Quarterback Win-Loss Records When the QB Starts at Another Position
Occasionally a team's regular quarterback is listed as a starter but lines up somewhere else for the opening play, most often at wide receiver, and does not take the first snap. Because of this, the QB may be credited with a game start but not credited with the win or loss in the QBRec column of the Passing table. In these cases, the player who took the first snap will be credited with the win or loss, as long as they are primarily a QB themselves. However, if the player who takes the first snap is not primarily a QB, then the win or loss is attributed to the regular QB.
Examples
Packers at Eagles — Sep 12, 2010: Michael Vick lined up at wide receiver and Kevin Kolb took the opening snap. Both are primarily QBs, so Kolb was credited with the loss.
Colts at Bills — Sep 13, 2015:
Tyrod Taylor started at wide receiver, then played the rest of the game at quarterback. Matt Cassel started at quarterback for a single snap before leaving the game. Cassel received the QB win.
Chiefs at Texans — Dec 18, 2022:
Jeff Driskel took the opening snap for Houston while Davis Mills, the regular starter, lined up at wide receiver. Mills is credited with a game start, but the loss is credited to Driskel.
Bengals at Redskins — Sep 23, 2012:
Andy Dalton lined up wide right, and regular wide receiver Mohamed Sanu took the first snap. Dalton played the rest of the game at quarterback. Because Sanu is not typically a quarterback, Dalton is treated as the starting quarterback and receives the QB win.
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