Are NFL Head Coaches Benching Black QBs Faster Than White QBs?

Are NFL Head Coaches Benching Black QBs Faster Than White QBs? It's a pattern that's starting to emerge, though not in a neat way.

On Sunday, Tennessee Titans QB Vince Young (black) is benched after a 3 interception one fumble performance against the Pittsburgh Steelers for Kerry Collins (white). Oakland Raiders QB Jason Campbell (black) is sent to the sidelines after lackluster first-half play against the St. Louis Rams, and replaced by Bruce Gradkowski (white).

The Philadelphia Eagles trade Donovan McNabb (black) to make room for Kevin Kolb (white), who doesn't play because of a concussion last week, and gives way by need to Michael Vick (black).

Vick, even though he's playing lights-out football, is forced to be humble and say "This is Kevin Kolb's team" because Andy Reid says so, even as Vick's proved in two straight games (and in preseason) that he's a better quarterback.

The point is that many NFL head coaches seem quick to pull their black quarterbacks if they don't play well and replace them with a white quarterback, and let that white quarterback play out of a bad game.

In the case of Oakland Raiders Head Coach Tom Cable, he surprised everyone by pulling Campbell at halftime, and saying to Bruce Gradkowski "Go and win this game for us." That public statement was frankly boneheaded, because Coach Cable sent the message to Campbell that he has no real confidence in him, just two games into the season on a new team and in a new system.

Cable should have not just given Campbell the chance to play into the game, but had his coaching staff coach him out of his slump. That's what they get paid to do, or at least should be able to do. The Raiders won by two points, and Campbell wasn't doing a bad job: he was 8 of 15 for 87 yards, and threw just one interception in the first half.

In the Rams game Sunday, Bruce Gradkowski was 11 of 22, 50 percent versus 53 percent for Campbell.  Bruce had one touchdown, yes, but one interception too. In other words, there was not much difference between Campbell and Gradkowski, yet the Raiders didn't give Campbell a chance to win the game and Coach Cable throws him under the bus.

Now, because the Raiders won by just two point, there will be an irrational, emotional look at the situation and some will say Bruce should start on the basis of one game.  The fact is, no one knows if Campbell could not have rallied the Raiders and himself to win, because they didn't give him a chance to do so.

Bench Favre for Jackson

Hey, The Minnesota Vikings are 0 and 2 and Brett Farve, who's white, has four interceptions in two games.  You don't see Vikings Head Coach Brad Childress pulling him for Tarvaris Jackson, who's black.  Yet, Jackson's more than ready to play and go out and win a game for the Vikings.

And in the case of Vince Young,  Titans Head Coach Jeff Fisher has pulled Young in that way before.  Coach Fisher has to prove he can coach Young out of his slumps - Fisher hasn't done this yet.  If he does, he would be a better coach and Young a better quarterback.

And just for good measure, Baltimore Ravens QB Joe Flacco threw four interceptions against the Cincinnati Bengals, yet was allowed to complete the football game. This fits the pattern in a way such that if Flacco were black, we could bet that he might have been benched for Marc Bulger. The point is, again, that Flacco, who's white, was allowed to finish the game even though he was terrible.

This is an awful pattern that's emerging.  Hopefully, it doesn't continue through the year.