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(11-20-2012 01:47 AM)tibber Wrote:  If AB is injured as badly as some here say he is, then it doesn't make sense to keep playing him, no matter how little the coach thinks of his backup, does it?

You answered your own question. Whatever McGee does or doesn't know, I'm pretty confident he knows the full extent of AB's injury. I'm extremely confident that AB's long-term, physical well-being is not at risk. That said, it's not just about how little the coach thinks of his backup...the opinion of the other coaches and players matters, too.

Since I'm in Charlotte and therefore, apparently, only allowed to be informed about things in my geographic bubble, take a look at Cam Newton and the Panthers this season. Cam had bad games in 2011 and he had a horrible attitude when he had those games, but he was a rookie and extremely talented so the only public signs of strife were brief spats on the sideline (and Cam was riding the wave of being the Next Greatest Thing so his down times weren't so bad). In 2012, however, his attitude has poisoned the entire team. When he sucks, the whole team gives up because he's going to pout and brood and ruin a perfectly good Sunday. But even when he has a good series or quarter, or an excellent play, nobody cares. Steve Smith even went public to try to get the message across that the QB, of all players, can't sulk on the sidelines in front of everyone and expect it not to affect the team.

I agree that if AB absolutely couldn't go we would probably see Bento. JP clearly "un-earned" his place on the field (we all saw that so I don't think there's much argument). I think it's just as clear that he hasn't done anything to "re-earn" leading the team on the field to this point (at least that's my understanding, but I also think it's pretty damn clear).