NY Post: Sam Darnold is ready to be everything Jets envisioned

Discussion in 'New York Jets' started by NYJ1970, Jul 21, 2019.

  1. NYJ1970

    NYJ1970 Well-Known Member

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    https://nypost.com/2019/07/20/all-signs-point-to-a-major-sam-darnold-leap/


    The Jets threw Sam Darnold to the wolves, and he survived. He survived the growing pains rookie quarterbacks endure, survived and advanced with a flourish by the time the season ended.

    They all have to crawl before they can walk, and now there is no reason why Darnold should not be ready to run.

    He arrived to great fanfare a year ago as the quarterback of the future for a franchise with a tortured and tormented past, and the future is now.

    He was Boy Wonder a year ago, the youngest quarterback — 21 years, 97 days — to start an NFL season opener since 1970, and now new coach Adam Gase’ Jets look for him to be a man.

    The teams are different, the circumstances are different, the landscape is different … but if Eli Manning, after just nine rookie starts, could steer the Giants to the playoffs in his second season, why shouldn’t Darnold be expected to end the Jets’ eight-year playoff drought? Such is the mandate of the franchise quarterback, old and young, in a quarterback-driven league. And such is the desperate plea from the army of long-suffering Jets fans.

    Former general manager Mike Maccagnan didn’t give Darnold enough help in the draft, and former coach Todd Bowles and former offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates didn’t give Darnold enough help on game days. But 2018 was never viewed as anything more than a transition year with a rookie quarterback starting in Week 1.

    2019 is when the Sam Darnold Era officially begins in earnest.

    In Gase, Darnold has a creative offensive mind and playcaller who has drawn rave reviews from Peyton Manning.

    In new running back Le’Veon Bell, Darnold has a dual-threat safety valve who will keep defensive coordinators up at night.

    There is no reason why Darnold should not boost his completion percentage to 65, or higher, from 57.7.

    Consider this: Under Gase, former Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill’s completion percentages were 61.9, 67.1, 64.2.

    The second-year leap: Mark Sanchez improved his touchdown:interception ratio from 12:20 as a rookie to 17:13.

    Eli Manning: 6:9 to 24:17. Peyton Manning: 26:28 to 26:15, and from 3-13 to 13-3 and the playoffs.

    Carson Wentz: 16:14 to 33:7 and 7-9 to 11-2 before Nick Foles won the Super Bowl. Jared Goff: 5:7 to 28:7, and 0-7 to 11-5 and the playoffs under rookie coach and offensive whiz kid Sean McVay.

    Don’t you worry about any sophomore jinx for Darnold.

    The fact Maccagnan failed to fix the Jets offensive line as well as Dave Gettleman has fixed the Giants offensive line will be mitigated somewhat by Darnold’s off-schedule, improvisational prowess. Go review the game-winning, two-minute drive in Buffalo — when a scrambling Darnold laughed in the face of danger and found Robby Anderson with a 37-yard dagger.

    Darnold returned from his foot injury to finish the season with a streak of 113 consecutive passes without an interception. Watching Josh McCown from the sideline was an invaluable respite for him. His TD:INT ratio was 6:1 over the last four games of the season. Joe Namath raved about him. So did Aaron Rodgers. He was a drawing card for Gase and GM Joe Douglas. He worked diligently on holding the ball with two hands in the pocket to ease fumbling concerns.

    He will be coached hard by Gase and offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Dowell Loggains. He will be tested at every practice by defensive coordinator Gregg Williams. Darnold will be a more confident leader. He will see the field better and process information faster and make quicker decisions. Wide receivers coach Shawn Jefferson: “He’s a f——g dude with a f——g arm.”

    Darnold never flinched under the New York spotlight. Same guy every day, win or lose. His first NFL pass was a pick-six in Detroit. He yawned. He got back up and shredded the Lions, 48-17.

    No Broadway Sam here: More comfortable with a playbook in his hand than a Johnnie Walker Red. Or a blonde. Mature beyond his years. Wired the right way.

    The Giants are thrilled they drafted Saquon Barkley with the second pick of the 2018 draft. The Sam Darnold Jets are thrilled they did, too.
     
    Vida, BudJet, NYJFOREVER and 2 others like this.
  2. FJF

    FJF 2018 MVP Joe Namath Award Winner

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    I’m high as anyone on Sam but this is a little too fluffy even for me.

    Note. Typically the link is posted with the article .
     
    TonyFtLaud, twown and 101GangGreen101 like this.
  3. WarriorRB28

    WarriorRB28 Well-Known Member

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    I see nothing wrong with the article.

    It's time to raise the bar & expectations around here.

    Jamal Adams in only his second season established himself as arguably the best player at his position. That may be asking too much from Darnold still no reason why he can't accomplish special things IF he's who we hope he is.

    The Jets drafted him to be a special player at his position. Special players do special things.
     
    NYJetsO12 likes this.
  4. abyzmul

    abyzmul R.J. MacReady, 2018 Funniest Member Award Winner

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    The Jets’ rookies are reporting today and No. 1 pick Quinnen Williams won’t be among them unless he signs his four-year, $32.4M contract. No reason to panic. First practice not until Thursday. #Jets
     
  5. Mario

    Mario Well-Known Member

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    Sam Darnold will be the biggest wild card in determining the Jets season.

