Losing a player to injury remains a dark staple of the sport of football. Unfortunately, injuries are as much a part of the game as crossing the goal line for a touchdown. However, all loses aren’t equal. Losing a fullback for most teams is not the same as losing a linebacker. Does losing a middle linebacker have the same impact on defense as the starting QB being taken off the field?
Who’s to say?
In a given season, the answer to who is Mr. Irreplaceable is most often the starting quarterback. Given the talent disparity between starter and backup, the command of the playbook, as well as subtleties such as cadence, overall timing and presence on the field makes it difficult to replace QB1.