Steve Brownlee

There’s always seems to be an epidemic in the NFL.

Which certainly beats the pandemic we had to endure just a short five years ago.

This time around, it’s a familiar theme — injured starting quarterbacks.

My count — confirmed on multiple websites — shows five top signal callers either definitely out or having a good chance of that happening.

Three are in the NFC — J.J. McCarthy of Minnesota, Jayden Daniels in Washington and Brock Purdy with San Francisco.

In the AFC are Joe Burrow of Cincinnati and Justin Fields with the New York Jets.

I don’t even want to get into who the backups are and how capable they might be. Teams sink millions of dollars — some hundreds of millions — for the anointed starters to lead their team.

So it’s got to be emergency, all-hands-on-deck, man-the-lifeboats time for each of these teams.

Some of the TV pundits had interesting insights into this.

Are there enough rules to protect them?

I agree there’s been so many rules put into place where it seems a lot of the time, breathing the wrong way on a QB gets you a 15-yard penalty.

The point was made that as the rules have tightened on potential harm to QBs, the trend — by teams, not by the guys necessarily — is to find more mobile QBs who can run away from pass rushers if not be out-and-out running backs themselves.

They’re a lot more like Jayden Daniels or Baker Mayfield — also hurt but expected to continue to play — who scramble around trying to get first downs with their feet, and less like Tom Brady or Peyton Manning, the best of the past generation, who do just about all of their best work with their arms and vision.

And that’s fine.

If the NFL made even more stringent rules to protect QBs, the feeling is that we’d expect even more running around by them.

I don’t know if it’s also led to more rookies and second-year QBs struggling as they learn to take this all in, with more of career resurgences by guys past that stage, like Jared Goff in Detroit, Sam Darnold of the 49ers and Daniel Jones in Indianapolis.

I’ll save that question for another day.

So onto this week’s picks, I see it’s the second-to-last week without byes, and that the Packers and Bears are among the four teams who will be the first to get a week off in two weeks:

Today, 8:15 p.m.

Miami at Buffalo — I took a chance on the Dolphins last week, hoping south Florida humidity would help the Dolphins win. Phooey, that didn’t work! Give me the Bills, 37-20.

Sunday, 1 p.m.

Atlanta at Carolina — I’m a little leery taking a team on the road on a short week after the Falcons won on Monday night. But after Atlanta showed up the Vikings, even though McCarthy went out, I’m convinced. Falcons, 31-27.

Green Bay at Cleveland — Even as a Lions fan, but maybe right now more as an NFL prognosticator, I’ll be quite disappointed in the Packers if they have a letdown and tag me with a wrong pick here. But I know you, as a Green Bay supporter, would be even more let down. Packers, 33-17.

Houston at Jacksonville — The first installment of the Disappointment Bowl. But the Jaguars seem to be more disappointing in being disappointing, if you get my drift. Texans, 24-19.

Cincinnati at Minnesota — Now we come to the Backup QB Bowl. Well, I see this will be Jake Browning vs. Carson Wentz behind center. Hmm, give me the team that usually, as opposed to only occasionally, decides to play defense. Vikings, 28-20.

Pittsburgh at New England — The Steelers left a bad impression last week, losing at home to Seattle by two touchdowns. So I’m putting faith in New England coach Mike Vrabel in his third game with the team. Patriots, 24-17.

Los Angeles Rams at Philadelphia — These are probably the two other best teams in the NFC besides the Packers and Lions. And considering some of the hits each of these teams have taken in the offseason and preseason, they might only rank third and fourth, since Green Bay should be considered No. 1 and Detroit No. 2. But I have more confidence in the Eagles, even before I realized this game is being played in Philly. Eagles, 23-17.

New York Jets at Tampa Bay — Can’t have much faith in the Jets after looking at them both short-term and long-term. Buccaneers, 30-20.

Indianapolis at Tennessee — Almost forgot the Colts play in the weak AFC South “JV division” after the hot start they’ve gotten off to. Indy is ready to move up to the big time. Colts, 33-19.

Las Vegas at Washington — Even without Daniels at QB for Washington, the Raiders still look like a JV team in the “varsity” AFC West. Commanders, 34-26.

Sunday, 4 p.m.

Denver at Los Angeles Chargers — If this game was played in the mile-high air of Denver, I’d consider an upset. But while sometimes challenged on offense, this L.A. team looks ferocious on “D.” Chargers, 21-13.

New Orleans at Seattle — Expectations are so low for the Saints, I won’t consider taking them until they show something — or they play another team just as bad. Seahawks, 35-25.

Dallas at Chicago — You know the “immovable rock vs. irresistible force” argument when two quality units clash? Whatever the opposite of that is applies here to the Bears offense and Dallas defense. With more professional-looking personnel, even if owner Jerry Jones keeps gumming up the works, give me the Cowboys, 41-38.

Arizona at San Francisco — When I reach this far into these picks, I get itchy wanting to go against the grain and pick an upset. There always seems to be some upsets early in the season and Arizona looks like a good candidate. The kind where a team gets off to a hot 3-0 start and sags to finish 8-9. Cardinals, 27-24.

Sunday, 8:20 p.m.

Kansas City at New York Giants — Despite keeping QB Patrick Mahomes upright, KC has to be sounding a three-alarm fire bell with its 0-2 start. Gimme the Chiefs, 30-25.

Monday, 8:15 p.m.

Detroit at Baltimore — I try not to think about the last time these teams played, a 38-6 bamboozling by the Ravens in Baltimore in October 2023. Detroit was already on the rise with a 5-1 record, and this was a rude awakening when they had no idea how to deal with QB Lamar Jackson and his talented running abilities along with good arm.

Have they figured it out? Show me first. Ravens, 31-18.

Last week, 12-4, 75 percent. Season — 21-11, 66 percent.

Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee’s email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.