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Starting Quarterback Battles Heating Up in NFL
By Geoffrey Vogel
| NFL Football betting odds at WagerWeb Sportsbook |
As we head into the third week of the 2007 NFL preseason action, the fight for the starting quarterback position is one of the most hotly-contested on many rosters. Here is an update on two football teams that are being forced to make a tough decision.
Cleveland Browns
Coach Romeo Crennel was planning on easing rookie Brady Quinn onto the roster after his training-camp holdout, thinking the Notre Dame star would begin the season behind Charlie Frye and Derek Anderson. But Crennel must be rethinking his position after Quinn's debut performance in the Browns' 23-20 loss at Detroit last week. Quinn was 13-for-20 for 155 yards and two touchdowns while leading the Browns to 20 fourth-quarter points, and the poise he showed in the pocket belied his years and experience. After this performance Quinn has probably inserted his name into the battle for the top of the depth chart at quarterback for the Browns, who have two tough games at Denver and Chicago to finish out the preseason. It will be interesting to see who gets the most reps in this week's game at Denver, as fans are now calling for the young Quinn to start. Quinn, who was a projected top-five or top-ten pick in the draft, fell all the way to 22nd and has a lot to prove in the NFL. He looks eager to quiet his critics.
Oakland Raiders
This battle for the starting quarterback position involves a player who has yet to sign a contract. After Andrew Walters and Aaron Brooks split time under center for the Raiders last season, Oakland went out and drafted LSU's JaMarcus Russell with the first overall pick. Fans thought their problems were solved with the big, athletic quarterback who was the key to the Tigers' success last year. However, Russell decided to hold out for more money so the Raiders took a chance on Daunte Culpepper, who was obtained after a bitter dispute ended badly in Miami. Culpepper has come in and played very well for the Raiders in the preseason, while Walter and Josh McCown have also played well. This puts the Raiders back on top in their negotiations with their No.1 draft pick, as they could probably afford to sit him for the entire season as long as Culpepper stays healthy behind the Raiders' suspect offensive line.
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