There are a couple of reasons why I think that Matt Moore is a much better than average backup quarterback and they are these:
1. He rises to pressure. I think everyone who watches a lot of football is familiar with the idea of the backup quarterback who simply shrinks like a vampire in the sunlight when his number gets called and he's thrown into the game. Basically, the John Becks of the world. Guys who can't seem to do anything right -- can't even handle the snap or get the team organized at the line of scrimmage -- and/or just shut down mentally after the ball is snapped. There are even a few starters in the NFL who play this way; Brock Osweiler comes immediately to mind. These guys may look great in practice, but when the lights come on, they're useless.
Matt Moore is not one of those players. He supposedly looks dreadful in practice and has never looked good in the preseason, but when the lights come on he gets better. He rises to the occasion.
2. Matt Moore is aggressive with the football. This is something that's really underrated here, because if you look around at your typical backup bum (or Brock Osweiler), he's just going to stare down the rush, take his checkdown, and never present a credible threat to beat the other team with his arm. Teams see backup quarterbacks and they bring up their safeties and play the run and the checkdown. And that is precisely why I feel that backups like Moore and Josh McCown are much better than the average NFL backup. Because instead of forcing their team to slowly get asphyxiated and lose the football game due to offensive impotence (while desperately praying for a pick six or special teams miracle), guys like that are feast or famine. Sometimes you get two touchdown bombs, and sometimes you get four interceptions.
But that's why they are backups, and you'd rather have the chance of the two touchdown passes -- and a chance to WIN -- than just watching your team get slowly crushed by nine men in the box.
He's not a great quarterback, but people who have complained about his salary do not understand how fortunate we are right now. Because we were willing to carry that (relatively paltry) salary on the books this season, we now have a legitimate chance to win 2 of these next 3 games and see our boys survive into the post-season tournament. He will go out there and maybe he will throw three picks... but maybe he will throw three touchdowns. And if our running game clicks, and the pass protection holds up, I think there's a better chance of those three touchdowns with Kenny Stills and DeVante Parker out there going deep.
I don't know, maybe I'm on coke.
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