QBs getting quick hook early in season

It's only Week 3 of the NFL season and already several teams are making quarterback changes to alter their plight. The bottom line? The moves are a major indictment of how mismanaged these teams are in terms of talent evaluation.

Even after spring and summer minicamps, training camp and four preseason games, some coaches can't figure it out and look to pull the plug after two regular-season games.

The biggest move comes out of Philadelphia, where Michael Vick gets the nod over Kevin Kolb. But who made the call?

This smells like an owner telling a coach what to do. The Andy Reid Waffle House was open for business. Kolb was his guy Monday, but in short order, the top chef put something new on the menu.

Vick has been impressive, displaying incredible athletic skills in his first two appearances of the season. It might prove to be the right decision, but it sure appears this quick switch was made partly because Eagles castoff Donovan McNabb is off to a solid start with Washington.

From a public-relations standpoint, the Eagles absolutely have to finish ahead of Washington this season after unloading McNabb on the premise that their future revolved around Kolb.

McNabb even felt compelled to chime in on the quarterback change: "That's Philadelphia. I've been part of that for 11 years, and obviously, as you see, it just doesn't stop."

Oh, by the way, the Eagles play the Redskins next week.

Quarterback play, both good and bad, determines a lot in the NFL, and bettors are correct to focus so much attention on that position.

As for the Philadelphia story, the perspective with the oddsmakers has not changed, according to Las Vegas Hilton sports book director Jay Kornegay.

"Vick has looked exceptional, but it's a very small sampling," he said. "We've taken a show-me stance, feeling the jury is still out on Vick."

What bears watching is the potential locker-room split in terms of who should be the QB. It's always a recipe for disaster. The Vick-led Eagles are 2½- to 3-point favorites at Jacksonville today.

The hapless Buffalo Bills unceremoniously pulled the plug on check-down artist Trent Edwards in favor of Ryan Fitzpatrick. The Bills have mustered only 17 points through two games and start anew today against New England, a 14-point home favorite.

Before betting on a blowout, consider the Patriots' defense doesn't scare anyone, and Buffalo has actually played well in Foxboro, Mass., in the past, always losing but covering plenty.

Jimmy Clausen, a rookie from Notre Dame, gets the call in Carolina, where Matt Moore was a turnover machine in two games. Clausen has the luxury of handing the ball off to DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart and has a reliable receiver to target in Steve Smith.

The biggest benefit for Clausen is making his debut at home against Cincinnati, which is a 3-point favorite.

How big a week is this for the future prospects of the Tennessee Titans? Jeff Fisher gave Vince Young the hook last week against the Pittsburgh Steelers' stalwart defense.

It should be no big deal, but it's hard to understand why more NFL coaches don't turn to a backup when the entrenched starter is having an off day. The obvious answer is if the backup succeeds, there's a perceived instant quarterback controversy.

Young needs to bounce back on the road against the New York Giants, who are 3-point favorites and will be in ill humor after getting roasted last week at Indianapolis.

Brian Blessing, host of Sportsbook Radio on ESPN 1100 AM and 98.9 FM, can be reached at blessproductions@yahoo.com.