Precocious Backup

NFL QB Controversies - Who Will Keep Their Job?
By T.O. Whenham

There is nothing more potentially distracting to an NFL team than a quarterback controversy. When a starter has his job threatened by a precocious backup, or loses it altogether, it can divide the team and hurt a whining millionaire's feelings. Ask Trent Green or Rob Johnson if they are sending Christmas cards to Kurt Warner or Doug Flutie.

The quarterbacking is so inconsistent in the league these days that half of the teams have real problems heading into the season, and that's being generous. Beyond the handful of star-caliber players, any quarterback could be a starter in September and unemployed at Thanksgiving. Here's a look at eight teams with the most tenuous starters, and my odds that the player finishes the season with his job:

Dallas Cowboys (3/2) - Stop me if you've heard this before - Drew Bledsoe has a high-potential young QB with no pro experience stuck behind him on the depth chart. The last time this happened some guy named Tom Brady took over after an injury and earned the right to lift the Vince Lombardi Trophy while Bledsoe got to polish his resume. The Dallas starter is having a good training camp, and his role isn't in question. However, Tony Romo is playing so well that Bledsoe is destined to end up with an ulcer worrying about what could happen to his job. I hope that Parcells does bench Bledsoe at some point, just because the explosion would be so much fun to watch. Bledsoe wouldn't find his demotion nearly as funny as I would.

Denver Broncos (8/1) - At this point, Jay Cutler apparently walks on water and is on the verge of curing cancer. That shining golden boy will be tempting for Bronco's fans, especially since Jake Plummer is guaranteed to make 3.4 awful plays per game. Cutler, of course, won't be nearly as good under real conditions as he has been in the preseason, but that won't matter to the fans that are booing and crying for the Snake's head. Plummer better win early and win often.