Hop Aboard the NFL Quarterback Carousel

One week in the books of the 2007 NFL season and the quarterback carousel is already in full operation mode. As many as five teams will have a different signal caller starting in Week 2 than who started in the first game of the year. The overriding theme for all but one of these clubs is an injury to the starter as just one game, which further magnifies the battle of attrition that is the NFL. Here a look at who’s in and who’s out behind center in Week 2.

NY Giants
Week 1 Starter: Eli Manning
Probable Week 2 Starter: Jared Lorenzen
Scratch That: Manning to start vs. Packers
Rule number #19 – Never listen to ESPN. If you believed their constant report on Manning’s injured shoulder you would have thought Eli’s arm was about to fall off and his season was over. Well, news out of New York this morning is that Manning will start Big Blue’s home opener against Green Bay. Don’t expect Chris Mortensen to be in attendance.

NY Jets
Week 1 Starter: Chad Pennington
Probable Week 2 Starter: Kellen Clemens
Sounds like all the classless J-E-T-S fans will get their wish and see Kellen Clemens under center come Sunday. Mr. Clemens will try to follow such legendary names as Smith, Feeley, and Harrington in the storied lineage of Oregon quarterbacks in the NFL. Be careful what you wish for.

Cleveland Browns
Week 1 Starter: Charlie Frye
Expected Week 2 Starter: Derek Anderson
Projected Week 5 Starter: Brady Quinn
Started season opener, traded before the second game - Charlie Frye never stood a chance. The Browns traded their former starting quarterback to Seattle for a sixth round draft pick. After beating backup Derek Anderson in the preseason for the job, Frye couldn't even make it out of the first half Sunday against the Steelers and couldn't even make it to the second game with the Browns. Now Anderson gets to keep the seat warm for Mr. Brady Quinn. With Cleveland going nowhere again the question is, what are the Browns waiting for?

Oakland Raiders
Week 1 Starter: Josh McCown
Probable Week 2 Starter: Daunte Culpepper
Projected Not to See the Field this Season: JaMarcus Russell
McCown put up solid numbers though for the Raider any positive yardage at all offensively would be giant step forward compared to last season.

Baltimore Ravens
Week 1 Starter: Steve McNair
Possible Week 2 Starter: Kyle Boller
Ole Air McNair had a nightmare of a game against the Bengals last Monday night and topped it off with a groin injury. Boller stepped in and nearly led Baltimore to victory. McNair’s status for this Sunday in up in the air, but while coach Brian Billick may feel more comfortable with McNair, it’s clear the veteran doesn’t have much left in the tank and Boller may be the better option at this point.