Sam Darnold has the tools and temperament to take the reins. But other Jets’ weaknesses could spoil his debut.
After much anticipation and buildup, 21-year-old Sam Darnold is now officially the Jets starting QB.
Full disclosure: I’ve been a Jets fan since 1983 and I’m super excited about Darnold. Darnold will become the youngest QB to start a season since the NFL-AFL merger in 1970. And he’ll assume the helm with high expectations as the #3 overall pick in the draft out of USC.
Can the Jets finally claim a franchise QB not named Namath?
Let’s face it though, Jets’ fans thought Mark Sanchez was ‘the’ franchise QB. But after making two consecutive AFC Conference title appearances, the rest of Sanchez’s tenure was … well … a disaster. A game manager at best, his success was piggybacked on Rex Ryan’s stellar defense.
I believe Darnold will be different, though. He has a tremendous upside. Just look at what he did during his freshman year at USC.
Courtesy: NJ.com
Darnold set a school mark for freshmen QBs by passing for 26 TDs and was the first QB in USC history to record five TD passes in consecutive games. He also compiled eight straight games of multiple TD throws. Darnold was named 2016 Pac-12 Conference Freshman Offensive Player of the Year. He earned the Archie Griffin Award as the nation’s most valuable player (a distinction no other freshman had ever achieved) and was named to the Football Writers Association of America’s Freshman All-America team. He capped the year off with a Rose Bowl victory in which he set Rose Bowl records with five passing TDs and 453 total yards.
In year two (his final in LA), Darnold led USC to its first Pac-12 title since 2008. He earned All-Pac-12 first-team status and was named the title game’s MVP.
Overall, Darnold ranks seventh on USC’s all-time passing list. And, remember, this guy played only two years.
With those credentials, I believe Darnold has the tools and mentality to duplicate collegiate success in the NFL. Just consider that he’s the only 2018 first-round QB draftee–among a much-heralded group–who’ll enter Week One as a starter. Darnold had an impressive preseason, too–so impressive, in fact–that it led the Jets to trade Teddy Bridgewater and relegate 15-year vet, Josh McCown, to a backup role.
But even with all of that said, there are elephants in the room.
First, there’s the Jet’s offensive line. Starting G Brian Winters and T Kevin Beachum have been out most of the preseason. That will surely cause cohesion issues on an O-Line that ranked at the bottom of the NFL last year.
Second, it’s not clear to whom Sam will be throwing. The Jets don’t have game-breaking receivers. Robby Anderson is a solid wideout, but he’s not someone defenses plan around. TE doesn’t seem promising either because the Jets have historically neglected the TE as a passing option.
Third, New York doesn’t have a running game that can keep opposing defenses honest.
Finally, there are lingering concerns about Darnold and his propensity to turn over the ball. Can he adjust quickly to the game speed and intricate defensive schemes of the NFL?
Yes, any one of those four question makers can make for disappointment, even disaster. And Jet fans are familiar with just that happening AKA Browning Nagle, Kellen Clemens, Geno Smith, and Christian Hackenberg.
But also remember that Peyton Manning was in a similar situation as a rookie starter in 1998. The Colts struggled to a 3–13 record. The rest is history, though. Manning and his team developed into perennial contenders.
One thing we know for sure: on Monday night in Detroit the Jets will embark on a new era. Here’s hoping that Darnold can channel some of Broadway Joe’s magic and lead the Jets to new heights.
