For struggling teams, starting QB position is rarely set

After directing the Bears to a win in Oakland last week, Rex Grossman earned back the starting QB job he lost in late September. Kevin Terrell/Getty Images

Let me get this straight. In order to re-set the NFL's starting quarterbacking landscape in Week 11, we have to remember that ...

-- Rex Grossman is back in Chicago, and Brian Griese sits.

-- Daunte Culpepper is back in Oakland, and Josh McCown sits.

-- Kyle Boller is back in Baltimore, and Steve McNair sits.

-- Trent Dilfer is back in San Francisco, and Alex Smith sits.

-- Tarvaris Jackson is back in Minnesota, and Brooks Bollinger sits.

-- David Garrard is back in Jacksonville, and Quinn Early sits.

-- Byron Leftwich is (probably) back in Atlanta, and Joey Harrington sits.

-- J.P. Losman stays in for Buffalo, and Trent Edwards sits.

-- Brodie Croyle is going in for Kansas City, and Damon Huard sits.

-- John Beck is going in for Miami, and Cleo Lemon sits.

-- And last, but not least, just-turned-44-year-old Vinny Testaverde -- balky Achilles tendon and all -- is expected to stay in for Carolina, rather than give way again to David Carr. It appears to be one of those top-secret game-time decisions that coach John Fox is facing.

If you can't quite keep track of all those QB comings and goings, don't sweat it. Those same 11 teams could re-shuffle their lineups again next week in this, the year of the Quarterback Change.

• For my money, the quarterback story of the week will be in Baltimore on Sunday, where the Browns and Derek Anderson visit the Ravens. Anderson was drafted out of Oregon State in the sixth round by Baltimore in 2005, but he was claimed off waivers by Cleveland in Week 2 of that year, when the Ravens were trying to sneak him onto their practice squad.

Baltimore starter Kyle Boller had injured a toe in the opener, and backup Anthony Wright was going to take his place in the lineup in the season's second game. But behind Wright, the Ravens only had the rookie Anderson, so they signed veteran Kordell Stewart for insurance at the position. That precipitated the roster move with Anderson, and the rest is history.

The Browns eventually discovered their starting quarterback of the future in Anderson (Brady Quinn is not guaranteed anything at this point and could well be trade bait in the offseason), while the Ravens' woes at quarterback continue. With Steve McNair being shut down for the foreseeable future with a bum non-throwing shoulder, Boller is once again back in the lineup in Baltimore.

Upon further review, I'm guessing the Ravens think Kordell Stewart probably wasn't worth it.

• Why are the Dolphins taking yet another chance on running back Ricky Williams, who has played just 12 games in the NFL in the past four seasons? How's that song go, "When you've got nothing, you've got nothing left to lose''?

That sums it up nicely for Cam Cameron and his 0-9, Ronnie Brown-less Dolphins.

Said Dolphins linebacker Zach Thomas of Williams: "Everybody deserves a second and third chance.''

Or more.

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