COACH FERENTZ:
Q. Was there any point late in the game where you thought about taking James out and bringing Jake in?
COACH FERENTZ: I thought about it but there's really probably wasn't one the biggest decisions I had tonight, that's for sure.
Q. In the fourth quarter when the game was marginally out of reach, did you think about pulling James, he was getting hit pretty hard?
COACH FERENTZ: That's already been asked I thought about it, but at that point we just felt like, let the starters finish the game.
This is what just doesn't and never will make any sense. You already lost 2 starters to injury. James is "our quarterback", yet you risk losing him by allowing him to continue to take some heavy shots during a meaningless portion of a lost game.
That last answer is just so "yeah, whatever". Sure, the game was over but ignore the potential risk (which you had 2 instances of earlier in the game and a glaring instance 2 years ago with A-Rob) and let the starters finish the game.
I seriously wonder if he wasn't concerned of that potential injury risk and the "controversy" (that some imply he's trying to avoid, yet others have said is staring him square in the face, despite his inaction) would just go away by default.
Here's the #1 dilemma going forward based on the reasonable premise that there's 1 possible win (Indy) and 4 probable losses.
Do you flush this season by going with your least horrible QB, based on your deluded hope he gives you the "best chance" to win (or lose in the least embarrassing way)? The result is that your even more horrible QB will be forced to play next year, very likely with the same results (since he's even more horrible and, therefore, will struggle even more than JVB is this year), in essence flushing 2 seasons?
Do you flush this season by getting your more horrible QB some significant game experience and hope that, while the results could be similar (a loss is a loss) and maybe even uglier (after all, he's more horrible), hope that experience actually pays some developmental dividends toward next season?