>> Vote Here << Saquon Barkley, New York Giants The running back had 128 yards from scrimmage against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Barkley had 18 carries for 106 yards (5.9 avg.) and a touchdown and added two receptions for 22 yards. Denzel Ward, Cleveland Browns The cornerback recorded six tackles, three passes defensed and two interceptions against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Ward is the fourth youngest player (21 years, 134 days old) in NFL history to record two or more interceptions in a game. Mike Hughes, Minnesota Vikings The cornerback recorded three tackles, three passes defensed and returned an interception 28 yards for a touchdown in the Vikings' 24-16 win over the San Francisco 49ers. Phillip Lindsay, Denver Broncos The running back had 102 scrimmage yards and a receiving touchdown in the Broncos' 27-24 win over the Seattle Seahawks. Lindsay had 15 carries for 71 yards and added two receptions for 31 yards and a touchdown. Sam Darnold, New York Jets The quarterback completed 16 of 21 passes for 198 yards and two touchdowns in the Jets' 48-17 victory over the Detroit Lions.
In all reality, Ward should get the vote. Considering Sam's career started with a pick-6, and be bounced back the way he did, he should get some love.
Nah, I'm going with Darnold. That first play was entirely scripted, once he started reading the field himself he was great. With some competent, but no superstar, receivers. Who's the TE on this team, anyway? Ron
I disagree. Ward had a great game, but he also gave up a TD pass and some other completions all because he didn't turn his freaking head around. Hughes' play was eclipsed by Ward's, and Lindsay's play was eclipsed by Barkley's. I saw every carry that Barkley had, and if not for the one long TD run, his effect and stats would have been negligible. Sam was the youngest QB to start in game one. It was on the road, and he tied Brady's mark of his team's margin of victory in his first game. After the scripted pick six, which many claimed galvanized the team together, Sam stayed cool and led the team to scores. IMO it shouldn't even be close. It should be a landslide for Sam.
Definitely Darnold. Boy it feels good to make mistakes that Sam & CS can learn by...and still come out on top. Let's face it these are signs of a winner & Sam is a winner.
Ward and Darnold are the only reasonable choices. I'd go with Darnold but I can't argue with Ward. Barkley is number 3, I guess, but the fact is that he was pretty much invisible for the entire game except for one play, so he can't possibly be ahead of either Darnold or Ward.
Couldn't agree more. Coming back from the near disaster like he did, and a being a rookie in his first game, shouldn't even be close.
Ward got 2 interceptions, but they kind of just fell to him. It's not like he jumped a route and made a great play. The stats don't tell you the full picture imo.
No, they (stats) don't tell the full picture, but I watched the entire Steelers-Browns game and Ward had a great game. He had tight coverage on every receiver he covered. The only mistake he made was not getting his head turned around. On the TD he gave up, it was clear that the ball was arriving. The receiver did nothing to disguise that fact. Ward should have had at least a deflection if not an interception on that play.
I didnt feel like starting a new thread so I’ll post this here PFF gave josh allen a higher grade than sam darold this week. Lol what a joke
FWIW, I watched the Pitt game and Ward was 1-on-1 with press on AB on the TD play. His 1st interception was incredible--he read Ben, came off his man, and played the angle perfectly. This kid looks like the next shut-down corner. I take my hat off to Cleve for seeing him worth the 4th pick.
My boss is a Browns fan and I told him his team is short just one thing. That is, a competent HC. They're not pushovers by any stretch.
The real point, of course, is that their stud has to be at least as much better than who he could have been replaced with using a later pick than our stud is better than who he could have been replaced with using a later pick. Given the relative importance and replaceability of a running back compared to a quarterback, the only way that can happen is if the QB is a bust. I would also point out that Crowell had virtually the same exact game that Barkley did, and no one is claiming that he is the next coming of Jim Brown, Walter Payton, and Adrian Peterson combined.
It will be interesting to see how the public remembers those two picks. I've always found you can never judge how the public will pick one narrative in sports over the other. People may decide Barkley was the better pick for reasons the player himself can't control. Same with Darnold. It often times comes down to that old saying, "When the legend becomes fact, print the legend."
