Pulling the Switch on Quarterbacks

If Butch and Sundance were surveying the playing fields of the NFL Sunday, they’d be asking that age-old question:

Who are those guys?

Damon Huard taking over for the venerable Dan Marino and saving the day of the Dolphins.

Jay Fiedler orchestrating a stirring performance instead of Mark Brunell.

Gus Frerotte getting the Lions’ share of credit for a game-winning drive. Jeff Garcia trying to lead the 49ers back from the grateful dead.

One Billy Joe (Hobert) being replaced by another Billy Joe (Tolliver) .

Jeff George becoming a born-again starting quarterback.

Brian Griese, the second coming of John Elway. Ray Lucas, the second coming of Rick Mirer.

Welcome to topsy-turvy world of the NFL quarterback, whose fortunes can drop faster than today’s stock market.

Here’s the breakdown (and please never use that word around an NFL starting quarterback):

* After the first five weeks, three teams (Baltimore, Cincinnati and Cleveland) replaced their No. 1 quarterbacks because of incompetence while four others (New York Jets, Tennessee, St. Louis and San Francisco) had to replace starters for the season or an extended period because of injuries. Mum’s the word for Denver, which was fined $25,000 for not disclosing an injury that kept a quarterback from starting.

* Before Week 6, four teams (Chicago, New Orleans, the New York Giants and San Diego) announced quarterback changes, and one was submitted hours before game time by Parcells post (the New York Jets).

* Sunday, injuries forced five teams (Arizona, Atlanta, Detroit, Jacksonville and Miami) to change quarterbacks, while Father Time tapped another on the shoulder for Minnesota.

AIR HUARD

At Foxboro, Mass., Huard was pressed into service when Marino couldn’t continue because of neck spasms, and ushered in his NFL career by having his first pass intercepted and returned for a touchdown. In time, however, Huard looked like a budding Marino in throwing two touchdown passes--the second for the decisive score with 23 seconds in Miami’s 31-30 victory over New England.

“We believe in him. He played an outstanding game,” said Miami Coach Jimmy Johnson of Huard.

Marino would be shaking his head over that comment if he could. Johnson criticized the 38-year-old Marino after a Week 4 loss to Buffalo. Last week, there was no “We believe in him” comment from Johnson after Marino passed for 393 yards and a last-second touchdown in a come-from-behind victory at Indianapolis.

“But there’s no quarterback controversy here,” added Johnson.

Sure.

HEADBANGER’S BALL

At Pontiac, Mich., the wraps were taken off Frerotte when Lion starting quarterback Charlie Batch suffered a bruised upper arm. Frerotte, the noted headbanger who once suffered a concussion after a hard-knocking touchdown celebration with a concrete wall, kept his head in a last-minute drive in which he completed five consecutive passes to set up Jason Hanson’s game-winning field goal in Detroit’s 25-23 victory over Minnesota.

And by George there was another quarterback switch in the Lion-Viking game as 36-year-old Randall Cunningham was pulled at the start of the second half with his team down, 19-0. George, who has become an NFL gypsy by playing for four teams in six years, led the Vikings to three touchdowns in 16 1/2 minutes and appears to have been designated the starter--by Cunningham.

“One thing for sure is our offense is not being run the way it should be run with me in there,” said Cunningham. “That’s why Jeff should be in there. I told Denny [Coach Dennis Green] I understand it. I’m an old guy. I want to win a Super Bowl as bad as anybody in this locker room. But it’s not my time. It’s Jeff’s time, and I’m going to support him 100%.”

Thank you for your support.

HAVING A FIEDLER’S DAY

Now on to Jacksonville, Fla., where Fiedler--a distant relative of the former Boston Pops Orchestra conductor, the late Arthur Fiedler--made sweet music for the Jaguars. Fiedler replaced Brunell, who now has bruised ribs to go with the bruised ego that resulted from Coach Tom Coughlin taking over the play-calling this season. With Jacksonville, off all things, trailing the expansion Cleveland Browns, 7-6, Fiedler completed 12 of 14 passes for 113 yards to direct three scoring drives that gave the Jaguars a 24-7 victory.

Jaguar fans chanted “Fiedler, Fiedler, Fiedler” as the fourth-year player from noted quarterback factory Dartmouth ran off the field, but there will be an encore only if Brunell can’t sidestep the injuries that have dogged him the last two seasons.

“Mark is our starting quarterback,” said running back Tavian Banks. “It’s just one game. It’s only the Cleveland Browns.”

NO JET-SET QUARTERBACK

New York Jet Coach Bill Parcells, worried about an offense that had become Mirer-ed in mediocrity, made a decision to give Lucas--his longtime pet quarterback project--his first NFL start 2 1/2 hours before the game with the Indianapolis Colts.

Parcells, however, must have confused Lucas for Joe Namath with 4:32 left when he called for a goal-line pass to Keyshawn Johnson that was intercepted by Jeff Burris and returned 55 yards. Ten plays later, Mike Vanderjagt kicked the field goal that beat the Jets, 16-13, and sent them to 1-5 this season.

“You can’t take any risk there,” said Parcells.

To make matters worse, Lucas suffered an ankle injury on the play, and will likely be sidelined next week.

Punter Tom Tupa, come on down.

BOOMER OR BUST

From beginning to end, it was a bad day for starting quarterbacks. Arizona’s Jake Plummer suffered a broken finger on his passing hand in a 24-10 loss to Washington Sunday night.

Maybe Boomer Esiason can roll out of the ABC Monday Night Football broadcast booth and rescue the Cardinals like he did a few years

ago.

IN PASSING

The rash of injuries and ineptitude leaves the NFL with eight quarterbacks who have played every down this season.

Those Rocks of Gibraltar are Dallas’ Troy Aikman, Carolina’s Steve Beuerlein, New England’s Drew Bledsoe, Green Bay’s Brett Favre, Oakland’s Rich Gannon, Washington’s Brad Johnson, Indianapolis’ Peyton Manning, and Kansas City’s Elvis Grbac.

The thing about Elvis, however, is that you never know when he’s going to leave the

building.

--Compiled by Jim Rhode

Going the Distance

Miami’s Dan Marino, before leaving Sunday’s game against New England because of neck spasms, completed one pass of eight yards to Tony Martin that put him over 60,000 yards, or 34.1 miles. A look at how that compares to other distances:

60,000 Yards: 34.1 miles

163 trips up/down Washington Monument: 34 miles

21 round trips across Golden Gate Bridge: 33.4 miles

Length of English Channel Tunnel: 31 miles.

100 Sears Towers: 27.6 miles

Five Mount Everests: 27.5 miles

Length of boat trip through Panama Canal: 27 miles

Olympic Marathon: 26.2 miles

Indianapolis Motor Speedway (10 laps): 25 miles

Ozone Layer: 25 miles

Miami’s inland waterways (square miles): 20

Grand Canyon at widest: 18 miles

Length of Manhattan Island: 13 miles