Thrown To The Wolves...

Actually we're throwing Sam to the Lions.

 

Can’t win with Jets fans. If he wasn’t starting all we’d be hearing about right now is how Bowles doesn’t play young players and we’re wasting time with 39yr old McCown.

Sam continued to prove he was ready since day 1. Starting him was just about as easy a decision since drafting him.

 

1. Our OLine is going to be functionally adequate with the swapping of an awful center for a good one and a healthy Winters who was completely debilitated last year.

2. Sam is extremely smart and mobile and is built like an ox.

3. Our skill position players, while not superstars, are better than they've been in a while. Shame Kearse is on the shelf.

4. Sam is much better than all the other QBs drafted in the first round. Those other teams made decision that would have been different had they drafted Darnold rather than the QBs they took.

 

While I agree that Macc needs to find some help for Darnold, I believe that Sam is well suited to surviving an even thriving in this situation - more so than either Rosen or Allen to name tow of his classmates. Sam has shown an intuitive feel for pressure, and the ability to make plays on the run, two traits that he will get to hone as the season unfolds - he reminds me of Elway or Favre with this ability, and that's a great thing. Sure, there's risk he might get hurt, but as I said before, that'a risk in every game no matter who the OL is made up of. And do you really think McCown would fare any better? More likely he'd get hurt before Sam will.

But if Darnold does get hurt, Macc's lack of building a better OL is going to get a lot more scrutiny from the Johnsons, and maybe even cost him his job.

 

Actually someone very early on said "if Sam can't beat out McCown and Teddy, we took the wrong guy" and while I still disagree with that--he DID beat those guys out and we DID pick the right guy.

 

If he's ready, then he's ready. I thought he might sit the first 3-4 games, but there's no reason to keep him out if he has a good enough grasp on the play book and is up to speed. I'm only worried if Qvale starts because as good as Sam seems on the run and out of the pocket, he can't be doing that every play. I also think Pryor and Crowell will be hidden gems on offense this year. I could see Pryor becoming the #2 or even #1 in targets as the year goes on. It will be an interesting year, for sure.

With that, I expect Joe Namath caliber play immediately or Sam is a bust.

 

The O-line is what it is. If you're going to sit Darnold because of it, then he might as well stay on the bench for the whole season because it's not going to change.

That said, I think the O-line will be better than the pundits expect - assuming they stay healthy.

 

I think the OL issues are over exaggerated on here. The big concern for me would be if Beachum and/or Long go down for an extended period of time but with a healthy OL I’d expect them to at least get adequate pass protection. A push in the run game is another story.

Also the WR corps are extremely underrated and just might be the strength of the entire team. Your comment on them makes zero sense as for one thing they have no unproven rookies at WR and another sure they’ll be in trouble if the top 4 options go down, just like every other team in the league.

Bottom line is Sams been ready since the moment he walked in and he proved that day after day without a shadow of a doubt. I’m sure he’ll have his struggles just like every rookie QB before him but the decision to start him was a no brainer, such a no brainer that even Bowles could see it.

 

Short Answer. With the CBA the league has in the place back-up QB is just not given enough reps in practice like they were in the past. Keeping him on the bench to learn is not effective anymore unless you think said player is not ready, which is not the case with the Jets.

 

And, as others have pointed out previously, what's the point of sitting him now - when the starting OL appear relatively healthy - rather than in 4-6 games time when they may be banged up and one or more may be out. If he's ready, he's ready. That's the key factor in determining whether a rookie should start or sit. He looks very ready to me.




Ps. Qvale... star!!???

 

This isn't going to happen........a lot of posters seem to think Mac purposely neglected the OL. He didn't. He took what the draft gave him while in years past the Jets GMs would have outsmarted themselves and reached for a specific position. So while overhauling the rest of the roster Mac used the FA route for the OL ( except for Shell who he traded up for and at this time appears at the very least adequate ) while eyeing this upcoming off season as his chance to remake the OL or at least part of it.

