National Football League

A Pick Six changing of the quarterback

Published Oct. 21, 2011 9:46 p.m. ET

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Yes, we've already gone through this exercise of looking at teams with problems on the horizon at quarterback.

Well, Week 6 created too much news to move on to another topic.

From D.C. to the San Francisco Bay, and in a bunch of losing NFL cities in between, there's a whole lot of changing going on behind center entering this weekend's games.

Be it injury or ineptness, desperate coaches have decided to go with guys who either couldn't win the job in the first place or ended up on the roster after the season started.

Here's our second - and probably not last - Pick Six of look who's starting:

John Beck: Redskins coach Mike Shanahan had this choice: stick with Rex Grossman (four picks last week in a loss to Philly) or go with Beck, who lost the preseason competition for the job. Beck it is. The 30-year-old is 0-4 as a starter (for the Dolphins in 2007) and will be going against the Panthers and Cam Newton, the rookie/veteran who already has more wins (1) and starts (6) than Beck.

Carson Palmer: No worries here, right? Guy sits at home through first six weeks of season, gets traded by the Bengals to the Raiders, works out three days, and just might start against the Chiefs on Sunday. After Jason Campbell broke his collarbone, what's coach Hue Jackson to do? Obviously, he's not entirely comfortable with Kyle Boller or recently activated rookie Terrelle Pryor, so why not give up a No. 1 pick next year and what could be another No. 1 pick in 2013 for a guy who retired rather than return to the Bengals. This should be interesting.

Christian Ponder: The inev itable has happened perhaps even sooner than expected. First-round pick Ponder, who wasn't so great at Florida State, gets the start Sunday against the Super Bowl champion and unbeaten Packers. Good luck! Ponder's backup, by the way, is Joe Webb. Donovan McNabb, even though he's beloved by many, can't move the way he used to, can't throw the way he used to, and can't win they way he used to. Coach Leslie Frazier had no choice but to go with the new guy in what looks like a lost season - again - for the Vikings.

Tim Tebow: The change was mercifully made last week, and the Broncos come off their bye week with T-E-B-O-W! saddling up as the starter for all-season-long ineffective Kyle Orton. Cool thing is Tebow may get more cheers in Miami than he receives in Denver - and that's a lot. The Dolphins chose Sunday as the day to honor the Tebow-led Florida Gators' 2008 national championship team. Ticket sales picked up, so look for the Gator Chop at when Tebow takes charge.

A.J. Feeley: Don't laugh. WR Brandon Lloyd just joined the team, but Sam Bradford may not be able to throw to him after missing practice this week and wearing a walking boot to protect his high ankle sprain. If Bradford can't go against the Cowboys for the winless Rams, Feeley will make his first start since 2007.

Charlie Whitehurst: Seahawks coach Pete Carroll isn't saying, but if Tarvaris Jackson's strained chest muscle is still strained, Whitehurst is ready, willing, and able to make the third start of his career, which began in 2006. Two weeks ago, he replaced the injured Jackson and helped Seattle upend the Giants. And who knows, even if Jackson is healthy, Carroll may still opt for Whitehurst against the Browns.

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Follow Richard Rosenblatt on Twitter at http://twitter.com/rosenblattap

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