It is early in the season, and in the first quarter your quarterback is struggling.

Not just a little bit, but looking like he’s never played the game before. A hard worker, good kid and all, but geez, he just doesn’t seem to have it in this one.
How long does the coach wait before replacing him? Or does he not replace him at all?
While there are several possible scenarios, it still comes down to this:.

Is the struggling starter still better than his replacement would be?
As in no other sport where so much responsibility for his team’s success rides on one player, football coaches are hesitant once they are committed to their quarterback to remove him from the game short of serious injury.

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They speak of the importance of timing and rhythm and stability and establishing confidence among teammates, and with good reason, but would all that be jeopardinzed by a momentary substitution to perhaps initiate a change of pace, and with the probable intent of the starter returning to his original spot in the next game?

This is not meant to criticize, or pass judgment, at least for now.

Just asking …