Matt Cassel Will Be Cowboys’ Starting QB; Brandon Weeden Back To Bench
UPDATE (Wednesday, Oct. 14, 12:50 p.m. ET): Dallas Cowboys coach Jason Garrett confirmed that Matt Cassel will replace Brandon Weeden as the team’s starting quarterback.
“There are a lot of different reasons you make a decision like this,” Garrett said, via the team’s website. “You evaluate the quarterback and what we?re asking them to do on a daily basis and weekly basis. Also at this position, you look at how the offense is performing, and this position has an impact on the entire offensive unit. It certainly has an impact on how the team is performing. Sometimes it?s fair and sometimes it?s unfair, but it?s the nature of the position.”
ORIGINAL STORY: It appears the Brandon Weeden era is over. Again.
The Dallas Cowboys quarterback, who has been starting in place of the injured Tony Romo, reportedly will be benched in favor of backup Matt Cassel when the team returns from its bye in Week 7.
Cassel is a better fit for coach Jason Garrett’s offense, according to NFL Media’s Dan Hanzus. The Cowboys lost all three games Weeden started, the longest streak of Garrett’s Dallas tenure.
Weeden has completed 72.4 percent of his passes since taking over for Romo. However, Weeden has thrown for just two touchdowns to go along with a pair of interceptions and sports a 92.2 passer rating. He did little to move the ball in Week 5 against the New England Patriots, as the Cowboys mustered just six points in a 24-point loss.
Cassel hasn’t started a game this season, appearing in mop-up duty for the Buffalo Bills in one game. He started three games for the Minnesota Vikings in 2014, completing just 57.7 percent of his passes with three touchdowns and four interceptions.
