# Broncos are going to play Saints without any quarterbacks **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [November 29, 2020, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broncos-are-going-to-play-saints-without-any-quarterbacks/926730 "2020-11-29T19:58:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2020, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broncos-are-going-to-play-saints-without-any-quarterbacks/926730/1 "2020-11-29T19:58:52Z")
Due to a remarkable confluence of events, the Broncos are left with no quarterbacks for tonight’s game against New Orleans. > **[Broncos to face Saints without QB Drew Lock, both backups after all were...](https://www.nfl.com/news/broncos-lock-rypien-bortles-not-allowed-to-play-in-week-12-qbs-were-evaluated-fo)** > > Broncos quarterbacks Drew Lock, Brett Rypien and Blake Bortles are not allowed to play in Week 12, NFL Network's James Palmer reported, per an informed source. Practice-squad wide receiver Kendall Hinton is going to be their QB for this one. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2020, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broncos-are-going-to-play-saints-without-any-quarterbacks/926730/2 "2020-11-29T20:29:08Z")
I was at a college game where UNC had a running back at QB and they won 10-6. He might have played QB in HS ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2020, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broncos-are-going-to-play-saints-without-any-quarterbacks/926730/3 "2020-11-29T20:32:17Z")
At least Drew Brees is out on the Saint’s side. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2020, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broncos-are-going-to-play-saints-without-any-quarterbacks/926730/4 "2020-11-29T22:36:45Z")
[Moderating] Moved from GQ to the Game Room, where you probably thought it already was. ---
**Author:** ![pirviii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pirviii/32/3233_2.png) [@pirviii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pirviii)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2020, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broncos-are-going-to-play-saints-without-any-quarterbacks/926730/5 "2020-11-29T22:43:06Z")
It’s been every bit as bad as you can imagine. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2020, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broncos-are-going-to-play-saints-without-any-quarterbacks/926730/6 "2020-11-29T22:46:53Z")
I’m not watching, but the box score at halftime shows the Broncos with zero yards passing. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2020, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broncos-are-going-to-play-saints-without-any-quarterbacks/926730/7 "2020-11-29T22:59:51Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Moved from GQ to the Game Room, where you probably thought it already was. Whoops. I clicked Game Room, but then assumed that the thread would be Game when it was still sublabeled as GQ… ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2020, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broncos-are-going-to-play-saints-without-any-quarterbacks/926730/8 "2020-11-29T23:08:42Z")
At the moment he’s completed 3 of 9 pass attempts, which doesn’t sound too horrible except 2 of the 3 completions were to Saints. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2020, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broncos-are-going-to-play-saints-without-any-quarterbacks/926730/9 "2020-11-29T23:19:38Z")
You would think that would be a clue to switch to a running game. I take it that he played QB in high school or college? ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2020, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broncos-are-going-to-play-saints-without-any-quarterbacks/926730/10 "2020-11-29T23:20:52Z")
Poor guy had no chance. Impossible situation. There are maybe 15-20 guys at any given time capable of playing QB at a high level in the NFL even with weeks of preparation. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2020, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broncos-are-going-to-play-saints-without-any-quarterbacks/926730/11 "2020-11-29T23:22:13Z")
I mean, it _ **would** _ have been fun to see Hinton unexpectedly have turned in a Cinderella performance and throw for 300 yards and 3 TDs. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2020, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broncos-are-going-to-play-saints-without-any-quarterbacks/926730/12 "2020-11-29T23:23:30Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I take it that he played QB in high school or college? Per the link in the OP: > [@](#): > > An undrafted rookie out of Wake Forest, Hinton played QB during the first four of his five years in the program before switching to WR. His last meaningful snaps came in October 2017 against then No. 2 ranked Clemson. Hinton went 14-of-30 for 203 yards, two TDs and zero interceptions, and added 92 rushing yards on 24 carries in a 28-14 loss. ---
