When asked about his injury Culpepper said: "Ask Coach about my injury"
Saban said: "Culpepper has been having problems with his shoulder since the Bills game"
Wouldn't that mean he got hurt against the Bills and has been unproductive still so he uses it as a reason to sit him out.
Culpepper was throwing balls on the sideline and before the game making it perfectly obvious that he was not injured.
Culpepper is not playing well. In part to his knee but it is mostly mental.
Put it this way, if we start winnning with Harrington, Culpepper will never see the field again in a Dolphins uniform barring any injury. He will be traded somewhere for a 3rd round pick. The job is currently Harringtons to lose. If Harrington doesn't play well then Culpepper gets the job back.
Also didn't the Chargers have a QB controversy? They did well with it for two years.
Chambers Interview
Q. Was your timing better with Joey Harrington than with Daunte Culpepper?
Yeah, I think the timing was pretty good today. We took what the defense gave us. They were leaving the flats open, leaving the shallow crosses open, and Joey was able to get the ball out of his hand very quickly to get them in the other guys' hands so they could make plays.
Another Saban Comment
''I'm really proud of the way our guys played today,'' ``They competed their tail off.''
''I feel like we're a lot better football team today than we have been in a long time,'' ``I almost feel like we became a team out there.''
Article from the Herald
If you don't call this a quarterback controversy, you weren't watching Culpepper in the postgame locker room. This was an angry, disappointed starting QB who felt strongly he should have played.
Saban put it off publicly on Culpepper's bruised right shoulder. Even though Culpepper has been playing with said mild injury (and increasingly well, by the way) since Sept. 17. Even though he had practiced with it Friday.
And even though he warmed up before Sunday's game and again during the first quarter with no apparent pain.
Culpepper wanted to play, felt strongly he was able to, and was not happy to be denied by his coach
To me this says Harrington is our starter until Daunte gets ready mentally and it has nothing to do with his shoulder. It is his knee and lack of mobility that he needs because he simply doesn't have the decision making ability to be a pure pocket passer.
If Harrington starts winning with this team and plays well do you really think Daunte will ever take back his starters job.
