-25 lifetime and while that might not be entirely his burden to bear because those Giants teams have been so bad, he's also seemingly getting worse every year. He does have a new coach this year so maybe he can make a leap but this is his last chance and for this week at least, he's on the list.
4. Marcus Mariota, Atlanta Falcons
+5.5 vs. Saints
The last time Mariota started a game, the pandemic was months away. It was October 13, 2019 (1,061 days ago!) and Mariota threw two picks and was beaten by Joe Flacco and the Denver Broncos 16-0. In fairness to Mariota, it's not like he has been out of football since then. He's been a backup to Derek Carr on the Raiders for the past two seasons.
But how much can he help? This is a Falcons team that won 7 games last season and with Calvin Ridley suspended all season, this is going to be a rebuilding year in Atlanta.
Lynne Sladky. Shutterstock Images.3. Joe Flacco, New York Jets
+7 vs. Ravens
The last time Flacco won a game he started? That 16-0 game I just talked about from over a thousand days ago. I probably have Flacco ranked too favorably on this list. I really want him to be decent. I really want the Jets to be decent. I know neither of these things will happen. They haven't made the playoffs in 12 years. I don't want to think that we are starting the worst QB in the NFL this week and since I'm the one making this list, I won't have him be the worst.
He'll be starting Weeks 2 and 3 so I'll come crashing back to Earth next week and likely have him as the worst. But until then, go get that revenge against the Ravens, Joe! J-E-T-S Jets! Jets! Jets!
2. Jacoby Brissett, Cleveland Browns
+1.5 at Panthers
The Browns might be the best team on this list and having a running back like Nick Chubb will take some pressure off of Brissett. He's also 14-23 (.378) lifetime and wasn't impressive last year despite the Dolphins having a pretty good receiving corps. Like the rest of these guys on the list, Brissett is a good backup but the idea of him starting 10 games this season is not great. I expect Brissett to be somewhere on this list each week until Watson comes back.
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1. Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks
+6.5 vs. Broncos
The 2013 Jets somehow went 8-8 with Geno as the starting QB all season as a rookie. They only missed the playoffs by a game. Geno was awful that season and his winning "magic" deteriorated immediately after that season and has gone 5-13 since that season as a starter. In his defense, he did throw five TD's last season against only 1 INT in three starts last year. He also beat out Drew Lock in the pre-season but that might be the very definition of faint praise.
He does still have Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf to throw to but this season looks to be an absolute disaster for this Seahawks team. This #1 spot might end up being the Geno Smith Honorary Award each week. I just don't see how this season can get much better for him.