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A16 sports
Thursday 29 sepTember 2022
Backups, be ready. NFL's QB carousel is spinning

By ROB MAADDI next man for the Dolphins now, it's tight. It was sore
AP Pro Football Writer when Tagovailoa stumbled when it did happen, but
The NFL's quarterback car- off the field late in the first any competitor that would
ousel may start spinning a half of Miami's 21-19 win have never wanted to
bit faster. over Buffalo after hitting come out would've done
Mac Jones, Tua Tagovailoa his head on the ground. the same thing. I just tried
and Josh Allen got banged Bridgewater was in for my hardest to get back
up Sunday. Justin Herbert three plays because Tago- up and get the next play
and Jameis Winston played vailoa passed concussion and run it." If Tagovailoa
hurt. Already, Dak Prescott protocol and retuned to can't go for the Dolphins
and Trey Lance have gone the game in the third quar- (3-0), they have a capable
down. ter. He explained his legs backup. Bridgewater is 33-
Backups, be ready. were wobbly following the 30 in his career as a starter
Jones' leg injury appears play because he hurt his with the Vikings, Saints,
most serious. The second- back. Panthers and Broncos.
year pro hopped off the New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones (10) is helped off Tagovailoa wore a wrap Allen needed an X-ray af-
field late in the fourth quar- the field after suffering a leg injury with less than two minutes around his back after the ter the game on his right
to play in the second half of an NFL football game against the
ter of New England's 37-26 Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, Sept. 25, 2022, in Foxborough, Mass. game and his status for hand, but didn't have any
loss to Baltimore, and he Associated Press Thursday night's game at protection on it afterward
appeared to be in extreme Cincinnati is uncertain. and insisted he's fine. The
pain in photos showing him visit the Green Bay Packers time here, it's always the "It's a quick turnaround so Bills (2-1) visit the Ravens this
being assisted to the locker (2-1) this week, a difficult next-man-up mentality if you have to move on quick week. They have veteran
room. opponent regardless who is it comes to that," Patriots and get ready for Cincin- Case Keenum, though Al-
Veteran Brian Hoyer would under center. defensive back Devin Mc- nati," Tagovailoa said. "For len should be ready to go.
take over for the Patriots (1- "I think we've always talk- Courty said. me, I'm just worried about Playing with fractured rib
2) if Jones is sidelined. They ed about it my whole Teddy Bridgewater was the getting my back right. Right cartilage, Herbert struggled
as the Chargers were rout-
ed by the Jaguars 38-10 in
Los Angeles. Coach Bran-
don Staley allowed Her-
bert to finish the game and
throw 45 passes despite the
lopsided score.
The Chargers (1-2) play
at Houston this week and
there's no reason to think
Herbert wouldn't start.
"Justin is going to be feel-
ing like this when he's out
there playing," Staley said.
"This injury is going to be
there for a while. ... It's not
like it's going to feel better
next week or the week af-
ter that. This thing is going
to be present for a while.
He felt good today. We're
going to continue to man-
age it the best we can."
Winston played his sec-
ond straight game for the
Saints with a back injury. He
threw for 353 yards, but also
tossed two interceptions in
a 22-14 loss at Carolina.
New Orleans (1-2) meets
Minnesota in London next
Sunday. Saints coach Den-
nis Allen said he's not con-
sidering replacing Winston
with Andy Dalton.
"He is a battler. He is tough.
Yeah, he is fighting through
some things, and that is
part of playing pro foot-
ball," Allen said of Winston.
One QB switch that's cer-
tain to happen is in New
York. The Jets will turn to
Zach Wilson once he's
cleared to return from a
preseason knee injury. q