Currently we have Beechum at LT ( adequate when healthy ) Carpenter at LG ( former all-pro but fading ), Long at C ( upgrade ), Winters at RG ( decent when healthy but penalty prone ) and Shell at RT ( up and coming hopefully ). Yes this OL definitely need improvements. I expect next season this OL will have at least two upgrades most likely a new left side of the line. I know Mac was quoted a couple of years ago saying an OL can be improved with mid round picks but reading between the lines that does not mean he will not select a top OT or any OL in the first round if the opportunity presents itself.......just my 2 cents.

 

So you mean more interceptions than TD's

 

Re; The bolded statement - "reaching for a specific position", well it depends on what you mean by "reach". If you take a guy who maybe would've fallen lower, say 10-15 spots, but he fits what you need, then IMP this isn't reaching, it's being smart. Drafting BPA-only is how GMs (MAcc) outsmart themselves. If you already have a pretty set roster, then sure, grabbing a BPA makes more sense because he can upgrade your team. But when you're trying to build a team from the ground up, you need quality players at every position. "Stockpiling" players because they're the BPA while leaving holes at other spots keeps you from having a solid base to build upon.

 

I saw the Manchester Wolves once about 15 years ago. Arena football was nutty.

 

They're corn dogs and cornballs and cheeseballs. Maccagnan and Bowles, Mac 'n Cheese. Blaze.

Signed
-51RogerBlaze51

Haha, he was so high all the time, but he was fun. I can mention so many dead posters on command. It's rather enviable.

 

You can't fix everything at once though......Mac had to tear it all down and rebuild and that takes a few drafts/FA cycles. I realize his drafting has been subpar but as a whole (which includes his FA acquisitions) he's done enough to keep his job at this point. Some say he got lucky with Darnold and he did with the Browns and Giants passing on him but it was his trade moving up to # 3 which secured it. Without giving up a # 1 next year I'll add. It also probably saved his job for the next 2-3 years since he's now tied to Darnold's development.

It's been an unorthodox rebuild up to this point but that being said this coming off season should tell us once and for all how good of a job Mac is doing......

 

I'm not one who said Macc is lucky for having Darnold fall to him - it was a smart and gutsy move by him to trade up. I give him big props for that. But I do disagree with his approach to building this team. That's fine, he's the GM and it's his team, BUT I'm a fan and can give my opinion, same as you and anyone else here. IMO he's done just enough - including hitting a HR with Sam - to save his ob for this year and probably next. But if this team doesn't show big improvement by next year he should be gone. Bowles OTOH has to deliver THIS year, and by "deliver" I mean AT LEAST 6 wins and most of the other games close where the difference was due to talent and not his poor game management and coaching.

 

Sam is ready, so Sam is playing. He had a bad O-line at USC and found a way to succeed. I think he will do similar with the Jets. Jets fans are used to sitting these QB's (Petty, Hackenberg) or playing them from the beginning and they don't turn out great (Sanchez, Geno) but they are all different circumstances and Darnold is by far the best prospect of them all and the most ready to start from Day 1.

Speaking of that, he is starting while Mayfield, Rosen, and Allen are not because he is better than them and in a situation where it makes sense for him to start. The Cardinals paid $20 million for Bradford. Of course he will start. How long will he last? Different question. The Browns traded for Taylor to start. He is a solid QB who will get them some wins. Something they haven't had for awhile, so it makes sense for him to start too if Baker hasn't shown enough or been given a chance. And Allen clearly isn't ready, so best to sit him. The Jets have McCown and that's it. Simple choice.

We all hope Sam plays well and is protected, but there will be growing pains for sure. Can't wait!

 

Rosen should be starting for the Cardinals. They spent stupid money on Bradford and have a rookie head coach. Cleveland should be starting Mayfield. Allen is a project but I suspect he will be starting sooner than later. No problem throwing Sam to the wolves.

People, including myself argued that Sanchez wasn't properly developed by the Jets. In retrospect, his two best years in the NFL was his first two years here. He sucked and was never going to be a solid NFL QB. He sucked less than the alternative and we squeezed out 2 good years because of the surrounding talent. Sam was drafted for an entirely different reason. NFL pro-personal people actually believe he has elite NFL QB talent.

Mac and Bowles may not know what they are doing but please tell me the last time Cleveland, Arizona or Buffalo developed a QB?

The second TB was traded, Sam became the best QB on the roster. He starts. Get over it.