**Author:** ![gdave](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gdave/32/3683_2.png) [@gdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gdave)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2020, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broncos-are-going-to-play-saints-without-any-quarterbacks/926730/13 "2020-11-29T23:30:11Z")
As I write this, with about 11 minutes to go in the 4th quarter, Taysom Hill is 8/15 for 62 yards and 1 interception. Which is awful. Except that Kendall Hinton is 1/9 for 13 yards and 2 interceptions. Which is…you just have to feel bad for the guy. He has _no_ chance. Hill does at least have decent rushing numbers, 10 rushes for 44 yards and 2 TDs, while Hinton only has 2 rushes for 7 yards. My local Fox affiliate isn’t showing the late game, which is too bad. I’d like to watch this one, just for the novelty. ---
**Author:** ![TiberiusNeroClaudius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f04885/32.png) [@TiberiusNeroClaudius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TiberiusNeroClaudius)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2020, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broncos-are-going-to-play-saints-without-any-quarterbacks/926730/14 "2020-11-30T00:23:50Z")
In 1965 the Baltimore Colts had to play the last couple games with running back Tom Matte at quarterback. Matte played quarterback at Ohio State but coach Woody Hayes was famous for saying three things could happen when you passed and two of them were bad. Matte had a list of plays on a band around his left wrist and Baltimore primarily ran the ball. They almost made the championship game except for a disputed field goal in a tie breaker game against Green Bay. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2020, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broncos-are-going-to-play-saints-without-any-quarterbacks/926730/15 "2020-11-30T00:27:07Z")
I’m surprised the Saints didn’t just simply bring heavy blitzes on every single passing play. Those are tough for even an experienced QB to deal with, and a practice-squad guy like Hinton would have been an absolute deer in the headlights. Although with the Saints winning 31-3, and Hinton going 1-for-13, it’s not like things could get much lower for Denver anyway. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2020, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broncos-are-going-to-play-saints-without-any-quarterbacks/926730/16 "2020-11-30T00:33:28Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > I’m surprised the Saints didn’t just simply bring heavy blitzes on every single passing play. Those are tough for even an experienced QB to deal with, and a practice-squad guy like Hinton would have been an absolute deer in the headlights. No need, honestly. You blitz when you want to get to the quarterback before he can get off a good throw, or in hopes of forcing a mistake with that pressure; when you blitz, you’re trading off strong coverage for that extra pressure. Hinton is extremely unlikely to be able to beat you with his throws, and is going to be more mistake-prone than an NFL-caliber quarterback, anyway. A normal pass rush, with good coverage, is more than enough. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2020, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broncos-are-going-to-play-saints-without-any-quarterbacks/926730/17 "2020-11-30T00:35:22Z")
Hard to argue with the Saints’ game plan, given the result. As a Saints fan, my only disappointment is that Hill was pretty poor passing the ball today. Hopefully he’ll do better next week. ---
**Author:** ![Chingon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chingon/32/17645_2.png) [@Chingon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chingon)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2020, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broncos-are-going-to-play-saints-without-any-quarterbacks/926730/18 "2020-11-30T01:17:48Z")
Blitzing every play would be a very stupid strategy. I assume the saints DC was smart enough to not do something so silly. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2020, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broncos-are-going-to-play-saints-without-any-quarterbacks/926730/19 "2020-11-30T01:59:34Z")
I can’t believe this game was even played. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2020, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broncos-are-going-to-play-saints-without-any-quarterbacks/926730/20 "2020-11-30T02:04:29Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > I can’t believe this game was even played This. As I said in the NFL thread, by Tuesday the Broncos will have 2 QBs eligible to play. No reason that this game couldn’t have been delayed by 2 days. Denver is not a factor in the AFC playoff race, but the Saints have the #1 seed in the NFC. The other NFC playoff teams deserved better. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broncos-are-going-to-play-saints-without-any-quarterbacks/926730.md?page=2)