The most reassuring and confidence-inducing development for any NFL team and its fan base almost always is the affirmation that you have found your franchise quarterback.
There is nothing more important in the modern-day NFL, and that never has been more true than this season, with a slew of injuries and several instances of poor play turning the position from a “Who’s Who” to a “Who’s He?” on a weekly basis.
The top-tier teams in the league’s hierarchy are all settled for the long haul at the quarterback spot, starting with the NFL-leading Eagles with MVP candidate Jalen Hurts and on down through first-place teams such as the Chiefs (Patrick Mahomes), Ravens (Lamar Jackson) and Dolphins (Tua Tagovailoa) and several other playoff contenders.
Of course, there always are exceptions. The Jets’ defense largely has kept them in the playoff hunt in the absence of four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers.
Jets coach Robert Saleh continues to publicly support flawed former No. 2 overall pick Zach Wilson and remains insistent that he doesn’t plan to make a change at the position while Rodgers points to a comeback from his Week 1 Achilles injury at some nebulous point late in the season.
Saleh also insisted Wednesday that the “conspiracy theory” that the Jets’ front office is demanding Wilson continues to play over backups Tim Boyle and Trevor Siemian is untrue, adding, “We’re all on the same page with that.”
Tanking has been a hot-button topic in sports for decades, but just imagine if the Jets hadn’t won those two late-season games against the Rams and the Browns in 2020 after starting 0-13, costing them any chance to draft franchise changer Trevor Lawrence — whose Jaguars lead the AFC South at 6-2.
Sticking with Wilson now at least should present the Jets a chance to further assess whether the third-year pro should be considered a viable option for whenever the Jets portion of Rodgers’ Hall of Fame career comes to an end.
That isn’t always an easy determination, of course, as the Giants have found out with Daniel Jones, even after bestowing a four-year, $160 million contract extension on him this past offseason.
With Jones (torn ACL) out for the season and veteran backup Tyrod Taylor (ribs) on injured reserve, third-stringer Tommy DeVito will become the 10th rookie to start at least one game this season when the Giants visit Dallas on Sunday, extending what already was an NFL record.
Bryce Young (Panthers), C.J. Stroud (Texans), Anthony Richardson (Colts), Will Levis (Titans), Aidan O’Connell (Raiders), Dorian Thompson-Robinson (Browns), Tyson Bagent (Bears), Clayton Tune (Cardinals) and Jaren Hall (Vikings) have started games this season.
Stroud, the second overall pick in the draft out of Ohio State, already looks like the real deal without any glaring growing pains, throwing for 14 touchdowns with only one interception through his first eight appearances for the Texans (4-4).
With Kyler Murray slated to return from a torn ACL for the Cardinals (1-8), Carolina could be headed for the first overall pick for the second straight year.
The Panthers are 1-7 overall and 1-6 in games started by Young, the former Heisman Trophy winner at Alabama chosen first overall earlier this year. He has posted eight touchdown passes and seven picks in seven games, including three last week — two of which were returned for touchdowns — in a loss to the Colts.
As the Panthers continue to find out what they have in Young, the Colts won’t get that opportunity with Richardson; the No. 3 overall pick is done for the year following shoulder surgery.
The Raiders and Titans also are moving on from well-paid veterans at the position, with those teams planning to stick with O’Connell and Levis for the time being over the benched Jimmy Garoppolo and Ryan Tannehill, respectively.
Today’s back page
Victor, spoiled
The Garden got its first live look Wednesday night at NBA wunderkind Victor Wembanyama, and the rookie unicorn didn’t exactly live up to the hype.
Wembanyama missed his first seven shots — including a pair of airballs that elicited jeers from the MSG crowd — as the Knicks blew out the Spurs, 126-105.
He finished with 14 points on 4-of-14 shooting, nine rebounds and one block in 30 minutes, finally adding a spinning dunk and a couple of nifty and-ones in extended fourth-quarter garbage time.
Mitchell Robinson and Isaiah Hartenstein capably handled the defensive assignment for the Knicks.
“The big test tonight is can this young, 7-foot-4, 19-year-old player get his spot in the posted area against Robinson and Hartenstein?” the legendary Hubie Brown said on the ESPN telecast during the second quarter. “And the answer is, up until now, no. They have moved him out, he can’t get his balance and he can’t even get into a rhythm to score.”
Before the game, Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said he believes the French product already has started to answer the biggest question many had about him at the start of his NBA career.
“It seems like he’s handled the physicality of it very well,” Thibodeau said of Wembanyama, whose listed weight is 210 pounds. “That was maybe the one question mark. He’s young — would he be able [to handle it physically]? But he’s a lot stronger than you think. And he’s not afraid. He’s a terrific talent.”
The Knicks shot 19-of-42 from 3-point range, led by the emerging RJ Barrett (5-of-9, 24 points), Jalen Brunson (5-of-8, 25 points) and Julius Randle (23 points, 16 rebounds, five assists).
History re-Pete’s itself
Anyone who has followed Peter Laviolette’s career coaching record shouldn’t be surprised by the Rangers’ quick start. They have a 9-2-1 mark entering Thursday’s home game against the Wild (7 p.m. ET, MSG Network).
One common thread from Laviolette’s previous five NHL coaching stops has been immediate success.
The 2001-02 Islanders won nine of their first 11 games and improved by 44 points from the previous season, from 52 to 96.
The 2005-06 Hurricanes lifted the Stanley Cup in Laviolette’s first full season, and the 2009-10 Flyers also advanced to the Finals in his initial year.
The Predators and the Capitals also both notched at least 100 points during his first full seasons with those organizations.
Laviolette obviously also was fired by those teams, so it’s safe to say his demanding coaching style wears out its welcome eventually.
At another local newspaper, I covered Laviolette as a rookie head coach with the Islanders and witnessed/reported some of those elements. Then-GM Mike Milbury listened to complaining players and made a coaching change despite two consecutive playoff appearances following a seven-year absence.
The guess here is the Rangers and their fans would be fine with another short-term stay by Laviolette as long as it also includes legitimately competing for the Stanley Cup as early as this spring.
What we’re reading 👀
⚾ You’ll learn a ton about free-agent pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who has interest from the Yankees and Mets and might earn upward of $200 million, in this piece from The Post’s Joel Sherman.
⚾ Is there a fit between the outfield-needy Yankees and top free agent Cody Bellinger? Also, the Padres didn’t really shut down any Juan Soto trade chatter.
⚾ David Stearns seems to be remarkably comfortable in his new job running the Mets, notes The Post’s Jon Heyman.
🏈 Find out the surprising inside story of how the Giants handled the Leonard Williams trade.
🏀 The Nets knocked off the Clippers, but lost breakout scorer Cam Thomas to an ankle injury.
🎙 The Post’s Andrew Marchand spoke with Al Michaels about the critiques of his Thursday night calls and Michaels’ plans for 2024.
⚽ Gotham FC is one win from going worst to first in the NWSL and drawing new blue-blood investments.
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