Jerry Jones Calls Out ‘Missed Opportunity’ After Cowboys 'TNF' Loss

In a surprising upset victory on Thursday night, Jalon Daniels, the undrafted rookie backup quarterback for the Buccaneers, led his team to a win over the Dallas Cowboys. This win adds to a noteworthy trend observed this early NFL season, where teams have been winning more than they lose when starting a backup quarterback. Following the Bucs' victory, NFL teams now boast an 8-4 record in the 12 games that have been won by backup quarterbacks.

Following Daniels' performance, the Buccaneers secured a 1-1 record with him at the helm. Furthermore, other teams that have beneficially utilized their backup quarterbacks this season include the New York Giants (2-0 with Jameis Winston), the Chicago Bears (2-0 with Case Keenum), the Minnesota Vikings (1-0 with Carson Wentz), the Seattle Seahawks (1-0 with Drew Lock), and the Washington Commanders (1-1 with Marcus Mariota).

However, the Atlanta Falcons, who started third-string quarterback Cooper Rush, currently have a 0-2 record with him, illustrating the fragility of the trend.

Atlanta's performance serves as an outlier, remaining the only team to start a backup quarterback and fail to secure at least one win. Despite the importance of having a starting quarterback, the season's results demonstrate that a team can still achieve success when relying on a backup. This season, the winning teams with their backups have triumphed twice as many times as they've lost, underscoring the potential success of backup quarterbacks in the NFL.