Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

Rookie Connor Cook will lead the Raiders into Houston to face either Tom Savage or Brock Osweiler. I can't think of a worse QB matchup ever in a playoff game.

MatthewToy wrote:Rookie Connor Cook will lead the Raiders into Houston to face either Tom Savage or Brock Osweiler. I can't think of a worse QB matchup ever in a playoff game.

It brings to mind the 1965 NFL Western Division tiebreaker between Baltimore and Green Bay when Starr went out very early in the game and you had Zeke Bratkowski for GB vs. Tom Matte for Baltimore. That's the only playoff game I can think of offhand with backups starting. If I were Oakland I would be practicing a lot of Wildcat type plays this week.

Dilfer vs. Collins in SB35 is the only one I can think of offhand that might be in the discussion.

Todd Pence wrote:Dilfer vs. Collins in SB35 is the only one I can think of offhand that might be in the discussion.

I imagine the Raiders would probably be content to have Kerry Collins as he is today to be their QB next weekend against Houston.

Both Dilfer and Collins had made a Pro Bowl by the 2000 season (granted, I think Aikman and Young had begged off with injuries.) At the time of the game, Dilfer was being asked to be the ultimate game manager, but Collins was coming off one of the most spectacular passing performances in NFL playoff history.

I was being (slightly) facetious. Yeah, I can't think of another game where both teams had to start their backup QBs in a playoff game, other than the '65 playoff game already mentioned.

At this point I throw the passing out the window and look at rushing and defense. Houston has an edge on defense, and they are about even in their rushing game. And Houston is at home. It will be hard to bet against Houston. I hate to see this happen to the Raiders but they clearly have turned their organization around with their best team in a generation. I just hope they can stay in Oakland; I don't want to see them move to Vegas.

Oakland's situation reminds me of Minnesota having to start Joe Webb against Green Bay in the 2012 playoffs. As I recall, Christian Ponder's injury wasn't known until shortly before the game. Ponder wasn't great but he played very well in beating the Packers a week earlier. The Vikings' only chance was to take advantage of Webb's athleticism and running ability but they ran their regular offense with expected results. GB keyed on AP and Webb wasn't able to throw well enough to do any damage.

We could have had ourselves Matt McGloin playing against his old (senior year) college HC; if it weren't for O'Brien, Matt most-likely doesn't make the NFL! A shame what went down today. Hopefully McGloin gets a real shot to be a starting QB in this game...perhaps O'Brien lobbies a trade for him next year (if he and Texans don't "mutually" agree to go seperate ways after the season that is - guess you all heard that rumor).

As for worst playoff QB-combo (besides this upcoming one or the '65 game mentioned), do I dare suggest Wade Wilson vs Bobby Hebert '87? Scott Mitchell vs Trent Dilfer 10 years later? Quincy Carter vs Jake Delhomme '03?

Far cry from OAK/HOU 1980 AFC WC game, that's for sure.