    He finished with 17tds and 15 ints in 13 games. Prorated over 16 games, he would have had 21 tds and 18 ints.

    I could see him getting to 28 tds pretty easily. If he could get his ints to around 9, that would be a great year 2.

    In terms of yards if we prorate his stats last year he would have had just over 3400 yards in 16 games. I think 4000 yards would be the expectation this year.
     
  6. Brook!

    Brook! Soft Admin...2018 Friendliest Member Award Winner

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    I added the link to the OP
     
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  7. Jets69

    Jets69 Well-Known Member

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    Must be true if it's in a news article, insert eye roll emoji
     
  8. 101GangGreen101

    101GangGreen101 2018 Thread of the Year Award Winner

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    NY Post sucks
     
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  9. NYJetsO12

    NYJetsO12 Well-Known Member

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    Thank You for your Optimism ...much needed around here.

    LOL had you previously pegged as a Darksider 1970!
     
  10. Quinnenthebeast

    Quinnenthebeast Well-Known Member

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    I hate positive articles especially before we've played a preseason game, but I remain cautiously optimistic and that hasn't changed since last year.

    Sam is incredibly good at throwing on the run and throwing those unscripted balls, the biggest issue from last year that he needs to carry over from his last 4 games is finding a better rhythm on regular passing situations. He improved a lot in getting the ball out without all the hesitation at the end of the year so we need to see more of that and being in sync with receivers. From a mechanics standpoint, he essentially stopped fumbling from his college days (not including Spencer Long's botched snaps) and that is a great improvement. He needs to work on his footwork when throwing because many times I don't see him use his lower body to get more behind the ball, still he somehow threw it pretty well despite that last year.

    All in all, the kid has a good head on his shoulders and already has shown the poise and maturity of player who is 32 years old, not 22. The talent on our offense last year was atrocious and despite not improving on paper as I would have liked this offseason, we got rid of our weakest link at offensive line and got Sam a game changer in Bell. When you think at one point or another last year Sam lost Robby, Q, Crowell, Powell, and had Spencer Long starting at Oline... even seasoned vet like McCown couldn't do anything with that crap. Sam has much better talent around him compared to last year and hopefully takes the next step.
     
  11. Acad23

    Acad23 Well-Known Member

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    I wonder what his last four games, extrapolated over 16, would look like.

    Remember the hubub over the extent of Sam's foot injury?
    I'd like to think that the coaches did the right thing and sat Sam for those games to settle him down.

    Whatever it was, it seemed to work.

    Everybody is expecting a big improvement in Darnold's play this year...and that may well happen.
    I'm still concerned about the shabby o-line and the lack of a #1 receiver...

    I'd really like to see Sam NOT have to improvise as much this season.
     
    Vida likes this.
  12. BroadwayAaron

    BroadwayAaron Well-Known Member

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    I know this is the most basic of basic methods and in no way realistic, but quadruple that 4 game run to end the season and you get:

    3,724 yards
    24 TD
    4 INT
     
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  13. FJF

    FJF 2018 MVP Joe Namath Award Winner

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    I think the ints will be a bit higher but those aren’t crazy numbers to expect
     
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  14. Martin&theJETS

    Martin&theJETS Well-Known Member

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    If Sam throws 4 INTs we are guaranteed playoffs. If Sam throws only 4 INTs I will name my first-born Sam.
     
  15. Acad23

    Acad23 Well-Known Member

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    I demand he gets at least 4,500 yds. thru the air! :mad::mad::mad:


    Kidding aside...those numbers are pretty darn good.

    And yeah...he'll throw more than 4 picks.

    I'm looking forward to see how Le'Veon will be used in the passing game.

    Here's some blather from Gazilla on that topic. Link to the NY Post article below.

    Gase is giddy about the things Bell can do for his offense.

    “You’re not one-dimensional,” Gase said. “When you have a running back that the defense isn’t sure if he’s going to be in the gun, offset, strong, weak. Is he going to be under center? Is he going to be split out wide? Is he going to be the single receiver? Is he going to be the empty? Is he going to be in the slot? There’s five different spots he can be in if we went in empty. If you’ve got a guy that can do all of those different types of things and he’s good at it and he’s able to catch the ball and run the routes like that, it makes it very difficult for the defense to defend.”

    https://nypost.com/2019/07/20/the-jets-biggest-change-hasnt-even-happened-yet/
     
    FJF likes this.
  16. mrjet80

    mrjet80 Well-Known Member

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    This doesn’t sound like a coach who didn’t want him.......looks like after all the smoke settled and Gase had time to think it over he warmed up to the idea of having Le’Veon in his offense
     
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  17. mrjet80

    mrjet80 Well-Known Member

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    I’m thinking with a full 16 season taking into account his new weapons but a shaky OL....

    23 TDS
    12 INTs
    3175 yards
     
  18. Martin&theJETS

    Martin&theJETS Well-Known Member

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    27 TDs
    13 INTs
    3641 yards
     
  19. Acad23

    Acad23 Well-Known Member

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    This could be a good betting pool.

    Sam's td's...ints. ....total yards.

    I think
    3,777 yrds. 21td 11int

    That's what Matt Stafford did last season...btw.
     
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  20. mrjet80

    mrjet80 Well-Known Member

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    That’s a lot of yardage without a true #1 WR. You must be expecting Robbie to break out in his contract year ....I hope you’re right .
     

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