To play or not to play your injured QB in a playoff game (1 Viewer)

[benson_will_lead_the_way]

This is going to be hotly debated and these were the last 3 injured QBs questionable to play in a playoff game. Cutler(knee), RGIII(knee), Ponder(elbow).

Seeing that we saw the worst side of it with RGIII, what is the correct call in each case?

-Each team lost

-RGIII played most of the game

-Cutler played a half + one drive

-Ponder didn't play at all

 

[rizzler]

hockey players play w broken bones, missing teeth, stitches exposed...

Messier once scored a goal with a broken foot and hand and didnt say a word about it.

 

[steveski]

Start them, but if they re-aggravate the injury or if they aren't performing well then pull them. I can't even imagine what Shanahan was thinking NOT pulling RG3 after he tweaked his knee in the 1st quarter. If that wasn't enough incentive to pull him, then he should have pulled him after he realized that he couldn't move around the pocket and couldn't throw a deep ball. Short term and long term he would have been better with RG3 on the bench. If he hadn't just done such a remarkable thing putting this team together, I would say that is nearly a fireable offense.

 

[tietzjd]

WAS was winning easy till RGIII tweek his injury.

Both Bears and Vikings should started there normal QB too.

Viking case it's plan to see now how much better Ponder has become, since Webb was almost or as good as he was last year. Webb was horrible this weekend and should be no more then 3rd stringer with trick plays.

 

[Da Guru]

The QB is the leader of the offense and you have to trust him.

Cutler played a half and said he could not go. I have seen Cutler take huges hits and not flinch in meaningless games so when he says he can`t go I trust that he can`t go.

Griffin told shanny that he is hurting but not injured and he can go and give his team the best chance to win and not to take him out..Shanny let Griffin make the call as he should.

Now Ponder should have at least suited up and gave it a try in warmups. If he can`t go then he can`t go..but give it a try.

 

[packseasontix]

WAS was winning easy till RGIII tweek his injury. Both Bears and Vikings should started there normal QB too. Viking case it's plan to see now how much better Ponder has become, since Webb was almost or as good as he was last year. Webb was horrible this weekend and should be no more then 3rd stringer with trick plays.

Bears almost came back with the backup but Cutler was doing nothing against the Packers.Vikings couldn't predict how bad Webb would play, Ponder could have went out there and not been able to hit the broadside of the barn. Most likely they would have rolled with him if they thought he could make it through the game. If they didn't pull Ponder after a few of his bad starts this year and fans screaming for it they arent going to do it in the playoffs.RG3 cost the Redskins the game. After the first half and Washington doing pretty much NOTHING on offense they needed to bring in Cousins. I think the Redskins win that game if they pulled RG3 after the 1st or 2nd quarter. All Cousins had to do was get 1 TD make the game 21 - 6 and I think it would have put the game out of reach.

 

[sho nuff]

Cutler...gimpy, no way he should have kept playing. He was getting killed when he had 2 good legs.

Ponder...hard to say. If he could not throw any better than Webb...why play him?

RGIII...to start the game fine. Once it was obvious he could not effectively run or throw the ball accurately, he should have been pulled.

 

[packseasontix]

The QB is the leader of the offense and you have to trust him.

Cutler played a half and said he could not go. I have seen Cutler take huges hits and not flinch in meaningless games so when he says he can`t go I trust that he can`t go.

Griffin told shanny that he is hurting but not injured and he can go and give his team the best chance to win and not to take him out..Shanny let Griffin make the call as he should.

Now Ponder should have at least suited up and gave it a try in warmups. If he can`t go then he can`t go..but give it a try.

What does suiting up have to do with anything? He was warming up and throwing the day of the game in Green Bay. It was a call made that he shouldn't go and they declared him out a couple hours before the game...

 

[dutch]

The QB is the leader of the offense and you have to trust him.Cutler played a half and said he could not go. I have seen Cutler take huges hits and not flinch in meaningless games so when he says he can`t go I trust that he can`t go.Griffin told shanny that he is hurting but not injured and he can go and give his team the best chance to win and not to take him out..Shanny let Griffin make the call as he should.

In both cases I think the coach should eveluate the play of the injured qb and decide if they are helping or hurting the team by playng with their injury. Also in both cases it was clear that both qb's were a detriment so Chicago made the right call while the Redskins flubbed theirs, imo.

Now Ponder should have at least suited up and gave it a try in warmups. If he can`t go then he can`t go..but give it a try.

Ponder did try in warmups and it was determined he couldnt go based on that. This was shown on the pregame show.

 

[FUBAR]

In the playoffs, the coach has to decide what gives his team the best chance to win that week. I can't second guess Frazier's decision to bench Ponder and the others played their guy until it was clear he wasn't playing (or wasn't going to continue to play) at the level neccessary to win.

 

[Two Deep]

Start them, but if they re-aggravate the injury or if they aren't performing well then pull them. I can't even imagine what Shanahan was thinking NOT pulling RG3 after he tweaked his knee in the 1st quarter. If that wasn't enough incentive to pull him, then he should have pulled him after he realized that he couldn't move around the pocket and couldn't throw a deep ball. Short term and long term he would have been better with RG3 on the bench. If he hadn't just done such a remarkable thing putting this team together, I would say that is nearly a fireable offense.

This is the correct answer.

 

[money.never.sleeps]

RGIII...to start the game fine. Once it was obvious he could not effectively run or throw the ball accurately, he should have been pulled.

Agreed. I was surprised Cousins wasnt warming up several times in the 1st half after it was obvious that RG3 wasnt going to be effective. Shanahan has to use his head once he saw RG3 struggling and flopping around like a fish in a barrel instead of listening to a young man who wanted to play through it. Hindsight is 20/20 but I cant imagine the Skins offense stalling worse with Cousins in than what RG3 did for the other 3 quarters. Washington was dominating the line of scrimmage and once Seattle knew RG3 wouldnt hurt them they controlled the game.