January 1, Backup Quarterbacks Step Up Across NFL Playoff Hunt

Wyatt’s Take

• Five backup quarterbacks are starting this week for teams still fighting for the postseason.
• Carson Wentz gets the biggest shot in Minnesota after Kyler Murray’s inconsistent play.
• Working Americans understand that talent and results matter more than hype or draft pedigree.

It is the week of the backup quarterback around the NFL and by the time we’re done, we could come to understand why the quarterback-driven league is, for some teams, a backup-quarterback-driven week.

Five backup quarterbacks are starting for their teams in Week 9, with three of those players thrust into the starting job on teams with playoff expectations.

This is the week Shedeur Sanders starts for Deshaun Watson with the Cleveland Browns, Drew Lock starts instead of Sam Darnold for the Seattle Seahawks, Carson Wentz starts for Kyler Murray with the Minnesota Vikings – all playing on teams in thick of a playoff hunt.

The situation is probably different for the Arizona Cardinals, who are starting Gardner Minshew, and the Philadelphia Eagles, who are turning to Joe Milton because both those teams are currently outside the playoff picture and indeed under .500.

So here’s the breakdown of five new starters and what is at stake.

Minshew’s last start before this week was Oct. 6, 2024, with the Raiders, and unlike most of the others in this group, he has already been given a chance to extend his tenure beyond this game.

This will be Milton’s first NFL start, and while the Eagles have not committed beyond this game, Hurts’ season-ending injury gives Milton a legitimate opportunity to keep the job if he plays well.

Lock’s most recent start was Sept. 20 against Arizona, when he threw for 235 yards and three touchdowns. Darnold is expected to reclaim the job when healthy.

Sanders last started an NFL regular season game on Jan. 4, 2026, in the Browns’ 20-18 victory over Cincinnati, the seventh of his 2025 rookie season.

Sanders is not expected to take the starting job from Watson although playing well opens the door for him to be considered more of an option if Watson suddenly reverts to the type of play that made him something of an enigma in Cleveland before the 2026 season.

The biggest opportunity of the week is sitting there for Wentz. He has thrown 5 TD passes in 101 snaps for the Vikings this year.

Murray, meanwhile, has been inconsistent and thrown 6 TDs in over 300 snaps.

Wyatt Matters

Heartland families teach their kids that hard work and steady performance earn the starting spot, not flash or name recognition, and the NFL is no different when the scoreboard lights up on Sunday.